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US 10,330,086 B2Granted
Vertical axis turbine clustering
OwnerDaniel Farbinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
One of the barriers to greater adoption of small turbines is their aerodynamic interference with each other, and hence the need to separate them. Certain types of vertical axis turbines, the drag types, can actually enhance each other's performance when placed close to each other under the right conditions.
Claims14
A turbine cluster comprising:
- a turbine set of structurally unconnected, vertical axis, drag turbines, each of the turbines having two or more concave turbine blades of at least 20% solidity;
- a first, vertical axis, drag turbine of the turbine set driven by air flow of a prevailing velocity;
- and
- a second, vertical axis, drag turbine of the turbine set fixed in a position in which a rotation path defined by its blade tip enters a path of air flow having a speed greater than the prevailing velocity, wherein the air flow having a speed greater than the prevailing velocity is deflected from blade rotation of the first turbine, wherein the rotation path defined by the blade tip of the second turbine is disposed at a distance from a shaft center of the first turbine substantially equal to a radius length of the first turbine times 1.05-1.6 measured at a deviation angle, a first leg of the deviation angle defined by a flow direction of the prevailing air flow and a second leg of the deviation angle defined by a line traversing axes of the first turbine and the second turbine, the deviation angle ranging between 45-135°.
1 more element
A method for capturing air flow in turbine clusters, the method comprising:
- providing a turbine set of structurally unconnected, vertical axis, drag turbines, each of the
- turbines having two or more concave turbine blades of at least 20% solidity;
- driving a first, vertical axis, drag turbine of the turbine set with an air flow of a prevailing velocity;
- and
- driving a second, vertical axis, drag turbine of the turbine set fixed in a position in which a rotation path defined by its blade tip enters a path of air flow having a speed greater than the prevailing velocity, wherein the air flow having a speed greater than the prevailing velocity is deflected from blade rotation of the first turbine, wherein the rotation path defined by the blade tip of the second turbine is disposed at a distance from a shaft center of the first turbine substantially equal to a radius length of the first turbine times 1.05-1.6 measured at a deviation angle, a first leg of the deviation angle defined by a flow direction of the prevailing air flow and a second leg of the deviation angle defined by a line traversing axes of the first turbine and the second turbine, the deviation angle ranging between 45-135°.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.