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US 11,236,721 B2Granted
Vertical axis wind turbines
OwnerGregory Francis Birdinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vertical axis wind energy power turbine having a hollow shaft on which are attached, rotating and fixed components with outer-surface shapes, fixed vanes, and integral heating to concentrate without confining airflow, an overspin-limiting power-enhancing self-engaging flywheel, and, conversion systems for both, pumped air that may be transferred through hollow mountings to do other work, and, for electricity generation.
Claims22
A wind turbine comprising:
- a shaft vertically extending along an axis;
- a plurality of stator blades coupled to the shaft and radially extending therefrom;
- a rotor rotatably coupled to the shaft and encircling the plurality of stator blades;
- an upper cowl coupled to the shaft vertically above the rotor;
- and
- a lower cowl coupled to the shaft vertically below the rotor;
- wherein the upper cowl and the lower cowl are each configured to radially inwardly direct airflow along exteriors of the upper cowl and the lower cowl respectively and further concentrate airflow across the rotor such that the rotor rotates and the wind turbine generates electrical power.
4 more elements
A wind turbine comprising:
- a shaft vertically extending along an axis;
- a plurality of stator blades coupled to the shaft and radially extending therefrom;
- a rotor rotatably coupled to the shaft and encircling the plurality of stator blades;
- an upper cowl coupled to the shaft vertically above the rotor;
- and
- a lower cowl coupled to the shaft vertically below the rotor;
- wherein the rotor, the upper cowl, and the lower cowl are configured to radially inwardly concentrate airflow across the rotor such that the rotor rotates and the wind turbine generates electrical power;
- and
- wherein the upper cowl has a base section that radially inwardly slopes toward the rotor and the lower cowl has an outer surface that radially inwardly slopes toward the rotor.
6 more elements
A wind turbine comprising:
- a shaft vertically extending along an axis;
- a plurality of stator blades coupled to the shaft and radially extending therefrom;
- a rotor rotatably coupled to the shaft and encircling the plurality of stator blades;
- an upper cowl coupled to the shaft vertically above the rotor;
- and
- a lower cowl coupled to the shaft vertically below the rotor;
- wherein the rotor, the upper cowl, and the lower cowl are configured to radially inwardly concentrate airflow across the rotor such that the rotor rotates and the wind turbine generates electrical power;
- and
- wherein the rotor defines an annular passage configured to permit the airflow to flow from a drive side of the rotor to a return side of the rotor.
6 more elements
A wind turbine comprising:
- a shaft vertically extending along an axis;
- a plurality of stator blades coupled to the shaft and radially extending therefrom;
- a rotor rotatably coupled to the shaft and encircling the plurality of stator blades;
- an upper cowl coupled to the shaft vertically above the rotor;
- and
- a lower cowl coupled to the shaft vertically below the rotor;
- wherein the rotor, the upper cowl, and the lower cowl are configured to radially inwardly concentrate airflow across the rotor such that the rotor rotates and the wind turbine generates electrical power;
- and
- wherein the rotor has a plurality of peltons that are configured to cause rotation of the rotor as the airflow moves across the rotor and the plurality of peltons.
6 more elements
A wind turbine comprising:
- a shaft vertically extending along an axis;
- a plurality of stator blades coupled to the shaft and radially extending therefrom;
- a rotor rotatably coupled to the shaft and encircling the plurality of stator blades;
- an upper cowl coupled to the shaft vertically above the rotor;
- and
- a lower cowl coupled to the shaft vertically below the rotor;
- wherein the rotor, the upper cowl, and the lower cowl are configured to radially inwardly concentrate airflow across the rotor such that the rotor rotates and the wind turbine generates electrical power;
- and
- wherein the lower cowl has a plurality of vanes configured to concentrate the airflow on a drive side of the rotor and defuse the airflow on an opposite return side of the rotor.
6 more elements
A wind turbine comprising:
- a shaft vertically extending along an axis;
- a plurality of stator blades coupled to the shaft and radially extending therefrom;
- a rotor rotatably coupled to the shaft and encircling the plurality of stator blades;
- an upper cowl coupled to the shaft vertically above the rotor;
- and
- a lower cowl coupled to the shaft vertically below the rotor;
- wherein the rotor, the upper cowl, and the lower cowl are configured to radially inwardly concentrate airflow across the rotor such that the rotor rotates and the wind turbine generates electrical power;
- and
- wherein the airflow is a primary airflow, and wherein the upper cowl has an air intake configured to receive a secondary airflow and a plurality of internal baffles configured to direct the secondary airflow to an axial pump.
6 more elements
A wind turbine comprising:
- a shaft vertically extending along an axis;
- a plurality of stator blades coupled to the shaft and radially extending therefrom;
- a rotor rotatably coupled to the shaft and encircling the plurality of stator blades;
- an upper cowl coupled to the shaft vertically above the rotor;
- and
- a lower cowl coupled to the shaft vertically below the rotor;
- wherein the rotor, the upper cowl, and the lower cowl are configured to radially inwardly concentrate airflow across the rotor such that the rotor rotates and the wind turbine generates electrical power;
- and
- further comprising a flywheel rotatably coupled to the shaft and positioned within the lower cowl, and wherein rotation of the rotor causes the flywheel to rotate.
6 more elements
A wind turbine comprising:
- a shaft vertically extending along an axis;
- a plurality of stator blades coupled to the shaft and radially extending therefrom;
- a rotor rotatably coupled to the shaft and encircling the plurality of stator blades;
- an upper cowl coupled to the shaft vertically above the rotor;
- and
- a lower cowl coupled to the shaft vertically below the rotor;
- wherein the rotor, the upper cowl, and the lower cowl are configured to radially inwardly concentrate airflow across the rotor such that the rotor rotates and the wind turbine generates electrical power;
- and
- wherein the rotor has magnets that move relative to coils positioned along the shaft to thereby induce current in the coils and generate electrical energy.
6 more elements
A wind turbine comprising:
- a shaft vertically extending along an axis;
- a plurality of stator blades coupled to the shaft and radially extending therefrom;
- a rotor rotatably coupled to the shaft and encircling the plurality of stator blades;
- an upper cowl coupled to the shaft vertically above the rotor;
- and
- a lower cowl coupled to the shaft vertically below the rotor, the lower cowl having an outer surface and a plurality vanes;
- wherein each of the upper cowl, the outer surface of the lower cowl, and the plurality of vanes of the lower cowl are configured to radially inwardly concentrate airflow across the rotor such that the rotor rotates and the wind turbine generates electrical power.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.