Vertical windmill with omnidirectional diffusion
AssigneeWind Harvest Co., Inc.
InventorRobert N. Thomas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vertical windmill employing aerodynamic lift includes stators that form an omnidirectional diffuser and can rotate out of the wind to reduce the destructive tendencies in high winds. A braking mechanism included in the windmill uses rotation of the airfoils to reduce the lift caused by the wind and disengagement of the airfoils to reduce nearly all lift on the airfoils. Centrifugal force is used to activate the brake in high winds, both to slow the rotor speed and, in extreme winds, to stop the rotor. A motor is provided to drive the windmill to simplify controls and increase energy production.
Claims30
A windmill comprising:
- a support frame;
- a central shaft rotatably mounted on the support frame;
- an airfoil rotatably mounted at a fixed radial distance from the central shaft;
- a stator mounted at a fixed radial distance from the central shaft;
- means for allowing the stator to rotate about an axis and for biasing rotational movement of the stator;
- brake means for slowing the rotational speed of the central shaft;
- and
- means for transferring power from the central shaft.
A windmill comprising:
- a support frame;
- a central shaft rotatably mounted on the support frame;
- an airfoil rotatably mounted at a fixed radial distance from the central shaft;
- a stator mounted at a fixed radial distance from the central shaft;
- brake means responsive to a predetermined rotational speed of the central shaft;
- and
- means for transferring power from the central shaft.
A windmill comprising:
- a support frame;
- a central shaft rotatably mounted on the support frame;
- an airfoil mounted at a fixed radial distance from the central shaft;
- a stator mounted radially outward from the airfoil;
- means for slowing rotation of the central shaft;
- and
- belt means for transferring power from the central shaft whereby rapid changes in power will be damped by the belt means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.