An energy conversion apparatus is disclosed in which a stator, fixed to a watertight housing, is coupled to a rotor by a helical spring which suspends the rotor from the housing. Natural turbulence of a fluid, such as water or air, causes acceleration of the housing, and hence, acceleration of the stator. Inertia of the rotor, coupled to the stator through the helical spring and the housing, causes relative motion, both longitudinal and rotational, between the stator and the rotor. The rotational motion between the rotor, and the stator is used to generate electrical current

Grana, D. C.

Wilem, R. T.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

United States Patent 
Grana et al. 
[54] NATURAL TeTRBULENCE ELECl'RICAL 
[75] Inventors: David C. G r m  Richard T. Wilem, 
[73] Assignee: The United S t a b  of America as 
POWER GENERATOR 
both of Newport News, Va. 
represented by the Administrptor of 
the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration, Washington, D.C. 
1211 Appl. No.: 883,Q90 
[22] Filed: Mar. 3,1978 
[51] Int. Cl.2 .............................................. Fo3B 13/12 
[58] Field of Search ...................... 290/42, 53; 310/15, 
310/30,36,37,38, 39, 4 0  R, 40 MM, 12; 322/3; 
115/4; 200/61.46 
[52] US. c1. ......................................... 290/$3; 310/30 
1561 References Cited 
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 
3,526,793 9/1970 Fidi et al. ............................... 310/36 
[I11 4,191,893 
[4s] Mar. 4, I980 
3,696,251 10/1972 Last et al. .............................. 290/53 
Primary Examiner-J. V. Truhe 
Assktant Examiner-Morris Ginsburg 
Attorney, Agent. or Firm-William H. King; John R. 
Manning; Howard J. Qsborn 
[571 ABmm 
An energy conversion apparatus is disclosed in which a 
stator, fured relative to a watertight housing, is coupled 
to a rotor by a helical spring which suspends the rotor 
from the housing. Natural turbulence of a fluid, such as 
water or air, causes acceleration of the housing, and 
hence, acceleration of the stator. Inertia of the rotor, 
coupled to the stator through the helical spring and the 
housing, causes relative motion, both longitudinal and 
rotational, between the stator and the rotor, the rota- 
tional motion between the rotor, and the stator being 
used to generate electrical current. 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19800021333 2020-03-21T03:31:14+00:00Z
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ORIGIN OF THE INVENTION 
The invention described herein was made by employ- 
ees of the United States Government and may be manu- 
factured and used by or for the Governme 
mental purposes without the payment of 
thereon or therefor. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates generely to power generating 
means and more ,particularly concerns apparatus for 
converting the natural turbulence of a fluid, such as 
water or air, into electrical energy. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
A variety of devices have been proposed for convert- 
ing turbulent fluid motion or random oscillating motion 
into electrical energy. One technique uses wave action 
to cause a conducting, expandable coil to oscillate be- 
tween a fued platform and a floating platform, cutting 
the lines of a magnetic field and generating electrical 
current. Another technique utilizes the rocking motion 
of the waves to rotate various gear arrangements to 
drive an electrical generator. Yet another device uses an 
armature mounted on springs to generate electrical 
current caused by the relative longitudinal movement 
between the armature and the stator. 
The various devices described in the prior art, while 
4.19 1,893 
tor mbodiment is a permanent mag- 
ne stat hes magnetic flux paths across 
the space occupied by the rotor 14. The stator 12 is 
supported by end plates 18, which are fmed to the hous- 
The rotor 14, cylindrical in shape, occupies the cylin- 
drical interior of the stator 12, and is suspended from 
the housing 24, by a helical spring 16. The helical spring 
16, in addition to providing support, couples the rotor 
10 14, through the housing 24, to the stator 1%. Nylon 
bnshhgs 20, fled in the end plates 18, keep a rotor shaft 
22, and hence the rotor 14, aligned with the longitudinal 
axis of the stator 12. A bar 29 with adjustable weights 28 
is fued to the lower end of the rotor shaft 22. The 
15 weights 28, may be adjusted to various distances from 
the rotor shaft 22, in order to adjust the period of rota- 
tion of the rotor 14. In this embodiment the rotor 14 
serves gs the armature. 
Vertical acceleration of the generator housing 24, 
20 causes linear oscillations of the rotor 14 in relation to 
the stator 12, which is fmed to the housing 24, because 
of the inertia of rotor 14. The helical spring 16, which 
supports the rotor 14, imparts a twisting motion to the 
rotor 14 as the spring 16 is stretched. As the spring 16 
25 contracts it imparts a rotation movement of the rotor 14 
in the opposite direction. As the windings on the rotor 
(not shown) cut the magnetic field induced by the stator 
12, electric current is produced in the windings of the 
rotor 14. This current can be picked off slip rings (not 
30 shown) and rectified. The current can then be used to 
charge batteries or operate electrical equipment. 
FIG. 2 shows an alternate embodiment of the Dresent 
5 ing%. 
producing electrical power from wave action or other invention. pn 
random motion, Produce power in increments.. It is nent magnet and the stator 12 is the armature. Thus, in 
therefore an object of the present invention to produce 35 e m m e n t ,  slip rings would not be necessary. 
electrid power on a more continuous basis from ran- operation of this be the m e  as 
dom wave action. described for the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. 
FIG. 3 shows a section along lines 3-3 of the embodi- 
ment shown in FIG. 2. This view gives a better view of SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
-dings a, which are located on the 
tor wherein the stator and rotor are coupled by a helical stator in this f i w e  and in FIG. 2. 
spring. The rotor is suspended from the heIical spring FIG. 4 shows an e m w i e n t  of the present invention 
Such that VertiCd acceleration Of the Stator c8uses rela- wherein the central cylinder 34 is the “stator” and the 
tive movement between the rotor and stator, the helical outer cylinder 32 is the “rotor.” The central cylinder 34 
spring causing the rotor to rotate, generating ekc t r id  45 is fixed to the housing 24 by a &aft 36 and remains 
current. stationary with respect to the housing 24 during oscilla- 
B m F  DmcRIpIToN OF THE tion of the buoy. The outer cylinder 32 is a permanent magnet and is coupled to the central cylinder 34 
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of through the helical spring 16 and the housing 28. The 
50 helical spring 16 suspends the outer cylinder 32 and 
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of another embodi- imparts rotational motion to the outer cylinder 32 when 
the generator 10 is disturbed. The central cylinder 34 is 
FIG. 3 is a section, partially in schematic, along lines the armature in this embodiment. 
It will be understood that the foregoing descriptions 
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of another embodi- 55 are of the preferred embodiments of the invention and 
are therefore merely representative. Obviously there 
the rotor 14 is a 
ThepresentinventiOncOmprisesanelectri~genera- 40 the 
the present invention. 
ment of the present invention. 
3-3 of the generator shown in FIG. 2. 
ment of the present invention. 
are many variations and modifications of the present 
invention in light of the preceding teachings. It is there- 
fore to be understood that within the scope of the ap- 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED 
EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated a 60 pended claims the invention may be PrGticed other- 
What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by 
1. Apparatus for converting the natural turbulence of 
65 a fluid, such as water or air, into electrical energy com- 
a housing mounted such that it is set in motion by said 
preferred embodiment of the present invention as it 
would be used in a buoy. FIG. 1 shows a generator, 
designated generally by the reference numeral 10, corn- 
prised of three major parts, a housing 24, a stator 12, and 
a rotor 14. 
The housing 24 provides support for the stator B2 and 
the rotor 14. When used as a buoy the housing also 
provides watertight containment. 
wise than is specifically described. 
Letters Patent of the United States is: 
prising: 
natural turbulence of a fluid; 
4,19 1,893 
3 
a stator means mounted in said housing and fixeci 
a rotor means; 
means for mounting said rotor means in said housing 
such that the movement of the rotor means is unre- 
strained longitudinally and rotationally relative to 
said stator means and such that movement of the 
rotor means is restrained laterally relative to the 
stator means with the lateral distance between the 
rotor means and stator means remaining essentially 
constant; 
a single helical spring with one end of the helical 
spring attached to said housing and the other end of 
the helical spring attached to the center of one end 
of said rotor means and suspending said rotor 
means whereby the turbulence of said fluid causes 
a force to be applied parallel to the longitudinal 
axis of the helical spring resulting in longitudinal 
relative to said housing; 
4 
and rotational motion of said rotor means relative 
to said stator means; and 
means included with said stator means and said rotor 
means for converting said rotational motion into 
2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said stator means 
3. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said rotor means is 
4. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said stator means 
5. Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said rotor means is 
6. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said rotor means 
15 has a bar means normal to the longitudinal axis of the 
rotor means with weights which can be adjusted to 
various distances from the rotor means longitudinal axis 
to vary the rotation rate of the rotor means. 
5 electrical energy. 
is a permanent magnet. 
an armature. 
is an armature. 
a permanent magnet. 
10 
+ * + + .  
20 
25 
35 
45 
55 
60 
65 


Natural turbulence electrical power generator

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