Low-speed high-torque hydrostatic powertrain

1 . A camless low-speed high-torque hydrostatic powertrain, comprising:

one or more hydraulic pumps, each comprising:

an input crank shaft;

one or more connecting rings coupled to the input crank shaft with an eccentric interface such that when the input crank shaft is rotating causes the one or more connecting rings to rotate with an eccentricity;

an annular frame; and

a plurality of hydraulic actuators annularly disposed between the one or more connecting rings and the annular frame, each hydraulic actuator of the plurality of hydraulic actuators having a piston disposed within a corresponding cylinder and pivotally connected to the one or more connecting rings at a corresponding piston connecting region aligned with a piston centerline extending between the piston connecting region and the piston and each corresponding cylinder pivotally connected to the annular frame at a corresponding cylinder connecting region aligned with a cylinder centerline extending between the cylinder connecting region and the cylinder and each hydraulic actuator further including a hydraulic input and a hydraulic output, wherein for each hydraulic actuator the piston centerline and the cylinder centerline are aligned along a common axis during rotation of the one or more connecting rings, and wherein due to said eccentric interface each aligned piston centerline—cylinder centerline of each hydraulic actuator pivotally forms an angular relationship with respect to an aligned piston centerline—cylinder centerline of a neighboring hydraulic actuator of the plurality of hydraulic actuators thus forming a plurality of angular relationships between each two neighboring hydraulic actuators, wherein each member of said plurality of angular relationships continuously varies as the input crank shaft rotates;

the eccentricity between the one or more connecting rings and the input crank shaft causes the plurality of hydraulic actuators to i) pump hydraulic fluid out of the hydraulic output, or ii) cause suction of hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic input;

one or more hydraulic motors hydraulically coupled to the hydraulic outputs of the one or more hydraulic pumps; and

one or more generators coupled to the one or more hydraulic motors and configured to generate electrical power.

2 . The powertrain of claim 1 , wherein the input crank shaft configured to be interfaced with a shaft of a wind turbine or a hydro turbine.

3 . The powertrain of claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic fluid is water, and wherein the pressure of the hydraulic output is between about 100 bar and about 500 bar.

4 . The powertrain of claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic fluid is hydraulic oil, and wherein the pressure of the hydraulic output is between about 100 bar and about 500 bar.

5 . The powertrain of claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic output of each hydraulic actuator of the plurality of hydraulic actuators is coupled to a high-pressure common rail.

6 . The powertrain of claim 5 , wherein the hydraulic input of each hydraulic actuators of the plurality of hydraulic actuators is coupled to a low-pressure reservoir.

7 . The powertrain of claim 6 , wherein each of the one or more hydraulic pumps is coupled to a corresponding turbine.

8 . The powertrain of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of hydraulic actuators number between about 7 and about 27.

9 . The powertrain of claim 1 , wherein the eccentricity between the one or more connecting rings and the input crank shaft is expressed as a percentage of the difference between travel of the one or more connecting rings along a first direction divided by diameter of the one or more connecting rings, and the eccentricity is between about 2% and about 10%.

10 . The powertrain of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of hydraulic actuators is configured to have a piston side within the cylinder and a rod side within the cylinder, wherein each cylinder of the plurality of hydraulic actuators is coupled to the annular frame.

11 . The powertrain of claim 10 , wherein the piston side i) during an outer dead center cycle constitutes an output of the hydraulic actuator coupled to a high-pressure common rail via a check valve, and ii) during an inner dead center cycle constitutes an input of the hydraulic actuator coupled to a low-pressure reservoir via a check valve.

12 . The powertrain of claim 10 , wherein the rod side i) during an outer dead center cycle constitutes an input of the hydraulic actuator coupled to a low-pressure reservoir via a check valve, and ii) during an inner dead center cycle constitutes an output of the hydraulic actuator coupled to a high-pressure common rail via a check valve.

13 . The powertrain of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of hydraulic actuators is configured to have a piston side within the cylinder, wherein each cylinder of the plurality of hydraulic actuators is coupled to i) the annular frame; or ii) the one or more connecting rings.

14 . The powertrain of claim 13 , wherein the piston side i) during a pressurization cycle constitutes an output of the hydraulic actuator coupled to a high-pressure common rail via a check valve, and ii) during a depressurization cycle constitutes an input of the hydraulic actuator coupled to a low-pressure reservoir via a check valve.