Methods, systems, and techniques for harnessing wind energy use a tethered airfoil and a digital hydraulic pump and motor, which may optionally be a combined pump/motor. During a traction phase, a wind powered airfoil is allowed to extend a tether and a portion of the wind energy harnessed through extension of the tether is stored prior to distributing the wind energy to an electrical service. During a retraction phase, the wind energy that is stored during the traction phase is used to retract the tether. The digital hydraulic pump and motor are mechanically coupled to the tether.
F03D 9/28 - Wind motors characterised by the driven apparatus the apparatus being a pump or a compressor
F04B 17/02 - Pumps characterised by combination with, or adaptation to, specific driving engines or motors driven by wind motors
F03D 9/17 - Combinations of wind motors with apparatus storing energy storing energy in pressurised fluids
F03C 1/04 - Reciprocating-piston liquid engines with multiple cylinders, characterised by the number or arrangement of cylinders with cylinders in star- or fan-arrangement
F16H 39/02 - Rotary fluid gearing using pumps and motors of the volumetric type, i.e. passing a predetermined volume of fluid per revolution with liquid motors at a distance from liquid pumps
F03D 15/10 - Transmission of mechanical power using gearing not limited to rotary motion, e.g. with oscillating or reciprocating members
F04B 7/00 - Piston machines or pumps characterised by having positively-driven valving
F04B 9/103 - Piston machines or pumps characterised by the driving or driven means to or from their working members the means being fluid the fluid being liquid having only one pumping chamber
F04B 9/109 - Piston machines or pumps characterised by the driving or driven means to or from their working members the means being fluid the fluid being liquid having plural pumping chambers
F04B 9/129 - Piston machines or pumps characterised by the driving or driven means to or from their working members the means being fluid the fluid being elastic, e.g. steam or air having plural pumping chambers
F03C 1/22 - Reciprocating-piston liquid engines with movable cylinders
F03C 1/053 - Reciprocating-piston liquid engines with multiple cylinders, characterised by the number or arrangement of cylinders with cylinders in star- or fan-arrangement the pistons co-operating with an actuated element at the inner ends of the cylinders
F04B 1/0404 - Multi-cylinder machines or pumps characterised by number or arrangement of cylinders having cylinders in star- or fan-arrangement - Details or component parts
F04B 1/0538 - Multi-cylinder machines or pumps characterised by number or arrangement of cylinders having cylinders in star- or fan-arrangement with actuating or actuated elements at the inner ends of the cylinders with two or more serially arranged radial piston-cylinder units located side-by-side
2.
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR HARNESSING WIND ENERGY USING A TETHERED AIRFOIL
Methods, systems, and techniques for harnessing wind energy use a tethered airfoil and a digital hydraulic pump and motor, which may optionally be a combined pump/motor. During a traction phase, a wind powered airfoil is allowed to extend a tether and a portion of the wind energy harnessed through extension of the tether is stored prior to distributing the wind energy to an electrical service. During a retraction phase, the wind energy that is stored during the traction phase is used to retract the tether. The digital hydraulic pump and motor are mechanically coupled to the tether.
F03D 9/28 - Wind motors characterised by the driven apparatus the apparatus being a pump or a compressor
F03D 9/17 - Combinations of wind motors with apparatus storing energy storing energy in pressurised fluids
F01C 1/332 - Rotary-piston machines or engines having the characteristics covered by two or more of groups , , , or having the characteristics covered by one of these groups together with some other type of movement between co-operating members having both the movement defined in group and relative reciprocation between the co-operating members with vanes hinged to the outer member and reciprocating with respect to the inner member
Methods, systems, and techniques for harnessing wind energy use a tethered airfoil and a digital hydraulic pump and motor, which may optionally be a combined pump/motor. During a traction phase, a wind powered airfoil is allowed to extend a tether and a portion of the wind energy harnessed through extension of the tether is stored prior to distributing the wind energy to an electrical service. During a retraction phase, the wind energy that is stored during the traction phase is used to retract the tether. The digital hydraulic pump and motor are mechanically coupled to the tether.
F03D 9/28 - Wind motors characterised by the driven apparatus the apparatus being a pump or a compressor
F01C 1/332 - Rotary-piston machines or engines having the characteristics covered by two or more of groups , , , or having the characteristics covered by one of these groups together with some other type of movement between co-operating members having both the movement defined in group and relative reciprocation between the co-operating members with vanes hinged to the outer member and reciprocating with respect to the inner member
The present disclosure is directed at a method and system for harnessing wind energy using a tethered airfoil. During a traction phase, wind is allowed to extend a kite tether. Wind energy that is harnessed through extension of the kite tether is mechanically stored prior to using the wind energy that is stored to generate electricity. During a retraction phase, the wind energy that is mechanically stored during the traction phase is used to retract the kite tether. Beneficially, the mechanical storage allows the kite tether to be retracted without relying on electricity from an electrical grid.
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