Wind turbine

An air turbine comprising:

• first and second stator assemblies;
• a rotor assembly;
• said stator assemblies and said rotor assembly being disposed in line with one another along a center axis with said rotor assembly located between said stator assemblies;
• a shroud surrounding said first and second stator assemblies and said rotor assembly;
• said shroud comprising at least two separately formed sections which are made of a foam plastic material and are arranged as a closed ring about said stator and rotor assemblies;
• retaining means surrounding said shroud for holding said at least two sections arranged as a closed ring about said stator and rotor assemblies;
• said shroud having an inwardly tapered mouth at one end for funneling air into said first stator assembly, an outwardly tapering exit at an opposite end for expanding air radially away from said center axis as it passes out of said second stator assembly, and a throat section for confining the air passing through said first stator assembly so that substantially all of said passing air travels through said rotor assembly and thereby causes rotation of said rotor assembly;
• a nose cone centered in said mouth for directing incoming airaway from said center axis toward the outer periphery of said first stator assembly;
• a tail cone centered in said exit for promoting a smooth expansion of air toward said center axis as said air passes out of said second stator assembly, said tail cone tapering inwardly with increasing distance from said rotor assembly;
• and
• transmission means connected to said rotor assembly for transmitting the energy of rotation of the rotor assembly to a power device, said transmission means being at least partially disposed within tail cone.

An air turbine comprising:

• first and second stator assemblies;
• a rotor assembly;
• said stator assemblies and said rotor assembly being disposed in line with one another along a center axis with said rotor assembly located between said stator assemblies;
• a shroud surrounding said first and second stator assemblies and said rotor assembly, said shroud having an inwardly tapered mouth at one end for funneling air into said first stator assembly, an outwardly tapering exit at an opposite end for expanding air radially away from said center axis as it passes out of said second stator assembly, and a throat section for confining the air passing through said first stator assembly so that substantially all of said passing air travels through said rotor assembly and thereby causes rotation of said rotor assembly;
• a nose cone centered in said mouth for directing incoming air away from said center axis toward the outer periphery of said first stator assembly;
• a tail cone centered in said exit for promoting a smooth expansion of air toward said center axis as said air passes out of said second stator assembly, said tail cone tapering inwardly with increasing distance from said rotor assembly;
• said shroud consisting of at least three pre-formed sections which are made of a foam plastic material and are arranged side by side with mutually engaging surfaces that extend longitudinally of the turbine;
• a main casing ring surrounding said stator and rotor assemblies and surrounded by and supporting said shroud;
• means securing said first and second stator assemblies to said main casing ring;
• means for preventing said sections from shifting axially of said main casing ring, said last-mentioned means comprising at least one rib on said ring and at least one groove in said sections for receiving said at least one rib;
• and
• transmission means connected to said rotor assembly to a power device, said transmission means being at least partially disposed within said tail cone.

An air turbine comprising:

• first and second stator assemblies;
• a rotor assembly;
• said rotor assemblies and said rotor assembly being disposed in line with one another along a center axis with said rotor assembly located between and close to said stator assemblies;
• a main casing ring surrounding said stator and rotor assemblies;
• means securing said stator assemblies to said main casing ring;
• means connected to one of said stator assemblies for rotatably supporting said rotor assembly;
• a shroud surrounding and supported by said main casing ring, said shroud having an inwardly tapered mouth at a first end thereof for funneling air into said first stator assembly, an outwardly tapering exit at a second opposite end thereof for expanding air radially away from said center axis as it passes from out of said second stator assembly, and a throat section embracing said main casing ring, said mouth and said exit of said shroud extending beyond the front and rear ends of said main casing ring, said shroud comprising a plurality of preformed plastic foam sections arranged side by side circumferentially about said main casing ring;
• first and second means on said main casing ring and said plastic foam sections respectively for preventing said foam sections from moving axially of said turbine relative to said main casing ring;
• means for holding said plastic foam sections assemblied side by side about said main casing ring;
• a nose cone attached to said first stator assembly for directing incoming air away from said center axis toward the outer periphery of said first stator assembly;
• and
• means connected to said rotor assembly for transmitting the energy of rotation of the rotor assembly to a power device.

An air turbine comprising:

• a rotor assembly;
• means supporting said rotor assembly for rotation on a center axis;
• a shroud comprising at least two separately formed sections arranged as a closed ring about said rotor assembly, said shroud having an inwardly tapered mouth at one end forward of said rotor assembly for funneling air to said rotor assembly, an outwardly tapering exit at an opposite end rearward of said rotor assembly for expanding air radially away from said center axis as it passes out from said rotor assembly, and a throat between said mouth and exit for confining the air passing through said turbine so that substantially all of said passing air travels through said rotor assembly and thereby causes rotation of said rotor assembly;
• a nose cone centered in said mouth and tapered outwardly with decreasing distance from said rotor assembly, said nose cone working in conjunction with said inwardly tapered mouth of said shroud so as to increase the velocity of an air stream entering said inwardly tapered mouth and passing to said rotor assembly;
• a tail cone centered in said exit and tapered inwardly with increasing distance from said rotor assembly, said tail cone working in conjunction with said outwardly tapered exit of said shroud so as to promote a smooth expansion of air passing out from said rotor assembly;
• transmission means connected to said rotor assembly for transmitting the energy of rotation of the rotor assembly to a power device, said transmission means being at least partially disposed within said nose cone or said tail cone;
• and
• means rotatably mounting said turbine so as to permit said mouth section to be headed into the prevailing wind.