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Wind power systemRelated Patent Categories: Prime-mover Dynamo Plants, Electric Control, Fluid-current Motors, WindWind power system description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060119106, Wind power system. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] PRIOR APPLICATION [0002] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/869,476 filed Jun. 18, 2004 which application is currently pending, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/478,873 filed Jun. 16, 2003. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0003] The present invention relates to a wind-generated power system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a vessel having wind towers or turbines to receive wind and generate electricity which is then converted and stored as hydrogen available for on-board use and transport by the vessel for use elsewhere. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] Wind is a renewable energy source. Turbines or towers which use the kinetic energy of wind to generate mechanical energy, and convert the mechanical energy to electricity are known. Wind towers or turbines typically have two or three blades which may face into or away from the wind. As the wind causes the blades to rotate, the shaft in the turbine spins. The mechanical energy generated may be used to power certain tasks, like pumping water, or may be converted to electricity. When connected to a generator, the spinning of the shaft drives the generator which produces electricity. [0005] Wind power has the advantage of being a free, renewable energy source. It also has the drawback of providing only intermittent energy. Wind towers take up a large amount of land and have recently been placed offshore. Offshore locations solve noise and sighting problems, but raise other ecological issues with support structure requirements. There remains a need to efficiently harness wind power and easily store it such that it the energy generated can be used whenever needed, with minimal ecological impact. [0006] The open oceans are the greatest source of wind energy. The use of wind turbines on offshore towers, floating barges, and anchored hulls in order to generate electricity are known and disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. US 2003/0168864 to Heronemus et al., PCT Application Pub. No. WO 03/076800 to Heronemus. U.S. Pat. No. 5,512,787 to Dederick, U.S. Pat. No. 6,294,844 to Lagerwey, and U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. US 2001/0002757 to Honda et al. These systems are limited in that they are not capable of self-storage of the energy generated and/or transporting such energy themselves by means of self-propulsion. [0007] While some power generating crafts with self-propulsion are known in the art, they fail to achieve on-board storage, utilization and transport of energy in the form of hydrogen, for example as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,159,427 to Wiedemann. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. US 20002/0182946 A1 to Tanaka discloses a ship power plant which generates wind, in addition to solar and thermal power, to obtain electric energy and preferably store it in a battery. In one embodiment, Tanaka suggests the electric energy may alternatively be converted to hydrogen gas or compressed liquid hydrogen by electrolysis, and then the hydrogen and/or oxygen generated is sent to a land base by a transmitting system connecting sea base to land base. This system lacks the abilities of self-storage and self-transport of the hydrogen energy generated. [0008] There remains a need in the art for a vessel capable of storing and/or utilizing the energy generated by wind and further capable of self-transport of the stored energy, without requiring transmission to a land base for use. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0009] In one aspect of the present invention, a structure for capturing and converting wind power comprising a vessel with a motor to propel the vessel to a location for capturing the wind, at least one machine disposed on the vessel for receiving and converting wind power to mechanical energy and equipment in the vessel to convert it to hydrogen fuel, is provided. [0010] In another aspect of the present invention, a system for generating hydrogen power comprising a vessel having a motor, at least one device for capturing at least one renewable energy source and converting it to electric energy, and an electrolytic cell that electrolyzes water to convert the electric energy to hydrogen for storage as a power source on the vessel, is provided. [0011] In another aspect of the present invention, method of capturing and converting and/or storing wind energy at sea comprising positioning a vessel adapted to receive at least one wind machine for capturing wind, converting wind energy to storable energy, storing the converted energy, and powering the vessel with the stored, converted energy, is provided. [0012] In another aspect of the present invention, a method of adapting vessel to create an offshore power generating system, comprising the steps of salvaging a vessel retired from its original use, equipping the vessel with at least one device for capturing a renewable energy source and converting it to a storable energy source and a storage device for storing the converted energy source, positioning the vessel at a first location at sea to capture the renewable energy source at the first location, converting the renewable energy to a storable energy source, storing the converted energy, and repositioning the vessel to an at least second location, is provided. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0013] FIG. 1 is schematic view of the system for generating hydrogen power of the present invention. [0014] FIG. 2 schematic view of another aspect of the system for generating hydrogen power of the present invention. [0015] FIG. 3 perspective view of a vessel according to the present invention. [0016] FIG. 4 is a top view of the vessel shown in FIG. 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0017] Hydrogen is becoming a major component of the energy system of the future as the fuel for vehicles such as, cars, trucks and buses, and local electrical generating stations. The system and vessel for generating hydrogen power according to the present invention provides a renewable, "free" source of energy that is consumed without combustion or pollution. [0018] The term vessel as used herein refers to a craft designed to navigate on water. Vessels described herein are preferably large water craft that may be anchored at sea as well capable of navigation through waters and into ports by means of propulsion, such as motors. The term "motor" as used herein refers to a device that uses any form of energy to impart motion. More preferably, vessels described herein are existing surplus cargo ships which may travel by and/or be anchored at sea. As there is a surplus of offshore cargo ships which are no longer used or needed for their purpose as originally built, they may easily be equipped with turbines and other components according to the present invention. These vessels are already equipped with means of propulsion, such as motors or engines to drive propellers, thrusters, and/or water jets typically built to run on traditional fuels, such as bunker fuel, diesel fuel, and in some modern applications, liquefied natural gas (LNG). These existing vessels may be adapted with equipment to allow for propulsion by use of any desired engine or motor using any desired energy source or fuel, including that captured, converted, and stored by the vessel itself, specifically, a renewable energy such a wind power. The term propulsion as used herein refers generally to and includes the positioning, moving, driving, navigation, motorization, and/or directing of the vessel at sea. [0019] The term wind power system as used herein refers to any system or device to convert wind energy into electrical power. Wind machines, such as turbines and towers, disposed on offshore vessels are capable of capturing the most reliable winds at and near the sea level. The term wind machine as used herein refers to any device with a mechanism for converting the movement of air into a mechanical motion which may then be converted by a generator into electrical power. Wind machines include turbines, where the turbine is perpendicular to the wind and mounted on a tower. Turbines may have a horizontal-axis, where the rotor faces the wind and typically two or three blades catch the wind and spin. The blades are connected to a drive shaft that turns an electric generator to produce electricity. Turbines may have a vertical-axis which can accept wind from any direction, such as the Darrieus wind turbine which consists of several aerofoils vertically mounted on a rotating shaft or framework in an eggbeater shape. Continue reading about Wind power system... Full patent description for Wind power system Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Wind power system patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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