Wind turbine apparatus
AssigneeDesign Licensing International Pty Ltd
InventorGraeme Scott Attey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There is provided a wind turbine apparatus which comprises blades having an aerofoil profile. The apparatus is arranged to start up even in light wind conditions and to act as a lift type device at higher rotational speeds. The apparatus may comprise wind deflectors to concentrate wind through the apparatus. Further, the blades may be orientated at less than 90° to a radius line which leads to improved performance. Still further, the apparatus may be arranged to heat water by means of solar energy.
Claims21
A wind turbine apparatus, comprising:
- a turbine blade assembly comprising a plurality of elongated turbine blades rotatably mounted about an axis, each turbine blade having a lift-producing aerofoil-shaped profile with a leading edge, a trailing edge, an outer low-pressure curved surface and an inner relatively high-pressure surface;
- and
- a pair of wind deflection members,
- wherein each wind deflection member comprises a flat elongated plate extending parallel to said axis and including an apex edge,
- wherein the apex edges are positioned at opposite ends of a diameter of the turbine blade assembly,
- wherein a first perpendicular direction extends from the diameter defined by the position of the apex edges, and
- wherein when the wind direction is in the first perpendicular direction, the turbine blades and the deflection members are exposed to an open, unobstructed wind flow, and no wind-guiding members compress the wind into the turbine blades;
- and wherein the plates terminate in the first perpendicular direction before the termination of the turbine blade assembly in the first perpendicular direction.
A method for capturing wind, power using, a wind turbine apparatus, comprising:
- receiving a flow of wind by the wind turbine apparatus,
- wherein the wind turbine apparatus comprises a turbine blade assembly comprising a plurality of elongated turbine blades rotatably mounted about an axis, each turbine blade having a lift-producing aerofoil-shaped profile with a leading edge, a trailing edge, an outer low-pressure curved surface and an inner relatively high-pressure surface;
- and
- wherein the wind turbine apparatus further comprises a pair of wind deflection members, wherein each wind deflection member comprises a plate including an apex edge, and wherein the apex edges are positioned at opposite ends of a diameter of the wind turbine apparatus such that the wind direction is perpendicular to said diameter in a first perpendicular direction defined by the position of the apex edges, wherein no wind-guiding members compress the flow of wind into the turbine blades when the wind is in the first perpendicular direction, and wherein the turbine blades and the deflection members are unobstructedly exposed to the flow of wind, and wherein the plates terminate in the wind direction before the termination of the turbine blade assembly in the wind direction;
- and
- wherein receiving the flow of wind comprises rotating the wind turbine blade assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.