Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
TITLE: SOLAR AND WIND ENERGY COLLECTION SYSTEM
AND METHOD
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 to provisional
application
Serial No. 61/996,023 filed April 28, 2014.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to wind turbines. More specifically,
the
present invention relates to a solar and wind energy collection system,
including a solar
energy collecting system adhered to a wind turbine's tower wherein the solar
energy
system is preferably including thin film photovoltaics and where one or more
photovoltaic
cells collect energy from light to generate electricity. This locally
generated electricity is
then used for restarting the wind turbine thus increasing the reliability of
wind turbines to
generate power.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Wind energy power has been used for centuries. Initially in mills, then for
pumping
water and more recently, wind turbines have been introduced to generate
electricity for use
by consumers. In recent decades, wind energy has become a viable source of
energy
production and it is in the mix of energy options provided to a consumer by
electric
companies who have realized greater stability by the inclusion of renewable
energies into
their energy generation profile.
In recent years, this significant increase in the use of wind energy, a
renewable
energy, is due to environmental and economic concerns coupled with
improvements in
technology that have greatly increased the efficiency and cost per kilowatt
(kW) of these
systems. Improvements in both materials and turbine design have increased the
efficiency
and decreased the cost per kW of power produced.
However the approach still has certain drawbacks, including the dependence on
variable environmental factors like adequate wind speed and the cost
competitiveness with
fossil fuels. Once factored in, other costs such as pollution and
environmental damage give
reason to pause and encourage an increased use of renewable energy sources.
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Besides wind turbine systems, other environmentally friendly systems have also
made great strides of late. For example, solar power has benefitted from the
development
of thin film photovoltaic materials. Such solar collectors are less expensive
to produce and
easier to install and work with. Also, their efficiencies are making giant
steps forward
making them more effective on a per area basis. Still, the generation of solar
power is not
yet cost-competitive (without factoring in environmental costs like pollution)
with fossil
fuels.
In addition, this approach relies on at least one variable environmental
factor
(sunshine) which is not always available. For example, at night, when no
sunshine is
available, solar systems will provide no power, thus potentially interrupting
energy flow if
relied on too heavily in a grid system. One solution has been to co-locate
wind and solar
energy collection systems.
The co-locating of solar and wind energy collection systems in a single hybrid
power generator has advantages such as fewer interruptions in energy
generation. Sun and
wind availability are always correlated at a wind turbine's location, yet when
both solar
and wind systems are working simultaneously greater energy generation per unit
area of
land and increased peak production per unit area of land occurs. This
decreases the overall
costs of production and reduces costs associated with maintenance due to
economies of
scale.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system that generates electrical power from
renewable sources and that maximizes energy generation while minimizing
interruptions
due to environmental factors. There is a need for a system that generates
energy from
renewable sources at an improved cost per kW.
Currently, most wind based power systems are idled at various times and during
various conditions. For example, many wind turbine power systems cannot
operate below
a certain wind speed. In other systems, it may not be desirable to operate the
wind turbine
when wind speeds exceed a certain velocity. Regardless of the reason,
ultimately, these
idled wind turbines must be restarted.
Most large wind turbine power systems are operatively connected to a power
grid
system which is routing power from power plants to end users. Today's power
plants are
predominately fossil fuel based systems. Power for a wind turbine restart is
currently taken
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from the existing power in the grid, meaning wind turbine systems are likely
restarted
using power originating at a fossil fuel based power plant.
Additionally, relying on grid power for a wind turbine restart means relying
on grid
infrastructure. Downed power lines, transformer issues and the like can cause
disruption
not only to the end user, but can also prevent a restart of a wind turbine
power system that
could otherwise provide power to the grid.
When a wind turbine is shut down due to wind speeds or other weather
conditions,
the wind turbine's blades are turned out of the wind by performing a yaw
maneuver. This
yaw maneuver protects the internal mechanical workings typically found in the
nacelle of
the wind turbine. Yet, once the weather has passed and the wind speeds are
slowed, the
wind turbine blades can be turned back into the wind and the turbine restarts
power
generation. To turn the wind turbine blades back into the wind, another yaw
maneuver is
executed. As a matter of practice, the power required to execute this maneuver
is pulled
from grid power and this maneuver is delayed when grid power is unavailable.
That is, the
wind turbine cannot execute the yaw maneuver to provide power, if power is
already
unavailable, thus leaving an already disabled energy provider without the
ability to provide
power when it is most needed.
One of the advantages of renewable energy is that it usually is available when
other
power is not. Without the restart of the wind turbine, this advantage is lost
to the energy
provider/power company and the consumer.
Recently, the solution of adopting a non-renewable energy source was adopted
as
diesel generators were installed in wind turbines. Yet this "solution" is
fraught with
challenges including the storage and supply of the diesel fuel plus the need
for physical
manpower to start the diesel generator. Being man-power intensive presents a
set of
problems immediately following foul weather when the movement of man and
materials is
often disabled. Moreover, diesel generators are not a renewable energy source,
thus
turning the renewable energy solution presented by wind and/or solar power
into one still
reliant on a dirty fuel start. In addition, the maintenance and fuel
management of these
diesel generators drains both manpower and financial resources as the
generators are
maintained and fuel is delivered to and stored at the wind farm. All in all,
this solution,
although workable, has many flaws.
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However, according to the Wind Turbine Systems Engineering Meeting at NREL in
2013, the restart power of a wind turbine has moved to using Diesel generators
and away from
using grid power to ensure that wind power continues to be produced when grid
power is
unavailable to restart the turbine.
The use of wind turbines to generate electricity is well known in the prior
art. These
turbines generally include a vertical tower which supports a turbine
operatively connected
to a propeller which spins on a horizontal axis or to another device designed
to take
advantage of the moving wind. Alternative designs and orientations are shown
and
discussed here.
Known prior art wind turbines with a solar component include systems such as
that
shown and described in U.S. Patent No. 6,372,978 entitled Wind/Sun Solar
Collection
System. This system uses separate solar panels and wind turbines requiring a
vast footprint.
However, many wind turbine "farms" are installed on land which is also put to
other uses.
For example, many wind turbine farms are located in agricultural areas where
farming of
the surrounding land is also desired. It is therefore desirable to provide a
solar and wind
collection system which minimizes its overall footprint and thus the amount of
land
required for its use.
Similarly, U.S. Patent No. 6,097,104 entitled Hybrid Energy Recovery System
describes a system that collects energy through separate solar and wind
generators. Again,
the solar panels and separate wind turbine take up a large area. Moreover,
only enough
solar energy is collected to support some energy needs of the wind turbine,
such as
emergency backup power, but the system is not large enough and does not
produce enough
power to execute the required yaw maneuver of today's power generating wind
turbine. In
addition, this design does not support a solar energy collection capability
that is added to
the wind turbine power for purposes of a hybrid power generation capability as
with the
present invention.
Attempts have also been made to provide power generation from two renewable
energy sources, but they have major structural difference as with the system
design
disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,551,631 entitled Wind and Solar Electric
Generating Plant
where the system includes a separate wind generator or turbine which has a
roof or other
similar structure covering that supports an array of solar cells. The system
uses a wind
turbine which rotates about a
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vertical shaft. Such arrangements require a much larger footprint and thus
tend to take up
too much space for large scale use. Although the platform of solar cells may
provide an
additional source of energy when the sun is shining, the platform also serves
to divert the
natural wind flow thereby altering the effectiveness of the wind turbine. In
addition, such a
system results in additional cost for the construction of the roof platform,
as well as added
maintenance for the additional structure. Furthermore, many areas of the
country, which
receive substantial snowfall, are not well suited for utilizing these systems.
Other attempts have been made to include solar panels on the fan blades of a
wind
turbine as in U.S. Patent No. 5,254,876 entitled Combined Solar and Wind
Powered
Generator with Spiral Blades and U.S. Patent No. 7,045,702 entitled Solar-
Paneled
Windmill. Similarly, in U.S. Publication No. 2008/0047270 Al entitled Solar
Windmill
where the solar panels are mounted on the surface of the flaps and fins. The
inclusion of the
solar panel or cells on the fan blades, fins or flaps limits the solar energy
collection area
and does not generate enough power to execute the required yaw maneuver. In
addition, it
does not create the effectiveness of combining the two renewable energy
sources for a
hybrid power generation capability. In these designs the solar power does not
augment the
efficiency of the wind turbine's power generation capability as does the
hybrid wind and
solar energy collection systems of the present invention.
In U.S. Patent No. 7,345,374 entitled Decorative Windmill With Solar Panel the
solar energy collector is sized and selected to provide for the functional
requirements of
electrical devices associated with the windmill use or for the decoration of
the windmill
only. The solar generation capability is not used to be part of a hybrid
energy generation
system as with the present invention nor does it generate enough power for the
required
restart power.
In U.S. Patent No. 8,432,053 entitled Wind Turbine Solar Control System the
solar
energy system does not provide the power required to execute the yaw maneuver
of wind
turbine blades.
It is thus desirable to develop a new and improved wind turbine system which
would
overcome these difficulties while providing better and more advantageous
overall results.
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OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to
provide a wind
turbine system that maximizes the use of renewable energy to restart the wind
turbine's
blades via the required yaw maneuver.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a wind turbine output
augmentation while using renewable energy, specifically thin film solar
photovoltaics.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a solar power
system that
is used for reliable restarts.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the
following
detailed description are merely exemplary of the invention, and are intended
to provide an
overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the
invention as it is
claimed. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further
understanding of
the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this
specification. The
drawings illustrate the invention; and together with the description serve to
explain the
principles and operation of the invention.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An alternative that stays in the realm of power generation utilizing renewable
energy is presented. As in the present invention the use of solar power is a
better option
than current diesel generators because it does not require someone to
physically access the
wind turbine to restart it and it does not require the storage and maintenance
of fuel at the
wind turbine's site; it is a less-expensive (free) way to restart the wind
turbine compared to
buying the grid power from the energy company or purchasing diesel fuel
because it is a
RENEWABLE-ENERGY solution; and it adds value by providing solar output power
to
augment wind power as output of the wind turbine.
In the present invention, the solar power generated is the power required to
support
wind turbine operations: specifically, the power required to execute the yaw
maneuver of
the wind turbine blades to restart wind power energy generation.
The use of solar power improves the overall efficiency of the power generating
system as well as achieving an increase in the dependency of the overall power
generating
system. Upon conversion of the solar energy, not only are restart power
functions
executable, but ongoing supplemental power generation is achieved. This hybrid
wind
6
turbine employing this solar photovoltaic system increases the maximum energy
output of the
wind turbine.
The solution presented by this invention is to use solar power to restart the
wind
turbine. Accordingly, this solution utilizes solar photovoltaics creating a
hybrid wind
turbine design. The solar power produced generates the required power to
restart the wind
turbine. This solution by using solar power is a renewable solution to this
problem and is a less
dangerous, less man-power intensive, and more reliable solution. Also, the
solar power system
can be electronically connected so that it is remotely activated and thereby
does not need to
wait until a technician can start a generator. In addition, the power produced
by the solar
photovoltaics can be added to the wind turbine output thereby achieving a
higher overall output
in renewable energy production.
The invention is applicable to wind turbines and will be described in relation
to wind
turbines, however, the invention has broader applications and may also be
adapted for use in
other power systems.
In these respects, the hybrid wind and solar turbine according to the present
invention
substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior
art, and in so
doing provide an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of generating
the restart power
to execute a wind turbine's blade's yaw maneuver as well as augmenting the
generated power.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a new hybrid wind turbine
and solar PV
method which has many of the advantages of the turbines and includes new
features resulting
from a new hybrid wind and solar turbine which is not anticipated, rendered
obvious,
suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art turbines, either alone or
in any combination
thereof.
In general, the main purpose of the present invention is to provide power for
the wind
turbine yaw maneuver and a more efficient and dependable power generation
system utilizing
wind and solar power generation and having features allowing the opportunity
to harvest two
renewable energy types into a hybrid power generation capability. This makes a
wind turbine
more fault-tolerant and increases its dependability as a power source.
The present invention relates to a solar based power system to restart a wind
turbine's
power production/generation. This is an environmentally friendly combination
of wind turbine
and solar energy collectors that restart a wind turbine after the blades are
stationary. Under
certain wind conditions the blades of the wind turbine are stopped. When
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the conditions no longer exist, the blades need to be rotated into the wind so
that the blades
face into the wind and collect wind energy. Turning the wind turbine's blades
is called a yaw
maneuver. The power required to execute the yaw maneuver is generated from a
thin-film solar
photovoltaic system secured to a common support structure; the wind turbine's
tower.
When not required for the yaw maneuver, the same thin-film solar photovoltaic
system
generates an output that augments the power generation of the wind turbine.
The hybrid energy
collection system includes the wind turbine and a thin film solar energy
collecting system that
is adhered to the wind turbine tower. To show the effectiveness of the solar
power system's
ability to generate the required power to maneuver the wind turbine's blades,
an academic
analysis is provided.
This hybrid wind turbine's energy output is controlled by a power management
program and may be combined with the solar power energy that is generated from
solar
photovoltaic material through an electrical subsystem associated with the wind
energy
collection system, an electrical subsystem associated with the solar energy
collection system,
and/or a combination and control subsystem conductively coupled to both the
electrical
subsystem associated with the wind turbine and the electrical subsystem
associated with the
solar energy collection system.
The power that is used does not "start" the blades but it is used by the
rotational blade
assemble to turn the turbine blades into the wind and change the pitch of the
blades so that the
wind can start the blades turning. While turbines are different based upon
manufacturer and
when manufactured, most have 690 volt systems and there are typically three
7.5Kw (or 22.5
kilowatts total) delta motors connected to turn the turbine's blades change
the yaw and
therefore this system may be applied to various types of wind turbines.
Technological advances have allowed us to increase the power output generated
by a wind
turbine by increasing the length of a wind turbine's blades. To support this
increase in blade
length, the height of a wind turbine tower continues to increase thereby
increasing the surface
area upon which to attach the thin film solar photovoltaics. In addition,
technological advances
in thin film solar photovoltaic efficiencies will result in larger
augmentations to the hybrid
wind turbine's output.
Since 1980, wind turbine towers have gone from 24 meters to 114 meters in
height.
Using a 60 meter tall wind turbine tower, the total surface area is calculated
to be 258
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square meters. Considering the power needed for the yaw maneuver and using a
commercially available thin film solar photovoltaic ribbon of cadmium
telluride on an
amorphous silicon thin film solar photovoltaics, the power needed to support
this maneuver
can be produced as each 144 Watt ribbon will cover 2.16 square meters of the
wind turbine
tower. When the available surface area of the wind turbine tower (258 sq.
meters) is
covered, the solar power produced will be enough to support the yaw maneuver
of the wind
turbine blades. Academically an output of more than 50 kilowatts will be
realized and the
wind turbine yaw maneuver requires 17 kilowatts.
Through the addition of solar PV to a wind turbine that is the hybrid
renewable
energy wind and solar turbine of the present invention there is a decrease in
wind power
production intermittency with an increase in the power generation capability.
The present
invention is unique compared to other designs as it utilizes the wind turbine
tower surface
area to increase the wind turbine's power generation capability. To attain
this, the present
invention generally comprises a hollow tower with an outer shell constructed
to support
solar cells as well as providing a support tower for the wind turbine. By
using the surface
area of the cone-like structure of most wind power generation turbines, we
have a large
surface for the placement of solar PV. By integrating PV materials into the
wind turbine
support structure, we achieve an increase in the wind generator's power
generation
capability and an enhancement of the wind generator's dependability.
Although some of the prior art provide a source of wind and solar power
generators in
one location, none of each of the prior art references a system including
solar photovoltaic
material on the turbine tower body. By placing the solar photovoltaic material
on the tower or
body of the wind turbine, there is no increase in the footprint, whether the
wind turbine is
located on land or on water, with the present invention.
On the wind turbine tower with the placement of the solar PV material in a
partially
vertical axis, there is a reduced risk of being covered in snow or debris due
to this vertical
placement and thereby reduces the maintenance. In addition, the vertical
placement along the
body of the tower ensures that the natural wind flow is not diverted and
therefore has little or
no interference with wind dynamics or the effectiveness of the wind turbine.
The present invention intends to solve the problem of what to do when the wind
does not blow and the potential for power outage is greatest. It provides a
workable
solution for a large portion of that time and has the advantage of augmenting
the power
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production capability when the wind does blow. As solar energy use becomes
more
popular as an environmentally non-invasive form of power generation, users of
this
technology save money while gaining a power source that is dependable.
The Return on Investment (ROI) of wind turbine power generation capabilities
can
be reduced as the power generation potential is increased by the present
invention. This
increase in efficiency makes hybrid wind turbines more cost effective than any
prior art.
For example, on a wind farm, this hybrid wind and solar power generation
capability
exceeds the power generation capability of the wind turbines while keeping the
landscape
or seascape footprint the same. This hybrid systems employing solar and wind
power
preferably will incur no or little energy costs and once installed, will be
comparatively easy
and inexpensive to maintain.
The present invention relates to a solar photovoltaic power generation
capability to
augment a wind power generation capability. The problem the invention solves
is that of
when the wind does not blow, a wind turbine produces no power. The solution of
the
present invention is to use another renewable energy capability for power
generation in the
absence of wind and the present invention uses solar energy. The use of solar
energy as a
source of energy is well known within the art. The present invention was
conceived to
solve the problem so that when the sun is shining, even if the wind is not
blowing, power
can be produced.
The present invention can be used on any wind power generation capability
supported by a self-supported tower. The invention is made by adding Solar PV
to the
outside of the wind turbine tower, electrically wiring it to the inside where
power
collection takes place as the wind turbine generated power is combined for a
total power
output generation capability. This capability is based on two main criteria:
the efficiency
by which the photovoltaic material converts sun energy to electrical energy
and the size of
the solar array.
The dependability of wind power generation is enhanced by partially addressing
the
concern of the loss of a power generation capability when the wind does not
blow. When
the wind is not blowing, solar energy is collected during the daytime via
photovoltaic
material or solar panels electrically connected to the output of the wind
turbine. This
invention makes wind power generation a more dependable energy source for
renewable
power generation.
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The present invention is used to produce power during the daylight hours and
when
the wind blows. The solar PV will produce electrical power during daylight
hours. If the
wind is blowing, the wind turbine will produce electrical power and the power
produced by
the Solar PV will add to the power production capability of the wind turbine.
If the wind is
not blowing, the Solar PV will ensure that the wind turbine continues to have
a power
production capability, thereby reducing outages.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the use of power plastic solar
photovoltaic material can be placed on the portion of the tower, which
receives direct
sunlight. This embodiment is presented for ease of construction as the solar
PV material is
lighter in weight and less rigid and is less costly. This embodiment will
reduce the upfront
cost of the hybrid capability while having the flexibility of this solar PV
material.
The placement of the solar PV in one embodiment of the present invention
includes
the use of thin film solar photovoltaic material and this reduces the cost of
the PV material
and the upfront costs of the hybrid capability. Thin film solar photovoltaic
having a good
solar efficiency in shaded areas can be placed on the portion of the wind
turbine tower
where there is relatively little direct sunlight. By adding thin film solar PV
to the shaded
portion of the wind turbine tower, an increase in the solar energy production
capability will
be realized.
The present invention has a wide range of uses from large commercial wind
generation capabilities to the small wind power generator. In addition, the
present
invention could be used for wind turbine towers located on land or on water.
It is
anticipated that the water-based hybrid wind turbine would produce more power
than the
land-based hybrid wind turbine due to the light reflective qualities of the
water which
would increase the solar photovoltaic system's power production capability.
Further advantages of this invention will become apparent from a consideration
of
the drawings and ensuing description. The present invention provides renewable
energy to
the motor of a wind turbine's blade control system. The start-up of the blades
allows the
wind turbine to operate more continuously, generating more energy. This solar
power
system may be applied to various types of wind turbines whose blades that are
run on an
electric motor.
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The system would use sun and wind power to more efficiently generate
electricity.
The system could be set up so that each wind turbine has a dedicated solar
power system
and control system.
However, the system could be designed to share certain elements or to share an
array of elements. For example, a wind farm comprising a group of wind
turbines could
utilize the power of a different wind turbine's solar restart system.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Features and aspects of the present invention will be better understood and
will
become apparent when consideration is given to the detailed description that
follows with
reference to the drawing, wherein:
Figure 1 is a first embodiment of a wind turbine's tower with the addition of
solar
photovoltaic according to the present invention.
Figure 2 illustrates an embodiment of a two wind turbines in different
positions on
their respective wind turbine towers to show an example of the yaw maneuver
according to
the present invention.
Figure 3 is a block diagram of the electrical circuit of the solar power
energy flow
to the rotational blade electrical circuit assemble to support the wind
turbine's restart and
also details the combined wind power and solar power output.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The present invention will be described as it applies to its preferred
embodiment. It
is not intended that the present invention be limited to the described
embodiment. It is
intended that the invention cover all modifications and alternatives which may
be included
within the spirit and scope of the invention.
The energy system according to the present invention includes a solar energy
system and a wind energy system where the solar energy system is used to
generate the
power required to execute a yaw maneuver to restart wind power generation.
When not
required to restart the wind turbine, the solar energy production augments the
wind turbine
power output creating a hybrid energy output which is managed by the
combination
system. The operation of the present invention can be monitored with user-
controlled
software, referred to herein as a control system In operation, the control
system controls
12
and coordinates the solar energy system, the wind energy system and the
combination
system.
Referring now to Figure 1 in the drawings, the preferred embodiment of a
hybrid
wind turbine and solar photovoltaic system 10 according to the present
invention is
illustrated. Hybrid wind and solar power generation system preferably
comprises of a tower
or frame 14, a wind turbine 12, and a solar photovoltaic assembly 22.
Referring now to Figure 2 in the drawings, the preferred embodiment of the
wind
turbine and solar photovoltaic system 10 according to the present invention is
illustrated
beside the same embodiment with the wind turbine's blades in the yawed
position. Shown are
the tower 14, the wind turbine 12, and the solar photovoltaic assembly 22.
Referring to Figure 3 in the drawings, the electrical system block diagram
according to the present invention is illustrated. The major structural parts
of the wind
turbine of Figure 1 with solar on tower 14 are: the wind turbine assembly 12;
the wind
turbine tower 14 and the solar photovoltaic assembly 22 are the wind
electrical system 30;
the solar electrical system 40; the combination system 50, and the control
system 60. The
solar photovoltaic and the wind turbine generated power are fed to the Power
Converter 44
of the Control System 60 located inside of the wind turbine tower 14, as shown
in Figure 1,
where the output is fed back to the wind turbine's yaw maneuver systems in the
nacelle 20
when needed or are combined into a single output power by the combination
system 50, as
shown in Figure 3, which is inside the wind turbine tower 14.
The wind energy system 12, as shown in Figure 1, preferably comprising of a
wind
energy collection system, a control system, and a wind energy conversion
system is
preferred. In addition, the wind energy system may include a synchronous power
generating
capability (as in grid tied systems) or non-synchronous power generating
capability (as in
stand-alone systems). The wind energy collection system 12, as shown in
Figures 1 and 2,
preferably comprises of a tower 14, and a wind turbine assembly 16. 18, 20.
The tower 14 is
preferably a solid structure or a lattice frame structure made up of legs and
cross members.
The wind assembly 16, 18, 20 is preferably attached to the top of the tower 14
with a
rotational blade assembly 16 attached to a swivel bracket with a wind vane
rigidly attached
to the other end of the swivel bracket to keep the rotational blade assembly
16 always
properly facing into the wind when collecting wind energy. The rotational
blade assembly
16 is secured to a generally horizontal axle 18 which is operatively connected
to
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a generator disposed in the nacelle 20. A transmission may be included if
desired between
the axle 18 and the generator disposed in the nacelle 20. The tower 14 is
preferably
constructed of metal, but may be constructed of plastic, wood or any other
suitable material
as desired.
As shown in Figure 3, the hybrid energy system preferably comprising of a
power
combination system 50, a control system 60, and a power output system is
preferred. This
combination process includes power converters 54 and inverters 56 and charge
controllers 58
considered standard with wind turbine power production and solar PV power
production
capabilities. The difference will be the combining network to add these two
power generation
capabilities outputs together to one hybrid, yet integrated power source.
As also shown in Figure 3, the solar energy system 40 preferably comprising of
a
solar energy collection system 22, a control system, and a solar energy
conversion system is
preferred. The solar energy collection system 22 comprises of the solar
photovoltaic
collectors or cells 24 and other necessary circuitry for receiving and
collecting solar energy
(which may be a solar control system 52 such as a DC-.DC control circuit as
shown in Figure
3) and converting the solar energy into electrical energy. The solar energy
system 40 is
preferably conductively coupled with electrical conductors to the control
system 60 that
directs the generated energy.
In operation, the solar energy collection system 22 preferably converts solar
energy
into electrical energy. The purpose of the solar energy system 40 is
preferably to convert
solar energy into electrical energy and to deliver the generated electrical
energy to the
control system 50, or one or more electrical systems, or a rechargeable
electrical power
source.
The solar control system 52 preferably comprises circuitry, microprocessors,
memory
devices, sensors, switches, and other electronic components necessary to
partially or fully
direct electrical energy from the solar energy collection system 22 to the
control system or to
the combination system or to other control systems where the electrical energy
is needed, or to
a rechargeable electrical power source.
As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the solar collectors 24 may be located on any
suitable wind
turbine tower surface, however it is preferred that the solar collectors 24 be
optimally exposed
to solar light. In alternative embodiments, a variety of solar photovoltaic
materials may be used
and arranged to optimize the solar energy collection capability.
14
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However, when the rechargeable electrical power source is fully charged, the
solar
energy collection system 22 preferably delivers electrical energy to the
combination system
=
14a
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50 where the electrical energy is combined with the wind energy produced by
the wind
turbine and then delivered to the grid as output power. For example, the
electrical energy is
first directed to power electrical systems to execute the yaw maneuver via the
control
system 60 or it could be directed to the combination system 50 to produce an
output when
wind energy production is not possible.
The control system 60 is integrated with the solar energy system 40, the wind
energy system 30 and the hybrid energy combination hybrid energy system 50 and
the
control system 60 to control each system's output and monitor each system's
input. For
example, when an input of electrical energy is sensed from any system, the
input is
measured. The measured input is then compared to the desired output. If the
measured
input exceeds the desired output to an intended source, modifications to the
system are
made. For instance, should both the solar and wind generators operate at
maximum
capacity, the power output 70 may likely exceed the allowable output to an
electrical grid.
In such situations, the control system will instruct the wind assembly 12,
shown in Figure
1, which operates on top of the tower 14 to rotate about the tower 14's
vertical axis
executing a yaw maneuver and turning the blades out of the wind. Such rotation
is
accomplished by a positioning motor as is well known in the art. In this
manner the wind
assembly 12 is no longer facing directly into the wind, but rather is being
rotated by only a
component of the wind's velocity. Such yawing of the wind assembly 12 will
reduce the
power output to meet the requirements of the power management program of the
control
system.
In addition, should the power management program sense there is no wind at the
present time, the wind energy system 30 can be shut down to conserve power.
Similarly,
should the power management program in the control system detect an input from
a photo
sensor that it is no longer sunny, the power management program will shut down
the solar
energy system 40, shown in Figure 3. Finally, the power management program in
the
control system can also control the distribution of any power generated to
ensure all
subsystems of the hybrid wind turbine system 10 and the solar photovoltaic
system 22
operate within limits as desired.
Electrical power systems would be located within the hollow center of the body
of
the tower 14, shown in Figure 1, which will also protect them from adverse
weather
conditions. These systems, shown in Figure 3, include the control system 60, a
wind
electrical power system 30, a solar electrical power system 40, and a power
combination
system 50, plus a switch and output 70.
The present invention is a vast improvement to the dependability of wind
turbine
power production as it substantially reduces power outages caused when the
wind does not
blow. The efficiency of the wind power generation capability is increased as
well. The
focus of the present invention is primarily on the use of the power produced
by the solar
photovoltaic material 24 on the tower 14 of the wind turbine to restart the
wind turbine via
a yaw maneuver and the ability of the solar photovoltaic system 10 and, as
shown in Figure
1, to combine with the output energy of the wind turbine to produce a hybrid
power output
solution.
Figure 2 shows two hybrid wind turbine and solar photovoltaic systems 10 with
two potential orientations of the wind turbine blades 16. The orientation of
the solar
photovoltaics 24 are shown in one orientation although the orientation
possibilities are
many, only one is shown here yet this does not exclude other orientation
possibilities.
The solar photovoltaics 24 in Figure 1 can be flexible photovoltaics such as
thin film or
power plastic or can be integrated into the building material of the solid
body tower 14
(shown in Figures 1 and 2) or to the structural elements or members of a
lattice tower.
The solar photovoltaics 24 can be structures added to the outside of the solid
or lattice
tower 14. The solar photovoltaics 24 is electrically coupled to the solar
electrical system
through small openings in the tower structure. The solar photovoltaic material
24 is
preferably placed to fully encircle the tower 14's surface area or placed to
efficiently
maximize solar energy capture. As described in the embodiments, various types
of solar
photovoltaics 24 may be combined.
In Figure I, all electrical coupling takes place inside the tower 14 such as
the control
system 60 as shown in Figure 3 as well as the wind electrical system 30, the
solar
photovoltaic electrical system 40 and the combination electrical system 50.
The electrical
power systems for the wind turbine and solar photovoltaic system 10 as shown
in Figures 1
and 2 would preferably be housed to protect against weather and located in the
center of the
solid body of the wind turbine tower. The wind turbine and solar photovoltaic
system 10
shown in Figure 1 preferably comprises a solid, but generally hollow tower 14
generally
constructed of reinforced cement or other suitable material.
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The present invention has been described so as to be understood by one of
skill in
the art who is able to understand that minor variations to the present
invention may be done
without diverging from the spirit and scope of the invention, which is to be
limited only by
the claims appended hereto.
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