WO2009081438A2

WO2009081438A2 - Rotary fluid motor device with a vertical axis for the production of energy

Info

Publication number: WO2009081438A2
Application number: PCT/IT2008/000750
Authority: WO
Inventors: Armando Biondi
Original assignee: Armando Biondi
Priority date: 2007-12-20
Filing date: 2008-12-09
Publication date: 2009-07-02
Also published as: WO2009081438A3; ITVR20070193A1

Abstract

A rotary fluid motor device (20) with a vertical axis (26) for the production of energy from a flow (34) of a liquid or gaseous fluid where kinetic energy is converted into pressure which acts in favour on the side (27), depending on the angular position of the device, on the blade (21) or the blade (22) or the blades (47, 48, 49, 50) with the greater thrust area and on the opposite side (28) against the blade or blades with the smaller thrust area thus causing the rotation of the device (20) on its axis (26) in the direction of rotation defined by the blade or blades which have the greater surface area facing the direction of flow, where the blades (21, 22, 47, 48, 49 and 50) rotate individually on their individual vertical central axes (23, 24, 51, 52, 53 and 54) and are synchronised because they are installed on a single support frame (25) rotating around the vertical central axis (26) of the device (20) driven by a special mechanism which in turn is formed by a cylindrical toothed wheel on the vertical axis of each blade connected to an involute motion transmission comprising a toothed belt or chain on the fixed central cylindrical toothed wheel whose diameter and number of teeth are exactly half those of the cylindrical toothed wheel of each blade and where this mechanism causes the rotation of each blade (21, 22, 47, 48, 49 and 50) around its own axis by half a turn for each full turn of the device (20), and also characterised in that this ratio of turns and the operating methods used are designed to maintain, in all the angular positions of the device, (20), a thrust surface on the same side (27) of the centre line (26) of the device (20) which is greater than that of the other side (28), so that on the vertical axis (26) of the device (20), the rotary shaft (40) connects the rotary support frame (25) of the blades (21, 22, 47, 48, 49 and 50) to the shaft (41) the electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic rotary power generator (42).

Description

"ROTARY FLUID MOTOR DEVICE WITH A VERTICAL AXIS FOR THE

PRODUCTION OF ENERGY"

**********

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a rotary blade device with a vertical axis for the utilisation and production of energy produced by a flow of fluid (e.g. water) or gas (e.g. air).

In particular the present invention refers to a device, with two or more blades, with a structure designed to be positioned and operated in a flow of water in a river or in the sea, or in an airflow created by wind.

The blades rotate individually on their respective central axes and, because they are installed on the same single support frame, also rotate together on the central vertical axis of the device by means of a special mechanism provided for this purpose. The special mechanism comprises a cylindrical toothed wheel on the vertical axis of each blade which is connected to an involute motion transmission driving a toothed belt or chain on the fixed central cylindrical toothed wheel whose diameter and number of teeth are exactly half those of the cylindrical toothed wheel of each blade. The mechanism causes each blade to rotate by half a turn for each full turn of the device.

The shaft of an electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic rotary power generator is keyed onto the vertical central axis of the device at the end fixed to the ground. In another embodiment one or more peripheral generators can be used.

The present invention relates to the field of means for utilising natural energy and in particular the sector for power generators which exploit the fluid flows of liquids or gases.

BACKGROUND ART Current technology includes various solutions involving the generation of energy from fluid flows. These are usually wind turbines with aerogenerators with three blades rotating around a horizontal axis.

This type of wind turbine device incorporates all the equipment including the power generator in a single unit installed at the top of a high support pylon or tower.

One disadvantage of these solutions is that in order to perform maintenance operations it is necessary to climb to the top of the pylon in order to reach the aerogenerator . Clearly this creates considerable difficulties and a certain amount of danger for maintenance operatives.

An improved solution is to position the wind generator on the ground so that most of the related equipment including the power generator can also be mounted at ground level.

Current technology also includes solutions where the blades rotate around a vertical axis. Patents WO01/86140, US2003/0235498 and US2006/0140765 are examples of such solutions .

These solutions involye the use of rotating blades similar to wings which are pivoted on their ends or close to their ends on a pivot point which is on a circumference which is greater than and therefore outside the circumference of the central axis of the blades and that of the rotation axis of (the aerogenerator.

These blades or wings qscillate to allow the free passage of the airflow or can be stopped by a mechanical stop when it is necessary to obstruct the passage of the airflow.

The functional and constructional design of the solutions described above have a drawback in common in that the movement of the blades is unsynchronised because the rotation of each blade is completely independent from rotation of the others and is only limited by pins or mechanical stops. The rotary movement of the mechanism causes repeated knocking and shaking of the blades on the structure because the blades suddenly move from one side to the opposite side depending on the position with all the negative consequences which derive from this.

of flow .

The blades rotate individually on their respective central axes and also rotate together because they are installed on the same single support frame and therefore rotate together on the central vertical axis of the device driven by a special mechanism provided for this purpose. The special mechanism consists of a cylindrical toothed wheel on the vertical axis of each blade connected to an involute motion transmission comprising a toothed belt or chain on the fixed central cylindrical toothed wheel whose diameter and number of teeth are exactly half those of the cylindrical toothed wheel of each blade. The mechanism causes the simultaneous rotation by half a turn of the blade, in a technically suitable direction, for each full turn of the device. The mechanical transmission consisting of a toothed belt or chain or similar means, maintains a continuous connection between the fixed cylindrical toothed wheel and each of the cylindrical toothed wheels of each blade. This ratio of turns and the operating methods used create a continuous, harmonic rotary movement without any mechanical stops .

This ratio of turns and the operating methods used are designed to maintain, in all the angular positions of the device, a thrust surface on the same side of the device centre line which is greater than that exerted on of other side.

The mechanism is positioned with the blade on one side positioned at 90° with respect to the direction of flow of the fluid and with the blade on the opposite side positioned in the same direction as the direction of flow. The axis connecting the centres of the blades and passing through the centre of the device is at 90° to the direction of flow.

Inverting the position of the blades by 90° has the effect of inverting the direction of rotation of the device. If the direction of flow varies this has the effect of rotating the fixed cylindrical toothed wheel at the centre of the device so that it changes from a fixed wheel to one whose angle is regulated by the direction of the wind by means of an incorporated helical wheel driven by a gear motor installed on the fixed support and controlled by a sensor detecting the direction of fluid flow.

The orientation angle of the cylindrical toothed wheel can be regulated to keep the device within a preset maximum rotation speed in the event of excessively high speeds of the fluid flow thereby creating sufficient offset with respect to the fluid flow.

The shaft of the electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic rotary power generator is keyed onto rotary, vertical central shaft of the device.

In a further embodiment, the rotary power generator can be keyed onto a toothed wheel of smaller diameter coupled to a fixed toothed wheel of a larger diameter which is rotated by the blade support frame to thereby form a drive transmission with a high multiplication turn ratio.

In an alternative embodiment the toothed wheels can be substituted with pulleys of equivalent diameter suitable for a belt drive transmission.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description of an embodiment which follows with reference to the annexed drawings, given purely by way of a non-limiting example, in which:

Figure 1 is a cross-section of a rotary fluid motor device with a vertical axis comprising a fixed hollow column housing and guiding a rotating shaft connecting the rotating frame supporting the two blades and the shaft of the rotary power generator; the dashed lines show the possibility of fitting one or more peripheral generators;

Figure 2 is a plan view showing the rotary fluid motor device with the centre-to-centre line between the two vertical axes of the two blades at right angles to the direction of the fluid flow; - Figure 3 is a plan view showing the rotary fluid motor device with the centre-to-centre line between the two vertical axes rotated through 45° with respect to the position shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a plan view showing the rotary fluid motor device with the centre-to-centre line between the two vertical axes rotated through 90° with respect to the position shown in Figure 2; Figure 5 is a plan view showing the rotary fluid motor device with the centre-to-centre line between the two vertical axes rotated through 180° with respect to the position shown in Figure 2; Figure 6 is a cross section of a rotary fluid motor device with a vertical axis constructed as shown in Figure 1 having, at the centre of the device, a cylindrical toothed wheel W_|hose angle, rather than being fixed, is regulated by the direction of the wind and incorporating on the same vertical axis a helical wheel driven by a worm gear motor; Figure 7 is a plan view showing the rotary fluid motor device with vertical axis of the four-blade type where two blades are positioned as shown in Figure 2 and the other two blades are positioned as shown in Figure 4 and where both pairs of blades are positioned on the same plane or where one pair of blades is positioned on a plane above the other pair; - Figures 8 and 9, 10 and 11 are plan views and front views, with respect to the fluid flow, of two example embodiments of a rotary fluid motor device with a vertical axis with eight blades positioned on two and four planes; these figures also show the involute motion transmission mechanism comprising a toothed belt or chain on a central cylindrical toothed wheel.

DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION With reference to the' annexed drawings, the reference number 20 indicates in its entirety a rotary fluid motor device with a vertical axis designed to produce energy by the rotation of the device caused by

central vertical axis 26 lof the device by means of a special mechanism. The special mechanism comprises a cylindrical toothed wheel ion the vertical axis of each blade which is connected to a an involute motion transmission driving a toothed belt or chain on the fixed central cylindrical toothed wheel whose diameter and number of teeth are exactly half those of the cylindrical toothed wheel of each blade. The mechanism causes the blades 21 and 22 to rotate simultaneously by half a turn, in a technically suitable direction, for each full turn of the device.

This ratio of turns and the operating methods are designed to maintain, in all angular positions of the device 20, a thrust surface on the same side 27 of the centre line 26 of the device 20 which is greater than that of the other side 28.

This is achieved by a special mechanism comprising a fixed cylindrical toothed wheel 29 centred on the vertical axis 26 of the device 20, a cylindrical toothed wheel 30 on the vertical axis 23 of the blade 21 and a cylindrical toothed wheel 31 on the vertical axis 24 of

device 20 is at 90° to the direction of flow. Rotating the blade 21 on side 27 and the blade 22 on the side 28 through 90° with respect to the previous position and maintaining the same direction of the fluid flow 34 has the effect of inverting the direction of rotation of the device.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 6, variations in the direction of fluid flow 34 has the effect of rotating the toothed wheel at the centre of the device 20 so that the fixed wheel 29 becomes a cylindrical toothed wheel 36 whose angle is regulated by the direction of the wind by means of a gear motor 37 of the worm gear type 38 for helical wheels, installed on the fixed hollow column central support 39, controlled by a sensor detecting the direction of fluid flow.

The orientation angle of the cylindrical toothed wheel 36 in relation to the direction of fluid flow 34 can be used to keep the device within a preset maximum rotation speed in the event of excessively high speeds of the fluid flow.

The vertical central shaft 40 of the device rotates inside the fixed hollow column support 39 and is keyed, on the upper part, to the support frame 25 of the blades 21 and 22 and, on the lower part, to the shaft 41 of the electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic rotary power generator 42.

Figures 1 and 6 show the rotary support brackets 43 of the blades 21 and 22 with keying for the cylindrical toothed wheels 30 and 31, the base 44 for the fixed hollow column central support 39, with an opening for inserting and fitting the power generator 42, the protection flange 45 with the seal ring and the tubular cover 46 acting as a protection and guide for the support 39 and the flange 45.

In Figure 1 the dashed lines show the possibility of keying a rotary power generator 42 onto a small diameter cylindrical toothed wheel 64 coupled to a fixed, large diameter cylindrical toothed wheel 65 which is rotated by the blade support frame to thereby obtain a high multiplication turn ratio. In an alternative embodiment of the same application, the toothed wheels 64 and 65 can be substituted with pulleys 66 and 67 of the equivalent diameter in order to form a belt transmission 68.

In Figures 1 and 6 the device 20 is shown with the blades 21 and 22 at the top and the power generator 42 in the base 44 at the bottom. The device is also suitable for use in a configuration where this arrangement is reversed through 180° on the vertical.

The side 28 opposing rotation of the device 20 can be partially protected from the fluid flow 34.

According to the present invention, the width and height of the device 20 and the size and positioning of the blades 21 and 22 are suitably dimensioned to match the foreseen characteristics of the flow 34 and the type of fluid (liquid or gas) .

On installations with the necessary dimensions and technical characteristics, the device can be fitted with a greater number of blades, as shown in Figures 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, positioned on the same plane or on superimposed planes. In these cases also it is important that the functional logic of the mechanism is maintained since it is this which causes; the simultaneous rotation of each blade by half a turn for each full turn of the device and it is this which positions the blades 47, 48, 49 and 50 with the relative mechanism in relation to the direction of fluid flow 34. The invention as described above refers to a preferred embodiment. Naturally, while the principle of the invention remains the same, the details of construction and the embodiments may vary widely with respect to what has been described and illustrated purely by way of the example, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A rotary fluid motor device (20) with a vertical axis (26) for the production of energy from a flow (34) of a liquid or gaseous fluid where kinetic energy is converted into pressure which acts in favour on the side (27), depending on the angular position of the device, on the blade (21) or the blade (22) or the blades (47, 48, 49, 50) with the greater thrust area and on the opposite side (28) against the blade or blades with the smaller thrust area thus causing the rotation of the device (20) on its axis (26) in the direction of rotation defined by the blade or blades which have the greater surface area facing the direction of flow, characterised in that the blades (21, 22, 47, 48, 49 and 50) rotate individually on their individual vertical central axes (23, 24, 51, 52, 53 and 54) and are synchronised because they are installed on a single support frame (25) rotating

the fixed central cylindrical toothed wheel whose diameter and number of teeth are exactly half those of each blade and rotation of each around its own axis

by half a turn for each full turn of the device (20) , and also characterised in that this ratio of turns and the operating methods used are designed to maintain, in all the angular positions of the device,

(20), a thrust surface on the same side (27) of the centre line (26) of the device (20) which is greater than that of the other side (28), so that on the vertical axis (26) of the device (20) , the rotary shaft (40) connects the rotary support frame (25) of the blades (21, 22, 47, 48, 49 and 50) to the shaft

(41) the electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic rotary power generator (42) .

2. The rotary fluid motor device (20) with a vertical axis (26) according to the previous claim, characterised in that the special mechanism for rotating the blades (21, 22, 47, 48, 49 and 50) when the device (20) rotates comprises a fixed cylindrical toothed wheel (29) centred on the vertical axis (26) of the device (20) .

3. The rotary fluid motor device (20) with a vertical axis (26) according to one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the cylindrical toothed wheels (30, 31, 55, 56, 57 and 58) are positioned respectively on the vertical axes (23, 24, 51, 52, 53 and 54) of the blades (21, 22, 47, 48, 49 and 50) and where the same cylindrical toothed wheels (30, 31, 55, 56, 57 and 58) have a diameter and number of teeth which are exactly double those of the fixed cylindrical toothed wheel (29) , or those of the cylindrical toothed wheel (36) whose angle is adjusted by the direction of the wind, positioned at the centre of the device 1(20) .

4. The rotary fluid motor Idevice (20) with a vertical axis (26) according to .one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that / the mechanical transmission means comprising a toothed belt, or chain or similar (32, 33, 59, 60, 61 and 62) maintains a connection between the fixed cylindrical toothed wheel (29) , or the cylindrical toothed wheel (36) whose angle is adjusted by the direction of the wind, to each of the cylindrical toothed wheels (30, 31, 55, 56, 57 and 58) on the blades (21, 22, 47, 48, 49 and 50) .

5. The rotary fluid motor device (20) with a vertical axis (26) according to one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the positioning of the mechanism with respect to the direction of flow (34) of the fluid is obtained with the blade (21 or 47) on the side (27) positioned at 90° to the direction of flow (34) and with the blade (22 or 49) on the opposite side (28) positioned in the same direction as the direction of flow (34) while the axis (35 or 63) connecting the centre of the blades (21, 22, 47 and 49) passing through the centre (26) of the device

(20) is at 90° to the direction of flow.

6. The rotary fluid motor device (20) with a vertical axis (26) according to one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that rotating the blades (21, 47, 48 and 50) on the side (27) and the blades (22, 49) on the side (28) through 90° with respect to the previous position, and maintaining the same direction of fluid flow (34), inverts the direction of rotation of the device.

7. The rotary fluid motor device (20) with a vertical axis (26) according to one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that at the centre of the device (20) the cylindrical toothed jwheel (36) is positioned at an angle regulated by the direction of the wind and the same vertical axis (26) incorporates, as an actuator, the helical wheel of a gear motor (37) of the worm gear type (38) controlled by a sensor detecting the direction of fluid flow.

8. The rotary fluid motor device (20) with a vertical axis (26) according to one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the orientation angle of the cylindrical toothed wheel (36) , whose angle is regulated by the direction of the wind, automatically maintains the device (20) aligned or offset with respect to the direction of the fluid flow (34) in the event of an emergency caused by the excessive speed of the fluid flow and thereby keeps the rotation of the device 20 within the preset maximum speed.

9. The rotary fluid motor device (20) with a vertical axis (26) according to the foregoing claims, characterised in that the rotary support brackets (43) of the blades (21, 22, 47, 48, 49 and 50) have keying for the fitting of the cylindrical toothed wheels (30, 31, 55, 56, 57 and 58) respectively.

10. The rotary fluid motor device (20) with a vertical axis (26) according to one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the base (44) for the fixed, hollow column central support (39) housing the rotary shaft (40) has an opening for inserting and fitting a power generator (42) with a shaft (41) connected to the rotary shaft (40) .

11. The rotary fluid motor device (20) with a vertical axis (26) according to one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the flange (45) has a protection with a seal ring and a tubular cover (46) acting as a protection and guide for the support (39) and the flange (45) .

12. The rotary fluid motor device (20) with a vertical axis (26) according to the foregoing claims, characterised in that rotary power generator 42 can be keyed onto a small diameter, cylindrical toothed wheel 64 coupled to a fixed, large diameter cylindrical toothed wheel 65 which is rotated by the blade support frame in order to obtain a high multiplication turn ratio.

13. The rotary fluid motor device (20) with a vertical axis (26) according to the foregoing claims, characterised in that the rotary power generator can be keyed onto a small diameter ^pulley 66 coupled to a fixed, large diameter pulley 67 which is rotated by the blade support frame 25 to form a belt transmission 68 with a high multiplication turn ratio.

14. The rotary fluid motor device (20) with a vertical axis (26) according to the foregoing claims, characterised in that the blades can be of any number and the width and height of the blades can be of any size provided that these are suitably dimensioned to match the foreseen characteristics of the flow 34 and the type of fluid (liquid or gas) .

15. The rotary fluid motor device (20) with a vertical axis (26) according to the foregoing claims, characterised in that the blades can be positioned on the same plane or on any number of superimposed planes provided that the functional logic of the mechanism, which causes the simultaneous rotation of each blade by half a burn for each full turn of the device and which positions the blades with the related mechanism in (relation to direction of fluid flow (34), is maintained.

16. The rotary fluid moto'r device (20) with a vertical axis (26) according to the foregoing claims, characterised in that the device can comprise means for partially covering the fluid flow (34) on the side (28) opposite acting against rotation of the device (20) .

17. The rotary fluid motor device (20) with a vertical axis (26) according to the foregoing claims, characterised in that the device, mounted on a vertical axis or upturned through 180°, can operate in any flow of water in a river or in the sea, or in an airflow created by wind.