ELECTROMECHANICAL POWER SUPPLIES

THIS PROPOSAL OUTLINES SEVERAL POSSIBLE APPROACHES TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ELECTRICAL POWER SUPPLIES THAT DERIVE THEIR PRIMARY ENERGY FROM STORAGE MECHANICAL ENERGY. IN GENERAL, IT IS ENVISIONED THAT THESE MECHANICAL ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS (SPRINGS AND GAS RESERVOIRS) WILL BE CHARGED USING EITHER HUMAN-OPERATED "PUMPS" OR INCIDENTAL MECHANICAL ENERGY THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE ABUNDANTLY BUT IN A "LOW-QUALITY" FORM. IT IS ARGUED THAT AT LEAST FOUR APPROACHES SHOULD BE ABLE TO MEET THE 4 WATT/T MINUTE POWER/ENERGY REQUIREMENT FOR A WIND-UP BATTERY AND AT LEAST ONE OF THESE APPROACHES WILL PERMIT ONE OR MORE ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE INCREASE IN THE AVAILABLE ELECTRICAL ENERGY. IN ORDER TO ADD ADDITIONAL CREDIBILITY TO THESE PROJECTIONS, RESULTS OF MEASUREMENTS ON TWO SYSTEMS ARE PRESENTED. ONE USES A LOW PRESSURE RADIAL OUTFLOW AIR TURBINE TO DRIVE A HIGH SPEED IRONLESS DC GENERATOR AND THE OTHER USES A HIGH PRESSURE AIR TURBINE TO DRIVE AN AXIAL GAP, 3 PHASE AC GENERATOR. IT IS ALSO ARGUED THAT A RESONANT PIEZOELECTRIC GENERATOR SHOULD BE ABLE TO MEET THE NECESSARY POWER/ENERGY REQUIREMENTS.