| CPC F15B 15/04 (2013.01) [F03D 9/25 (2016.05); F03D 9/28 (2016.05); F04B 1/0413 (2013.01); F04B 1/0538 (2013.01); F04B 9/042 (2013.01); F04B 17/02 (2013.01); F04B 53/14 (2013.01)] | 13 Claims |
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1. A hydraulic drive pump for a wind turbine, the wind turbine having a nacelle disposed atop a support tower, said nacelle surrounding and containing at least one generator coupled to a generator drive motor coupled to a longitudinal turbine shaft extending outside said nacelle to couple to an air foil, the hydraulic drive pump comprising
channeling means surrounding and coaxial with said longitudinal turbine shaft for channeling pressurized hydraulic fluid between said generator drive motor and said hydraulic drive pump,
a plurality of annular cams coaxial with and mechanically coupled to said longitudinal turbine shaft, each of said plurality of annular cams having
a cam perimeter surrounding and radially distal said longitudinal turbine shaft; and
a plurality of paired cam lobes evenly spaced around said cam perimeter;
a plurality of paired cylinders arrayed radially around said plurality of annular cams, each of said plurality of paired cylinders having
two adjacent pistons each engaged with one of said plurality of annular cams and having
a cylinder interior having
a cylinder axis disposed normal to said channeling means and extending toward said turbine shaft;
a proximate cylinder end surrounding said cylinder axis and in fluid communication with said channeling means; and
a distal cylinder end substantially radial to one of said plurality of annular cams;
a piston journaled within said cylinder interior, said piston having
a piston head disposed normal to said cylinder axis and adapted to articulate between said proximate cylinder end and said distal cylinder end, said piston head dividing said cylinder into an upper piston pressurizing chamber above said piston head and adjacent said proximate cylinder end and a lower piston chamber below said piston head and adjacent said distal cylinder end;
a piston rod having a proximate piston rod end coupled to said piston head and a distal piston rod end; and
piston footer means disposed on said distal piston rod end and in mechanical engagement with said cam means;
a transfer pressure line coupled between and in fluid communication with each of said adjacent pistons, said transfer pressure line adapted to transfer hydraulic fluid from one to another of said paired cylinders; and
a linear transducer disposed on each of said piston heads and adapted to transmit piston length of travel data of said piston heads within said cylinders;
a piston positioning manifold coupled to each of said plurality of cylinders through said channeling means, said piston positioning manifold having
a first channel fluidly coupled to said upper piston pressurizing chamber;
a second channel fluidly coupled to said lower piston chamber; and
a bi-directional impeller disposed between said first channel and said second channel and adapted to direct hydraulic fluid from one of said first and second channels into the other of said first and second channels; and
a controller adapted to
gather said piston length of travel data from said linear transducers;
calculate a difference between said length of travel data between said pistons articulating within said paired cylinders; and
direct said piston positioning manifold to operate said bi-directional impeller to withdraw hydraulic fluid from said lower piston chamber of one of said pair of cylinders and to direct a like amount of hydraulic fluid into said upper piston pressurizing chamber of said other of said pair of cylinders
wherein said channeling means further comprises;
a plurality of pressure manifolds disposed parallel to said longitudinal turbine shaft and in fluid communication with one of said plurality of paired cylinders for each of said plurality of annular cams and said generator drive motor;
a plurality of return manifolds disposed parallel to said longitudinal turbine shaft and in fluid communication with said generator drive motor and one of said plurality of paired cylinders for each of said plurality of annular cams,
whereby said pressure and return manifolds surround and define a hydraulic drive pump interior adapted to contain a quantity of hydraulic fluid surrounding and in contact with said plurality of paired cylinders.
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