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US 8,894,348 B2Granted
Wind turbine
OwnerAndrew Carlton Thacker, IIinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Wind turbine systems and methods are provided. The wind turbine system includes a plurality of coaxial, counter-rotating turbine assemblies. First and second shroud assemblies define a generally spherical volume containing the first and second turbine assemblies. The first and second shroud assemblies each include a shroud member that can selectively shield or expose portions of the respective turbine assemblies to the wind by changing the rotational position of the shroud members about the system axis. The turbine assemblies are interconnected to a generator for the production of electrical power.
Claims20
A wind turbine system, comprising:
- a base member;
- a first turbine assembly, wherein the first turbine assembly is interconnected to the base member, wherein the first turbine assembly is rotatable about a first axis in a first direction, wherein the first turbine assembly has a first outer circumference proximate to a first end of the first turbine assembly and a second outer circumference proximate to a second end of the first turbine assembly, and wherein the first outer circumference is smaller than the second outer circumference;
- a second turbine assembly, wherein the second turbine assembly is interconnected to the base member, wherein the second turbine assembly is rotatable about the first axis in a second direction, wherein the second turbine assembly has a third outer circumference proximate to a first end of the second turbine assembly and a fourth outer circumference proximate to a second end of the second turbine assembly, wherein the third outer circumference is smaller than the fourth outer circumference, and wherein the second end of the first turbine assembly and the second end of the second turbine assembly are proximate to one another;
- a first shroud assembly, including:
- a first shroud member, wherein the first shroud assembly is interconnected to the base member, wherein the first shroud member extends at least partially around the outer circumferences of the first turbine assembly, wherein the first shroud assembly has a fifth inner circumference proximate to a first end of the first shroud assembly and a sixth inner circumference proximate to a second end of the first shroud assembly, wherein the fifth inner circumference is smaller than the sixth inner circumference, wherein the fifth inner circumference is larger than and proximate to the first outer circumference of the first turbine assembly, wherein the sixth inner circumference is larger than and proximate to the second outer circumference of the first turbine assembly, and wherein the first shroud member includes a first equatorial support member at the sixth inner circumference;
- a second shroud assembly, including:
- a second shroud member, wherein the second shroud assembly is interconnected to the base member, and wherein the second shroud member extends at least partially around the outer circumferences of the first turbine assembly, wherein the second shroud assembly has a seventh inner circumference proximate to a first end of the second shroud assembly and an eighth inner circumference proximate to a second end of the second shroud assembly, wherein the seventh inner circumference is smaller than the eighth inner circumference, wherein the seventh inner circumference is larger than and proximate to the third outer circumference of the second turbine assembly, wherein the eighth inner circumference is larger than and proximate to the fourth outer circumference of the second turbine assembly, wherein the second shroud member includes a second equatorial support member at the eight inner circumference, and wherein the first equatorial support member of the first shroud member is interconnected to the second equatorial support member of the second shroud member by an equatorial bearing assembly.
4 more elements
A method for providing a wind turbine system, comprising:
- interconnecting a first turbine assembly to a base member, wherein the first turbine assembly is located and rotates about a first axis, and wherein the first turbine assembly is in a form of at least a partial first hemisphere centered on the first axis;
- interconnecting a second turbine assembly to the base member, wherein the second turbine assembly is located and rotates about the first axis, wherein in a first operational mode the first and second turbine assemblies rotate in opposite directions, wherein the second turbine assembly is in a form of at least a partial second hemisphere centered on the first axis, and wherein the at least partial first and second hemispheres are aligned with one another to define a generally spherical shape;
- selectively shielding a first portion of the first turbine assembly from a wind using a first shroud assembly, wherein the first shroud assembly partially shields at least a portion of the first turbine assembly, and wherein the first shroud assembly is located about the first axis;
- selectively shielding a first portion of the second turbine assembly from the wind using a second shroud assembly, wherein the second shroud assembly partially shields at least a portion of the second turbine assembly, and wherein the second shroud assembly is located about the first axis;
- and
- interconnecting the first and second shroud assemblies to one another with an equatorial bearing assembly, wherein the equatorial bearing assembly allows a rotational position of the first shroud assembly to be varied relative to a rotational position of the second shroud assembly.
3 more elements
A wind turbine system, comprising:
- a base member;
- a generator interconnected to the base member;
- a first shroud assembly interconnected to the base member, the first shroud assembly including a first shroud member, wherein the first shroud member can be rotated about a system axis to change a location of the first shroud member about the system axis;
- a second shroud assembly interconnected to the first shroud assembly, the second shroud assembly including a second shroud member, wherein the second shroud member can be rotated about the system axis to change a location of the second shroud member about the system axis, wherein the first and second shroud assemblies define at least portions of a surface of a spherical volume, and wherein the first and second shroud assemblies are interconnected to one another by an equatorial bearing assembly;
- a first turbine assembly interconnected to the generator by a drive train assembly, wherein the first turbine assembly is located in a first hemisphere of the spherical volume defined by the first and second shroud assemblies, and wherein the first shroud member partially encloses the spherical volume in at least a first area adjacent the first turbine assembly;
- a second turbine assembly interconnected to the generator by the drive train assembly, wherein the second turbine assembly is located in a second hemisphere of the spherical volume defined by the first and second shroud assemblies, wherein the second shroud member partially encloses the spherical volume in at least a second area adjacent the second turbine assembly.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.