WO2008013537A1 - Turbine à fluide radiale à axe horizontal - Google Patents

Turbine à fluide radiale à axe horizontal Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2008013537A1
WO2008013537A1 PCT/US2006/029123 US2006029123W WO2008013537A1 WO 2008013537 A1 WO2008013537 A1 WO 2008013537A1 US 2006029123 W US2006029123 W US 2006029123W WO 2008013537 A1 WO2008013537 A1 WO 2008013537A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
rotor
blades
blade
rotational axis
flow
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2006/029123
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Bradley C. Cochran
Original Assignee
Prime Energy Corporation
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Prime Energy Corporation filed Critical Prime Energy Corporation
Priority to PCT/US2006/029123 priority Critical patent/WO2008013537A1/fr
Publication of WO2008013537A1 publication Critical patent/WO2008013537A1/fr

Links

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
    • F03B—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS
    • F03B17/00—Other machines or engines
    • F03B17/06—Other machines or engines using liquid flow with predominantly kinetic energy conversion, e.g. of swinging-flap type, "run-of-river", "ultra-low head"
    • F03B17/062—Other machines or engines using liquid flow with predominantly kinetic energy conversion, e.g. of swinging-flap type, "run-of-river", "ultra-low head" with rotation axis substantially at right angle to flow direction
    • F03B17/065—Other machines or engines using liquid flow with predominantly kinetic energy conversion, e.g. of swinging-flap type, "run-of-river", "ultra-low head" with rotation axis substantially at right angle to flow direction the flow engaging parts having a cyclic movement relative to the rotor during its rotation
    • 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
    • F05B2210/00—Working fluid
    • F05B2210/16—Air or water being indistinctly used as working fluid, i.e. the machine can work equally with air or water without any modification
    • 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
    • F05B2240/00—Components
    • F05B2240/20—Rotors
    • F05B2240/30—Characteristics of rotor blades, i.e. of any element transforming dynamic fluid energy to or from rotational energy and being attached to a rotor
    • F05B2240/301—Cross-section characteristics
    • 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
    • Y02E10/20—Hydro energy

Definitions

  • This invention pertains to a radial-flow, horizontal-axis fluid turbine, also referred to herein as a rotary, fluid-flow-to-mechanical/electrical conversion device. More specifically, it relates to certain aerodynamic rotor features in such device which function to capture, efficiently, a relatively high percentage of mechanical energy resident in an oncoming fluid flow.
  • a preferred and best mode embodiment of the invention is illustrated and described in the context of initially capturing wind(fluid)-flow energy for direct conversion to rotational-mechanical output power — a setting wherein the invention has been found to offer particular utility.
  • the invention is additionally illustrated and described herein, in relation to this preferred embodiment, in the further useful context of converting such converted-to rotational-mechanical power to electrical output power.
  • the present invention offers certain significant contributions in relation to such efforts - contributions which are believed to be important and useful in different fluid-flow-related, mechanical-output/electrical-output environments.
  • the present invention focuses on a certain, special, rotor-related dimensional ratio, and on certain, special rotor airfoil (fluid-foil) configurations, each of which features has been discovered to lead to an advance in the efficiency of extracting mechanical power from, for example, wind for the purpose thereafter of enabling an efficient fluid-flow to rotational-mechanical conversion of energy, as well as an ultimate (if desired) rotational-mechanical-to-electrical conversion of energy.
  • a preferred embodiment of the invention which also reflects a best known mode of implementing the invention, is described and illustrated herein wherein a particular numerical, dimensional ratio, and a special cross-section-transitioning airfoil (fluid- foil) blade configuration, independently make individual as well, when optionally combined, as collective improvements to wind-power-extraction capability and efficiency.
  • the preferred embodiment of the illustrated invention takes the form generally of a cup-shaped, squirrel-cage, rotational-mechanical-energy-developing rotor possessing a perimetral distribution of plural, circumferentially spaced, elongate airfoil (fluid- foil) blades whose long axes substantially parallel the rotational axis of the rotor.
  • the rotor which is suitably coupled (in an "ultimate", electrical-power- output setting which is specifically focused-upon herein for illustration purposes) to a rotary electrical generator (itself per se conventional), includes front and rear sides, with the front side being defined by a substantially planar, annular front ring occupying a plane which lies substantially normal to the rotor's rotational axis.
  • the rotor's blades are, as just suggested, distributed circumferentially around this ring, and are attached to it with their long axes substantially normal to the plane of the ring. These blades extend rearwardly from the front ring toward the rear side of the rotor, which rear side is closed off by what is referred to herein as a back-plate structure.
  • This back-plate structure together with the portion of the rotor specifically including the airfoil blades, gives the rotor the mentioned cup-shaped configuration.
  • each blade as viewed transversely along its long axis, is arcuate in shape, and possesses, relative to that arcuate shape, a defined, transverse chord length which, along with blade-to-blade circumferential spacing, is another dimension that plays a role in the above-mentioned special dimensional ratio.
  • each blade has substantially the same transverse cross-sectional configuration along its entire length.
  • the transverse curvature of each blade transitions from being (a) more arched near that end of the blade which is disposed adjacent the rear of the rotor, toward (b) a less arched configuration near the opposite end of the blade disposed adjacent the front of the rotor.
  • this ratio is that of blade-to-blade circumferential spacing to blade transverse chord length.
  • Another feature of the invention relative to a modified form thereof, includes the option of providing a forwardly facing nacelle located on the rotational axis of the rotor, with this nacelle being operable to provide a certain amount of horizontal-to- radial wind deflection with respect to oncoming wind.
  • the present invention may be structured and used both (a) purely for the conversion of fluid-flow power to rotational-mechanical power, as well as (b) for the additional conversion from rotational-mechanical power to electrical output power. For this reason, and as was suggested earlier, I use the phrase "mechanical/electrical" at certain location in the text of this application to emphasize this important point.
  • Fig. 1 is a simplified, block/schematic diagram of a rotary, fluid-flow-to- mechanical/electrical power conversion device which has been constructed in accordance with a preferred and best mode embodiment of the invention.
  • Fig. 2 is a front, isometric view of a squirrel-cage rotor which is employed in the power conversion device of Fig. 1.
  • Fig. 3 is a rear isometric view of the rotor of Fig. 2.
  • Fig. 4 is an enlarged-scale, fragmentary view, taken generally along the rotational axis of the rotor of Figs. 2 and 3, illustrating the rear side of a front ring in the rotor, to which ring are attached the forward ends of elongate, airfoil blades, three of which are shown in this figure, which blades form part of the rotor in the conversion device of this invention.
  • Fig. 5 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of one of the airfoil blades included in the rotor of Figs. 2-4, inclusive.
  • Fig. 6 is a view which is similar to, but smaller in scale than, the view presented in Fig. 4 — here illustrating a modified form of the invention which features an arc-shape-transitioning-cross-section airfoil blade.
  • Fig. 7 provides a stylized, fragmentary, lateral elevation of a modified form of the power conversion device of the present invention, here possessing an optional, fluid-deflecting nacelle shown generally incorporated in the rotor of the conversion device.
  • a rotary, fluid-flow-to-mechanical/electrical power conversion device which is made in accordance with a preferred and best mode embodiment of the present invention.
  • This device is intended to convert power in a wind (fluid) flow, shown generally at W in Figs. 1 and 2, to rotational-mechanical power for ultimate conversion, in one specific application of and for the present invention, to electrical power via rotation around the rotational axis 12a of a generally cup-shaped, squirrel-cage rotor 12 which has a front side that generally faces the viewer in Fig. 2, and a rear side that generally faces the viewer in Fig. 3.
  • This rotor includes an annular, generally planar, front, flow-facing ring 12b, a back-plate structure 12c, and an elongate central shaft 12d which is centered with its long axis coincident with rotational axis 12a.
  • the plane of ring 12b lies substantially normal to axis 12a.
  • the outside diameter D of rotor 12 is about 46- inches; the inside diameter (not specifically marked) of ring 12b is about 44-inches; and the axial length L of the rotor is about 23 -inches.
  • Wind W flowing at and into the front side of rotor 12, with device 10 properly oriented for use typically takes the form of a generally horizontal wind flow.
  • this flow is converted to an outwardly directed radial flow over a plurality of circumferentially distributed and spaced airfoil blades which are elongate, transverse- cross-sectionally configured, arcuate structures, as can be seen for three of these blades at 14a, 14b, 14c in Fig. 4.
  • This flow pattern results in powered, fluid-flow rotation of rotor 12 about its axis 12a.
  • the long axes of blades 14a, 14b, 14c are shown at 14 ⁇ 1 , 14bi,14ci, respectively, and the arcuate, cross-sectional configurations just mentioned for these blades are presented (in the drawing figures) as they are seen when they are viewed substantially normal, respectively, relative to these long axes.
  • the total number of airfoil blades employed is sixteen, with each of these blades, along its entire length, having a consistent, transverse, arcuate cross-section preferably possessing, for this embodiment of the invention, the particular asymmetric shape which is clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 (see also Fig. 5).
  • each of the airfoil blades has its opposite ends suitably mounted (journaled) for controlled, feathered, angular rotation (feathering) on the front and rear sides of rotor 12 through appropriate journal/rotational mountings, such as the journal/rotational mountings shown generally, and only schematically, at 16 in Fig. 4 in association with ring 12b.
  • journal/rotational mountings such as the journal/rotational mountings shown generally, and only schematically, at 16 in Fig. 4 in association with ring 12b.
  • the specific details of these journal/rotational mountings, and of the mechanism provided for rotationally feathering the blades so as to change their respective "angles of attack" regarding radial wind flow, are, and may be, entirely conventional in construction, and are therefore not detailed herein.
  • such feathering can take place generally as is shown for blade 14a by a double- ended, curved arrow 17.
  • Arrow 17 curves about journal axis 16a shown in relation to blade 14a in this figure.
  • Rotor 12 in device 10 which, it will be understood, implements the purely fluid-flow to rotational-mechanical power conversion of the invention, is further shown herein suitably drivingly connected, as illustrated by a dashed line 11 in Fig. 1, to a conventional, rotary, mechanical-to-electrical generator 13, which generator, when driven by rotor 12, produces associated electrical power output, as suggested by arrow 15 in Fig. 1.
  • this device which, of course, includes conventional electrical generator 13, is capable of producing an electrical power output of about 500-watts when the velocity of wind W, axially directed into rotor 12, is about 13- meters-per-second.
  • pure rotational-mechanical power output deliverable directly by rotor 12 these same wind- flow conditions, for the device now being described, produce a rotational-mechanical power output of about 555-watts.
  • Dimension a is referred to herein as blade-to-blade, circumferential spacing, and resides, in the particular structure illustrated herein, and under all operating (blade-feathered, fixed or moveable) conditions, generally within the range of about 1.5-inches to about 2.5-inches, depending upon the angular degree to which the associated airfoil blades are feathered (or otherwise "angled" relative to one another).
  • Dimension a is about 2.0-inches.
  • Dimension b is what is referred to as the transverse chord length of each of the airfoil blades, and in the particular device now being described, dimension b is about 6.2-inches. Blade transverse chord length is consistent along the entire length of each blade.
  • the ratio of a-to-b plays an important role in achieving high-efficiency conversion of fluid-flow power to rotational-mechanical power, and thus in achieving, ultimately, high-efficiency fluid-flow-power to electrical-power conversion.
  • a very useful a-to-b ratio lies in the range, most generally, of about 0.24 to about 0.4. More preferably, and as I have further determined it, this ratio lies within the somewhat narrower subrange of about 0.25 to about 0.35. Even more preferably, I have found that an excellent, particular ratio which is useable very successfully in many, if not most, circumstances is about 0.33.
  • a-to-b ratio I Such attention to the a-to-b ratio I have found, as just mentioned above, to contribute significantly to improved efficiency in the ultimate fluid-flow-power to mechanical/electrical-power conversion performance of device 10.
  • Fig. 7 this figure illustrates at 18 the outline, or lateral, transverse profile, of a wind-flow- deflecting nacelle.
  • Nacelle 18 possesses a transverse-curvilinearly-profiled body of revolution (schematically shown as a single-line outline) substantially centered on rotor rotational axis 12 ⁇ 1 with the nacelle being disposed within the hollow interior (the "cup", so-to-speak) of rotor 12.
  • Nacelle 18 aids in deflecting wing flow from "input-axial” to "output-radial”, and can, in certain instances, cooperate with the dimensional ratio feature discussed above to help improve fluid-power-capture efficiency.
  • nacelle body-of-revolution “profiles” i.e., transverse body-of-revolution “profiles”
  • Fig. 8 in the drawings shows a modified airfoil blade form 20 which has a long axis 21 which is normal to the plane of Fig. 8, and what is referred to herein as a transitioning, transverse (i.e., generally normal to each blade's long axis) cross- sectional curvature, or arc-shape-transitioning-cross-section.
  • This cross-section is more arched (see dashed line 20a) at that end of the blade which is directly adjacent rotor back-plate structure 12c, and is less arched (see solid line 20b) near rotor front ring 12b.
  • Such an arc-shape-transitioning blade configuration offers, for each of the blades in device 10, an infinitely varying range of angles of attack at the leading edge of the blade, and infinitely varying air-foil paths measured over the opposite, broad sides of the blade and along its length. These "paths" are longer near the rear of rotor 12, and shorter near the front of the rotor.
  • This modified form of the invention can offer, in certain instances, and in cooperation with one or more of the other, previously mentioned invention features, still further improvements in fluid-power- capture efficiency.
  • the invention in its preferred and best mode form, offers a unique rotary, fluid-flow-power-to-mechanical/electrical-power conversion device including a generally cup-shaped, squirrel-cage rotor, wherein certain, important, relevant dimensions, and ratios thereof, are established to improve the power-conversion efficiency of such a device.
  • the device of the invention as described above, can be constructed with components having various different overall sizes depending upon the particular application to be addressed. Modified forms of the invention have been discussed which feature additional structural configurations that definitively can enhance the efficiency of performance in various operating conditions.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Wind Motors (AREA)

Abstract

Dispositif rotatif de conversion d'écoulement de fluide en énergie mécanique/électrique comprenant un rotor à cage d'écureuil généralement en forme de coupe ayant un axe de rotation, et comprenant une pluralité d'aubes à profil aérodynamique (feuille fluide), transversalement courbes, espacées circonférentiellement et étendues, qui sont dimensionnées et disposées autour de l'axe de rotation du rotor, leurs axes longitudinaux respectifs étant essentiellement parallèles à l'axe de rotation mentionné. Les dimensions et les espacements relatifs aux aubes sont choisis de telle sorte que le rapport entre l'espacement circonférentiel aube à aube a et la longueur de la corde transversale de l'aube b est caractérisé comme suit : (a) se situe dans la plage générale d'environ 0,24 à environ 0,4 ; ou (b) se situe mieux encore dans la sous-plage un peu plus étroite d'environ 0,25 à environ 0,35 au sein de la plage générale mentionnée ; ou (c) a, toujours mieux encore (pour une utilisation dans de nombreux voire la plupart des cas), une valeur d'environ 0,33.
PCT/US2006/029123 2006-07-27 2006-07-27 Turbine à fluide radiale à axe horizontal WO2008013537A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US2006/029123 WO2008013537A1 (fr) 2006-07-27 2006-07-27 Turbine à fluide radiale à axe horizontal

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US2006/029123 WO2008013537A1 (fr) 2006-07-27 2006-07-27 Turbine à fluide radiale à axe horizontal

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2008013537A1 true WO2008013537A1 (fr) 2008-01-31

Family

ID=38981756

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US2006/029123 WO2008013537A1 (fr) 2006-07-27 2006-07-27 Turbine à fluide radiale à axe horizontal

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2008013537A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ITPD20080323A1 (it) * 2008-11-06 2010-05-07 Enervolt S R L Generatore eolico

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5553996A (en) * 1993-02-10 1996-09-10 Farrar; Austin P. Wind powered turbine
US20050089403A1 (en) * 2001-01-12 2005-04-28 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. Blade structure in a gas turbine

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5553996A (en) * 1993-02-10 1996-09-10 Farrar; Austin P. Wind powered turbine
US20050089403A1 (en) * 2001-01-12 2005-04-28 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. Blade structure in a gas turbine

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ITPD20080323A1 (it) * 2008-11-06 2010-05-07 Enervolt S R L Generatore eolico
EP2184484A1 (fr) 2008-11-06 2010-05-12 Enervolt S.R.L Aérogénérateur

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
DK2334931T3 (en) WIND-DRIVED DEVICE WITH CONTROLLATIVE WINGS
EP2483554B1 (fr) Turbine hélicoïdale creuse conique pour transduction d'énergie
EP1371845A3 (fr) Moyeu de turbine eolienne
US9989033B2 (en) Horizontal axis wind or water turbine with forked or multi-blade upper segments
CA2835398C (fr) Eolienne a plusieurs etages horizontaux
US8002526B2 (en) Rotor drum for multiple rotor wind turbine
US8403622B2 (en) Radial-flow, horizontal-axis fluid turbine
EP3613980A1 (fr) Turbine à axe vertical
WO2015190916A1 (fr) Dispositif pour la conversion d'énergie cinétique d'un milieu s'écoulant en énergie électrique
AU2008222708B2 (en) Hubless windmill
WO2017200504A1 (fr) Éolienne à pales multiples sans arbre
US10914282B2 (en) Multi-rotor, multi-axis wind turbine
WO2008013537A1 (fr) Turbine à fluide radiale à axe horizontal
US20100295314A1 (en) Floating wind turbine
WO2013109133A1 (fr) Turbine éolienne
US8202051B2 (en) Turbine apparatus
EP2672107A1 (fr) Système pour la génération d'énergie électrique à partir d'énergie éolienne à basse vitesse avec deux systèmes de pale d'impulsion
WO2014089630A1 (fr) Appareil de conversion de l'énergie éolienne
RU2470181C2 (ru) Ветряная турбина с вертикальной осью вращения
WO2006021074A1 (fr) Rotor d’helice auxiliaire pour « helices de servocommande/stabilisateur » de generatrices d’eolienne horizontale
US20180017037A1 (en) Hub and Rotor Assemby for Wind Turbines with Conjoined Turbine Blades
RU191762U1 (ru) Ветроэнергетическая установка ортогонального типа
GB2447913A (en) Lift and drag driven wind turbine
JP2007107448A (ja) 垂直型風車
JP2007113511A (ja) 垂直型風車

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application

Ref document number: 06774703

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1

NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: DE

NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: RU

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase

Ref document number: 06774703

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1