CA2662404A1

CA2662404A1 - Wind power plant with outer torus-shaped blades

Info

Publication number: CA2662404A1
Application number: CA002662404A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Nikolay Buktukov; Beisen Buktukov; Gulnaz Moldabaeva; Aitmukhamed Zhakyp
Original assignee: Nikolay Buktukov; Beisen Buktukov; Gulnaz Moldabaeva; Aitmukhamed Zhakyp; Too "Kazakhstanskie Vetroenergeticheskie Tekhnologii"
Current assignee: TOO "KAZAKHSTANSKIE VETROENERGETICHESKIE TEKHNOLOGII"
Priority date: 2006-09-07
Filing date: 2006-09-25
Publication date: 2008-03-13
Also published as: EP2065594A1; EP2065594A4; EA200800960A1; EA018354B1; EP2065594B1; KZ19064A; WO2008030073A1

Abstract

The invention relates to wind power engineering. The inventive wind power plant comprises blades which are embodied in the form of two or more segments of the external part of a hollow torus provided with top and low edges and with internal and external end faces, wherein said blades are hingedly fastened to brackets between the internal and external end faces on the side of the top and low edges, brackets are rigidly fixed to the body of bearings which are put on a fixed axis, rods are pivotally connected to the blade between a center and the external end face near the top and low edges by one end thereof and are hingedly fastened, by the other end, to the adjacent blade from outside by means of levers provided with a post and one blade is hingedly connected to an L-shaped lever-bracket which is provided with a weight placed on the other end thereof. In the other embodiment, each blade is hingedly fastened to brackets from outside between the internal and external end faces by means of L-shaped levers provided with posts, which are rigidly fixed to the body of bearings, which are put on a fixed axis and are hingedly connected to the L-shaped levers provided with posts and one of the blades is hingedly connected to an L-shaped lever-bracket which is provided with a weight placed on the other end thereof. Said invention makes it possible to increase the use of wind power, independently of the wind direction and speed, and to improve reliability during strong winds.

Description

WIND POWER PLANT
BACKGROUND

[0001] The invention pertains to the power industry, particularly to wind power plants, and can be used as an independent power supply for facilities and as electric power generation for a power system, especially at low wind speeds.

[0002] Known is the wind rotor power plant, Boni-ShKhV {patent PK No.
5595). It comprises wind rotor modules that includes a guide apparatus and bladed vertical wind rotors that have a circular shape. The number of blades and diameters change along the height in accordance with the Helman formula. The generator group comprises one or several tiers connected to the wind rotor shaft.

[0003] This wind rotor power plant has a number of shortcomings, such as high metal content and the need for high precision manufacturing for power plant operation at high wind speeds; which results in considerably higher costs and inoperability at low wind speeds.

[0004] Also known is a Savonius system wind turbine (patent RK No.
3230) comprising two semi-cylindrical blades that are located between plates and have inner and outer edges rigidly connected to the shaft kinematically and to the blades by means of a ball socket joint. The blades have a weight at their outer edges.

[0005] A significant shortcoming of this wind turbine is that in order to increase power, it is necessary to increase the diameter to more than 0.5 m and to turn the blade edges to the wind. In doing this, uncontrolled shift of the semi-cylinders under wind pressure and a hit by the brackets occur. This complicates the design and reduces the device's reliability. A reduction of the diameter of the semi-cylinders results in reduced power and a narrower range of wind speed operation.

[0006] The invention's objective is to develop a wind power plant (WPP) that makes it possible to increase use time rates (by expanding wind speed operating range), ensure the steady flow of power by power plants regardless of wind speed and direction, simplify the design, and increase operational reliability while substantially increasing the power plant's power, which will result in lower costs, including operating costs.

[0007] The technical result is achieved by way of a wind power plant comprising brackets, a bearing assembly with housing, a drive gear and a driven gear, rods, levers with a post, an L-shaped lever with a weight, and blades in the form of two or more segments of the outer portion of a hollow torus and having upper and lower edges, as well as inner and outer faces, with the outer portion of the hollow segment of the torus being an outer semi-circle, resembling a simple-shaped automobile tire. The brackets are rigidly attached to the bearings. The bearings are installed on a stationary axle. Each blade, between the inner and outer faces on the side of the upper and lower edges, is hinge-attached to the brackets. Between the inner and outer face at the upper and lower edges, each blade is hinge-connected on the outside by rods to the adjacent blade by means of levers with posts. The posts are rigidly attached to the blade. One blade is hinge-connected to an L-shaped lever-bracket that has a weight at its opposite end. The lever-bracket is hinge-attached to the drive gear housing. The drive gear is engaged with a smaller-diameter driven gear that is rigidly attached to a universal shaft or a shaft with a ball socket. The stationary axle is located inside the drive gear. At the bottom, the universal shaft (or a shaft with a ball socket) is connected to an electromechanical unit. The stationary axle is rigidly attached to a support.

[0008] The technical result can also be achieved in a different embodiment, wherein the power plant has brackets, a bearing assembly, a drive gear and a driven gears, rods, L-shaped levers with posts, an L-shaped lever with a weight, and blades in the shape of two or more segments of the outer portion of a hollow torus that have upper and lower edges, as well as inner and outer faces. The brackets are rigidly attached to the bearing housing. The bearings are installed on a stationary axle. On the outside, each blade, between its inner and outer faces, is hinge-attached to a bracket by means of the L-shaped levers with posts. The posts are rigidly attached to the blade. At the center, the L-shaped levers are rigidly attached to a bracket. The ends of the L-shaped levers with posts are hinge-connected to the rods.

[0009] One blade is hinge-connected to the L-shaped lever-bracket with a weight. The lever-bracket is hinge-attached to the bearing assembly. At the bottom of the bearing housing, the drive gear is rigidly attached. The drive gear is engaged, via a smaller-diameter driven gear, with a universal shaft or a shaft with a ball socket. The stationary axle is located inside the drive gear. At the bottom, the universal shaft (or a shaft with a ball socket) is connected to an electromechanical unit. The stationary axle is attached to a support.

[0010] The causal relation between essential features of the invention and the achieved results is that, when these features are used, wind energy use time rates increase, i.e., a WPPs will operate in the speed range of 1- 3 to 90 m/s. As a result, the number of days the WPP operates increases more than threefold.
Hence, electric power output will also increase more than threefold. In addition, it is possible to substantially , increase power unit capacity. This is achieved because at low wind speeds the wind-swept surface area increases, and conversely, when wind speed increases, the wind-swept surface area decreases due to the blades closing about the hinge mount to the bracket. In the case of hurricane wind gusts, the weight closes the blades due to centrifugal force, and the WPP takes the shape of the outer portion of a hollow torus. Reliable operation is achieved both because of the simplicity of the design and because the axle does not rotate, as well as to the presence of the ball socket attachment of the WPP shaft, and/or the universal shaft, to the eletromechanical unit.

SUMMARY

[0011] The invention pertains to the wind-power industry and can be used as an independent power supply for facilities and electric power generation for a power system.

[0012] The technical result is increased wind energy use time rates, regardless of wind direction and speed, a simplified design, improved performance, reduced manufacturing costs and operating expenses, and higher reliability while increasing the wind power plant unit's capacity. This is achieved by way of the power plant having brackets, a bearing assembly with housing, a drive gear and driven gears, rods, levers with posts, an L-shaped lever with a weight, and blades in the shape of two or more segments of the outer portion of a hollow torus that have upper and lower edges as well as inner and outer faces.
In the cross-section, the outer portion of a hollow torus segment is an outer semi-circle, which makes it possible to show it in a cross-section as part of a simpler-shaped automobile tire (a semi-circle). The brackets are rigidly attached to the bearing housing. The bearings are installed on a stationary axis. Between the inner and outer faces on the side of the upper and lower edges, each blade is hinge-attached to the brackets. The rods are hinge-connected to the blades at the upper and lower edges between the center and the outer face. On the outside, the other ends of the rods are hinge-connected to the adjacent blade by means of levers with posts. The posts are rigidly attached to the blade. One blade is hinge-connected to the L-shaped lever. A weight is attached to the opposite end of the L-shaped lever. The lever-bracket with the weight is hinge-attached to the drive gear housing. The drive gear is engaged with a smaller-diameter driven gear rigidly attached to a universal shaft or a shaft with a ball socket. The stationary axle is located inside the drive gear. At the bottom, the universal shaft (or the shaft with a ball socket) is connected to an electromechanical unit. The stationary axle is rigidly attached to a support.

[0013] A different embodiment of the wind power plant is possible. In it, the power plant has brackets, a bearing assembly with housing, a drive gear and driven gears, rods, L-shaped levers with posts, an L-shaped lever with a weight, and blades in the shape of two or more segments of the outer portion of a hollow torus that have upper and lower edges, as well as inner and outer faces. The brackets are rigidly attached to the bearing housing. The bearings are installed on a stationary axle. On the outside, each blade is hinge-attached between the outer and inner faces to a bracket by means of the L-shaped levers with posts.
The posts are rigidly attached to the blade. The brackets are hinge-connected in the center to L-shaped levers with posts. The ends of the L-shaped levers with posts are hinge-connected to the rods.

[0014] One blade is hinge-connected to an L-shaped lever-bracket that has weighta at its opposite end. The lever-bracket with the weight is hinge-attached to the bearing housing. The drive gear is rigidly attached to the bearing housing at the housing bottom and is engaged, via a smaller-diameter driven gear, with a universal shaft or a shaft with a ball socket. The stationary axle is located inside the drive gear. At the bottom, the universal shaft (or a shaft with a ball socket) is connected to an electromechanical unit. The stationary axle is attached to a support.

FIGURES

[0015] The essence of the invention is explained by the drawings, where Fig. 1 shows the general view of a three-blade WPP with the blades attached to brackets at the inner edge.

[0016] Fig. 2 shows the general view of a three-blade WPP with the blades attached to brackets on the outside.

[0017] Fig. 3 shows the top view and cross-section of a blade of a three-blade WPP.

[0018] Fig. 4 shows the general view of a four-blade WPP with the blades attached to brackets at the inner edge.

[0019] Fig. 5 shows the top view of a four-blade WPP.

[0020] Fig. 6 shows schematically the L-shaped lever bracket with a weight attachment that ensures opening and closing of the blades (wind pickups) when wind speed changes.

[0021] Fig. 7 shows three- and four-blade WPPs in the closed position.
DESCRIPTION

[0022] The wind power plant comprises (Fig. 1) a stationary axle 1 with a bearing assembly 2 attached to it. Brackets 3 are rigidly attached to the bearing assembly. Blades 4 are hinge-attached to brackets 3 between the outer and inner faces 4. Blades 4 are in the form of segments of a hollow torus (Fig.
3).

[0023] Lever 5 with post 6 is hinge-attached to brackets 3. Rods 7 are hinge-attached to the other lever (Fig. 1, 4, 5). The other ends of rods 7 are hinge-attached to adjacent blade 4 at the upper and lower edges. Posts 6 are rigidly attached to blades 4.

[0024] L-shaped lever-bracket 8 is hinge-attached to drive gear housing 9 (Fig. 6). The upper end of lever-bracket 8 is hinge-attached to one of blades 4 by means of links 14 and 15. A weight 10 is attached to the lower end of lever-bracket 8.

[0025] The lower end of stationary axle 1 (Fig. 1, 2, 4) is rigidly attached to support 11. The drive gear is engaged with a smaller-diameter driven gear (the gears are not shown on the drawings) rigidly mounted on universal shaft 12.
The lower end of shaft 12 is connected to electromechanical unit 13.

[0026] In the second embodiment (Fig. 2), blade 4 is hinge-attached between its inner and outer faces to brackets 3 by means of L-shaped levers 5 with posts 6. Rods 7 are hinge-attached to both ends of L-shaped levers 5 with posts 6. At the center, L-shaped levers 5 with posts 6 are hinge-attached to brackets 3. Posts 6 are rigidly attached to blades 4.

[0027] The attachment of stationary axle 1 and lever-bracket 8 with weight 10, and the connection to electromechanical unit 13 are similar to the first embodiment.

[0028] The wind power plant operates as follows. Wind flow hits blades 4, which results in blades 4, brackets 3 and the drive gear turning on bearings about stationary axle 1. The drive gear rotation is transmitted via the driven gear and universal shaft (the shaft with a ball socket) 12 to electromechanical unit 13.
When wind speed increases, the centrifugal force causes weight 10 to move away from the axis of rotation, resulting in lever-bracket 8 shifting about the ball socket attachment. Lever-bracket 8 pulls (or pushes) blade 4 by means of links 14 and 15, which causes all blades 4 to shift about ball-and-socket attachment on brackets 3. During hurricane wind gusts, blades 4 close and take the shape of a torus (Fig. 7).

[0029] If there is no wind, gravity causes weight 10 to drop down and fully open blades 4 by means of lever-bracket 8 via links 14 and 15.

[0030] The operation of the second embodiment of the wind power plant is similar.

Claims

1. A wind power plant comprising a weight, brackets, and blades with edges, distinctive in that the blades are made in the shape of two or more segments of the outer portion of a hollow torus and have upper and lower edges as well as inner and outer faces, each blade is hinge-attached to the brackets between its inner and outer edges on the side of the lower and upper edges, the brackets are rigidly attached to a bearing housing, the bearings are installed on a stationary axle, rods are hinge-connected to the blades at the center at the upper and lower edges between the center and the outer face, the other ends of the rods are hinge-attached to the adjacent blade by means of levers with posts, the post is rigidly attached to the blade, one blade is hinge-connected to an L-shaped lever-bracket, a weight is attached to the other end of the lever-bracket, the lever-bracket with the weight is hinge-attached to the drive gear housing, the drive gear is engaged with a smaller-diameter driven gear rigidly attached to a universal shaft or a shaft with a ball socket, the stationary axle is located inside the drive gear, the universal shaft (or the shaft with a ball socket) is connected at the bottom to an electromechanical unit, and the stationary axle is rigidly attached to a support.

2. A wind power plant comprising a weight, brackets, and blades with edges, distinctive in that the blades are made in the shape of two or more segments of the outer portion of a hollow torus and have upper and lower edges as well as inner and outer faces, on the outside, each blade is hinge-attached between its inner and outer faces to the brackets by means of L-shaped levers with posts, the posts are rigidly attached to the blades, the brackets are rigidly attached to the bearing housing, the bearings are installed on a stationary axle and hinge-connected at the center to the L-shaped levers with posts, and the other ends of L-shaped brackets with posts are hinge-connected to rods, one of the blades is hinge-connected to an L-shaped lever-bracket, at the other end of the L-shaped lever-bracket a weight is attached, the lever-bracket with the weight is hinge-attached to the bearing housing, the drive gear is rigidly attached to the bottom of the bearing housing and is engaged, via a smaller-diameter driven gear, with a universal shaft or a shaft with a ball socket, and the stationary axle is installed inside the drive gear and attached to a support.