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US 2001/0033790 A1Published application
Wingtip windmill and method of use
OwnerRobert Ives Hickeyinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is a system and method for enhancing the generation of power with a windmill. It comprises a horizontal axis rotating propeller blade with a large hub, mounted on a lift-generating device which also acts as the support structure. By adding a lift-generating device around the support structure, lower rotational speeds for the windmill propeller blade are possible without the penalty of excessive swirl losses in the wake. The lower design speed reduces parasitic losses and improves the overall power output of the windmill. The present invention also uses a large hub to increase the relative speed of the air over the windmill propeller blades near the hub, further enhancing power generation.
Claims20
A windmill comprising:
- at least one propeller blade;
- a rotating hub, to which said at least one propeller blade is attached, having a diameter, as measured in the plane of rotation of the propeller blade, between 25% and 70% of said propeller blade diameter;
- a stationary hub which supports said rotating hub;
- a hub pivot which supports said stationary hub allowing yaw control of said propeller blade with respect to the wind;
- and
- at least one support structure having two ends, the first end of said at least one support structure supporting said hub pivot;
- the second end being fixed to a foundation.
4 more elements
A windmill comprising:
- at least one propeller blade;
- a rotating hub, to which said at least one propeller blade is attached, having a diameter, as measured in the plane of rotation of the propeller blade, between 25% and 70% of said propeller blade diameter;
- a stationary hub which supports said rotating hub;
- a hub pivot which supports said stationary hub, allowing yaw control of said propeller blade with respect to the wind;
- at least one support structure having two ends, the first end of said at least one support structure supporting said hub pivot;
- the second end being fixed to a foundation;
- at least one wing with an airfoil cross section, having a span of at least one half of said propeller blade diameter, enclosing said at least one support structure;
- and
- at least one wing pivot which supports said wing, allowing yaw control of said wing with respect to the wind.
6 more elements
A windmill comprising:
- at least one propeller blade;
- a rotating hub, to which said at least one propeller blade is attached, having a diameter, as measured in the plane of rotation of the propeller blade, between 25% and 70% of said propeller blade diameter;
- a stationary hub which supports said rotating hub;
- a hub pivot which supports said stationary hub allowing yaw control of said propeller blade with respect to the wind;
- a support structure having two ends, the first end of said support structure supporting said hub pivot;
- the second end being fixed to a foundation;
- and
- a coaxial rotating cylinder having a span of at least one half of said propeller blade diameter, enclosing said at least one support structure.
5 more elements
A windmill comprising:
- at leas t one propeller blade, greater than 15 feet in diameter;
- a rotating hub, to which said at least one propeller blade is attached, having a diameter, as measured in the plane of rotation of the propeller blade, of 45% of said propeller blade diameter;
- a stationary hub which supports said rotating hub;
- a hub pivot which supports said stationary hub, allowing yaw control of said propeller blade with respect to the wind;
- at least one support structure having two ends, the first end of said at least one support structure supporting said hub pivot;
- the second end being fixed to a foundation;
- at least one wing with an airfoil cross section, having a span of at least one half of said propeller blade diameter, enclosing said at least one support structure;
- and
- at least one wing pivot which supports said wing, allowing yaw control of said wing with respect to the wind.
6 more elements
A method for generating electricity comprising the step of:
- turning a generator using a windmill comprising
- at least one propeller blade;
- a rotating hub, to which said at least one propeller blade is attached, having a diameter, as measured in the plane of rotation of the propeller blade, between 25% and 70% of said propeller blade diameter;
- a stationary hub which supports said rotating hub;
- a hub pivot which supports said stationary hub, allowing yaw control of said propeller blade with respect to the wind;
- at least one support structure having two ends, the first end of said at least one support structure supporting said hub pivot;
- the second end being fixed to a foundation;
- at least one wing with an airfoil cross section, having a span of at least one half of said propeller blade diameter, enclosing said at least one support structure;
- and
- at least one wing pivot which supports said wing, allowing yaw control of said wing with respect to the wind.
7 more elements
The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of:
- arranging said windmill in an array.
A method for generating electricity comprising the step of:
- turning a generator using a windmill comprising
- at least one propeller blade;
- a rotating hub, to which said at least one propeller blade is attached, having a diameter, as measured in the plane of rotation of the propeller blade, between 25% and 70% of said propeller blade diameter;
- a stationary hub which supports said rotating hub;
- a hub pivot which supports said stationary hub, allowing yaw control of said propeller blade with respect to the wind;
- at least one support structure having two ends, the first end of said at least one support structure supporting said hub pivot;
- the second end being fixed to a foundation;
- a coaxial rotating cylinder having a span of at least one half of said propeller blade diameter, enclosing said at least one support structure.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.