Apparatus for capturing and harnessing the energy from environmental wind
OwnerNicholas A. Veriniinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus is disclosed for capturing and converting wind energy to electrical energy. The apparatus includes a tower member arranged in the form of an elongated conduit having first and second end portions. A wind collector is provided and is associated with the conduit first end portion. The wind collector has an air inlet to capture environmental wind originating from one or more directions and then deflect the captured wind into the conduit to create an axial airflow therein. Finally, a wind turbine device is disposed at the conduit second end portion for receiving the airflow from the conduit in order to generate electricity therefrom.
Claims30
An apparatus for capturing and converting wind energy to electrical energy, said apparatus comprising:
- a tower member arranged in the form of an elongated conduit having first and second end portions;
- a wind collector associated with said conduit first end portion and having an air inlet to capture environmental wind originating from one or more directions and deflect the captured wind into said conduit to create an axial airflow therein;
- and
- a wind turbine device disposed at said conduit second end portion for receiving said airflow from said conduit to generate electricity therefrom.
A wind energy conversion device for capturing and redirecting wind airflow and converting the energy therefrom to electrical energy, said device comprising:
- a tower member arranged in the form of an elongated substantially hollow airflow conduit having first and second end portions;
- a wind collector associated with said conduit first end portion and having an omni-directional air inlet to capture environmental wind originating from any compass direction and deflect the captured wind into said conduit to create a substantially axial airflow therein;
- airflow turbulence control elements disposed within said conduit to create substantially laminar airflow along the length thereof;
- and
- a wind turbine device disposed at said conduit second end portion for receiving said substantially laminar airflow from said conduit to generate electricity therefrom.
A wind tower device for generating electrical energy for residential use by capturing and harnessing wind energy, said wind tower device comprising:
- a tower member arranged in the form of an elongated substantially vertically oriented airflow conduit having first and second end portions;
- a wind collector associated with said conduit first end portion and having an air inlet assembly adapted to capture local environmental wind and a wind airflow deflection arrangement to deflect the captured wind into said conduit to create a substantially downward axial airflow therein;
- airflow turbulence control elements disposed within said conduit to create substantially laminar airflow along the length thereof;
- a wind turbine device disposed at said conduit second end portion proximate a ground surface for receiving said substantially laminar airflow from said conduit to generate electricity therefrom;
- an airflow velocity sensing element disposed in said conduit for measuring the airflow speed therein;
- and
- an airflow speed control member disposed proximate said conduit first end portion to regulate the speed of said airflow in said conduit in response to variable and gusting speed changes in the environmental wind impacting said collector air inlet to prevent sudden speed changes in the airflow impacting said turbine device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.