# US 10,770,952 B2 · Device for converting kinetic energy of a flowing medium to electrical energy > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,770,952 B2 - Document ID: US10770952B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/315,250 - Filed: 2015-06-10 - Published: 2017-07-13 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2014-06-10 - Assignees: Ventus Nautilus Holding B.V. - Applicants: Ventus Nautilus Holding B.V. - Inventors: Popke Lammert Sjoerd Kiezebrink - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10770952B2 ## CPC - H02K 7/1823: {structurally associated with turbines or similar engines} - F03B 17/061: {with rotation axis substantially in flow direction} - F03D 1/065: {characterised by their construction elements (F03D13/10 takes precedence)} - F05B 2240/33: Shrouds which are part of or which are rotating with the rotor - Y02E 10/20: Hydro energy - Y02E 10/30: Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient - Y02E 10/72: Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) - F03B: MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS (positive-displacement engines for liquid F03C; machines for liquids and gases F01; positive-displacement machines for liquids F04, rotary fluid gearing of the hydrokinetic type F16H41/00) - F03D: WIND MOTORS - 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 - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A device for converting kinetic energy of a flowing medium to electrical energy includes a rotor for placing in the flowing medium and a generator connected to the rotor. The rotor includes a tube with one or more vanes mounted on the inner side of the tube and extending radially to the centre thereof, wherein the tube is mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis. A length of the tube in horizontal direction amounts here to at least 25% of a diameter of the tube in vertical direction. An outflow part diverging in the flow direction can connect to a rear edge of the tube as seen in flow direction of the medium. The tube can be bearing-mounted in a frame via a central shaft mounted on the inner ends of the vanes. The frame can on the other hand include an outer bearing, for instance a stator tube. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wind turbine for converting kinetic energy of wind to electrical energy, comprising: a u-shaped frame; a rotor for placing in the wind; and an electrical generator having a stator and a generator rotor part that is connected to the rotor, wherein the rotor comprises an outer tube, a central shaft and at least one vane mounted on an inner side of the outer tube and extending to the central shaft and mounted on said central shaft, wherein the outer tube is mounted on the u-shape frame for rotation about a horizontal axis, the u-shaped frame comprising a front spacer bracket arranged in front of the rotor, a rear spacer bracket arranged behind the rotor, and a central construction, wherein the front spacer bracket is provided with a bearing supporting a front end of the central shaft of the rotor, and wherein the rear spacer bracket supports the generator, and wherein the generator rotor part is mounted on a rear end of the central shaft so that the rotary motion of the rotor is directly converted into motion of the generator rotor part, and wherein the generator carries a bearing supporting the rear end of the central shaft of the rotor, and wherein the central construction is configured to be mounted on an upright allowing the frame and rotor to swivel about a vertical axis so that the rotor is orientable in flow direction of the wind, wherein a length of the outer tube in a horizontal direction amounts to at least 25% of a minimum diameter of the outer tube in a vertical direction, and wherein the generator is operatively connected to the central shaft and is configured for converting a rotating motion of the central shaft to electricity. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The wind turbine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the length of the outer tube amounts to at least 40% of the minimum diameter of the outer tube. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The wind turbine as claimed in claim 1, wherein an outflow part diverging in the flow direction connects to a rear edge of the outer tube as seen in flow direction of the wind, and a length of the diverging outflow part in the horizontal direction amounts to between 80% and 120% of the length of the outer tube. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The wind turbine as claimed in claim 3, wherein an end diameter of the diverging outflow part in a vertical direction amounts to between 115% and 150% of the minimum diameter of the outer tube. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The wind turbine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one vane has a constant thickness. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The wind turbine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one vane has a chord length which is at least equal to the length of the outer tube. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The wind turbine as claimed in claim 6, wherein the at least one vane protrudes at the front side outside the outer tube as seen in the flow direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The wind turbine as claimed claim 1, comprising a plurality of vanes mounted distributed in a peripheral direction on the inner side of the outer tube. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The wind turbine as claimed in claim 8, wherein the plurality of vanes are connected to the outer tube along spiral-shaped connecting lines, the connecting lines of the individual vanes together cover substantially the whole inner periphery of the outer tube. ### Claim 10 A wind turbine for converting kinetic energy of wind to electrical energy, comprising: a u-shaped frame; a rotor for placing in the wind; and an electrical generator having a stator and a generator rotor part that is connected to the rotor, wherein the rotor comprises an outer tube, a central shaft and at least one vane mounted on an inner side of the outer tube and extending to the central shaft and mounted on said central shaft, wherein the outer tube is mounted on the u-shape frame for rotation about a horizontal axis, the u-shaped frame comprising a front spacer bracket arranged in front of the rotor, a rear spacer bracket arranged behind the rotor, and a central construction, wherein the front spacer bracket is provided with a bearing supporting a front end of the central shaft of the rotor, and wherein the rear spacer bracket is provided with a bearing supporting a rear end of the central shaft of the rotor, and wherein the generator rotor part is mounted on the central shaft so that the rotary motion of the rotor is directly converted into motion of the generator rotor part, and wherein the central construction is configured to be mounted on an upright allowing the frame and rotor to swivel about a vertical axis so that the rotor is orientable in flow direction of the wind, wherein a length of the outer tube in a horizontal direction amounts to at least 25% of a minimum diameter of the outer tube in a vertical direction, and wherein the generator is operatively connected to the central shaft and is configured for converting a rotating motion of the central shaft to electricity. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The wind turbine as claimed in claim 10, wherein the length of the outer tube amounts to at least 40% of the minimum diameter of the outer tube. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The wind turbine as claimed in claim 10, wherein an outflow part diverging in the flow direction connects to a rear edge of the outer tube as seen in flow direction of the wind, and a length of the diverging outflow part in the horizontal direction amounts to between 80% and 120% of the length of the outer tube. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The wind turbine as claimed in claim 12, wherein an end diameter of the diverging outflow part in a vertical direction amounts to between 115% and 150% of the minimum diameter of the outer tube. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The wind turbine as claimed in claim 10, wherein the at least one vane has a constant thickness. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The wind turbine as claimed in claim 10, wherein the at least one vane has a chord length which is at least equal to the length of the outer tube. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The wind turbine as claimed in claim 15, wherein the at least one vane protrudes at the front side outside the outer tube as seen in the flow direction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The wind turbine as claimed claim 10, comprising a plurality of vanes mounted distributed in a peripheral direction on the inner side of the outer tube. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The wind turbine as claimed in claim 17, wherein the plurality of vanes are connected to the outer tube along spiral-shaped connecting lines, the connecting lines of the individual vanes together cover substantially the whole inner periphery of the outer tube.