Pneumatic mechanical power source

Abstract

An mechanical power system is provided for providing torque without using a heat engine in virtually any non-aviation application where fossil-fuel engines have conventionally been used, by simply replacing the fossil-fuel burning engine with a rotary pneumatic motor of appropriate size for the application and feeding pressure-regulated compressed gas to the rotary pneumatic motor. The rotary pneumatic motor can be used virtually anywhere, and requires merely a supply of compressed gas to run it, preferably compressed nitrogen. Automotive, marine and electrical generating applications are easily adaptable, and auxiliary fossil-fuel engines can be added for emergencies where a supply of compressed gas has been exhausted. A screw-type compressor can be electrically powered to supply compressed gas to the pneumatic motor where tanks of compressed gas have been exhausted. Tanks of compressed gas are to be conveniently user replaceable. An electrical generating power plant includes an array of solar panels for generating direct current (DC) and a DC/AC converter for converting the DC to alternating current (AC) and outputting a portion of the AC via a power plant output port to supply an AC load.

1 . A pneumatic-powered locomoting transporter comprising a housing at least one rotary pneumatic motor and supply of compressed nitrogen gas contained in user-replaceable, user re-fillable storage containers within said housing, said motor being connected to said gas storage containers by conduits having at least one gas pressure regulator in gaseous flow connection between said tanks and said motor.
 at least one auxiliary fossil-fuel engine with a supply of a fossil fuel for energizing said auxiliary engine;   at least one electric generating device connected to said auxiliary engine for producing electric current; and   at least one electrically powered screw-type compressor electrically connected with said at least one electric generating device for producing compressed air, said compressor in fluid communication with said conduits having at least one gas pressure regulator for supply said compressed air to said RPM;   wherein said at least one rotary pneumatic engine is crankshaft-connected to a conventional automotive transmission for feeding power to the conventional traction wheels of said locomoting transporter.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said transporter comprises a user-operable motor vehicle driveable on public highways and wherein said motor vehicle further comprises all customary conventional automotive components and dimensions required for fitness to operate upon public highways. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2  wherein said motor vehicle comprises a member of the group comprising automobiles, trucks, buses and recreational vehicles. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said locomoting transporter is a member of the group comprising construction equipment and heavy vehicular equipment. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 2  wherein said motor vehicle comprises a floating marine vehicle. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 2  wherein said motor vehicle comprises a railroad locomotive. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said at least one screw-type compressor feeds said compressed atmospheric air to said at least one rotary pneumatic engine via said at least one pressure regulator. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7  wherein interposed between said compressor and said air regulator is a humidifier air drier capable of removing water vapor from the compressed air, thereby causing any condensed water to evaporate and be withdrawn. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 7  wherein said at least one rotary pneumatic engine is crankshaft-connected to an electrical generator for generating electricity as a primary source of energy and wherein said conventional automotive transmission is crankshaft-connected to an electric motor, said electric motor being in electrical connection with said electrical generator, said conventional automotive transmission for feeding torque upon user-controlled demand to the conventional traction wheels of said locomoting transporter. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9  wherein said electric motor comprises a motor-generator for dynamic braking capture of vehicular kinetic energy as electrical energy and wherein said locomoting transporter comprises at least one array of lithium-ion batteries connected to said motor generator for capturing electrical energy resulting from said dynamic braking of said locomoting transporter. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10  wherein said at least one array of lithium-ion batteries is in electrical connection with said at least one screw-type compressor, for augmentation of the electrical power available to power said screw-type compressor in addition to said electrical current from said at least one auxiliary fossil-fuel engine. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 9  wherein said locomoting transporter comprises at least one 12 volt battery. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12  wherein said at least one 12 volt battery is connected to said motor generator. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 12  wherein said at least one 12 volt battery is connected to said at least one screw-type compressor. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 11  wherein said locomoting transporter comprises a stationary engine wherein the power of said stationary engine is consumed in a stationary application. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15  wherein said stationary engine is crankshaft-connected to a stationary electrical generator for generating emergency electrical power. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16  wherein said device comprises a residential emergency electrical generating system. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 16  wherein said device comprises a commercial emergency electrical generating system. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 16  wherein said device comprises a disaster preparation emergency electrical generating system. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 16  wherein said device comprises an industrial scale fixed-plant electrical generating system. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 15  having at least one array of lithium-ion batteries in electrical connection with said at least one screw-type compressor, for augmentation of the electrical power available to power said screw-type compressor in addition to said electrical current from said at least one auxiliary fossil-fuel engine. 
     
     
         22 . A pneumatic power drive system for a vehicle comprising:
 a refillable/replaceable storage tank assembly containing a high pressure working fluid of substantially pure nitrogen;   means for withdrawing high pressure working fluid from said storage tank assembly;   means for reducing the high pressure of said working fluid to a low operating pressure;   means for delivering under controlled conditions said working fluid at the low operating pressure to a pneumatic motor to produce a shaft torque output;   means for translating said shaft torque output to produce the power drive output of said system;   said pneumatic power drive system further comprising an auxiliary compressor for delivering compressed air as a secondary working fluid to said pneumatic motor when said high pressure working fluid is not available from said storage tank assembly; and said pneumatic power drive system further comprising an auxiliary power source for driving said auxiliary compressor.   
     
     
         23 . The pneumatic power drive system of  claim 22  in which said nitrogen high pressure working fluid is pressurized at about 4,000 PSI and said low pressure nitrogen working fluid is in the range of from about 90 PSI to about 150 PSI. 
     
     
         24 . The pneumatic power drive system of  claim 22  in which said auxiliary power source is a rechargeable battery array. 
     
     
         25 . The pneumatic power drive system of  claim 22  in which said auxiliary power source is an internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         26 . The pneumatic power drive system of  claim 22  in which said auxiliary power source includes means for switching between an internal combustion engine and a battery array. 
     
     
         27 . The pneumatic power drive system of  claim 26  wherein said separate source of electricity is a rechargeable battery pack. 
     
     
         28 . The pneumatic power drive system of  claim 27  having a pressure regulator and a throttle in said high pressure line to deliver said low pressure working fluid to said pneumatic motor. 
     
     
         29 . The pneumatic power drive system of  claim 28  having a power takeoff from said shaft output for driving an auxiliary electric generator. 
     
     
         30 . The pneumatic power drive system of  claim 28  in which said compressor is a rotary screw type compressor. 
     
     
         31 . The pneumatic power drive system of  claim 22  in which said means for translating said shaft torque output to produce the power drive output comprises a transmission for delivering power to drive wheels directly from said shaft torque output. 
     
     
         32 . The pneumatic power drive system of  claim 22  in which said means for translating said shaft torque output to produce the power drive output comprises a main electric generator for producing electric power for driving an electro motive output of said system. 
     
     
         33 . The pneumatic power drive system of  claim 32  in which said electro motive output is delivered through a transmission to drive wheels. 
     
     
         34 . A pneumatic-powered locomoting transporter comprising
 a housing;
 at least one rotary pneumatic motor (RPM); 
 a supply of compressed gas contained in user-replaceable, user re-fillable storage containers within said housing, wherein said motor is connected in fluid communication with said gas storage containers by conduits having at least one gas pressure regulator; 
 at least one auxiliary fossil-fuel engine with a supply of a fossil fuel for energizing said auxiliary engine; 
 at least one electric generating device connected to said auxiliary engine for producing electric current; and 
 at least one electrically powered screw-type compressor electrically connected with said at least one electric generating device for producing compressed air, said compressor in fluid communication with said conduits having at least one gas pressure regulator for supply said compressed air to said RPM, and including a dehumidifier for removing liquid and vapor water from said conduits; 
 wherein said at least one rotary pneumatic engine is crankshaft-connected to a conventional automotive transmission for feeding power to the conventional traction wheels of said locomoting transporter. 
   
     
     
         35 . The device of  claim 34  wherein said at least one rotary pneumatic engine is crankshaft-connected to an electrical generator for generating electricity as a primary source of energy and wherein a conventional automotive transmission is crankshaft-connected to an electric motor, said electric motor being in electrical connection with said electrical generator, said conventional automotive transmission for feeding torque upon user-controlled demand to the conventional traction wheels of said locomoting transporter. 
     
     
         36 . The device of  claim 35 , wherein said electric motor comprises a motor-generator for dynamic braking capture of vehicular kinetic energy as electrical energy and wherein said locomoting transporter comprises one of: at least one array of lithium-ion batteries and one or more conventional 12 Volt batteries, or both, connected to said motor generator for capturing electrical energy resulting from said dynamic braking of said locomoting transporter. 
     
     
         37 . The device of  claim 34  wherein said compressed gas is air. 
     
     
         38 . The device of  claim 34  wherein said compressed gas is nitrogen. 
     
     
         39 . An electrical generating power plant, comprising:
 an array of solar panels for generating direct current (DC);   a DC/AC converter for converting the DC to alternating current (AC) and outputting a portion of the AC via a power plant output port to supply an AC load;   an array of electrical storage cells electrically connected to the solar panels that are controlled to receive and store DC power, and that are controlled to output stored DC power for conversion and output by the DC/AC converter under certain conditions;   a screw-type gas compressor connected to and powered by the DC/AC converter for compressing nitrogen gas to a high pressure state;   high pressure tanks connected by a high pressure conduit to the compressor for receiving the high pressure nitrogen gas;   a rotary pneumatic motor (RPM) connected to the compressor and high pressure tanks via the high pressure conduit;   an alternator/generator mechanically connected to the RPM by a drive shaft in order to generate AC when the RPM is driven by said compressed Nitrogen gas; and   low pressure tanks in fluid communication with the RPM at one end via low pressure conduit, and in fluid communication to the compressor at its other end via a low pressure conduit forming a closed loop for compression/decompression of the nitrogen gas as an energy carrier to drive the RPM to generate and output AC by the alternator generator, provided to the plant output port.   
     
     
         40 . The electrical generating power plant as set forth in  claim 39 , wherein the screw type gas compressor operates to compress the nitrogen gas to around 4000 PSI. 
     
     
         41 . The electrical generating plant as set forth in  claim 40 , further comprising:
 a wind turbine generator; and   an AC/DC converter;   wherein the wind turbine generator is electrically connected to the output port, to an input port of the AC/DC converter and to the compressor, and   wherein an output port of the AC/DC converter is electrically connected to the electrical storage cells.   
     
     
         42 . A residential emergency electrical generating system comprising the electrical generating plant set forth in  claim 39 . 
     
     
         43 . A commercial emergency electrical generating system comprising the electrical generating plant set forth in  claim 39 . 
     
     
         44 . An industrial scale fixed-plant electrical generating system comprising the electrical generating plant set forth in  claim 39 . 
     
     
         45 . The electrical generating plant as set forth in  claim 39 , further comprising: at least one array of lithium-ion batteries in electrical connection with said screw-type compressor through a DC/AC converter, for augmentation of the electrical power available to power said screw-type compressor. 
     
     
         46 . The electrical generating plant as set forth in  claim 39 , further comprising: at least one 12 Volt conventional battery in electrical connection with said screw-type compressor through a DC/AC converter, for augmentation of the electrical power available to power said screw-type compressor.