US20060099077A1 - Wind energy conversion apparatus - Google Patents
Wind energy conversion apparatus Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20060099077A1 US20060099077A1 US10/542,428 US54242804A US2006099077A1 US 20060099077 A1 US20060099077 A1 US 20060099077A1 US 54242804 A US54242804 A US 54242804A US 2006099077 A1 US2006099077 A1 US 2006099077A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- rotor blade
- energy conversion
- wind energy
- conversion apparatus
- wind
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 238000006243 chemical reaction Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 57
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 claims description 13
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 5
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000008602 contraction Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000006073 displacement reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000005611 electricity Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000010354 integration Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229920002994 synthetic fiber Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 238000011144 upstream manufacturing Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F03D—WIND MOTORS
- F03D1/00—Wind motors with rotation axis substantially parallel to the air flow entering the rotor
- F03D1/06—Rotors
- F03D1/0608—Rotors characterised by their aerodynamic shape
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
- F05B—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
- F05B2250/00—Geometry
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
- F05B—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
- F05B2250/00—Geometry
- F05B2250/10—Geometry two-dimensional
- F05B2250/14—Geometry two-dimensional elliptical
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
- F05B—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
- F05B2250/00—Geometry
- F05B2250/10—Geometry two-dimensional
- F05B2250/14—Geometry two-dimensional elliptical
- F05B2250/141—Geometry two-dimensional elliptical circular
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
- F05B—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
- F05B2250/00—Geometry
- F05B2250/20—Geometry three-dimensional
- F05B2250/24—Geometry three-dimensional ellipsoidal
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
- Y02E10/70—Wind energy
- Y02E10/72—Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
Definitions
- the invention relates to a wind energy conversion apparatus comprising a supporting structure; a shaft having a first and a second end, which is rotatably Journalled in said supporting structure, as well as at least one rotor blade having a first end and a second end, which rotor blade is mounted on said shaft with both ends.
- the invention also relates to a rotor blade for use in such wind energy conversion apparatus.
- Wind energy conversion apparatuses of the kind referred to above are already known from German patent publication No. 3331166 A.
- the horizontal shaft thereby extends in the direction of the oncoming wind, all this in such a manner that the plane of inflow of said wind capturing means extends substantially perpendicularly to the main shaft and also substantially perpendicularly to the direction of the oncoming wind.
- the object of the invention is to improve the known apparatus and to provide a wind energy conversion apparatus which, given the same dimensions and the same wind conditions, is capable of converting a larger amount of wind energy into other forms of energy.
- the wind energy conversion apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that the rotor blade is provided with additional wind capturing means.
- the windward side of the rotor blade in addition to exerting a force in the direction of the air flow, also exerts a force on the air flow in radial direction, which results in a Venturi effect.
- Said Venturi effect leads to an increased flow of air through the rotor, enabling the wind energy conversion apparatus according to the invention to draw more energy from the air flowing through the apparatus. This results in the significantly improved efficiency of the apparatus according to the invention.
- the wind capturing means may consist of a widened portion of the rotor blade, which widened portion is circular in shape in one embodiment and ellipsoidal in shape in another embodiment. It has become apparent that the Venturi effect is enhanced when the rotor blade is provided with additional wind capturing means as explained above. As a result, even more air will flow through the area covered by the rotor blade, so that the wind energy conversion apparatus can draw energy from the wind in a more efficient manner.
- Such a wind conversion apparatus according to the invention is thus characterized by its simple but nevertheless robust construction, since the rotor blade is only subjected to tensile stress during operation when this construction is used. Since the rotor blade does not have a tip, in contrast to the known windmills or wind turbines, the noise production of a wind energy conversion apparatus according to the invention is furthermore significantly lower than that of the current apparatus. This renders the wind energy conversion apparatus according to the invention quite suitable for use in built-up areas.
- the two ends of the rotor blade are according to the invention mounted some distance apart on the shaft.
- the rotor blade is elongate in shape, in a special embodiment it is embodied as a thin, flat plate.
- the rotor blade is made of a metal or of a synthetic fibre material.
- the rotor blade according to the invention can be mass-produced at low cost in a quick and simple manner. Since the cost price of a wind energy conversion apparatus is to a large extent determined by the construction costs of the rotor blade, the wind energy conversion apparatus according to the invention can in addition be produced at significantly lower cost due to said significant reduction of the manufacturing costs of rotor blades according to the invention.
- the wind energy conversion apparatus comprises two or more rotor blades mounted on the shaft, which rotor blades describe mutually different diameters.
- the two ends of the rotor blade are each mounted near a corresponding end of the shaft, with the shaft being mounted in bearings in the supporting structure with both its ends.
- the shaft is coupled with means, such as a generator, for converting rotational energy into electrical energy.
- Said generator may be mounted in or on the bearing-mounted shaft.
- the invention also relates to a rotor blade according to the invention as described in the description of the figures and as shown in the drawings.
- FIG. 1 schematically shows an embodiment of a prior art wind energy conversion apparatus
- FIGS. 2A-2B is a detail view of the wind energy conversion apparatus that is shown in FIG. 1 ;
- FIGS. 3A-3B show an embodiment of a rotor blade for use in a wind energy conversion apparatus according to the invention.
- FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of a wind energy conversion apparatus according to the invention.
- FIG. 1 A prior art wind energy conversion apparatus according to the invention will now be described with reference to FIG. 1 .
- corresponding parts are indicated by the same numerals.
- the wind energy conversion apparatus 1 that is shown in FIG. 1 comprises a vertical column 2 a , on which a supporting structure 2 b is mounted.
- a horizontal shaft 3 is rotatably accommodated with its first end 3 a and its second end 3 b in bearings 2 c and 2 d , respectively, which form part of the supporting structure 2 b .
- the wind energy conversion apparatus 1 is provided with one rotor blade, two rotor blades 4 - 4 ′ in this embodiment, which rotor blades 4 - 4 ′ are fixedly connected to the horizontal shaft 3 with their first end 4 a - 4 a ′ and their second end 4 b - 4 b′.
- the supporting structure 2 b is rotatably mounted on the vertical column 2 a by means of a rotation bearing 8 .
- a windvane is mounted, so that the wind energy conversion apparatus will align itself with the wind even at very low wind velocities.
- the wind energy conversion apparatus as shown in, FIG. 1 will invariably align Itself with the wind in such a manner that the horizontal shaft 3 will extend in the direction of the wind at all times, as is indicated by the arrow in FIG. 1 .
- the two ends 4 a - 4 a ′ and 4 b - 4 b ′, respectively, of the rotor blades 4 - 4 ′ are according to the invention mounted on the horizontal shaft 3 with a spacing b between them; in a specific embodiment, the spacing b between the two ends 4 a - 4 a ′ and 4 b - 4 b ′, respectively, of the rotor blades 4 - 4 ′ amounts to less than twice the radius R of each rotor blade 4 - 4 ′.
- said spacing b may amount to twice the radius R, and in yet another embodiment said spacing 2 b may amount to more than twice the radius R of the rotor blade 4 - 4 ′. Twice the radius R of the rotor blade corresponds to the diameter D that the rotor blade describes in the air during operation.
- the two ends 4 a - 4 a ′ and 4 b - 4 b ′, respectively, of the rotor blades 4 - 4 ′ are disposed near the first end 3 a and the second end 3 b , respectively, of the horizontal shaft 3 .
- the rotor blades 4 - 4 ′ are embodied as a thin, flat plate. More specifically, the plate-shaped rotor blades are furthermore flexible as regards its shape, so that they will automatically assume their desired shape, owing to the occurrence of centrifugal forces, during rotation of the horizontal shaft 3 .
- Said shape also called chain line, ensures that only tensile stress will occur in the rotor blade and that consequently the stress at the two ends 3 a and 3 b , respectively, of the shaft 3 will be minimal, which enables a further simplification of the construction.
- FIGS. 3 a and 3 b show another embodiment of the invention.
- This embodiment makes use of rotor blades 4 ′′- 4 ′′′ of different shape, which rotor blades are likewise mounted on the horizontal shaft 3 with their first and second ends. More specifically, the rotor blades 4 ′′- 4 ′′′are provided with additional wind capturing means 5 , which preferably consist of a widened portion of the rotor blade 4 ′′- 4 ′′′.
- the widened portion of the rotor blade which functions as a wind capturing means, is circular in shape; in the embodiment that is shown in FIGS. 3 a - 3 b , the widened portion of each rotor blade 4 ′′- 4 ′′′ functioning as a wind capturing means 5 is ellipsoidal in shape.
- the first main shaft 6 of the ellipsoidal wind capturing means 5 may thereby coincide with the longitudinal axis 7 of the rotor blade 4 ′′; however, in order to obtain a strongly improved efficiency of the wind energy conversion apparatus, the first main shaft 6 includes an angle ⁇ with the longitudinal axis 7 of the rotor blade, which angle preferably ranges between 0° and 60°, more in particular between 20° and 40°.
- the widened portion 5 that functions as a wind capturing means does not form an ellipsoid in a geometric sense, but the ellipsoid 5 more or less smoothly merges with the outer circumference of the strip-shaped rotor or blade 4 ′′′.
- any segment dS moves along the path described by the circumferential surface of a truncated cone, as is shown in FIG. 4 , wherein the plane of inflow 9 of the wind capturing means S intersects the horizontal shaft 3 at an upstream position 30 , seen in the direction of the oncoming wind V wind .
- the wind reaction force 15 of the rotor 4 ′′′ extends perpendicularly to the plane of inflow 9 of the wind capturing means 5 .
- Said force 15 can be resolved into a force 16 acting in a direction parallel to the horizontal shaft 3 and a force 17 acting in the radial plane of the supporting structure.
- Said radial force 17 will create an underpressure in the region 18 surrounding the horizontal shaft 3 , and furthermore said force 17 will carry air radially outwards downstream thereof, as is indicated by the arrow 19 .
- the air flow will contract, causing the mass flow of the air through the entire apparatus and through the area of the rotors 4 ′ to increase. This in turn results in more energy being drawn from the air flow, which leads to a significantly improved efficiency of such wind energy conversion apparatuses.
- the rotor blades according to the invention may be made of a metal or of a plastic material,
- the wind energy conversion apparatus according to the invention is characterized by a simple and light construction, which makes the wind energy conversion very suitable for use in areas not covered by the electricity grid.
- the wind energy conversion apparatuses Since only tensile stress, no flexural stress, occurs in the rotor blade, the wind energy conversion apparatuses is characterized by its light and simple construction. Since the aerodynamic angle of incidence of the wind V wind is furthermore constant (or at least not variable), and an actual rotor blade tip is missing, the wind energy conversion apparatus according to the invention is characterized by a very low noise level. This latter characteristic makes it possible to install the apparatus in built-up areas, whereas the noise level during operation of the wind energy conversion apparatuses that are currently known is generally too high to make installation thereof in built-up areas feasible.
Abstract
A wind energy conversion apparatus comprising a supporting structure is presented. The apparatus further comprises shaft having a first and a second end, which is rotatably journalled in said supporting structure, as well as at least one rotor blade having a first end and a second end, which rotor blade is mounted on said shaft with both ends. The object of the presented wind energy conversion apparatus is to improve the known apparatus and to provide an apparatus which is capable of converting a larger amount of wind energy into other forms of energy. Accordingly wind energy conversion apparatus according to the invention is to that end characterized in that the rotor blade is provided with additional wind capturing means.
Description
- The invention relates to a wind energy conversion apparatus comprising a supporting structure; a shaft having a first and a second end, which is rotatably Journalled in said supporting structure, as well as at least one rotor blade having a first end and a second end, which rotor blade is mounted on said shaft with both ends.
- The invention also relates to a rotor blade for use in such wind energy conversion apparatus.
- Wind energy conversion apparatuses of the kind referred to above are already known from German patent publication No. 3331166 A. The horizontal shaft thereby extends in the direction of the oncoming wind, all this in such a manner that the plane of inflow of said wind capturing means extends substantially perpendicularly to the main shaft and also substantially perpendicularly to the direction of the oncoming wind.
- For a long time already people have attempted to convert an increasing amount of wind energy into other forms of energy. It is known that this can be achieved by enlarging the area that is covered by the rotating rotor blade. This enlargement can be accomplished by using rotor blades having a greater length. Such longer rotor blades are expensive as regards their construction, however, because they must also be capable of taking up flexural stress induced by the wind and by gyroscopic effects. The length of such a rotor blade is limited by the large mechanical forces to which such long rotor blades are subjected. In addition, such long rotor blades cause the noise level to increase, which renders the use of such wind turbines in built-up areas less desirable.
- The object of the invention is to improve the known apparatus and to provide a wind energy conversion apparatus which, given the same dimensions and the same wind conditions, is capable of converting a larger amount of wind energy into other forms of energy. In order to accomplish that objective, the wind energy conversion apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that the rotor blade is provided with additional wind capturing means.
- As a result of the special construction of the rotor blade that is used in the apparatus, the windward side of the rotor blade, in addition to exerting a force in the direction of the air flow, also exerts a force on the air flow in radial direction, which results in a Venturi effect. Said Venturi effect leads to an increased flow of air through the rotor, enabling the wind energy conversion apparatus according to the invention to draw more energy from the air flowing through the apparatus. This results in the significantly improved efficiency of the apparatus according to the invention.
- The wind capturing means may consist of a widened portion of the rotor blade, which widened portion is circular in shape in one embodiment and ellipsoidal in shape in another embodiment. It has become apparent that the Venturi effect is enhanced when the rotor blade is provided with additional wind capturing means as explained above. As a result, even more air will flow through the area covered by the rotor blade, so that the wind energy conversion apparatus can draw energy from the wind in a more efficient manner.
- Such a wind conversion apparatus according to the invention is thus characterized by its simple but nevertheless robust construction, since the rotor blade is only subjected to tensile stress during operation when this construction is used. Since the rotor blade does not have a tip, in contrast to the known windmills or wind turbines, the noise production of a wind energy conversion apparatus according to the invention is furthermore significantly lower than that of the current apparatus. This renders the wind energy conversion apparatus according to the invention quite suitable for use in built-up areas.
- More in particular, the two ends of the rotor blade are according to the invention mounted some distance apart on the shaft.
- It has been established by experiment that the wind energy conversion apparatus according to the invention is very effective in drawing energy from the air flowing through and around the apparatus when the spacing between the two ends equals about twice the radius of the rotor blade.
- In a specific embodiment of the invention, the rotor blade is elongate in shape, in a special embodiment it is embodied as a thin, flat plate.
- According to the invention, the rotor blade is made of a metal or of a synthetic fibre material. In combination with the configuration of the rotor blade as a thin, flat plate, the rotor blade according to the invention can be mass-produced at low cost in a quick and simple manner. Since the cost price of a wind energy conversion apparatus is to a large extent determined by the construction costs of the rotor blade, the wind energy conversion apparatus according to the invention can in addition be produced at significantly lower cost due to said significant reduction of the manufacturing costs of rotor blades according to the invention. This offers greater possibilities of installing relatively small wind energy conversion apparatuses according to the invention in built-up-up areas, for example on the property of private individuals, so that the acceptation level of such a wind energy conversion apparatus will be considerably higher.
- In a very specific embodiment, the wind energy conversion apparatus according to the invention comprises two or more rotor blades mounted on the shaft, which rotor blades describe mutually different diameters.
- In one embodiment of the apparatus, the two ends of the rotor blade are each mounted near a corresponding end of the shaft, with the shaft being mounted in bearings in the supporting structure with both its ends. This construction makes it possible to obtain an efficient rotor (a horizontal shaft with one or more rotor blades mounted thereon) while using a compact construction, which rotor draws energy from the air flowing through and around the apparatus in a very efficient manner.
- According to the invention, in order to achieve an effective conversion of the wind energy into electrical energy, the shaft is coupled with means, such as a generator, for converting rotational energy into electrical energy. Said generator may be mounted in or on the bearing-mounted shaft.
- The invention also relates to a rotor blade according to the invention as described in the description of the figures and as shown in the drawings.
- The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings, in which:
-
FIG. 1 schematically shows an embodiment of a prior art wind energy conversion apparatus; -
FIGS. 2A-2B is a detail view of the wind energy conversion apparatus that is shown inFIG. 1 ; -
FIGS. 3A-3B show an embodiment of a rotor blade for use in a wind energy conversion apparatus according to the invention; and -
FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of a wind energy conversion apparatus according to the invention. - A prior art wind energy conversion apparatus according to the invention will now be described with reference to
FIG. 1 . For the sake of completeness, corresponding parts are indicated by the same numerals. - The wind energy conversion apparatus 1 that is shown in
FIG. 1 comprises avertical column 2 a, on which a supportingstructure 2 b is mounted. In the supportingstructure 2 b, ahorizontal shaft 3 is rotatably accommodated with itsfirst end 3 a and itssecond end 3 b inbearings structure 2 b. The wind energy conversion apparatus 1 is provided with one rotor blade, two rotor blades 4-4′ in this embodiment, which rotor blades 4-4′ are fixedly connected to thehorizontal shaft 3 with theirfirst end 4 a-4 a′ and theirsecond end 4 b-4 b′. - An angular displacement in the two ends of the rotor blade of the wind energy conversion apparatus will cause the apparatus to start rotating of Its own accord, i.e. no additional energy source is required for setting the rotor blades in motion, after which the wind will take over the rotor blade drive. Furthermore, the wind energy conversion apparatus aligns itself with the oncoming wind, because the rotor functions as a windvane during rotation. The supporting
structure 2 b is rotatably mounted on thevertical column 2 a by means of a rotation bearing 8. - Preferably, a windvane is mounted, so that the wind energy conversion apparatus will align itself with the wind even at very low wind velocities. Thus the wind energy conversion apparatus as shown in,
FIG. 1 will invariably align Itself with the wind in such a manner that thehorizontal shaft 3 will extend in the direction of the wind at all times, as is indicated by the arrow inFIG. 1 . - As is shown in
FIG. 1 , the twoends 4 a-4 a′ and 4 b-4 b′, respectively, of the rotor blades 4-4′ are according to the invention mounted on thehorizontal shaft 3 with a spacing b between them; in a specific embodiment, the spacing b between the twoends 4 a-4 a′ and 4 b-4 b′, respectively, of the rotor blades 4-4′ amounts to less than twice the radius R of each rotor blade 4-4′. - In another embodiment, said spacing b may amount to twice the radius R, and in yet another embodiment said spacing 2 b may amount to more than twice the radius R of the rotor blade 4-4′. Twice the radius R of the rotor blade corresponds to the diameter D that the rotor blade describes in the air during operation.
- As is clearly shown in
FIG. 1 , the twoends 4 a-4 a′ and 4 b-4 b′, respectively, of the rotor blades 4-4′ are disposed near thefirst end 3 a and thesecond end 3 b, respectively, of thehorizontal shaft 3. - As a result of the relatively simple construction of the wind energy conversion apparatus according to
FIG. 1 , the only stress that occurs in the rotor blades 4-4′ once the wind has set the rotors going is tensile stress, which makes it possible to use a simple construction for the rotor blades 4-4′. In this embodiment according to the invention, the rotor blades 4-4′ (seeFIG. 2 a andFIG. 2 b) are embodied as a thin, flat plate. More specifically, the plate-shaped rotor blades are furthermore flexible as regards its shape, so that they will automatically assume their desired shape, owing to the occurrence of centrifugal forces, during rotation of thehorizontal shaft 3. Said shape, also called chain line, ensures that only tensile stress will occur in the rotor blade and that consequently the stress at the twoends shaft 3 will be minimal, which enables a further simplification of the construction. -
FIGS. 3 a and 3 b show another embodiment of the invention. This embodiment makes use ofrotor blades 4″-4′″ of different shape, which rotor blades are likewise mounted on thehorizontal shaft 3 with their first and second ends. More specifically, therotor blades 4″-4′″are provided with additional wind capturing means 5, which preferably consist of a widened portion of therotor blade 4″-4′″. - In a specific embodiment, the widened portion of the rotor blade, which functions as a wind capturing means, is circular in shape; in the embodiment that is shown in
FIGS. 3 a-3 b, the widened portion of eachrotor blade 4″-4′″ functioning as a wind capturing means 5 is ellipsoidal in shape. The firstmain shaft 6 of the ellipsoidal wind capturing means 5 may thereby coincide with thelongitudinal axis 7 of therotor blade 4″; however, in order to obtain a strongly improved efficiency of the wind energy conversion apparatus, the firstmain shaft 6 includes an angle α with thelongitudinal axis 7 of the rotor blade, which angle preferably ranges between 0° and 60°, more in particular between 20° and 40°. - As
FIG. 3 b shows, the widenedportion 5 that functions as a wind capturing means does not form an ellipsoid in a geometric sense, but theellipsoid 5 more or less smoothly merges with the outer circumference of the strip-shaped rotor orblade 4′″. - As a result of a suitable integration of the wind capturing means 5 in each rotor blade (seen in the wind direction Vwind), any segment dS moves along the path described by the circumferential surface of a truncated cone, as is shown in
FIG. 4 , wherein the plane ofinflow 9 of the wind capturing means S intersects thehorizontal shaft 3 at an upstream position 30, seen in the direction of the oncoming wind Vwind. During rotation of the rotor blades by the oncoming wind Vwind, thewind reaction force 15 of therotor 4′″ extends perpendicularly to the plane ofinflow 9 of the wind capturing means 5. Saidforce 15 can be resolved into aforce 16 acting in a direction parallel to thehorizontal shaft 3 and aforce 17 acting in the radial plane of the supporting structure. - Said
radial force 17 will create an underpressure in theregion 18 surrounding thehorizontal shaft 3, and furthermore saidforce 17 will carry air radially outwards downstream thereof, as is indicated by thearrow 19. As a result of the presence of the underpressure in the region 38, the air flow will contract, causing the mass flow of the air through the entire apparatus and through the area of therotors 4′ to increase. This in turn results in more energy being drawn from the air flow, which leads to a significantly improved efficiency of such wind energy conversion apparatuses. - The aforesaid effect of contraction of the oncoming air through the
rotating rotor blades 4′″ can be compared with the phenomenon that occurs in the converging portion of a Venturi tube. - As a result of the inclined position of the wind capturing means 5 on the
rotor blades 4′″. aconical surface 20 is covered during rotation, which acts as the throat or constriction of Venturi tubes. - More in particular, the rotor blades according to the invention may be made of a metal or of a plastic material,
- Although two rotor blades 4-4′ are mounted on the
horizontal shaft 3 inFIG. 1 , is also possible to use only one rotor blade. It is also possible, on the other hand, to use more than two rotor blades, and in the situation in which several rotor blades are mounted on the same horizontal shaft, said rotor blades may have mutually different radii. The wind energy conversion apparatus according to the invention is characterized by a simple and light construction, which makes the wind energy conversion very suitable for use in areas not covered by the electricity grid. - Since only tensile stress, no flexural stress, occurs in the rotor blade, the wind energy conversion apparatuses is characterized by its light and simple construction. Since the aerodynamic angle of incidence of the wind Vwind is furthermore constant (or at least not variable), and an actual rotor blade tip is missing, the wind energy conversion apparatus according to the invention is characterized by a very low noise level. This latter characteristic makes it possible to install the apparatus in built-up areas, whereas the noise level during operation of the wind energy conversion apparatuses that are currently known is generally too high to make installation thereof in built-up areas feasible.
Claims (23)
1-22. (canceled)
23. A wind energy conversion apparatus comprising:
a supporting structure;
a horizontal shaft having a first and a second end, which is rotatably journalled in said supporting structure; as well as
at least one rotor blade having a first end and a second end, which rotor blade is mounted on said shaft with both ends, characterized in that the rotor blade is provided with additional wind capturing means.
24. The wind energy conversion apparatus according to 23, characterized in that said wind capturing means consist of a widened portion of the rotor blade.
25. The wind energy conversion apparatus according to 24, characterized in that said widened portion is circular in shape.
26. The wind energy conversion apparatus according to 24, characterized in that said widened portion is ellipsoidal in shape.
27. The wind energy conversion apparatus according to 23, characterized in that the rotor blade is elongate in shape.
28. The wind energy conversion apparatus according to 27, characterized in that the rotor blade is a thin, flat plate.
29. The wind energy conversion apparatus according to 23, characterized in that the rotor blade is made of a metal.
30. The wind energy conversion apparatus according to 23, characterized in that the rotor blade is made of a plastic material.
31. The wind energy conversion apparatus according to 23, characterized in that the apparatus comprises two or more rotor blades mounted on said shaft.
32. The wind energy conversion apparatus according to 31, characterized in that the rotor blades describe different diameters during operation.
33. The wind energy conversion apparatus according to 23, characterized in that the shaft is mounted in bearings in the supporting structure with both its ends.
34. The wind energy conversion apparatus according to 23, characterized in that the shaft is coupled with means, such as a generator, for converting rotational energy into electrical energy.
35. The wind energy conversion apparatus according to 23, characterized in that said generator is mounted in or on said bearing-mounted shaft.
36. The wind energy conversion apparatus according to 23, further comprising a mast construction on which at least two rotors are mounted.
37. The rotor blade intended for being mounted on a wind energy conversion apparatus according to 23, wherein the rotor blade can be mounted on a rotatable horizontal shaft of the wind energy conversion apparatus with both its ends, characterized in that said rotor blade is provided with additional wind capturing means.
38. The rotor blade according to 37, characterized in that said wind capturing means consist of a widened portion of the rotor blade.
39. The rotor blade according to 38, characterized in that said widened portion is circular in shape.
40. The rotor blade according to 38, characterized in that said widened portion is ellipsoidal in shape.
41. The rotor blade according to 37, characterized in that the rotor blade is elongate in shape.
42. The rotor blade according to 41, characterized in that the rotor blade is a thin, flat plate.
43. The rotor blade according to 37, characterized in that the rotor blade is made of a metal.
44. The rotor blade according to 37, characterized in that the rotor blade is made of a plastic material.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US12/591,269 US8105010B2 (en) | 2003-01-15 | 2009-11-13 | Wind energy conversion apparatus |
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
NL1022393 | 2003-01-15 | ||
NL1022393A NL1022393C2 (en) | 2003-01-15 | 2003-01-15 | Wind energy conversion device as well as a rotor blade for use in such a device. |
PCT/NL2004/000032 WO2004063564A1 (en) | 2003-01-15 | 2004-01-14 | A wind energy conversion apparatus |
Related Parent Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/NL2004/000032 A-371-Of-International WO2004063564A1 (en) | 2003-01-15 | 2004-01-14 | A wind energy conversion apparatus |
Related Child Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US12/591,269 Continuation US8105010B2 (en) | 2003-01-15 | 2009-11-13 | Wind energy conversion apparatus |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20060099077A1 true US20060099077A1 (en) | 2006-05-11 |
Family
ID=32709988
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US10/542,428 Abandoned US20060099077A1 (en) | 2003-01-15 | 2004-01-14 | Wind energy conversion apparatus |
US12/591,269 Expired - Fee Related US8105010B2 (en) | 2003-01-15 | 2009-11-13 | Wind energy conversion apparatus |
Family Applications After (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US12/591,269 Expired - Fee Related US8105010B2 (en) | 2003-01-15 | 2009-11-13 | Wind energy conversion apparatus |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (2) | US20060099077A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP1588049B1 (en) |
NL (1) | NL1022393C2 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2004063564A1 (en) |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN101684772A (en) * | 2008-09-23 | 2010-03-31 | 张云龙 | Wind-powered machine rotor with venturi tube effect |
US20110176920A1 (en) * | 2008-09-23 | 2011-07-21 | Shanghai Forevoo Windpower Technology Co., Ltd. | Wind turbine rotor with venturi tube effect |
Families Citing this family (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE10342113B4 (en) * | 2003-09-10 | 2009-08-20 | Fritz Kadletz | Wind power machine |
EP2128439A1 (en) | 2008-05-27 | 2009-12-02 | Syneola SA | An intelligent decentralized electrical power generation system |
US20110274558A1 (en) * | 2010-05-10 | 2011-11-10 | Kathryn Chase | Modular windmill |
US8564148B1 (en) * | 2011-05-11 | 2013-10-22 | John J. Novak | AC energy generator |
DE102022110984B4 (en) | 2022-05-04 | 2023-03-23 | Otto Molerus | wind turbine |
Citations (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US527866A (en) * | 1894-10-23 | Windmill | ||
US2020900A (en) * | 1934-01-18 | 1935-11-12 | Wilbur E Methvin | Stream motor |
US3918839A (en) * | 1974-09-20 | 1975-11-11 | Us Energy | Wind turbine |
US4012163A (en) * | 1975-09-08 | 1977-03-15 | Franklin W. Baumgartner | Wind driven power generator |
US4543042A (en) * | 1984-10-29 | 1985-09-24 | Heinz Lange | Windmill rotor |
US5269647A (en) * | 1988-10-03 | 1993-12-14 | Josef Moser | Wind-powered rotor |
Family Cites Families (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
FR627371A (en) * | 1926-01-12 | 1927-10-03 | Inst Voor Aero En Hydro Dynami | Device to facilitate the start-up of flow-driven machines |
FR646431A (en) * | 1926-12-31 | 1928-11-12 | Flexible rotary thruster for air navigation devices | |
JPS5770961A (en) | 1980-10-20 | 1982-05-01 | Hitachi Ltd | Vertical shaft driven windmill |
DE3331166A1 (en) * | 1983-08-30 | 1985-03-14 | Erich Herter | Turbine |
FR2609506B1 (en) * | 1987-01-08 | 1993-05-28 | Lepoix Louis | MULTI-PURPOSE TURBINE |
DE3723101A1 (en) * | 1987-07-13 | 1989-02-16 | Manfred Uellenberg | Helical blade or rotor blade for force and operating helical rotors and rotary wing rotors |
DE3919157A1 (en) * | 1988-06-11 | 1989-12-21 | Guenter Zillner | Wind power machine |
EP0716978B1 (en) * | 1994-12-16 | 2002-03-20 | Aldo Frediani | Large dimension aircraft |
DE19820766A1 (en) * | 1998-05-08 | 1999-11-11 | Genius Ingenieurgesellschaft M | Impeller for pneumatic or hydraulic power generator |
-
2003
- 2003-01-15 NL NL1022393A patent/NL1022393C2/en not_active IP Right Cessation
-
2004
- 2004-01-14 WO PCT/NL2004/000032 patent/WO2004063564A1/en active Application Filing
- 2004-01-14 EP EP04702097.9A patent/EP1588049B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2004-01-14 US US10/542,428 patent/US20060099077A1/en not_active Abandoned
-
2009
- 2009-11-13 US US12/591,269 patent/US8105010B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Patent Citations (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US527866A (en) * | 1894-10-23 | Windmill | ||
US2020900A (en) * | 1934-01-18 | 1935-11-12 | Wilbur E Methvin | Stream motor |
US3918839A (en) * | 1974-09-20 | 1975-11-11 | Us Energy | Wind turbine |
US4012163A (en) * | 1975-09-08 | 1977-03-15 | Franklin W. Baumgartner | Wind driven power generator |
US4543042A (en) * | 1984-10-29 | 1985-09-24 | Heinz Lange | Windmill rotor |
US5269647A (en) * | 1988-10-03 | 1993-12-14 | Josef Moser | Wind-powered rotor |
Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN101684772A (en) * | 2008-09-23 | 2010-03-31 | 张云龙 | Wind-powered machine rotor with venturi tube effect |
US20110176920A1 (en) * | 2008-09-23 | 2011-07-21 | Shanghai Forevoo Windpower Technology Co., Ltd. | Wind turbine rotor with venturi tube effect |
US8851828B2 (en) * | 2008-09-23 | 2014-10-07 | Shanghai Forevoo New Energy Systems, Co. Ltd. | Wind turbine rotor with venturi tube effect |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US8105010B2 (en) | 2012-01-31 |
WO2004063564A1 (en) | 2004-07-29 |
EP1588049A1 (en) | 2005-10-26 |
WO2004063564B1 (en) | 2004-09-10 |
NL1022393C2 (en) | 2004-07-19 |
EP1588049B1 (en) | 2016-10-26 |
US20100158692A1 (en) | 2010-06-24 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US8105010B2 (en) | Wind energy conversion apparatus | |
US6641367B1 (en) | Wind energy conversion apparatus | |
US10024302B2 (en) | Vertical axis wind turbine | |
JP4080745B2 (en) | Flow acceleration wind power tower | |
US7399162B2 (en) | Wind turbine | |
CN100353053C (en) | Vertical-axis wind turbine | |
US20110033288A1 (en) | Omnidirectional vertical-axis wind turbine | |
JP5785181B2 (en) | Turbine | |
CA2567923A1 (en) | High-efficiency vertical axis wind turbine blades for application around a cylindrical surface | |
US8109732B2 (en) | Horizontal-axis wind generator | |
EP2018474A1 (en) | Wind turbine and wind power installation | |
RU2309290C1 (en) | Vane-type wind-driven power plant | |
CN106460769A (en) | Rotor for electricity generator | |
US8864455B2 (en) | Impulse wind machine | |
US8708642B2 (en) | Stable wind power turbine | |
US20150322919A1 (en) | Electricity Generating Wind Turbine | |
US20120321454A1 (en) | Wind power generation apparatus | |
US10626736B2 (en) | Power generator | |
US8202051B2 (en) | Turbine apparatus | |
JP2008255977A (en) | Wind power generator | |
RU2135823C1 (en) | Windmill with type kolokol and ayaks blades | |
GB2612446A (en) | Wind turbine | |
KR20110042452A (en) | Wind generator | |
JP2000352373A (en) | Wind power generation unit | |
RU2293211C1 (en) | Windmill rotor |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: AEROLIFT PATENT B.V., NETHERLANDS Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:VAN DE KLIPPE, FREDERIKUS;REEL/FRAME:021027/0163 Effective date: 20080519 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: WIND EN WATER TECHNOLOGIE HOLDING B.V., NETHERLAND Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:AEROLIFT PATENT B.V.;REEL/FRAME:021116/0967 Effective date: 20080610 |
|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |