| CPC F03D 9/007 (2013.01) [F03D 9/11 (2016.05); H02S 10/12 (2014.12)] | 17 Claims |
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1. A hybrid wind and solar energy generating system comprising:
at least one, rotatably mountable solar array, the solar array including at least one solar panel having two, opposite surfaces;
wherein the solar panel is selectively orientable relative to a source of wind so that one of the surfaces of the solar panel defines a windward surface, wherein the windward surface is impinged upon by a wind source vector associated with the source of wind, the wind source vector impinging upon the windward surface at an angle that is at least incident to the windward surface;
wherein the windward surface comprises an angled area extending to terminate in boundaries to define a bluff body relative to the wind source, one of the boundaries defining a leading boundary upwind relative to the source of wind and the other of the boundaries defining a trailing boundary downwind to the source of wind;
wherein the angled area is sufficiently large to form a resultant wind vector at the trailing boundary, the resultant wind vector directed outwardly from the trailing boundary and having greater force than the wind source vector, whereby windspeed of the source wind has been increased proximate to the panel and outwardly from the trailing boundary thereof;
a wind turbine mounted in operative proximity to the solar array, the wind turbine having a horizontal axis of rotation, the wind turbine having blades located and oriented relative to the trailing boundary to be impinged upon by the resultant wind vector;
the system further comprises:
an azimuth mount to which the solar array and the wind turbine are connected; and
a computer-implemented control system for the azimuth mount configured to rotate the position of the solar array and the wind turbine to optimize energy generation in response to solar and wind conditions; and
wherein the control system includes:
a computer processor for executing computer instructions of the control system;
a GPS module adapted to receive inputs for latitude and longitude position, date and time of day to be processed to determine sun position, including azimuth and sun elevation relative to location of the solar array;
an anemometer to determine wind speed and direction;
a pyranometer configured to determine characteristics of a solar resource;
sensors to measure power outputs of the wind turbine and photovoltaic performance of the solar array, respectively:
sensors to track current position of the azimuth mount;
computer programming which, when executed, is capable of performing the following steps:
receiving inputs corresponding to the location of the sun, the wind speed and direction, and the solar resource;
determining optimal energy generation corresponding to the received inputs;
comparing the determined optimal energy generation to measured power outputs from the sensors;
if the measured power outputs are less than the optimal energy generation, determining at least one revised azimuth position different from the current azimuth position; and
outputting the revised azimuth position.
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