Apparatus having electric-field actuated generator for powering electrical load within vicinity of powerlines
An apparatus in which electric power is generated for an electrical load from differentials in electric field strengths within a vicinity of powerlines includes: a plurality of electrodes separated and electrically insulated from one another for enabling differentials in voltage resulting from differentials in electric field strength experienced there at; and electrical components electrically connected therewith and configurable to establish one or more electric circuits whereby voltage differentials cause a current to flow through the established electric circuit for powering the electrical load. Preferably, the apparatus includes a control assembly having one or more voltage-detector components configured to detect relative voltages of the electrodes; and a processor enabled to configure—based on the detected voltages and based on voltage and electric current specifications for powering the electrical load—one or more of the electrical components to establish an electric circuit for powering the electrical load.
1 . A UAV in which electric power is generated for an electrical load from one or more differentials in electric field strength in a vicinity of powerlines, comprising:
(a) a plurality of separated electrodes;
(b) an interface configured to engage in electrical contact a shield wire of the powerlines so as to define an electrical pathway to ground;
(c) electrical components electrically connected with the plurality of electrodes,
(i) at least one or more of the electrical components being configurable to establish each of a plurality of different electric circuits, each of the different electric circuits comprising a set of two or more mutually exclusive subsets of the plurality of electrodes, the electrodes in each subset that have more than one electrode being electrically connected with each other for avoiding a voltage differential therebetween, and the one or more electrodes of each subset being electrically insulated from each electrode of any other subset of the set for enabling one or more voltage differentials between the subsets of the set resulting from a differential in electric field strength experienced when the UAV is within the vicinity of the powerlines, wherein the subsets of the set are interconnected such that the one or more voltage differentials between the subsets causes a current to flow through the electric circuit of the set for powering the electrical load; and
(ii) at least one or more of the electrical components being configurable to cause a current to flow between one or more of the electrodes and the shield wire for powering the electrical load of the UAV;
(d) a control assembly comprising
(i) one or more voltage-detector components configured to detect voltage differentials of the sets; and
(ii) a processor enabled to process the detected voltage differentials and—based thereon and based on voltage and electric current specifications for powering the electrical load—configure one or more of the electrical components in order to establish one of the plurality of different electric circuits for powering the electrical load and cause a current to flow between one or more of the electrodes and the shield wire for powering the electrical load of the UAV; and
(e) one or more containment spaces extending between electrodes, the containment spaces each containing a hydrogen gas, containing a helium gas, or containing a vacuum.
2 . The UAV of claim 1 , wherein a said containment space contains a pressurized hydrogen gas or a pressurized helium gas.
3 . The UAV of claim 1 , wherein a said containment space contains means for heating a hydrogen gas or a helium gas, wherein the means comprises a spark gap or resistive heater.