SBIR Phase II: River Electrical Energy Devices

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目提出了一种独特的河流能量收集器，适合于从无水坝的湍流河流中收集能量，目前由于最先进的技术限制而尚未开发。成熟的可再生能源技术包括硅基太阳能电池板、大型风力涡轮机和高水头水力涡轮机。然而，消费者往往在地理上远离这些资源。绝大多数人居住在维持生命的水道附近。数百万人生活在世界偏远地区，拥有丰富的水动力资源，但目前很少或根本无法获得可靠的电力。这个项目专门针对这些服务不足的市场。最近，人们对从具有巨大动能的水流中收获越来越感兴趣，美国的一项资源评估研究将其描述为“巨大的”未开发自然资源。但以现有的技术，选址仍然是这种高能量可再生资源扩张所面临的最大挑战。该项目旨在开发特别适合湍流和/或非常低水头流的收割机，从而扩大水力能源选址选择，并可能实现第二次水力发电热潮。第二阶段的技术努力将探索通过动态的流固相互作用将水动能转化为机械能。要利用这种现象的一个例子是在多雨、多风的日子里观察到的电力线的弹跳运动。重复运动只有在特定的天气条件下才能观察到，因为不稳定的动力学是流动类型和受影响表面几何形状的函数。这种运动在大多数情况下是不可取的，包括电力线，但它也代表了从不良流动中转换能量的机会。第一期项目确定并展示了两种特定的适应性结构策略，以提高所需的能量转换；在第二阶段的项目中，已确定并将调查其他策略。第二阶段计划的目标是通过在现场建造和运行一个2千瓦的原型机来证明最终技术的技术和商业可行性。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project proposes the development of river energy harvesters uniquely suited to harvesting energy from undammed turbulent river flows, currently untapped due to state-of-the-art technology limitations. Mature renewable energy technologies include silicon based solar panels, large scale wind turbines, and high-head hydropower turbines. However, consumers are often geographically distant from these resources. The vast majority of people live adjacent to life-sustaining waterways. Millions live in remote parts of the world alongside vast hydrokinetic resources, but currently have little or no access to reliable electricity. This program specifically seeks to address such underserved markets. Recently, there has been growing interest in harvesting from flows with significant kinetic energy, which have been described in a US resource assessment study as a "gargantuan" untapped natural resource. But with existing technology, siting continues to be the single biggest challenge facing expansion of this high-energy renewable resource. This project aims to develop harvesters specifically suited to turbulent and/or very low head flows, thereby expanding hydro-energy siting options and potentially enabling a second hydro-power boom.The Phase II technical effort will explore the conversion of hydrokinetic energy to mechanical energy via a dynamic, fluid-solid interaction. An example of the phenomenon to be harnessed is the bouncing motion observed in power lines on rainy, windy days. The repeating motion is observed only during specific weather conditions because the unstable dynamics are a function of both the flow type, and the geometry of the affected surface. This motion is undesirable in most instances, including for power lines, but it also represents an energy conversion opportunity from ill-behaved flows. The Phase I project identified and demonstrated two specific adaptive structures strategies for enhancing the desired energy conversion; additional strategies were identified and will be investigated during a Phase II project. The goal of this Phase II program is to demonstrate technical and commercial feasibility of the resulting technology by building and operating a 2 kilowatt prototype in the field.