ENERGY STORAGE AND DELIVERY SYSTEM AND METHOD
An energy storage and delivery system includes an elevator cage, where the elevator cage is operable to move one or more blocks from a lower elevation to a higher elevation to store energy (e.g., via the potential energy of the block in the higher elevation) and operable to move one or more blocks from the higher elevation to the lower elevation (e.g., by gravity) to generate electricity (e.g., via the kinetic energy of the block when moved to the lower elevation). The blocks are moved between the lower elevation and the higher elevation by an equal vertical distance.
1 . (canceled)
2 . An energy storage and delivery system, comprising:
a frame having a vertical height above a foundation defined by a plurality of rows that extend horizontally along the frame;
an elevator cage movable relative to an end of the plurality of rows, the elevator cage sized to hold and support one or more blocks; and
a pulley disposed vertically above the elevator cage and operable to maintain one or more cables coupled to the elevator cage in a vertical orientation as the elevator cage moves up and down the frame;
wherein the elevator cage is configured to move laterally in a first direction and in a second direction opposite the first direction relative to the end of the plurality of rows to pick-up or drop-off the one or more blocks; and
wherein the pulley is actuatable to move laterally with the elevator cage to maintain the vertical orientation of the one or more cables as the elevator cage moves laterally to pick-up or drop-off the one or more blocks.
3 . The energy storage and delivery system of claim 2 , wherein the pulley inhibits the one or more cables from applying a tilting force or moment on the elevator cage during lateral movement of the elevator cage.
4 . The energy storage and delivery system of claim 2 , wherein the pulley is movably coupled to a sliding mechanism to move the pulley laterally to maintain the one or more cables in the vertical orientation.
5 . The energy storage and delivery system of claim 2 , further comprising an electric motor-generator configured to rotate a shaft in a first rotational direction to lower the elevator cage and to rotate the shaft in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction to raise the elevator cage.
6 . The energy storage and delivery system of claim 5 , further comprising a second electric motor-generator configured to rotate a second shaft offset laterally from the electric motor-generator and the shaft.
7 . The energy storage and delivery system of claim 6 , wherein a second one or more cables extend at least partially around a second elevator cage and around the second shaft, and wherein a second pulley is disposed vertically above the second elevator cage to maintain the second one or more cables in the vertical orientation as the second elevator cage moves up an elevator shaft.
8 . The energy storage and delivery system of claim 2 , further comprising one or more supports coupled to the elevator cage, the one or more supports are actuatable to lift a block of the one or more blocks off of a pair of beams of the frame.
9 . The energy storage and delivery system of claim 2 , further comprising an elevator shaft disposed along the end of the plurality of rows.
10 . The energy storage and delivery system of claim 2 , further comprising a base positioned underneath the elevator cage and slidably coupled to the elevator cage.
11 . The energy storage and delivery system of claim 10 , further comprising a sliding assembly including a linear actuator operable to move the elevator cage laterally relative to the base, wherein the sliding assembly includes one or more rails interposed between and coupled to the base and the elevator cage operable to allow lateral movement of the elevator cage relative to the base.
12 . The energy storage and delivery system of claim 2 , wherein the elevator cage comprises one or more sidewalls extending between a bottom support and a top support.
13 . An energy storage and delivery system, comprising:
a frame having a vertical height above a foundation defined by a plurality of rows that extend horizontally along the frame;
an elevator cage movable relative to an end of the plurality of rows, the elevator cage sized to hold and support one or more blocks; and
a lift drive system for moving the elevator cage, the lift drive system comprising:
an electric motor-generator configured to rotate a shaft; and
one or more cables extending from the elevator cage and around the shaft; and
a pulley disposed vertically above the elevator cage and operable to maintain the one or more cables coupled to the elevator cage in a vertical orientation as the elevator cage moves up and down the frame;
wherein the pulley is actuatable to move laterally with the elevator cage to maintain the vertical orientation of the one or more cables as the elevator cage moves laterally relative to the end of the plurality of rows to pick-up or drop-off the one or more blocks.
14 . The energy storage and delivery system of claim 13 , further comprising a base positioned underneath the elevator cage, the elevator cage is movably coupled to the base via a sliding mechanism actuatable to laterally displace the elevator cage relative to the base.
15 . The energy storage and delivery system of claim 13 , wherein the one or more cables extend from the elevator cage to a counterweight, wherein a second pulley is spaced from the pulley and disposed vertically above the counterweight, the second pulley operable to maintain the one or more cables in the vertical orientation as the counterweight moves up and down an elevator shaft.
16 . The energy storage and delivery system of claim 13 , wherein the pulley is movably coupled to a sliding mechanism to move the pulley laterally to maintain the one or more cables in the vertical orientation.
17 . The energy storage and delivery system of claim 13 , wherein the elevator cage comprises one or more sidewalls extending between a bottom support and a top support.
18 . The energy storage and delivery system of claim 13 , wherein the elevator cage is operable to move one or more blocks from a first row of the plurality of rows to a second row of the plurality of rows under a force of gravity to generate an amount of electricity.
19 . The energy storage and delivery system of claim 13 , further comprising one or more supports coupled to the elevator cage, the one or more supports are actuatable to lift a block of the one or more blocks off of a pair of beams of the frame.
20 . An energy storage and delivery system, comprising:
a frame having a vertical height above a foundation defined by a plurality of rows that extend horizontally along the frame;
an elevator cage movable relative to an end of the plurality of rows, the elevator cage sized to hold and support one or more blocks; and
a lift drive system for moving the elevator cage, the lift drive system comprising:
one or more cables extending from the elevator cage; and
a pulley disposed vertically above the elevator cage and operable to maintain the one or more cables coupled to the elevator cage in a vertical orientation as the elevator cage moves up and down the frame;
wherein the pulley is actuatable to move laterally with the elevator cage to maintain the vertical orientation of the one or more cables as the elevator cage moves laterally relative to the end of the plurality of rows to pick-up or drop-off the one or more blocks.
21 . The energy storage and delivery system of claim 13 , wherein the one or more cables extend from the elevator cage to a counterweight, wherein a second pulley is spaced from the pulley and disposed vertically above the counterweight, the second pulley operable to maintain the one or more cables in the vertical orientation as the counterweight moves up and down an elevator shaft.