Aerial wind power generation system and method

Abstract

An aerial power generation system includes a guide line supported by a support body. Wind driven elements are configured and shaped to provide maximum force from both lift and drag during the downwind phase of operation and minimum force during the upwind phase. The guide lines add stability to the system and provide better control over angular orientation and direction of motion. Power transfer is through one or more tow lines connected from the driven elements to power generation devices on the ground. Another embodiment of the aerial power generation system includes a revolving apparatus and two or more wind powered driven elements connected by tow lines to the revolving apparatus. The method includes changing the driven elements between high and low force configurations for downwind and upwind operation, and flying the driven elements in a selected pattern perpendicular to the tow line.

1 . An aerial power generation system for generation of power from the wind, comprising: 
 a wind powered driven element, having a high force configuration and a low force configuration, said driven element having, when in said high force configuration, an airfoil shape, an elevation angle and an azimuth angle,    means for adjusting independently said elevation and azimuth angles,    means, connected to said driven element, for changing said driven element between said high force configuration and said low force configuration,    a swivel connected to said means for changing,    a tow line connected to said swivel, and    means, connected to said tow line opposite said swivel and driven by said tow line, for generating power,    whereby said means for adjusting adjusts said elevation and azimuth angles to fly said driven element in a generally circular pattern perpendicular to said tow line while said driven element pulls said tow line, when said driven element is in said high force configuration, and said means for adjusting adjusts said first and second upper control lines to change said driven element between said high and low force configurations.    
   
   
       2 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  including an electrical generator connected to and driven by said swivel.  
   
   
       3 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  including a stabilizer attached to said tow line near said swivel to prevent said tow line from twisting as said driven element rotates relative to said tow line.  
   
   
       4 . An aerial power generation system for generation of power from the wind, comprising: 
 a guide line extending skywardly at a selected elevation angle from a first end to a spaced second end,    a support body attached to said second end of said guide line for supporting said guide line,    a wind powered driven element slidably mounted on said first guide line, said driven element including a rotatably mounted hub and a plurality of circumferentially spaced airfoil blades that extend radially from said hub,    a tow line connected to said driven element, and    means, connected to said tow line opposite said driven element and driven by said tow line, for generating power,    whereby said hub rotates in response to the wind on said blades and the rotation of said blades generates lift, pushing said driven element away from said means for generating, whereby said driven element slides along said guide line and pulls said tow line, and said first tow line drives said means for generating power.    
   
   
       5 . The system as set forth in  claim 4  including: 
 means for changing said driven element between high force and low force configurations,    whereby said means for changing changes said driven element to a said high force configuration to generate power, and said means for changing changes said driven element to a said low force configuration for pulling said driven element towards said means for generating power.    
   
   
       6 . The system as set forth in  claim 5  wherein: 
 each said blade has a pitch angle, and    said means for changing includes a means for adjusting said pitch angle,    whereby said pitch angle is adjusted to change said driven element between high force and low force configurations.    
   
   
       7 . A method of generating power from the wind comprising the steps of: 
 providing a guide line tethered at the lower end and supported at a selected elevation angle by a support body, a wind powered driven element slidably mounted on said guide line, a tow line connected to said driven element and a means for generating power connected to said tow line, said driven element having a high force configuration and a low force configuration,    changing said driven element to said high force configuration,    then sliding said driven element along said guide line toward said support body in response to the wind, whereby said driven element pulls said tow line and said tow line drives said means for generating power,    then changing said driven element to said low force configuration, and    then pulling said driven element toward the lower end of said guide line.    
   
   
       8 . The method as set forth in  claim 7  wherein said driven element includes a rotatably mounted hub and a plurality of spaced airfoil blades that extend radially from said hub, each said blade having a pitch angle, and 
 including the step of rotating said hub during said step of sliding said driven element.    
   
   
       9 . The method as set forth in  claim 8  wherein said steps of changing said driven element to said high force configuration and changing said driven element to said low force configuration both include a substep of adjusting said pitch angle of each said blade.  
   
   
       10 . A method of generating power from the wind comprising the steps of: 
 providing a plurality of aerial wind powered driven elements each having high force configurations and low force configurations, and a separate tow line connected to each driven element, said driven elements each having, when in a said high force configuration, an airfoil shape, an elevation angle and an azimuth angle,    providing a revolving apparatus and means, linked to said revolving apparatus and driven thereby, for generating power, said revolving apparatus being rotatably mounted about a center and having a tow line attachment point, for each driven element, said tow line attachment points each being connected to a said tow line, said tow line attachment points being linked together, spaced from said center and spaced from each other,    changing each driven element to a high force configuration for a selected portion of the rotation of the respective said tow line attachment point,    changing each driven element to a low force configuration for the remainder of the rotation of the respective said tow line attachment point, and    adjusting said elevation angle and said azimuth angle of each driven element to fly said driven element at a high speed in a selected pattern perpendicular to said tow line, when said driven element is in a high force configuration,    whereby said driven elements, in response to the wind, rotate said revolving apparatus when in said high force configuration.    
   
   
       11 . The method as set forth in  claim 10  including the step of: 
 adjusting said azimuth angle of each said driven element to fly said driven element at a selected angle relative to the wind,    whereby each said driven element pulls on said revolving apparatus over an arc greater than 180 degrees.    
   
   
       12 . The method as set forth in  claim 10  including the step of: 
 adjusting said elevation angle and said azimuth angle of each said driven element to fly said driven element at a high speed in a selected pattern perpendicular to said tow line, when said driven element is in a high force configuration.