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US 7,275,719 B2Granted
Wind drive apparatus for an aerial wind power generation system
OwnerGaylord G. Olsoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Wind driven apparatus for an aerial power generation system include driven elements and controls. The driven elements are configured and shaped to provide maximum force from both lift and drag during the downwind phase of operation and minimum force during the upwind phase. The driven elements have a sail portion with a leading edge and a trailing edge. The controls change the driven elements between high force configurations for downwind operation and low force configurations for upwind operation, adjust the pitch and azimuth angles of the driven elements, and control the camber.
Claims20
Wind driven apparatus for an aerial power generation system for generation of power from the wind, comprising:
- a driven element including a trapezoidal sail portion, an upper spar, a spaced lower spar, and a plurality of spaced battens, said driven element having a high force configuration and a low force configuration, a pitch angle and an azimuth angle, said driven element having, when in said high force configuration, an airfoil shape, said sail portion having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a camber, said upper spar being connected to and extending laterally along said leading edge of said sail portion, said lower spar being connected to and extending laterally along said trailing edge of said sail portion, and said battens being connected to and extending longitudinally along said sail portion for flattening said sail portion,
- means, connected to said sail portion, for changing said driven element between said high force and low force configurations while in flight, and
- means for controlling said camber of said sail portion while said sail portion is in flight,
- whereby said camber is increased when said driven element is in a high force configuration and said driven element is flattened when said sail portion is in a low force configuration, and whereby said means for changing changes said sail portion to a said high force configuration to generate power, and said means for changing changes said sail portion to a said low force configuration to pull said sail portion upwind.
1 more element
Wind driven apparatus for an aerial power generation system for generation of power from the wind, comprising:
- a driven element including a trapezoidal sail portion, an upper spar, a spaced lower spar, and a plurality of spaced battens, said driven element having a high force configuration and a low force configuration, a pitch angle and an azimuth angle, said driven element having, when in said high force configuration, an airfoil shape, said sail portion having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a camber, said upper spar being connected to and extending laterally along said leading edge of said sail portion, said lower spar being connected to and extending laterally along said trailing edge of said sail portion, and said battens being connected to and extending longitudinally along said sail portion for flattening said sail portion,
- means, connected to said driven element, for changing said driven element between said high force and low force configurations while in flight,
- means for controlling said camber of said sail portion while said driven element is in flight, and
- means for adjusting said azimuth angle,
- whereby said means for changing changes said driven element to a said high force configuration to generate power, and said means for changing changes said driven element to a said low force configuration to pull said driven element upwind.
2 more elements
Wind driven apparatus for an aerial power generation system for generation of power from the wind, comprising:
- a driven element including a sail portion, a lower spar, and a plurality of spaced battens, said driven element having a high force configuration and a low force configuration, a pitch angle and an azimuth angle, said driven element having, when in said high force configuration, an airfoil shape, said sail portion having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a camber, said lower spar being connected to and extending laterally along said trailing edge of said sail portion, and said battens being connected to said sail portion and extending transverse to said lower spar for flattening said sail portion,
- means, connected to said driven element, for changing said driven element between said high force and low force configurations while in flight,
- means for controlling said camber of said sail portion while in flight, and
- means for adjusting said azimuth angle,
- whereby said means for changing changes said driven element to a said high force configuration to generate power, and said means for changing changes said driven element to a said low force configuration to pull said driven element upwind.
2 more elements
Wind driven apparatus for an aerial power generation system for generation of power from the wind, comprising:
- a driven element including a sail portion, a lower spar, and a plurality of spaced battens, said driven element having a high force configuration and a low force configuration, a pitch angle and an azimuth angle, said driven element having, when in said high force configuration, an airfoil shape, said sail portion having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a camber, said lower spar being connected to and extending laterally along said trailing edge of said sail portion, and said battens being connected to said sail portion and extending transverse to said lower spar for flattening said sail portion,
- a leading edge control line that connects to said leading edge, for changing said driven element between high force and low force configurations while said sail portion is in flight, a first trailing edge control line that connects to one end of said lower spar and a spaced second trailing edge control line that connects to the other end of said lower spar, for adjusting said azimuth angle, and
- a plurality of intermediate bridle lines that each connect at one end to said sail portion intermediate said leading edge and said lower spar and connect at the opposite end to one of said first and second trailing edge control lines, said intermediate bridle lines each having a selected length to limit said camber to a selected maximum camber when said driven element is in a high force configuration,
- whereby said leading edge control line changes said driven element to said high force configuration to generate power, and said leading edge control line changes said driven element to said low force configuration to pull said driven element upwind, said first and second trailing edge control lines adjust said azimuth angle, and said intermediate bridle lines control said camber.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.