Building energy capture and reserve system

Abstract

An energy conversion apparatus and method using captured energy of building wind resistance, supplemented by solar radiation and by liquefied air transferred to the building or made by excess captured energy. The energy sources are combined, as available, to drive a compressor for supplying intake working fluid of an engine of a reserve system, wherein the liquefied air provides pre-compression cooling of an atmospheric air portion of the working fluid. The liquefied air is stored and transferred between buildings and between buildings and vehicles, as required.

1 . An energy system of a building comprising energy converter means driven by wind induced air flow through input drive means of said converter means to selected wake regions of said building, due to differential pressure between wind stagnation pressure impacting said input drive means and wind suction pressure in said wake regions, for providing power to output drive means of said converter means, 
 whereby said output drive means provides power to selected components of said building.    
   
   
       2 . The components of  claim 1  comprising electrical generator means for providing electrical power to said building.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1  comprising a reserve system for providing power to said components when power of said output drive means is insufficient, whereby power supplied by said reserve system is independent of power sources external to said building.  
   
   
       4 . The reserve system of  claim 3  including: 
 a. a heat engine,    b. liquid transfer and storage means for storing cryogenic liquid heat sink fluid imported from a source external to said building, and    c. cryogenic gas heat exchanger means and compressor means using vaporizing heat sink fluid from said storage means to first cool and then compress atmospheric air working fluid for said engine,    whereby least compression work to said compressor means is approached.    
   
   
       5 . The engine of  claim 4  including: 
 a. heater means for heating the compressed working fluid of said engine, and    b. expander means for expanding the compressed and heated working fluid of said engine,    whereby output power of said expander means supplements output power of said converter means.    
   
   
       6 . The heater means of  claim 5  including fuel combustor means for increasing temperature of the working fluid of said engine, 
 whereby the working fluid of said engine comprises combustion products of said combustor means.    
   
   
       7 . The compressor means of  claim 4  including mixer means for adding vaporized cryogenic liquid discharging from said heat exchanger means to working fluid discharging from said compressor means, 
 whereby maximum thermal efficiency of said engine is approached.    
   
   
       8 . The components of  claim 3  further including: 
 a. a liquefier for conversion of atmospheric air to liquefied air, and    b. liquefied air transfer means for transfer of excess liquefied air from said energy system,    whereby liquefied air made by said liquefier is used to approach least compression work of said components and excess liquefied air made by said liquefier is utilized.    
   
   
       9 . The liquefier of  claim 8  further including pressurizer means driven by said input drive means for pressurizing atmospheric intake air to said liquefier, 
 whereby least input work to said liquefier is approached.    
   
   
       10 . The input drive means of  claim 1  including: 
 a. variable exhaust ducting means for discharging exhaust air from said input drive means to selected wake regions of said building, and    b. automatic control means for regulating the flow area of said ducting means,    whereby exhaust air from said input drive means discharges to said wake regions of low pressure.    
   
   
       11 . The energy system of  claim 1  further including solar energy means for supplementing power output of said system.  
   
   
       12 . A method for using energy dissipated by a building to drive selected components thereof comprising the steps of: 
 a. driving a wind energy converter by wind induced air flow through input drive means of said converter to selected wake regions of said building, due to differential pressure between wind stagnation pressure impacting said input drive means and wind suction pressure in said wake regions, for providing power to output drive means of said converter,    b. operating an engine of a reserve system when power to said output drive means is insufficient, and    c. operating an energy storage system for storing energy due to excess power of said output drive means,    whereby power supplied to said building approaches independence from external energy sources.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  further including the steps of: 
 a. importing liquefied air from a source external to said building to liquefied air storage means of said building for use as heat sink fluid of said engine,    b. cooling atmospheric air drawn from around said building with heat sink fluid from said storage means in heat exchanger means for intake by cryogenic compressor means, and    c. pressurizing cooled atmospheric air from said heat exchanger means in said compressor means driven by said engine for providing compression of working fluid of said engine,    whereby least compression work of said engine is approached.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  further including the step of mixing vaporized heat sink fluid from said heat exchanger means with compressed atmospheric air from said heat exchanger means for supplementing the working fluid of said engine, 
 whereby maximum thermal efficiency of said engine is approached.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12  further including the steps of: 
 a. producing liquefied air by gas liquefier means driven by said output drive means for use as heat sink fluid of said engine, and    b. exporting excess liquefied air to storage external from said engine,    whereby excess power of said output drive means is utilized.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  further including the step of providing intake pressure to said liquefier with pressurizer means driven by said output drive means, 
 whereby maximum utilization of excess power of said output drive means is approached.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 12  further including the step of supplementing power output of said energy converter by solar energy means.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 12  further including the step of controllably discharging air from said input drive means through variable exhaust ducting means to selected wake regions of said building, 
 whereby exhaust air from said input drive means discharges to said wake regions of low pressure.    
   
   
       19 . An energy system of a building comprising a wind energy recovery turbine driven by wind induced air flow, due to differential pressure between wind stagnation pressure impacting said turbine and wind suction pressure in selected low pressure wake regions of said building, for providing torque to an electric generator connected to said turbine, 
 whereby said generator provides electrical energy to said building.