David John Hartshorne

John Rutherford Allen

Gregory Howard Hastings

Dale Richard Gluck

The present disclosure relates to and envisages a jetstream power generating system. Producing electric power from jetstream force presents specific, daunting, physics-based challenges, because jetstream forces are 30 to 50 times stronger than wind on the ground. The system is configured to harness the energy of these jetstream forces in farms as power generating infrastructure. The system comprises an airborne element configured to be subjected to lift forces while flying in a jetstream, a capstan drum, a tether coupled between the airborne element and the capstan drum, an arcuate guide track, a kite tracker displaceably mounted on the guide track, a conversion unit coupled to the capstan drum, a plurality of accumulators configured to fluidly communicate with the conversion unit, and a generator. The kite tracker is configured to securely guide the tether to rotate the capstan drum in a first direction with a force equivalent to the lift force to facilitate payout of said tether, and to rotate said capstan drum in a second direction when said tether is reeled in. The conversion unit is configured to be driven by the capstan drum, when the capstan drum is rotated in the first direction, to pressurize hydraulic fluid passing there through. Each accumulator is configured to receive, store and release the pressurized hydraulic fluid therein. The generator is configured to receive the pressurized hydraulic fluid to facilitate generation of electric power.

Growing community of inventors

Bury St. Edmonds, United Kingdom

David John Hartshorne