AU620813B2

AU620813B2 - Wind power engine

Info

Publication number: AU620813B2
Application number: AU19647/88A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Alfred Wilhelm
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-06-10
Filing date: 1988-06-09
Publication date: 1992-02-27
Anticipated expiration: 2008-06-09
Also published as: AU1964788A

Description

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F t .4.4 AU-A-19647/88 P~~J WIfOR(MANISATIONi{( 01STIOirS fil(]LIA INTrERNATIONALE ANMBLDUNO VEROr-r-ENTLICHT NACII D1CM VIERTRAG OBE3R DIE~ INTERNATIONALE~ ZUSAMM UNARBI-' L" E#E #I%T D 14PA TWSNS (PCT) (51) Iflternt(IonaleI P~atentklislrlka(lon 4 WO8/ 97 1703D,:;A1'}e At 43) neutoas Vrliffntllchungsdatum: I5. D~ezember 1988 (15.12.88)1 1 Internstflontiles Aktciazelcher.: PCT/I!PSS/00S07 LU (europllsches Patent), NL (europiliischas Patent),! SE (europllisches Patent), US.

*I(22) 1InternatlIona les Anmeldedittuin: 9, Juni 1988 (09,06.88) Ver~ffentllcht PrlorltIsakgcnzclchcn: 0 87 08 163,6 U A'i, Inte:r,:allonalens Rche/rchenberleii.

(32) Prlorltiltsdatuin: 10. Juni 1987 (10.06,87) 4.4,Jp. 9MAR 1989 (71)(72) Anmiielder u':d Erftndcr: WILHELM, Alfred [DE/ DEJ; ArtiIleriestra~e 36 c, D-5000 Kd3ln 90

AUSTRALIAN

(74) Anwalt: FREISCHIEM, Werner; An GraB St, Martin 2, 4Jf 989 D-5001) K6S1n I 4PAhN ,989IC (81) Bkutrninitingsstuaten: AT (curopflischcs Patert), AU, BE (europfischos Patent), BR, CH- (europtlisches Patent), DE (europtlisches Patent), DK, FR (europilischcs Patent), 1113 (europilisches Patent), IT (europffisches Platent), JP, (54)Tritle: WIND POWER ENGINE (54) Ilezeichnung: WI NDKRAFTMASCH INE (57) Abstract A wind power engine has a rotor which rotates about a vertical axis and is subdivided into three equal-sized sectors by three rotor blades 1 B, C) arranged essentially radially. In order to in- C prove the properties and efficiency of this windB power engine, the rotor blades B, C) are subdivided vertically into several sub-blades 4, and vertical gaps for the passage of air are ar- ranged between the sub-blades 4, These sub- 7a7 blades 4, 5) have a cup or trough-shaped crosssection, and the end regions of the sub-blades are bent or curved at approximately 300 to the direction of rotation of th e roto-.

(57) Zusainmenfassung WindkraftmascI'ine, mit einem urn eine vertikile Achse drelibaren Rotor mit mindestens dretii wfrs-nticflen radial angeordneten Rotorbldtt~ern die den Rotor in gleich groge Sektoren unterteilen. Zur Verbesserung der Eigenschaften unci des Wirkungsgrades dieser Windkraftmaschine sind die Rotorbliltter B, C) in mehrere Teilbltitter 4, 5) vertikal unterteilt und zwischen den TeilbUattern 4, 5) sind vertikale Spalte zumn Durchtritt von Luft angeordnet. im Querschnitt sind diese Tellblklter 4, schialenf~rmig oder trogfl~rmig, wobei die Endbereiche der Tejibliatter entgegen der Drehrichtung des Rotors umn ca. abgewinkelt oder abgebogen sind, Wind power engine The present invention relates to wind power engines, and in particular to a wind power engine having a rotor which is rotatable about a vertical axis and has at least three substantially radially extending rotor blades which subdivide the rotor into three equisized sectors. Wind power engines of this type are known from ,he German utility model 8,631,273 and 8,600,597. In these known wind power engines the rotor is provided with three or more rotor blades extending substantially radially which are angled in their radially outer edge region approximately 450 against the direction of rotation of the rotor. In the known wind power engines the side of the rotor opposing the wind is covered by a means which is rotatable about the axis of the rotor and is rotated by a wind vane into the wind.

The object of the present invention is to simplify t.o: a wind power engine of the type mentioned in such a manner that it can be produced economically and overcomes 20 or at least ameliorates the disadvantages of the prior art.

Accordingly, there is provided a wind power engine comprising a rotor rotatable about a vertical axis and including at least three substantially radially extending blades which divide said rotor into equisized sectors, each of said rotor blades defining an associated radius and comprising a plurality of sub-blades separated by *0 0 vertically extending gaps for passage of air therethrough, and each of said plurality of sub-blades having radially outer and inner edge portions bent relative to a remaining planar portion of a respective sub-blade against a direction of rotation at an angle of about 200-60°.

The rotor according to the invention has the advantage that the rotor blades in the region rotating against the wind offer a lower resistance than the rotor blades of the known wind power engines.

The sub-blades are preferably bent through '**ALI approximately 500 in their edge regions oppositely to the -2gs }i 1 r direction of rotation of the rotor so that they have a dish-shaped or trough-shaped cross-section.

It has been found that the efficiency of this wind power engine can be improved in that the sub-blades with their essentially planar region do not extend radially but are turned about a perpendicular axis in such a manner that with their radially inner edges in the direction of rotation of the rotor they lie in front of the associated radius and the radially outer edge regions lie behind said associated radius.

In the following description an example of i embodiment of the wind power engine according to the invention will be described in detail with reference to jthe drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a two-stage wind power engine according to the invention, Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a rotor of the wind power engine according to Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a sectional view corresponding to Fig. 2 with indicated wind flow path, Fig. 4 is a plan view of a sub-blades.

I The wind power engine apparent from Fig. 1 comprises a rotor 1 which is mounted rotably about a i jvertical axis in a holding means or frame 2. The rotor 1 comprises an upper stage 11 and a lower stage 12. In each rotor stage 11, 12 three rotor blades A, B and C are arranged. The rotor blades A, B and C subdivide each rotor stage 11 and 12 into three equisized sectors. The rotor blades A, B and C of j* *f^jf 3 the upper stage 11 are offoet through half a ootor with respect to the rotor blades A, B and C of the lower tcaige 12.

Each rotor blade A, B and C is vertically subdivided into three sub-blades 3, 4, 5. As Fig. 2 shows theroe are vertical slots 6 between the adjacent sub-blades 3 and 4 and 4 and 5 through which air can pass. The oub-blades 3, .1 and 5 do not extend radially with thilr stubtantiallv planar regions 8 but are mounted twisted forwardly about a vertical axis through an angle of about 200 in the direction of rotation.

As Fig. 4 in particular shows the edge regions 7a and 8a of the sub-blades 3, 4 and 5 are angled or rounded through an angle Zf of about 300 against the direction of rotation so that the sub-blades in plan view have a dish-shaped or trough-shaped form. Through this shape and arrangement of the sub-blades 3, 4 and 5 a separate wind flow outwardly occurs as Fig. 3 shows which is visible at the rotor blade B in Fig. 3. As a result, in the region of the rotor 1 turning against the wind the latter is first conducted outwardly via an air cushion past the apparatus and then in a substantially 450 position of the rotor blade to the wind (see Fig. 2, rotor blade C) the wind is already directed to the active side of the rotor 1. Approximately 2/3 of the wind energy acting on the means is thereby utilized.

Especially for the starting phase and under high load it is important that the "active" wind flows inwardly through the gaps 6 between adjacent sub-blades 3, 4 and 4, 5 and moves Ift; the rotor 1 in the direction of rotation. In the position of about 30° of a rotor blade A with respect to the wind direction the wind can flow through the gaps 6 of the rotor blade A onto the rotor blade B. In the position of about 900 corresponding to rotor blade A in Fig. 2 to about 1207 eosaeponding to rotor blade A in Fig. 3 a wind buildup occur for a ahort time; aubooquently the wind tlows off outwardly and is retarded by the bent radially outer end regions 8a of the sub-blades 3, 4 and 5. Thus the major part of the wind energy can be taken up by the apparatus and supplied to the current generation or the mechanical utilization. Each individual rotor blade A, D, C thus undergoos a flow-buildup-flow phase for the duration of a half revolution on the "active" side. This condition is especially favourable for the starting phase of the apparatus under load and with low wind strongthl.

The known Savonius rotor operates in contra.t with a short buildup phase (at about 900).

With high wind velocities, i.e. with high rotational speed of the rotor I a rotating surrounding field of wind forms and as a result only a part of the wind power is converted to rotation so that an overspeeding of the rotor 1 is avoided.

This wind power engine can be used for almost all wind strengths and compared with propeller arrangements is independent of the wind direction.

On the basis of the simple construction, the rotor according to the invention can be made with low expenditure and thus economiically.

The radially outer end region 8a of each sub-blade 3, 4, occupies in contrast to the associated radius 9 of the rotor blade A, B, C an angle< of 45 to 600.

The angle 3 between radius and the substantially planar surface 8 of the sub-blades 3, 4, 5 can be 20 to 300, in 44 particular 250 The oub-blades, 3, 4 D are arrange'd in mich a manner' that adjacent aub-bladesf 3,4 and~ 4, 5 overl~ap at the gaps 6 and the gaps 6 become narower on the active side of the rotor' I in the direction of the flow.

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R E~ F ER E N C E N U M E R A b, L I G T

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2 3 7 7a 8 8a 15 9 11 12 Rot or Rotor blade Rotor blade Rotor blade Holding meanis, frame Sub-1,1ad e Sub-blade Sub-blade Gap Inner edge Inner edge region Planar region of a sub-blade Outer edge region Radius Bend point Upper rotor stage Low~er rotor stage L Distance -7-

Claims

1. A wind power engine comprising a rotor rotatable about a vertical axis and including at least three substantially radially extending blades which divide said rotor into equisized sectors, each of said rotor blades defining an associated radius and comprising a plurality of sub-blades separated by vertically extending gaps for passage of air therethrough, and each of said plurality of sub-blades having radially outer and inner edge portions bent relaLive to a remaining planar portion of a respective sub-blade against a direction of rotation at an angle of about 20o-60°.

2. A wind power engine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sub-blades are of equal size.

3. A wind power engine as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said sub-blades is disposed with an angular displacement to the respective associated radius of substantially 200.

4. A wind power engine as set forth in claim 1, 4: wherein a distance between respective bent points, at which said radially outer edge portions are connected to respective planar portions, of adjacent sub-blades is I 5 substantially equal to a combined length of the planar e portion and the radially inner edge portion of a sub-blade. S'

5. A wind power engine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the remaining planar portion of each blade comprises a slightly bent planar portion.

6. A wind power engine comprising a rotor rotatable about a vertical axis and including at least three substantially radially extending blades which divide said rotor into equisized sectors, each of said plurality of rotor blades comprising a plurality of sub-blades separated by vertically extending gaps for passage of air therethrough, and each of said plurality of sub-blades having a radially outer end portion bent relative to a remaining portion -8 a respective sub-blad~e against a direction of rotation of said rotor at an angle of about 500, DATED this 11th day of N~OVEMBER, 1991 ALFRED WILHELM Attorney: WILLIAM S. LLOYD Fellow institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia of SHELSTON WATERS I t (tt I I

9- ~A4 Abstract Wind power engine having a rotor which io rotatable about a vertical axis and has at least three rotor blades B, C) arranged substantially radially which subdivide the rotor into equisized sectors. To improve the characteristics and the efficiency of said wind power engine the rotor blades B, C) are vertically subdivided into several sub-blades 4, 5) and between the sub-blades 4, 5) vertical gaps are arranged for the passage of air. In cross-section said sub-blades (3, 4, 5) are dish-shaped or trough-shaped, the end regions of the sub-blades being angled or- bent oppositely to the direction of rotation of the rotor through about 300. (Fig. 2) ii I.