CA2994494A1

CA2994494A1 - High efficiency wind-turbine

Info

Publication number: CA2994494A1
Application number: CA2994494A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Leonid Veinberg
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2018-02-09
Filing date: 2018-02-09
Publication date: 2019-08-09

Abstract

High Efficiency Wind-Turbine is based on a mechanical unit converting wind energy to mechanical rotary motion, tapered wind-turbine, where each blade is made as long cylindrical channel located at a small angle to axis of rotation and is supported by front and rear wheels at each end of the blades. In the High Efficiency Wind-Turbine the blades are positioned in such a way that wind blows along the working surface of the blades (not across it) under small angle and gradually creates light pressure on the entire working surface of the blades, which are located on the big radius out of the axis of rotation. Many blades simultaneously are taking wind loads and creating very large resulting torque on the shaft of the turbine. High Efficiency Wind-Turbine does not have any surface area which creates negative torque in opposite direction; this makes efficiency of the wind-turbine very high. High Efficiency Wind-Turbine could produce energy at very strong wind. A Vertical Wing-type column could be used to minimize air resistance, which becomes very important at very fast wind blow.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field Of The Invention In the modern world, humanity is spending more effort to get "Green" energy available in the environment without burning up any kind of fuel. One of the directions is wind energy.
Extracting energy from the wind is more efficient and promising direction of getting clear green energy.
US7132760; US8109732; US7365448; US20100166553; US4166596; US6158953;
US6975045; US7679209; US7821148; US8192169 Any electrical station extracting energy from the wind blow consists of three main parts:
the base; unit to convert energy of wind blow to mechanical rotary motion; and electrical generator converting rotary motion to electrical energy. The unit converting energy of the wind blow to mechanical motion is the heart of the wind generators. This is the main unit affecting efficiency of wind electrical station.
Practically all variety of different wind generators could be divided on two major groups.
Wind generators with vertical axis of rotation (Fig 1).
Wind generators with horizontal axis of rotation (Fig 2).
Wind generators with vertical axis of rotation can accept the wind from any direction with no changing position of the unit, and this is practically only advantage what they have. The main principle of the generators with vertical axis is: the special profile of the blades which have different air resistance from different directions of wind blow. Because of that its starts rotating under the wind blow. But difference of air resistance is not big and torque what could be created by such unit is minimal. This kind of wind generators has low efficiency compare with wind generators having horizontal axis. Usually generators of this group are relatively small in sizes. They are using for small applications such as traffic lights.
Wind generators with horizontal axis of rotation (Windmill) are a major group of wind generators in the world. Windmills are more efficient and powerful and they are using to produce majority of wind electrical energy. The large windmill could produce up to 8 megawatts energy. These windmills are huge. The column is about 80 meters high and

2-14 diameter of the propeller is about 100 meters. When propeller of such huge windmill rotating with only 12 revolutions per minute, the end of the blade has linear speed equals 63 meters per second ¨ or 226 kilometers per hour. Those blades of windmill have to be extremely strong and precise.
At high speed of the wind (20 meter per second), the windmill has to be wind-vane in order to minimize its wind resistance ¨ stop rotation, to not destroy all mechanism of the wind electrical station. Propeller of the windmill has a special mechanism to change angular position of the blade (pitch). This is a sophisticated mechanism. At vane position, three blade propellers create a huge horizontal force applying on a vertical column. The column itself has large dimension and is a subject of very large horizontal force created by wind pressure. This column has to be extremely strong to withhold this force of wind pressure.
The linear speed of each area of the blade is equal RPM multiply 2Tr multiply radius.
Further from center of rotation faster is the linear speed.
Propeller of the large size windmill usually rotating with speed 15 revolutions per minute.
At this RPM on the 8 meters radius from axis of rotation linear speed on the blade became 12.5 meters per second. Speed of the wind of 10 meter per second can be considered as fast, strong wind. The portion of the blade is lying on the radius bigger than 8 meters have linear speed faster than wind. That's mean that this part of the blade is creating resistance for rotation. It has very negative impact on efficiency of the windmill.
On the wind electrical generators presenting on the market, the working area of the blades located in such way that wind is blowing across the blades and giving the energy to the blades on the short distance (equal to width of the blade) twice making sharp changing direction of its flow. On this short way the wind can't give big percent of its energy to the blade.
Usually windmill generators are using tapered supporting column from steel-cement structure. This is very heavy structure which has to withhold very large horizontal force form the wind pressure. Requirements to strength of the column are extremely high. The top of the column is supporting turning mechanism with vertical axis of rotation on which located body of electrical generator, gearbox multiplication and propeller to extract energy from wind blow into mechanical rotary motion. Turning mechanism is intended to turn

3-14 electrical generator, gearbox and propeller towards wind blow. For windmill generator with 50 meters diameter propeller the mass of turning head is about 20 tons.
This is a great load and very complicated mechanism.
The new design High Efficiency Wind-turbine does not have these disadvantages.
High Efficiency Wind-Turbine generator (Fig 3) utilizes different principle from above known wind generators. The new High Efficiency Wind-Turbine generator is capable of being many times more efficient than windmill of the same diameter.
The Vertical Wing-type column could be more reliable system especially for High Efficiency Wind-Turbine.

4-14 DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
High Efficiency Wind-Turbine is having mechanical unit to convert energy of wind blow to mechanical rotary motion made as tapered wind-turbine. Each blade of the wind-turbine is made as long cylindrical channel located under small angle to axis of rotation, which does not allow the wind to slide out of the entire working surface of the blade. Every blade is supported by front and rear wheels at each end of the blade, what makes assembly very rigid. The blades of tapered Wind-Turbine are positioning in such way that wind is blow along to the working surface of the blades (not across it) under small angle and gradually creates light pressure on the entire working surface of blades. Entire working surface of the blades are located on the big radius out of the axis of rotation. Many blades simultaneously are taking wind loads and creating very large resulting torque on the shaft of the turbine.
High Efficiency Wind-Turbine does not have any surface area that creates negative torque in opposite direction, what makes efficiency of the wind-turbine very high.
At very strong wind (faster than 25 meter per second) the Vertical Wing-type column became much more reliable because it has 40 times less air resistance. This kind of column would be much lighter and stronger. It will be automatically turning towards wind blow. High Efficiency Wind-Turbine does not have big resistance to the wind flow and will produce energy even at very strong wind. It is become very important to have minimal air resistance for supporting column. The Vertical Wing-type column could be successfully used for this purpose.

5-14 LIST OF FIGURES, WHICH ARE FORMING A PART OF THIS SPECIFICATION
Fig. 1 ¨ Wind generators with vertical axis of rotation Fig. 2 ¨ Wind generators with horizontal axis of rotation Fig. 3.1 ¨ High Efficiency Wind-Turbine on the column Fig. 3.2 ¨ Unit to convert energy of wind blow to mechanical rotary motion Fig. 3.3 ¨ High Efficiency Wind-Turbine assembly Fig. 3.4 ¨ High Efficiency Wind-Turbine assembly Fig. 3.5 A ¨ High Efficiency Wind-Turbine principle Fig. 3.5 B ¨ High Efficiency Wind-Turbine principle DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
High Efficiency Wind-Turbine (Fig. 3.1) has mechanical unit to convert energy of wind blow to mechanical rotary motion based on new principle. The main difference of High Efficiency Wind-Turbine from other windmill generators on the market is how the wind giving energy to the blade. For Windmill generators on the market, the working area of the propeller is located in such a way that wind is blowing across the blades and giving the energy to the blades over a short distance (equal to width of the blade) twice making sharp changes in direction of its flow. Over this short distance the wind can't give big percentage of its energy to the blade.
The unit converting wind blow to mechanical rotary motion at High Efficiency Wind-Turbine (Fig 3.2) has horizontal axis of rotation and is made as tapered wind-turbine. The blades 1 of the wind-turbine are made as long cylindrical channel located under small angle to the axis of the turbine rotation. Such construction is makes every blade very rigid even when thickness of material for the blade is relatively thin. Profile of the blade (cylindrical channel) does not allow the wind to slide out of working surface.
Every blade 1 is supported by front 2 and rear 3 wheels at each end of the blade. Front wheel 2 and rear wheel 3 together with all blades 1 are making conical (taper) turbine.
Together with shaft 4 this assembly has very high rigidity in any direction, which makes it able to withhold very strong wind, even at the speed of 40 meters per second (hurricane).

6-14 At High Efficiency Wind-Turbine (Fig.3.5 A) the blades of tapered Wind-Turbine are positioning in such way that wind is blow along to the working surface of the blades under small angle and gradually creates light pressure on the entire working surface of blades (not across the blade). Entire working surface of the blades are located on the big radius out of the axis of rotation. Many blades simultaneously are taking wind loads and creating very large resulting torque on the shaft of the turbine (Fig. 3.5 B). For entire working surface of the blade the difference between maximum radius and minimum radius from axis of rotation is minimal. The difference between maximum and minimum linear speed for entire blade is minimal as well. Entire surface of the blades is producing positive torque in the same direction. High Efficiency Wind-Turbine does not have any surface area which creates negative torque in opposite direction. Because of that efficiency of the wind-turbine is many times higher than any other windmill or other extractors of wind energy.
The Vertical Wing type column for supporting wind generators could be more reliable especially for High Efficiency Wind-Turbine.
Linear speed of each area of the blade on the High Efficiency Wind-Turbine is very close to the speed of the wind blow. Even at highest wind speed of about 40 meters per second (hurricane speed), linear speed of the blade will be around 40 meters per second as well.
The High Efficiency Wind-Turbine with diameter of turbine 25 meters will have only 32 revolutions per minute at this tremendous wind. That means that High Efficiency Wind-Turbine does not need to be stopped and could produce energy and be effective even at such strong wind.
Because High Efficiency Wind-Turbine does not have to have wind-vane mechanism, it becomes a much more reliable and simple system. High Efficiency Wind-Turbine does not have big resistance to the wind flow. The maximum air resistance will be from the column.
The vertical Wing-type column has 40 times less air resistance than the steel-cement columns. This kind of column would be much lighter and stronger. It will be automatically turning towards wind blow (will act as a wind-vane).
The vertical wing-column has profile looks like the wing of the aircraft (Fig.
3.1). The wing-column could turn around central bearing 33 and is supported by the wheels 21 which are based on circular rail 32 concentric with central bearing 33. The wing-column has two braces 23 to support wing-column in vertical position sideways. Such design makes the structure extremely rigid in all directions, having very small wind resistance (wind drag),

7-14 and self-adjustment to the wind direction. This wing-column can handle extremely high speed of wind with no problems. The braces 23 from both side of the wing-column installed with small negative angle to the wind flow. This acts to create negative lifting aerodynamic force to push construction down for better stabilization. Faster wind flow ¨
bigger vertical force down for stabilization.

Claims

1-14The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. High Efficiency Wind-Turbine is having mechanical unit to convert energy of wind blow to mechanical rotary motion made as tapered wind-turbine.

2. Each blade of the wind-turbine (by #1) is made as long cylindrical channel, which makes blade very rigid and not allow wind slide out of the blade working surface.

3. The blades of the wind-turbine (by #1; 2) located under small angle to axis of rotation, what creates tapered turbine.

4. Every blade (by #2; 3) is supported by front and rear wheels at each end of the blades, what makes tapered turbine very rigid.

5. The blades (by #2; 3) positioning with small angle with axis of rotation, what positioning working surface of the blade with small angle to direction of the wind blow.

6. The wind blow direction (by #5) is going along the blades' surface under small angle with it (not across the blades), what creates light pressure on the entire blade surface.

7. Entire working surface of the blade (by #2; 3) located on the big radius out of the axis of rotation what creates big torque on the shaft of turbine.

8. Entire working surface of the blade (by #2; 3; 5; 7) having small difference between maximal and minimal linear speed.

9. Many blades (by #2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8) simultaneously are taking wind loads, creating very large resulting torque on the shaft of the turbine.

10. High Efficiency Wind-Turbine (by #1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 9) does not have any surface area that creates negative torque in opposite direction, what makes efficiency of the wind-turbine very high.

11. High Efficiency Wind-Turbine (by #1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10) do not need to be stopped (wind-vane) and could produce the energy at very fast wind blow.

12. High Efficiency Wind-Turbine (by #1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10) with Vertical Wing type column could be used even during very fast wind blow.