Wind energy converter utilizing vortex augmentation
OwnerSamuel S. Edwardsinventor
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Abstract
A wind energy conversion apparatus is disclosed herein for converting the linear momentum of wind energy into a pair of concentrated, counter-rotating and side-by-side regions of high angular momentum which includes a wing having variable angle of attack positionable forward of the entrance to an elongated duct having a bell mouth including an upper, inner reflex angular surface leading into a bifurcated duct section terminating in a diffuser augmenter at the aft facing area of the duct and which includes propellors operable to extract energy from the angular momentum in the established regions for driving electric generators or generator therefrom.
Claims6
In a wind energy conversion apparatus for converting the linear momentum of approaching wind energy into regions of high angular momentum comprising the combination of:
- an elongated duct having an inlet bellmouth chamber at one end in fluid communication with a bifurcated mid-section leading into a pair of circular duct portions constituting an exit or exhaust for said duct;
- propellor means movably carried in each of said duct exit portions to extract energy from the angular momentum of airflow passing through said duct from said inlet;
- a swept airfoil wing having a variable angle of attack operably mounted on said duct at said inlet bellmouth chamber;
- a diffuser augmenter secured to said duct encircling said exit or exhaust end of said duct in fixed spaced apart relationship thereto;
- said elongated duct is provided with an upper, inner surface of marked reflex curvature in side elevational view wherein general airflow is conducted along a substantially sinusoidal path between said inlet and said exit whereby said circular duct portions characterized as enclosing a pair of concentrated, counter-rotating regions of high angular airflow momentum derived from the linear airflow momentum;
- said elongated duct bifurcated mid-section includes curved inner wall surfaces constituting an angular airflow momentum guide, a vorticity augmenter and an angular modulator;
- and
- said diffuser augmenter includes a flared outlet in fixed space relationship to said elongated duct outlet effective to lower the pressure across the aft facing area of said duct exit and which augments the airflow gradients through said upper, inner surface of marked reflex curvature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.