JP2022167479A - Vertical axis wind power generation device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a vertical axis wind power generation device in which, even when a large-sized vertical axis wind turbine is used, the wind turbine can stably rotate regardless of a strong wind or a weak wind, and which thus can exhibit excellent power generation performance.SOLUTION: In a vertical axis wind power generation device, a rotation shaft is connected to a rotor head located on the rotation center of a vertical axis wind turbine and extends vertically downward, and a power generator is rotated by the rotation shaft to generate electric power. The vertical axis wind power generation device is configured such that the rotary head is supported rotatably with respect to a fixed support by a radial bearing and a thrust bearing arranged on a first outside pedestal, a buoyancy chamber receiving a buoyance generating liquid and a float is arranged below the first outside pedestal, and the first outside pedestal and the float are connected by an outside connection member, so that the vertical axis wind turbine is floatingly supported via the outside connection member and the first outside pedestal by buoyant force acting on the float.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a vertical axis wind power generator, and more particularly to a wind power generator suitable for installation on the roof of a building or the like even if it is enlarged to improve power generation efficiency.

Renewable energies such as solar and wind power do not emit greenhouse gases and can be produced in Japan, so they are promising and important low-carbon domestic energies that can contribute to Japan's energy security. is the source. Among such renewable energies, wind power generation, which converts wind energy into electrical energy in particular, must: 1) be an energy source capable of generating power regardless of whether it is on land or offshore; and 2) ensure economic efficiency. Advantages such as being a possible energy source, 3) having good energy conversion efficiency, and 4) being able to operate even at night are pointed out.

Here, wind turbines used for wind power generation are divided into horizontal axis wind turbines whose rotation axis is arranged parallel to the wind direction (horizontal to the ground) and horizontal axis wind turbines whose rotation axis is arranged perpendicular to the wind direction (perpendicular to the ground). ) and vertical axis wind turbines. In wind power generation, horizontal axis wind turbines (especially propeller type wind turbines) have been widely used for a long time because they are easy to increase in size. The rotating surface of the windmill must face the wind. For this reason, a power generator using a horizontal axis wind turbine is generally provided with a direction control mechanism for causing the rotating surface of the wind turbine to follow the direction of the wind. On the other hand, vertical axis wind turbines do not require a directional control mechanism as described above, so compared to horizontal axis wind turbines, the structure can be simplified, and the associated advantages such as cost reduction can be obtained. It is possible to enjoy

However, in a power generator using a vertical axis wind turbine (hereinafter referred to as a vertical axis wind power generator), increasing the size of the wind turbine to improve power generation efficiency may cause various problems. For example, as the size of a vertical axis wind turbine increases, its weight inevitably increases. An increase in the load (including the preload load) on the bearing due to an increase in the thrust load also increases the static friction torque of the rotating shaft against the bearing, reducing the power generation efficiency and possibly significantly reducing the power generation capacity in light wind conditions. In addition, due to the increase in the size of the wind turbine, the resonance frequency of the entire vertical axis wind turbine including the wind turbine is lowered, which limits its use in high-speed airflow areas. There is a risk that the generated vibration will be transmitted to the building and cause design structural defects. In addition, the assembly unit (parts) of a large-sized wind turbine is inevitably large. The size needs to be reduced to the extent that it can be transported, and such miniaturization can exacerbate the installation cost of the power generation device.

Under such circumstances, Patent Documents 1 to 4 disclose vertical axis wind turbine generators and related technologies.

First, in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3188414), vertical blades for a wind turbine are arranged in a circle on the upper end side of a vertical main shaft 14 in a vertically standing state (in other words, a wind turbine 36 ), on the other hand, the vertical main bearing floating dock 7 is connected to the lower end side thereof, and the vertical main bearing floating dock 7 is inserted into the floating water tank 2 containing the liquid 40 A floating generator is disclosed which has a structure in which a vertical main shaft 14 is rotatably supported in a floating state via a vertical main bearing floating dock 7 by the buoyancy of the liquid 40 acting on the floating water tank 2. ing. However, in the floating generator disclosed in the patent document, the vertical main bearing floating dock 7, the vertical main shaft 14, and the wind turbine 36 are integrally constructed in this order from the lower end side in the vertical direction. It is unavoidable that the rotational moment of the integrated object becomes extremely large. Therefore, even though the wind turbine 36 is supported in a floating state, it cannot rotate sufficiently in a low wind speed range, It is expected that it will not react sufficiently. In addition, in the floating generator shown in FIG. 1 of the same patent document, the floating water tank 2 into which the vertical main bearing floating dock 7 is inserted is provided in the form of a pit in the base, and the vertical main shaft 14 is Since it is rotatably supported by the building, such a configuration as a whole becomes a very large facility, and it is very difficult to install it in a narrow place such as a building roof.

In addition, in FIG. 7 of Patent Document 2 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-301837), as a rotating body suitable for a wind turbine of a wind power generator, a vertical main shaft (2) supporting a horizontally rotating rotating main body (3) is shown. A float (2i) in contact with the bearing is provided at the lower end, and a fluid lower bearing (5g) made of liquid for floating the float (2i) is provided in the bearing portion where the float (2i) is positioned. A rotating body (1) is revealed. In the rotating body (1), the load of the rotating body (3) and the vertical main shaft (2) is rotationally supported by the float (2i) in the thrust direction, and is supported by the bearings (5a) and (5b) in the radial direction. It is In the rotating body (1) having such a configuration, if the wind receiving blade (4) of the rotating main body (3) is increased in size for the purpose of improving the power generation efficiency, the vertical main shaft (2) can also be radially and It is necessary to increase the size of the float (2i) in any longitudinal direction. As the size of the float (2i) increases, there arises a problem that the outer dimensions of the bearing (5) that accommodates the float (2i) must also be increased. In addition, since it is necessary to increase the size of the bearings (5a) and (5b), large-sized bearings are adopted, and a certain preload load is applied to these large-sized bearings for the purpose of stable bearing in the radial direction. If it is applied, the static friction torque will increase, and there is a risk that the rotating main body (3) will not rotate sufficiently in light wind conditions.

Furthermore, in the rotating body floating shaft support structure disclosed in Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-43171), a buoyancy chamber 131 containing a liquid for generating buoyancy is provided in the pole 102 in a vertically standing state. A float 135 is disposed in the liquid in the buoyancy chamber 131. The upper portion of the float 135 is connected to the central rotating portion 112 of the rotating body 111 via a connecting member 116, while the lower portion of the float 135 is connected to is connected to a vertical shaft 136, and a steel ball 124 is arranged radially between the pole 102 and the central rotating part 112. As shown in FIG. However, in the rotor levitation and shaft support structure disclosed in the same patent document, if the radius of rotation of the blades 115 is increased to increase the size of the wind turbine, the blades 115, the central rotating part 112, and the connecting member 116 all become larger. Accordingly, the weight increases, and the thrust load acting on the float 135 also increases. In order to deal with this, the volume of the float 135 must be increased, and in order to accommodate the increased float 135 inside, the outer diameter of the pole 102 must also be increased. An increase in the wind turbine's solidity (the ratio of the area of the circle formed when the wind turbine rotates to the area where the blades actually exist) may deteriorate, and the power generation performance may decrease.

Furthermore, in Patent Document 4 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 58-74877), water is filled in a ring-shaped water tank 19, and a ring-shaped floating body 21 is floated thereon so as to obtain buoyancy with a floating body 20 of a predetermined shape, The wind turbine has a structure in which hard sails 7 corresponding to blades are arranged at equal intervals on the upper part of the ring-shaped floating body 21, and the ring-shaped floating body 21 is rotated by wind force while changing the angle of the hard sails 7 according to the wind direction and the rotation angle. Although the device has been clarified, when installing such a wind turbine, it is necessary to dispose an annular water tank 19 at the installation site, which has the drawback of requiring a large installation space. In addition, the wind turbine device disclosed therein requires a driving device for adjusting the rotation angle of the rigid sail 7, which also has the inherent problem of complicating the device.

Utility Model Registration No. 3188414 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-301837 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-43171 JP-A-58-74877

Here, the present invention has been made against the background of such circumstances. To provide a vertical axis wind power generator capable of stably rotating a wind turbine and thereby exhibiting excellent power generation performance.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention can be suitably implemented in various aspects as listed below, and each aspect described below can be adopted in any combination. It is possible. It should be noted that the aspects and technical features of the present invention are not limited to those described below, and can be recognized based on the inventive idea that can be grasped from the description of the entire specification. , should be understood.

(1) A vertical axis wind power generator that rotates a generator to generate electricity by a rotating shaft that extends vertically downward and that is connected to a rotor head located at the center of rotation of the vertical axis wind turbine,
The rotating body head is composed of a longitudinal hollow member whose lower end is fixed to a pedestal, and a fixed column in which the rotating shaft is rotatably inserted in a hollow space inside the member. i) rotatably supported by a radial bearing, either directly or indirectly through another member, and ii) positioned between said rotor head and the upper end of said fixed post, It is rotatably supported by a thrust bearing disposed on a first outer pedestal having a hollow space in the center in the horizontal direction through which the rotating shaft is rotatably inserted,
A buoyancy chamber for containing a buoyancy-generating liquid and a float is disposed below the first outer seat of the fixed strut, and the first outer seat and the float are arranged radially from the fixed strut. externally connected by an external connecting member positioned at a distance from the fixed support;
buoyancy acting on the float in the buoyancy chamber floats and supports the vertical axis wind turbine through the external connecting member and the first external pedestal;
A vertical axis wind power generator characterized by:
(2) A second external pedestal is provided between the first external pedestal and the float, and the first external pedestal and the second external pedestal are connected by the external connecting member. On the other hand, a spring is arranged between the second outer seat and the float so that the urging direction is vertical, and the second outer seat and the float are pulled together by the spring. The vertical axis wind turbine generator according to aspect (1), which is connected.
(3) In a hollow space within the fixed strut, an inner strut having a height lower than that of the fixed strut and extending vertically upward from the lower end of the fixed strut is arranged. An internal pedestal connected to the first external pedestal is disposed at a portion vertically below the external pedestal, and the urging direction is the vertical direction between the internal pedestal and the upper end of the inner support column. The vertical axis wind turbine generator according to the aspect (1), wherein the springs are arranged so as to
(4) The vertical-axis wind turbine generator according to the aspect (2) or the aspect (3), wherein a damping device that absorbs energy in the vertical direction is arranged parallel to the spring.
(5) A metal cylinder is disposed so as to be integrated with the fixed support on the upper end side of the fixed support, and the rotor head is rotated with respect to the metal cylinder by the radial bearing. The vertical axis wind turbine generator according to any one of the aspects (1) to (4), which is freely supported.
(6) The vertical member according to any one of the above aspects (1) to (5), wherein the longitudinal hollow member that constitutes the fixed support is a quadrangular prism member having a longitudinally extending void inside. Axial wind turbine generator.
(7) Any one of the aspects (1) to (6), wherein the vertical axis wind turbine is configured such that each of a plurality of blades is supported by the rotor head via one or more arms. The vertical axis wind turbine generator according to 1.
(8) The vertical axis wind turbine generator according to any one of the aspects (1) to (7), wherein the fixed struts are made of fiber-reinforced plastic material.

In such a vertical axis wind power generator according to the present invention, when the vertical axis wind turbine is in a non-rotating state, the vertical axis wind turbine is levitated and supported by the buoyancy force acting on the float in the buoyancy chamber. When a vertical axis wind turbine is in a rotating state under the force of wind, the external force (vibration) in the vertical direction (thrust direction of the rotating shaft) generated by the rotation of the wind turbine causes the float to move up and down as appropriate within the buoyancy chamber. will be absorbed by Therefore, in the vertical axis wind turbine generator of the present invention, the wind turbine can be stably rotated regardless of whether the wind is weak or strong, and thus can exhibit excellent power generation performance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional explanatory view showing a first embodiment of a vertical axis wind turbine generator according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is an explanatory cross-sectional view taken along line AA in the vertical axis wind turbine generator of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged explanatory view of a BB cross section in the vertical axis wind turbine generator of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional explanatory view showing a partially enlarged vicinity of a rotating body head in the vertical axis power generator of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional explanatory view showing a second embodiment of the vertical axis wind turbine generator according to the present invention; FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional explanatory view showing a partially enlarged vicinity of a rotating body head in the vertical axis wind turbine generator of FIG. 5; (a) is a partially enlarged explanatory view of the CC cross section in the vertical axis wind turbine generator of FIG. 5, and (b) is the connection between the first pedestal and the inner pedestal in the vertical axis wind turbine generator of FIG. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional explanatory view showing a (connected) state. FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional explanatory view showing a third embodiment of the vertical axis wind turbine generator according to the present invention; FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional explanatory view showing a partially enlarged vicinity of a rotating body head in the vertical axis wind turbine generator of FIG. 8 ; FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional explanatory view showing a fourth embodiment of the vertical axis wind turbine generator according to the present invention; FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional explanatory view showing a fifth embodiment of the vertical axis wind turbine generator according to the present invention;

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with appropriate reference to the drawings. It should be noted that in the drawings attached to this application, in order to make the drawings easier to read and to facilitate the understanding of the present invention, it should be understood that there are portions where hatching is omitted even in cross sections of visible members, etc. It should be.

1 to 4 show one exemplary embodiment of a vertical axis wind power plant according to the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional explanatory view of a vertical axis wind turbine generator 10 according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional explanatory view along line AA of FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged explanatory view of the B section, and FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional explanatory view showing a partially enlarged vicinity of the rotating body head in the vertical axis wind turbine generator 10 shown in FIG.

As is clear from FIGS. 1 to 4, the vertical axis wind turbine generator 10 includes a vertical axis wind turbine 12. As shown in FIG. The vertical axis wind turbine 12 includes four (four) blades 14 as wind receiving blades, an upper support arm 16a, a horizontal support arm 16b and a lower support arm 16c that support each of the blades 14, and a rotor head 18. , an upper tension bar 20 a and a lower tension bar 20 b that connect adjacent blades 14 , and a rotating shaft 22 .

Since the length (height) of the rotor head 18 in the vertical direction (the vertical direction in FIG. 1) is shorter than the length of the blade 14 in the vertical direction, one end of the rotor head 18 is connected to the blade 14 . The upper support arm 16a is tilted vertically obliquely downward, and the lower support arm 16c, one end of which is connected to the blade 14, is tilted vertically obliquely, is connected to the pin joint 24, respectively. is connected to the rotor head 18 by . In other words, upper support arm 16a, horizontal support arm 16b and lower support arm 16c, connected at one end to blade 14, are brought together at their other end to rotor head 18, where a pin joint is provided. 24 (see in particular FIG. 4).

Note that many conventional vertical axis wind turbines have a structure in which the blades are supported only by arms extending horizontally with respect to the ground, unlike those employed in the vertical axis wind power generator 10 described above. However, a vertical axis wind turbine having such a structure has an inherent problem that the fixed support supporting the rotating part of the wind turbine must be long (high in the vertical direction). Conventionally, the use of long fixed struts deteriorated the solidity of the wind turbine. The height of the wind turbine can be kept low, which advantageously reduces the air resistance in the wind turbine, thereby improving the solidity of the wind turbine and effectively improving the power generation efficiency. In addition, in a vertical axis wind turbine, the external force due to rotation is concentrated on the rotor head, so if the length (height) of the fixed support is kept short (low), there is also the advantage that the mechanical rigidity can be secured advantageously. .

Further, at the center in the horizontal direction of the rotor head 18 of the vertical axis wind turbine 12 having such a configuration, a rotation shaft 22 is arranged so as to extend vertically downward. is transmitted to the generator 28 arranged on the upper part of the base 26, and the generator 28 is driven to generate electric power. It should be noted that the mechanism for transmitting the rotation of the rotating shaft 22 to the power generator 28 and the power generation mechanism in the power generator 28 can employ well-known mechanisms, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

A fixed strut 32 is fixed by a bracket 30 on the foundation 26 of the vertical axis wind turbine generator 10 . The fixed column 32 is composed of a fiber-reinforced plastic quadrangular prism member having a quadrangular cross-section and having a longitudinally extending cavity therein. In this way, by using a member made of fiber-reinforced plastic as a fixed support for supporting the vertical axis wind turbine, a) it is lighter than a metal member, so when installing the vertical axis wind turbine, b) It is easy to mold and process. Horizontal vibration energy induced by wind pressure changes associated with natural turbulence can be advantageously absorbed, thereby effectively ensuring smooth rotation of the vertical axis wind turbine. In addition, by using a quadrangular prism member having a predetermined void inside as the fixed support, it is possible to ensure sufficient rigidity of the fixed support.

The matrix resin and reinforcing fibers of the fiber-reinforced plastic are not particularly limited as long as they are conventionally known matrix resins and reinforcing fibers, and can be used in the present invention. Vertical axis wind power generators are generally installed in locations exposed to rain and wind. In addition, fiber-reinforced plastics containing glass fibers as reinforcing fibers can be advantageously used.

An inner support 34 having a hollow space for inserting the rotating shaft 22 in a rotatable state is integrally built into the fixed support 32 at the lower end side of the fixed support 32 in the vertical direction. On the other hand, on the vertical upper end side of the fixed support 32, a metal cylinder 36 is disposed in a fixed position with respect to the fixed support 32 and the inner support 34 with its upper end projecting from the upper end of the fixed support 32. ing. A hole is provided in the center of the upper and lower bottom surfaces of the metal cylinder 36 to allow the rotating shaft 22 to pass therethrough. It passes through the metal cylinder 36 and is connected to the generator 28 while being inserted into the cavity of the inner support 34 .

On the other hand, a buoyancy chamber 38 is provided on a horizontal portion of the bracket 30 that extends outward in the horizontal direction from the upright portion in contact with the fixed support 32, and the buoyancy generating liquid is contained in the buoyancy chamber 38. 40 and a float 42 are housed with the float 42 facing the buoyancy generating liquid 40 . Above the float 42 , four hydraulic dampers 44 are arranged parallel to the four side surfaces of the fixed support 32 with the upper ends of the piston rods protruding from through holes in the upper bottom surface of the float 42 . Each of the hydraulic dampers 44 has an orifice (small diameter hole) in the internal piston, and does not show any resistance to gentle vertical movement, but when vertical movement exceeding a certain speed is applied, It is configured to exert a damper effect (vibration damping effect) by the throttle effect of the orifice.

The support structure for the vertical axis wind turbine 12 in the vertical axis wind power generator 10, which is the most characteristic technical configuration of the present invention, will be described in detail below. 1 and 4, the rotating body head 18 of the vertical axis wind turbine 12 first has an inner surface of the rotating body head 18 and the inner surface of the rotating body head 18 at the upper end of the metal cylinder 36 protruding upward from the fixed support 32. rotatably with respect to the metal cylinder 36 and the fixed support 32 integrated therewith by an upper radial bearing 46a and a lower radial bearing 46b disposed between the outer surface of the metal cylinder 36; It is supported so as to be vertically movable.

Between the rotor head 18 and the upper end of the fixed support 32, a first external pedestal 48 having a through-hole for the metal cylinder 36 to pass through is provided horizontally. A thrust bearing 50 arranged on the first outer seat 48 rotatably supports the rotor head 18 with respect to the first outer seat 48 (see FIG. 4). Further, between the first external pedestal 48 and the buoyancy chamber 38, a second external pedestal 52 having a through hole for allowing the fixed support 32 to pass through is provided in the central part. are arranged parallel to the The first outer pedestal 48 and the second outer pedestal 52 are connected by a total of eight outer connecting rods 54 (see FIG. 4), while the lower surface of the second outer pedestal 52 and the buoyancy chamber Four springs 56 are arranged between the upper end of the float 42 in 38 so that the urging direction thereof is vertical, and the tips of the piston rods of the four hydraulic dampers 44 are arranged in the first direction. It is connected to the lower surface of the second external pedestal 52 .

In this embodiment, the amount of preload acting on the thrust bearing 50 is the weight of the vertical axis wind turbine 12, and no other positional preload is applied. The outer rings of the upper radial bearing 46a and the lower radial bearing 46b are press-fitted into the rotor head 18, while their inner rings are fitted to the outer edge of the metal cylinder 36. , the tolerance of which is a clearance fit, and the upper and lower radial bearings 46 a and 46 b can move vertically with respect to the metal cylinder 36 . Furthermore, the float 42, which is connected to the rotor head 18 via a plurality of members, does not touch the bottom surface of the buoyancy chamber 38 when the vertical axis wind turbine 12 is in a non-rotating state. The spring 56 and the like are adjusted so that the float 42 floats in the generating liquid 40 .

In the vertical axis wind power generator 10 according to the present invention as described above, when the vertical axis wind turbine 12 is in a non-rotating state, the vertical axis wind turbine 12 acts on the float 42 within the buoyancy chamber 38. When the vertical axis wind turbine 12 is levitated and supported by the buoyant force and is in a rotating state due to the wind force, the external force (vibration) in the vertical direction (thrust direction of the rotating shaft) caused by the rotation of the wind turbine is caused by the expansion and contraction of the spring 36 and the hydraulic pressure. The damping action of the damper 44 and the up-and-down movement of the float 42 within the buoyancy chamber 38 will effectively absorb. Therefore, the vertical axis wind power generator 10 of the present invention can stably rotate the wind turbine regardless of whether the wind is weak or strong, and thus can exhibit excellent power generation performance. .

In general, a vertical axis wind turbine inevitably has a three-dimensional structure in a rotating wind turbine part compared to a horizontal axis wind turbine such as a propeller type wind turbine. In a wind turbine having a three-dimensional structure, positional deviation such as mismatch between the mechanical center of rotation and the center of gravity of the wind turbine occurs due to manufacturing errors of members and assembly errors of those members. Such positional deviation induces large vibrations in the horizontal and vertical directions together with the action of centrifugal force accompanying the rotation of the windmill. In the past, attempts to solve such problems by adding more rigidity resulted in increased weight and size of the vertical axis wind turbine, increased cost, and inefficiency in power generation. Another problem, such as a significant drop in the resonance point, has also arisen, and it is thought that increasing the size of the vertical axis wind turbine based on the conventional viewpoint has reached its design limit. At present, the practical limit of a power generation device equipped with a vertical axis wind turbine (vertical axis wind power generation device) is considered to be a power generation output of about 20 kW class level.

In addition, due to the characteristics of the vertical axis wind turbine, a large torque fluctuation occurs during one rotation of the wind turbine. Such a large torque fluctuation is also one of the causes of vibration. When the windmill vibrates in the horizontal or vertical direction, the wind energy is consumed by the vibrational energy, the rotation speed of the windmill is significantly reduced, and as a result, the power generation capacity is reduced. For this reason, in the conventional vertical axis wind turbine generator, in terms of operation, countermeasures such as stopping power generation at low output or stopping power generation under strong winds are taken.

Under such circumstances, the vertical axis wind turbine generator of the present invention was completed. That is, in the present invention, of the vibrations that occur with the rotation of the wind turbine due to manufacturing errors of members, assembly errors of those members, etc., vibrations in the vertical axis (rotational axis) direction of a vertical axis wind turbine are eliminated. By supporting the float connected (connected) with a connecting member different from the rotation axis of the wind turbine, it is possible to move in the vertical direction, and the vibration energy is transferred to the buoyancy generating liquid contained in the buoyancy chamber. It is absorbed and attenuated by liquid level fluctuations. For this reason, in the vertical axis wind power generator according to the present invention, even if a vertical axis wind turbine with an enlarged three-dimensional portion is used to increase the wind receiving area, the occurrence of vibration is advantageously suppressed. The stable high-speed rotation of the wind turbine is ensured, and stable power generation is possible even under strong winds.

In addition, since vertical vibrations are advantageously absorbed and attenuated by the floats, the vertical axis wind turbine generator of the present invention can be installed even in places where installation conditions are particularly severe with respect to vertical vibrations, such as on the roofs of buildings. , which can increase the consumption of renewable energy. In addition, it is possible to install the power generation device near the power consumption area, and even if the generation capacity is a small class device, it is possible to efficiently supply locally produced and consumed renewable energy.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the thrust bearing (thrust bearing 50) and the radial bearings (upper radial bearing 46a, lower radial bearing 46b) are separated and arranged separately, and for these bearings, their arrangement Due to its location, it is not necessary to provide a fixed position preload. In this way, by not applying fixed-position preload to the thrust bearing (thrust bearing 50) and radial bearings (upper radial bearing 46a, lower radial bearing 46b), the friction torque can be extremely reduced, and the starting rotation torque can be extremely reduced. Since it can be made small, in the vertical axis wind power generator according to the present invention, the vertical axis wind turbine can efficiently rotate and generate power even in light wind conditions. In addition, not applying a fixed position preload to the bearing increases the bearing load tolerance of the wind turbine during operation (during rotation), thereby extending the life of the bearing. It is also possible to advantageously suppress the temperature rise and enjoy the advantages of being able to reduce the burden of maintenance and inspection of the apparatus.

In addition, in the vertical axis wind turbine generator 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the first outer pedestal 48 and the second outer pedestal 52 are spaced apart from one side surface of the fixed support 32 in the vertical direction. Two external connecting rods 54 (8 external connecting rods 54 in total, since the external shape of the fixed support 32 is a quadrangular prism) per one extending side (see FIG. 3), The external connecting rods 54 connect the first external pedestal 48 and the second external pedestal 52 while being inserted through through holes of guides 58 arranged on the side surface of the fixed support 32 . The through hole in the guide 58 is sized so as to form a clearance that allows the external connecting rod 54 to move in the vertical direction when the external connecting rod 54 is inserted. By employing such a guide 58, the rotation of the first outer seat 48 and the second outer seat 52 is advantageously suppressed.

A brake cylinder 60 is arranged on the first outer seat 48 . A brake shoe 62 at the tip of the rod of the brake cylinder 60, a ring-shaped brake plate 66 fixedly disposed on the first outer pedestal 48, and a rotor head 18 fixed to the lower portion of the rotor head 18. Excessive rotation of the rotary head 18 can be suppressed by contact with a brake disc 64 having an L-shaped cross section that rotates integrally with the rotary head 18 .

Although one representative embodiment of the vertical axis wind power generator according to the present invention has been described in detail above, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the vertical axis wind power generator having the configuration described above. , needless to say, and for example, it is also possible to adopt configurations as shown in FIGS. In addition, in each of the vertical axis wind power generators shown in FIGS. 5 to 11, members having the same configurations and functions as those of the vertical axis wind power generator described in detail above are denoted by the same reference numerals. Detailed description shall be omitted.

5 to 7 are explanatory diagrams showing a vertical axis wind turbine generator according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional explanatory diagram of a vertical axis wind turbine generator 80, and FIG. 7A is a partially enlarged longitudinal sectional explanatory view showing the vicinity of the rotating body head 18 in the vertical axis wind power generator 80, and FIG. 7A is a partially enlarged explanatory view of the CC cross section of FIG. 3B is a vertical cross-sectional explanatory view showing a state of connection (coupling) between the first outer pedestal and the inner pedestal in the vertical axis wind turbine generator 80. FIG.

In the vertical axis wind turbine generator 80 , the fixed struts 32 are fixed on the foundation 26 by brackets 30 . On the upper end side of the fixed support 32 in the vertical direction, the metal cylinder 36 is in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the fixed support 32 at its outer peripheral surface, and the upper end of the metal cylinder 36 is positioned at the upper end of the fixed support 32 . In a more protruding state, it is positionally fixedly arranged on the fixed support 32 according to a known technique. On the other hand, on the lower end side in the vertical direction, an inner support 82 having a hollow space for inserting the rotating shaft 22 in a rotatable state is integrally built into the fixed support 32 . Between the upper end of the metal cylinder 36 and the lower end of the metal cylinder 36, a space is formed for housing an internal pedestal 84 and a spring 86, which will be described later.

The internal pedestal 84 is composed of a plate-shaped rectangular member having approximately the same size as the horizontal cross section of the hollow space in the fixed support 32, and the rotating shaft 22 is inserted through the center portion in the horizontal direction. A through hole is formed for Here, the space inside the fixed support 32 has a shape of a longitudinal rod with a square horizontal cross section (in other words, a shape of a square column), and the metal cylinder 36 is in contact with such a space. , four vertically extending spaces are formed between the fixed post 32 and the metal cylinder 36 near each of the four corners of the cavity ( See FIG. 7(a)). The inner connecting rod 88 is inserted into this space, its upper end is connected to the first outer pedestal 48, and its lower end is connected to the inner pedestal 84, whereby the inner pedestal 84 is connected to the first outer pedestal. It is possible to move up and down integrally with 48 (see FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b)).

A spring 86 is arranged between the inner column 82 and the inner seat 84 in the fixed column 32 so that its urging direction is vertical, and the two hydraulic dampers 44 are installed. , are arranged at regular intervals so as to surround the rotating shaft 22 , and the tip of each piston rod is connected to the inner pedestal 84 .

Furthermore, the first external pedestal 48 and the float 42 are connected by eight external connecting rods 90 . Specifically, the upper end of the outer connecting rod 90 is connected to the lower surface of the first outer pedestal 48 , while the lower end of the outer connecting rod 90 is connected to the upper end of the float support 42 a of the float 42 .

In the vertical axis wind turbine generator 80 having the above-described configuration, the external force (vibration) in the vertical direction (thrust direction of the rotating shaft) generated by the rotation of the wind turbine is 1) connected by the external connecting rod 90. This is effectively absorbed by the vertical movement of the float 42, 2) the expansion and contraction of the spring 86 arranged inside the fixed column 32, and the damping action of the hydraulic damper 44 arranged at the same place. In such a vertical axis wind turbine generator 80, since the spring 86 and the hydraulic damper 44 are not exposed to the outside, it is possible to advantageously reduce the deterioration of the members due to the external environment such as exposure to sunlight and wind and rain. is possible.

8 and 9 are explanatory diagrams showing a vertical axis wind turbine generator according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional explanatory view of the vertical axis wind power generator 100, and FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional explanatory view showing a partially enlarged vicinity of the rotor head in the vertical axis wind power generator 100. be.

The vertical axis wind power generator 100 includes a vertical axis wind turbine 102. The vertical axis wind turbine 102 includes four (four) blades 14, an upper support arm 16a for supporting each of the blades 14, and a horizontal support arm. 16b and a lower support arm 16c, a support arm hub 104 which is a rotor head, an upper tension bar 20a and a lower tension bar 20b connecting adjacent blades 14, and a rotation main shaft 106.

The support arm hub 104 as a rotating body head has a length (height) in the vertical direction (vertical direction in FIG. 8) shorter than the length in the vertical direction of the blades 14. The upper support arm 16a connected to the blade 14 is tilted obliquely downward in the vertical direction, and the lower support arm 16c, one end of which is connected to the blade 14, is tilted obliquely upward in the vertical direction. , are connected to the support arm hub 104 by pin joints 24 . In other words, upper support arm 16a, horizontal support arm 16b and lower support arm 16c, which are connected at one end to blade 14, are joined at their other end to support arm hub 104, where pin joint 24 is connected. is connected by

At the center in the horizontal direction of the support arm hub 104 of the vertical axis wind turbine 102, a rotation main shaft 106 is arranged so as to extend vertically downward. The rotation of the vertical axis wind turbine 102 is transmitted to the generator 28 arranged above the foundation 26 by the rotation main shaft 106 and the rotation transmission shaft 108, and the generator 28 is driven to generate power. It is

Further, a sleeve 110 for the rotation main shaft 106 is inserted in the upper end of the fixed column 32, and an upper radial bearing 112a and a lower radial bearing 112b are arranged on the inner surface of the sleeve 110. As shown in FIG.

The rotary main shaft 106 (support arm hub 104) is supported by the radial bearings 112a and 112b so as to be rotatable and vertically movable with respect to the fixed column 32. As shown in FIG.

On the other hand, in the present invention, like the vertical axis wind turbine generator 120 shown in FIG. 2) the vertical axis wind turbine 102 and its support structure in the vertical axis wind turbine generator 100;

Furthermore, like the vertical axis wind power generator 130 shown in FIG. It is also possible to engage the ring 136 and connect the support arm 140 supporting the blades 138 to the outer ring 136 to form the vertical axis wind turbine generator of the present invention. By adopting such a configuration, deformation of the blades 138 due to wind power is advantageously suppressed, and the blades 138 can efficiently receive the wind power, thereby advantageously improving power generation efficiency.

In addition, all of the vertical axis wind power generators described above use blades (vertical blades). As long as it does not impede the above, it is possible to adopt a vertical axis wind turbine having a conventionally known configuration without any particular limitation.

As for the members constituting the vertical axis wind turbine generator of the present invention, for example, the blades of the vertical axis wind turbine, the outer wall of the buoyancy chamber, and the like can also be made of the fiber-reinforced plastic described above.

In addition, although not listed individually, it is understood that various changes, modifications, improvements, etc. can be added to the present invention based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art as long as they do not depart from the spirit of the present invention. It should be.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 vertical axis wind turbine 12 vertical axis wind turbine 18 rotating body head 22 rotating shaft 28 generator 32 fixed strut 34 inner strut 36 metal cylinder 38 buoyancy chamber 42 float 44 hydraulic damper 46 radial bearing 48 first outer pedestal 50 thrust bearing 52 second outer pedestal 54 outer connecting rod 56 spring 58 guide 60 brake cylinder 80 vertical axis wind power generator 82 inner strut 84 inner base 86 spring 88 inner connecting rod 90 outer connecting rod 100 vertical axis wind power generator 102 vertical axis wind turbine 104 Support arm hub 106 Rotation main shaft 108 Rotation transmission shaft 100 Sleeve 112 Radial bearing 120 Vertical axis wind turbine generator 130 Vertical axis wind turbine generator 132 Fixed ring 134 Cross roller bearing 136 Outer ring 138 Blade

Claims (8)

In a vertical axis wind turbine generator in which a generator is rotated by a vertically downwardly extending rotating shaft connected to a rotating body head located at the center of rotation of the vertical axis wind turbine to generate electricity,
With respect to a fixed post in which the rotating body head is composed of a longitudinal hollow member whose lower end is fixed to a frame, and in which the rotating shaft is rotatably inserted in a hollow space therein, i) rotatably supported directly by a radial bearing or indirectly through another member, and ii) a horizontal center located between said rotor head and the upper end of said fixed post. is rotatably supported by a thrust bearing disposed on a first external pedestal having a cavity through which the rotating shaft is rotatably inserted,
A buoyancy chamber for containing a buoyancy-generating liquid and a float is disposed below the first outer seat of the fixed strut, and the first outer seat and the float are radially outward of the fixed strut. are connected by an external connecting member positioned at a distance from the fixed support on one side,
The buoyancy acting on the float in the buoyancy chamber floats and supports the vertical axis wind turbine through the external connecting member and the first external pedestal.
A vertical axis wind power generator characterized by: A second external pedestal is disposed between the first external pedestal and the float, and the first external pedestal and the second external pedestal are connected by the external connecting member. A spring is disposed between the second outer seat and the float so that the biasing direction is vertical, and the second outer seat and the float are connected by the spring. A vertical axis wind turbine generator according to claim 1. In a cavity within the fixed post, there is disposed an inner post extending vertically upward from a lower end of the fixed post and having a height lower than that of the fixed post, and vertical from the first outer pedestal in the cavity. An inner pedestal connected to the first outer pedestal is arranged in the lower part, and a spring is arranged between the inner pedestal and the upper end of the inner support so that the urging direction is vertical. A vertical axis wind turbine generator according to claim 1, provided. 4. Vertical axis wind turbine generator according to claim 2 or 3, wherein a damping device for absorbing vertical energy is arranged parallel to the springs. A metal cylinder is disposed integrally with the fixed support on the upper end side of the fixed support, and the rotor head is rotatably supported by the radial bearing with respect to the metal cylinder. A vertical axis wind turbine generator according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The vertical axis wind turbine generator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the longitudinal hollow member forming the fixed support is a quadrangular prism member having a longitudinally extending void therein. The vertical axis wind turbine according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the vertical axis wind turbine is configured such that each of a plurality of blades is supported by the rotor head via one or more arms. generator. A vertical axis wind turbine generator according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said fixed struts are made of fiber reinforced plastic material.

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