Fluid reaction surfaces (i.e. – impellers) – Specific blade structure – Openwork
Patent
1993-05-07
1995-05-30
Look, Edward K.
Fluid reaction surfaces (i.e., impellers)
Specific blade structure
Openwork
416DIG4, 416DIG6, 416DIG8, 290 55, F03D 300, F03D 1104
Patent
active
054196833
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to wind turbines and more especially to wind turbines having rotors mounted for rotation about vertical axes and capable of being mounted on or to an existing industrial chimney, concrete tower or similar structure.
Vertical axis wind turbines have fixed geometry blades and enjoy several advantages over more conventional wind turbines having variable geometry blades, these including eliminating the need for a yaw control system and lower design and manufacturing costs.
Several designs of vertical axis wind turbines are known and have been employed to generate electricity. These known machines have been mounted on specially designed and built towers and include either a gear box and power generator mounted within the structure of the respective tower or in a plant room located at the tower base with a connecting drive shaft to the rotor arm of the turbine. Existing wind turbines are relatively expensive to construct largely due to the high civil engineering cost of the tower. As larger and more powerful wind turbines are developed, so more expensive towers will need to be built to support them. Furthermore the power output of such known wind turbines is limited.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect, the present invention provides a vertical axis wind turbine which is capable of being mounted on or to an existing industrial chimney, tower or similar structure.
Accordingly the present invention provides a wind turbine mounted on an existing industrial chimney, tower or the like. The wind turbine comprising two vertically aligned blades mounted on rotor arms for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the chimney, tower or the like, the rotor arms being supported from an annular structure secured to the outer circumference of the chimney, tower or the like and including at their radially innermost ends tracking means which cooperate with complementary tracking means of the annular support structure to enable the rotor arms and blades to rotate about the chimney, tower or the like under the influence of wind pressure, and drive means carried by one or each rotor arm connectable to gearing of one or more power generators positioned within or extended to the chimney, tower or the like.
The turbine unit may comprise a single module secured around the circumference or on top of a chimney, tower or similar structure: alternatively two or more modules maybe mounted around the chimney circumference, tower or similar structure at a lower level.
Each such module may consist of a segmental framework manufactured from a high strength material such as steel, this framework being attached onto or around the circumference of an existing chimney, tower or similar structure. Rotor arms and blades of the or each turbine unit may be carried by a ring mounted for rotation about the tower circumference. The ring may be supported on rollers, bearings or the like forming parts of a track carried by the framework. On the inside of the rotor arm ring may be secured a gear ring located around the whole circumference of the rotor arm ring. The drive for the or each gear box and generator may be taken from the gear ring.
The exterior of the framework may be enclosed with a cladding material to protect the assembly and to provide a smooth rounded surface which offers less wind resistance.
The power output of the turbine unit is related to the size and type of chimney, tower or similar structure employed because the structural design of each chimney. tower or similar structure determines inter alia the power and weight of the turbine unit which can be supported.
On power station chimney's built from the 1960's onwards consisting of a multi-flue chimney with a concrete shell, a large unit having two or more gear boxes and power generator sets mounted around the chimney periphery maybe provided, each generator set being capable of developing around 1 MW of power output. The gear box drives of such units may be declutched from the main drive depending on the wind speed and power output
REFERENCES:
patent: 4031173 (1977-06-01), Rogers
patent: 4047833 (1977-09-01), Decker
patent: 4208168 (1980-06-01), Chen et al.
patent: 4264279 (1981-04-01), Dereng
Larson James A.
Look Edward K.
LandOfFree
Wind turbine does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Wind turbine, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Wind turbine will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-358216