Utilization of wind energy
AssigneeJohn David Archer
InventorJohn D. Archer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wind energy device comprising a first airfoil having a leading edge, a trailing edge and a tip, means supporting the airfoil above a surface, the airfoil being adapted, when traversed by a prevailing wind, to generate a vortex at its tip, an air deflector associated with the airfoil and arranged so as to deflect prevailing wind traversing the deflector into the vortex to augment the energy of the vortex, means to vary the orientation of the airfoil relative to the prevailing wind, and a rotary device located in the path of the vortex and adapted to be driven by the wind in the vortex.
Claims23
A wind energy device comprising a first airfoil having a major axis, a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a tip, the first airfoil being supported above a surface and being adapted, when traversed by a prevailing wind, to generate a vortex at its tip, means to vary the orientation of the airfoil relative to the prevailing wind, and a rotary device located in the path of the vortex and adapted to be driven by the wind in the vortex, including a second airfoil having a major axis generally transverse to the major axis of the first airfoil and arrranged so that its downwash effect augments the energy of the vortex.
A method of concentrating wind energy, comprising the steps of placing a first airfoil having a major axis, a leading edge, a trailing edge and a tip in a prevailing wind with the wind direction being substantially parallel to a chord of the first airfoil so that a vortex is generated at the tip of the first airfoil, deflecting wind, by a second airfoil positioned generally traverse to the major axis of the first airfoil, from a position adjacent the airfoil tip into the vortex, mounting a rotary device in the vortex so formed so that the rotary device is driven by the vortex, and using the rotation of the rotary device to generate power.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.