Systems and methods for harnessing energy from wind
AssigneeIntrofoc Ltd
InventorsPanayiotis Philimis, Varnis Charalambous, Dimitrios Kouloumis, Harry Georgiou, Nicos Raftis, Stavros Hadjiyiannis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for improving efficiency of vertical axis wind turbines for all wind directions, comprising an inlet convergent section, a wind turbine section adjacent to exit of convergent section and an outlet divergent section. The system provides an air passage through the inlet section, the wind turbine and the outlet section, and allows for variation of the inlet and outlet depending on wind direction, in order to maximize efficiency harnessed within a time interval in accordance to wind direction and wind speed.
Claims18
A system for harnessing energy from wind, said system comprising:
- a convergent section, said convergent section comprising an entry and an exit, said entry having an area higher than said exit;
- a wind turbine section adjacent to said exit of said convergent section, said wind turbine section comprising at least one wind turbine;
- a divergent section adjacent to said wind turbine section, said divergent section comprising an entry and an exit, said entry having an area lower than said exit, wherein at least one of the convergent section and the divergent section comprises side panels extending away from the wind turbine section, characterised in that:
- at least two of said side panels are modifiable in use for maximising the amount of energy harnessed within a time interval in accordance with wind direction and/or wind speed;
- said wind turbine section comprises a turbine-surrounding structure that at least partially surrounds said at least one wind turbine, wherein said turbine-surrounding structure:
- has openings for wind to pass from the convergent section, through the turbine section, and exit to the divergent section;
- is rotatable around the at least one wind turbine in use, such that the orientation of the turbine-surrounding structure and its opening are adjustable relative to the side panels;
- and
- comprises two walls separated from each other by the openings, wherein said walls of said turbine-surrounding structure can rotate independently so that the angles and/or sizes of the openings can vary depending on wind conditions in order to optimise system performance.
A method of operating a system for harnessing energy from wind, the system comprising:
- a convergent section, said convergent section comprising an entry and an exit, said entry having an area higher than said exit;
- a wind turbine section adjacent to said exit of said convergent section, said wind turbine section comprising at least one wind turbine;
- a divergent section adjacent to said wind turbine section, said divergent section comprising an entry and an exit, said entry having an area lower than said exit;
- wherein at least one of the convergent section and the divergent section comprises side panels extending away from the wind turbine section,
- further wherein the wind turbine section comprises a turbine-surrounding structure that at least partially surrounds said at least one wind turbine and comprising openings for wind to pass from the convergent section, through the turbine section and exit to the divergent section, wherein the turbine-surrounding structure comprises two walls separated from each other by the openings, wherein said walls of said turbine-surrounding structure can rotate independently, wherein the method comprises operating the system by:
- modifying at least two of the side panels for maximising the amount of energy harnessed within a time interval in accordance with wind direction and/or wind speed;
- rotating the turbine-surrounding structure around the at least one wind turbine, thereby adjusting the orientation of the turbine-surrounding structure and its opening relative to the side panels;
- rotating the walls of the turbine-surrounding structure independently to vary the angles and/or sizes of the openings depending on wind conditions, in order to optimise system performance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.