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US 7,112,034 B2Granted
Wind turbine assembly
AssigneesDaryle Bezemer, Robert Garry Raymond Mazer
InventorDaryle Bezemer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wind turbine assembly includes a venturi passage and a rotor in proximity thereto for rotation about an axis lying substantially perpendicular to the venturi passage. A rotor chamber partially surrounds the rotor. A port communicates between the rotor chamber and a low pressure point of the venturi passage. A remaining exposed portion of rotor is rotated by wind forces pushing the rotor. Communication of the rotor chamber with the venturi passage reduces pressure in the rotor chamber to increase efficiency of the wind forces pushing on the rotor blades.
Claims20
A wind turbine assembly comprising:
- a venturi passage extending in a flow direction from a front opening at a front of the assembly to a rear opening at a rear of the assembly, the venturi passage being defined between confronting airfoil surfaces of respective airfoil assemblies;
- a rotor including a shaft supported for rotation in proximity to the venturi passage about a longitudinal axis of the rotor which lies substantially perpendicular to the flow direction of the venturi passage and a plurality of blades extending radially from the shaft for rotation therewith to define a sweep area occupied by the blades as the rotor is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the rotor;
- a peripheral wall which extends at least 180 degrees about the rotor in a generally circumferential direction from the front of the assembly at an outer periphery of the sweep area towards the rear of the assembly to partially surround and define an enclosed portion of the sweep area;
- and
- a through port communicating through the peripheral wall between the enclosed portion of the sweep area near the front of the assembly and the venturi passage.
2 more elements
A wind turbine assembly comprising:
- a venturi passage extending in a flow direction from a front opening at a front of the assembly to a rear opening at a rear of the assembly, the venturi passage being defined between confronting airfoil surfaces of respective airfoil assemblies;
- a rotor including a shaft supported for rotation in proximity to the venturi passage about a longitudinal axis of the rotor which lies substantially perpendicular to the flow direction of the venturi passage and a plurality of blades extending radially from the shaft for rotation therewith to define a sweep area occupied by the blades as the rotor is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the rotor;
- a peripheral wall which extends at least 180 degrees about the rotor in a generally circumferential direction from the front of the assembly at an outer periphery of the sweep area towards the rear of the assembly to partially surround and define an enclosed portion of the sweep area, the peripheral wall having a circumference which is larger than a circumference of the rotor, defining a space therebetween;
- and
- a through port communicating through the peripheral wall between the enclosed portion of the sweep area near the front of the assembly and the venturi passage;
- wherein the shaft of the rotor is spaced towards the front of the assembly from a radial centre of the peripheral wall such that the space defined between the rotor and the peripheral wall progressively gets smaller in the direction of rotation towards the front of the assembly.
3 more elements
A wind turbine assembly comprising:
- a venturi passage extending in a flow direction from a front opening at a front of the assembly to a rear opening at a rear of the assembly, the venturi passage being defined between confronting airfoil surfaces of respective airfoil assemblies;
- a rotor including a shaft supported for rotation in proximity to the venturi passage about a longitudinal axis of the rotor which lies substantially perpendicular to the flow direction of the venturi passage and a plurality of blades extending radially from the shaft for rotation therewith to define a sweep area occupied by the blades as the rotor is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the rotor;
- a peripheral wall which extends at least 180 degrees about the rotor in a generally circumferential direction from the front of the assembly at an outer periphery of the sweep area towards the rear of the assembly to partially surround and define an enclosed portion of the sweep area;
- and
- a through port communicating through the peripheral wall between the enclosed portion of the sweep area near the front of the assembly and the venturi passage;
- wherein the enclosed portion of the sweep area is bound at opposing ends by end walls having a close tolerance with respective ends of the blades.
3 more elements
A wind turbine assembly comprising:
- a venturi passage extending in a flow direction from a front opening at a front of the assembly to a rear opening at a rear of the assembly, the venturi passage being defined between confronting airfoil surfaces of respective airfoil assemblies;
- a rotor including a shaft supported for rotation in proximity to the venturi passage about a longitudinal axis of the rotor which lies substantially perpendicular to the flow direction of the venturi passage and a plurality of blades extending radially from the shaft for rotation therewith to define a sweep area occupied by the blades as the rotor is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the rotor;
- a peripheral wall which extends at least 180 degrees about the rotor in a generally circumferential direction from the front of the assembly at an outer periphery of the sweep area towards the rear of the assembly to partially surround and define an enclosed portion of the sweep area;
- a through port communicating through the peripheral wall between the enclosed portion of the sweep area near the front of the assembly and the venturi passage;
- and
- at least one duct communicating from an inlet facing into the flow direction to an outlet directed into the enclosed portion of the sweep area at the front of the assembly.
3 more elements
A wind turbine assembly comprising:
- a venturi passage extending in a flow direction from a front opening at a front of the assembly to a rear opening at a rear of the assembly, the venturi passage being defined between confronting airfoil surfaces of respective airfoil assemblies;
- a rotor including a shaft supported for rotation in proximity to the venturi passage about a longitudinal axis of the rotor which lies substantially perpendicular to the flow direction of the venturi passage and a plurality of blades extending radially from the shaft for rotation therewith to define a sweep area occupied by the blades as the rotor is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the rotor;
- a peripheral wall which extends at least 180 degrees about the rotor in a generally circumferential direction from the front of the assembly at an outer periphery of the sweep area towards the rear of the assembly to partially surround and define an enclosed portion of the sweep area;
- and
- a through port communicating through the peripheral wall between the enclosed portion of the sweep area near the front of the assembly and the venturi passage;
- wherein the venturi passage is defined by vertically arranged airfoils supporting the rotor thereabove.
3 more elements
A wind turbine assembly comprising:
- a venturi passage extending in a flow direction from a front opening at a front of the assembly to a rear opening at a rear of the assembly, the venturi passage being defined between confronting airfoil surfaces of respective airfoil assemblies;
- a rotor including a shaft supported for rotation in proximity to the venturi passage about a longitudinal axis of the rotor which lies substantially perpendicular to the flow direction of the venturi passage and a plurality of blades extending radially from the shaft for rotation therewith to define a sweep area occupied by the blades as the rotor is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the rotor;
- a peripheral wall which extends at least 180 degrees about the rotor in a generally circumferential direction from the front of the assembly at an outer periphery of the sweep area towards the rear of the assembly to partially surround and define an enclosed portion of the sweep area;
- a through port communicating through the peripheral wall between the enclosed portion of the sweep area near the front of the assembly and the venturi passage;
- and
- a direction mechanism for orienting the front of the assembly to face into a direction of the wind.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.