Method and apparatus for harvesting electric energy from air flow in a moving system

Abstract

A transportation vehicle may be equipped with electrical energy harvesting systems to harvest electrical energy for use. By way of example, in the transportation vehicle, a Venturi system may be used to receive an air flow and the speed of the air flow increase in a constricted area of the Venturi system, the air flow containing a large amount of kinetic energy. A plurality of electrical energy harvesting systems is disposed in the Venturi system and is configured to convert the kinetic energy contained in the accelerated air flow into electrical energy that can be used to power on-board electronics as well as one or more on-board batteries in the transportation vehicle, as the transportation vehicle is in motion.

1 . A transportation vehicle with energy harvesting systems, the transportation vehicle comprising:
 a Venturi system configured to receive an air flow; and   a plurality of electrical energy harvesting systems from the air flow, the electrical energy harvesting systems being disposed in the Venturi system in the transportation vehicle,   wherein each of the electrical energy harvesting systems is configured to generate electricity from the air flow in the Venturi system as the transportation vehicle moves forward in motion;   wherein each of the electrical energy harvesting systems comprises:
 a pair of blades including a rotation axis with two ends and 
 a first alternator connected to one end of the pair of blades via a first shaft; 
   wherein the first alternator including a magnet and coils is configured to generate electricity based on rotary movement of the pair of blades by the air flow and the rotation axis of the pair of blades is perpendicular to a direction of the air flow in the Venturi system; and   wherein each of the electrical energy harvesting systems further comprises a second alternator connected to the other end of the pair of blades via a second shaft and the second alternator is configured to generate electricity based on the rotary movement of the pair of blades.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The transportation vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the coils of the first alternator or the second alternator comprise carbon nanotubes (CNT) based wires or graphene based wires instead of copper wires. 
     
     
         5 . A transportation vehicle with energy harvesting systems, the transportation vehicle comprising:
 a Venturi system configured to receive an air flow; and   a plurality of electrical energy harvesting systems from the air flow, the electrical energy harvesting systems being disposed in the Venturi system in the transportation vehicle,   wherein each of the electrical energy harvesting systems is configured to generate electricity from the air flow in the Venturi system as the transportation vehicle moves forward in motion;   wherein each of the electrical energy harvesting systems comprises:   a pair of blades having a rotation axis with two ends,   a triboelectric sheet comprising a plurality of triboelectric modules, and   a displacer coupled to the pair of blades and the triboelectric sheet via a shaft,   wherein rotary movement of the pair of blades about the rotation axis due to the air flow in the Venturi system results in rotary movement of the displacer, thereby causing generation of electricity in the plurality of triboelectric modules.   
     
     
         6 . The transportation vehicle of  claim 5 , wherein each of the electrical energy harvesting systems further comprises an alternator including a magnet and coils, the alternator connected to one end of the pair of blades. 
     
     
         7 . The transportation vehicle of  claim 6 , wherein the coils of the alternator comprise carbon nanotubes (CNT)-based wires or graphene-based wires instead of copper wires. 
     
     
         8 . The transportation vehicle of  claim 5 , wherein the displacer comprises:
 a rotatable body via the shaft; and   a protrusion disposed on the rotatable body, the protrusion facing the triboelectric sheet, wherein as the displacer rotates around the shaft, the plurality of triboelectric modules generates electricity.   
     
     
         9 . A transportation vehicle with energy harvesting systems, the transportation vehicle comprising:
 a Venturi system configured to receive an air flow; and   a plurality of electrical energy harvesting systems from the air flow, the electrical energy harvesting systems being disposed in the Venturi system in the transportation vehicle,   wherein each of the electrical energy harvesting systems is configured to generate electricity from the air flow in the Venturi system as the transportation vehicle moves forward in motion;   wherein each of the electrical energy harvesting systems comprises a plurality of generator rods in the form of a cylinder disposed in a constriction area of the Venturi system, and wherein each generator rod is configured to generate electricity based on transverse movements of the generator rod due to vortex induced vibrations due to the air flow over the generator rod.   
     
     
         10 . The transportation vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of generator rods is disposed in a predetermined arrangement such that a total amount of electrical energy harvested in the Venturi system is maximized. 
     
     
         11 . A transportation vehicle with energy harvesting systems, the transportation vehicle comprising:
 a Venturi system configured to receive an air flow; and   a plurality of electrical energy harvesting systems from the air flow, the electrical energy harvesting systems being disposed in the Venturi system in the transportation vehicle,   wherein each of the electrical energy harvesting systems is configured to generate electricity from the air flow in the Venturi system as the transportation vehicle moves forward in motion;   wherein each of the electrical energy harvesting systems comprises:   a support rod disposed in the Venturi system, and   a piezoelectric sheet comprising a plurality of piezoelectric modules in the form of a flag such that when the air flow passes the support rod and the piezoelectric sheet, electricity is generated due to stress imposed on the piezoelectric sheet as part of vortex induced vibration phenomenon.   
     
     
         12 . The transportation vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein the support rod is in the form of a cylindrical rod or a T-shaped rod. 
     
     
         13 . The transportation vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein the piezoelectric sheet further comprises a plurality of magnetic strips to prevent contact with adjacent piezoelectric sheets or an inner wall of the Venturi system. 
     
     
         14 . The transportation vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein the electrical energy harvesting systems are disposed in a turbulence region of the Venturi system. 
     
     
         15 . The transportation vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the Venturi system includes a turbulence creation object in a constriction area of the Venturi system.