Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02299154 2001-10-15
1 "WIND DRIVEN TURBINE"
2
3 FIELD OF THE INVENTION
4 The present invention relates to wind turbines. In particular to a
device that increases wind potential energy by compacting then gradually
6 releasing it from upwind compaction tunnels into downwind expansion blades
of
7 wind driven twin turbines to rotate their axles, which in turn rotate
electric
8 generators or such similar device.
9
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
11 Presently known arts do utilize wind energy to do such work as
12 generating electricity. In doing so, inventors took any of two directions
or the
13 combination, thereof. One direction, influenced by the early aeronautic
period,
14 used airfoils: vanes, blades, and propellers to rotate an axle in an
aerodynamic
fashion. The other direction used the wind push to turn turbine blades placed
in its
16 path. The former split the defuse wind energy vector into three components,
using
17 one only. As a result, efficiency ranged from: 6% to 31 % -'Power From The
Wind'
18 - P. C. Putnam, 1948. Inefficiency led to huge designs to boost
productivity. The
19 result was: higher cost per kilowatt, long idling time, narrower spans of
useful wind
velocity, and a safety hazard. Even though the wind push method used the
entire
21 wind energy vector cross section, turbine designs still used up a huge
portion of it
22 just to overcome resistance. Known arts did not yet invent means of
reducing
23 turbine size effectively. In both cases it is noticed that devices marketed
today
24 work only as separate units, with a substantial portion of the wind vector
cross
CA 02299154 2001-10-15
1 section passing unused through and around them. In both directions taken by
2 inventors, weight and cost are still high, while productivity is marginal at
best.
3 A device is needed which can reduce the size of the moving parts
4 and therefore the idling time and cost. One that can compact the defuse wind
energy vector cross section, lower it's start-up limits and increase
productivity,
6 while allowing the use of the full wind velocity vector cross section per
unit of
7 surface, specially when laterally and vertically stacked. This invention is
8 attempting to do just that.
9 A short patent search revealed a number of related arts. The nearest
to this invention was considered: CA # 2,128,167= USP # 5,332,354 of Mr. John
11 Lamont of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Firstly: in trying to combine both
the
12 aerodynamic and the wind push methods, Mr. Lamont created conditions for
13 turbulence in a number of places, which he eliminated by wind volume flow
control
14 which lowered productivity. Secondly: his device's area of effective wind
vector
cross section is less than that of the device especially when the secondary
16 housing is in place. Thirdly: perfect stacking is difficult. Fourthly: high
productivity
17 is only possible with huge designs that need higher start up wind
velocities which
18 are a factor that limits the use of Mr. Lamont's design both spatially and
19 temporally.
2
CA 02299154 2001-10-15
1 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
2 The present invention is a rectangular twin turbines stackable device
3 that overcomes the mentioned problems and disadvantages. It includes
4 preferably, a pair of side-by-side compaction tunnels, placed lengthwise
parallel to
the wind direction. These are equal in length and many times longer than
6 their wind entrances total width or height. The upwind side width wall of
the
7 device's rectangular housing is removed and replaced by two wind compaction
8 tunnel's entrances which totally and equally occupy it's space. The long
walls of
9 the compaction tunnels taper off into exits that are each many times smaller
than
any of the two wind compaction tunnel's entrances. While the wind compaction
11 tunnel's entrances are air tightly connected by means, to one another and
to the
12 wind compaction tunnels, the tunnel's exits downwind, are also each air
tightly
13 connected by means, each to a wind turbine housing positioned tangentially
and
14 downwind, such that the wind turbines axes of rotation lie in the extension
plan of
the wind compaction tunnel's long axes either horizontally or vertically.
Axially
16 positioned, in the turbine housings, the two turbine axles are either
vertical and
17 closer to one another; or in one aspect of the invention, closer to the
neighboring
18 long walls of the rectangular devices housing. And when horizontally built,
they are
19 either near the device roof or it's floor. In case of vertical axle
designs, one turbine
is always elevated above the other to allow for placement of one or more
generator
21 or machine.
22 To each axle of the two turbines there are, attached at one edge, by
23 means, four hemispherical or half cylindrical expansion blades positioned
90
24 degrees one behind the other. The blades concave faces face upwind, while
the
edges of each blade, not contacting the axle, are snuggishly fitting the inner
3
CA 02299154 2001-10-15
1 contours of the turbine housing. By introducing compressed air into an
expansion
2 blade concavity through the compression tunnel exit it rotates the turbine
axle a
3 quarter revolution, and for the next quarter revolution this blade deflates
through a
4 rear exhaust in the turbine-housing wall. The rotation of both turbine axles
is
transferred, by means, to one or more rotor when both are spinning in the same
6 direction, and to rotate a rotor and a stator in a unique generator, when
spinning in
7 opposite directions. In the latter case the device is made to produce at
very light
8 wind velocities with minimum idling time. The unique generator is one where
both
9 magnet and coil rotate opposite one another.
Where wind is unidirectional, one aspect of the invention may take the
11 shape of a long rectangular building, stretched parallel to the wind
vector, with the
12 upwind short side wall moved back to near, the rear wall forming a huge
13 compaction tunnel upwind, and a rear turbines room downwind. Downwind,
exits
14 through the moved wall are air tightly connected, by means, to turbine
housings.
16 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
17 The following drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the
18 present invention:
19 Figure 1 is a front view of two wind driven twin turbine devices,
vertically stacked;
21 Figure 2 is a plan view along section A -- A' of Figure 1;
22 Figure 3 is a rear view of Figure 1 with the rear wall removed,
23 showing the main components in the turbines rooms of both devices;
24 Figure 4 is a side view of Figure 1 along section B B' with the main
components in the turbines rooms visible;
4
CA 02299154 2001-10-15
1 Figures 5a-a are schematics showing five possible turbine-to-
2 generator coupling arrangements, arrows showing stacking directions; and
3 Figure 6 is a plan sectional view as in Figure 2 of another aspect of
4 the present invention.
6 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
7 Referring to the drawings, particularly to Figures 1 to 5, there is
8 illustrated a vertical stacking of two wind driven twin turbine devices in
identical,
9 elongated, rectangular device housings 15 which can be made of light
metallic
and composite building materials. Each illustrated device comprises a device
11 housing 15 with the short upwind side wall removed and replaced by two
equal-
12 sized wind entrances 23 that occupy the whole area of the side. Best shown
in
13 Figure 2, stretched horizontally downwind and air tightly connected, by
means, to
14 each quadrangular wind entrance 23, are wind compression tunnels 16 having
flat
smooth walls 24 tapering off gradually into wind compression tunnel exits 18
each.
16 The wind compression tunnel exits 18 are each many folds smaller than the
17 corresponding wind entrance 23 (as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the areas of
the
18 entrance 23 being about four or more times that of the exit 18) , and
slightly
19 elevated one relative the other, to facilitate the positioning of
generators 30.
Exits 18 of the wind compression tunnels 16 are each air tightly
21 connected, by means, to a wind turbine housing 9, placed tangentially and
22 downwind from the corresponding wind compression tunnel 16 with the long
axis
23 of that wind compression tunnel passing at right angles to the wind turbine
24 housing axis of rotation. The wind turbine housing 9 may be cylindrical or
discoid
in shape, and positioned vertically or horizontally, and may be nearest or
furthest
s
CA 02299154 2001-10-15
1 from the device's long axis plan running between the two-wind compression
2 tunnels 16.
3 Each wind turbine housing 9 has an air exhaust outlet 14 located a
4 quarter revolution downwind from the corresponding wind compression tunnel
exit
18 on the circumference of the wind turbine housing 9. The area of the air
exhaust
6 outlet 14 is the distance of the wind turbine housing quarter circumference
times
7 it's height taken parallel to it's long axis. The wind turbine housing 9 air
exhaust
8 outlet 14 penetrates through the device housing 15 rear short wall to the
9 atmosphere.
Wind turbine axles 26, axially placed and freely rotating, by means,
11 in the wind turbine housings 9, extend beyond the wind turbines housings
limits,
12 and are supported, by means, at one extremity, allowing their free
spinning, while
13 at the other extremity they end in flywheels 25 that facilitate coupling
with
14 generators 30 or any other useful appliance. To the portion of each of the
axles 26
inside the wind turbine housings 9, are fitted firmly and air tightly, by
means, four
16 wind expansion blades 11, positioned 90 degree, one behind the other, and
the
17 concave faces always against the wind flow and three blade edges snuggishly
18 touching the inner walls of the wind turbine housing 9 but freely rotating
in it.
19 The device's housing 15 is held up in position by self-orienting
support means comprising: a pivoting means 17 medially placed upwind, a little
21 distance behind and between the wind entrances 23 of the upwind end of the
wind
22 compression tunnels 16; and pairs of rolling means 19 firmly connected to
the
23 underside of the device's housing 15 and positioned laterally near the
short back
24 wall of the device housing 15.
CA 02299154 2001-10-15
1 The pivoting means 17 is firmly imbedded in the circular platform 10
2 and penetrates the roof of the device's housing 15, while the rolling means
19 freely
3 move on top of platform 10.
4 The device may take the aspect of Figure 6 when sufficiently strong,
unidirectional wind prevails. Then the two wind compaction tunnels 16 are
replaced
6 by one compaction compartment occupying most of the device's housing 15 on
the
7 upwind side, with the short wall facing the wind removed backward to near
the back
8 wall to form downwind turbines room. In this aspect of the invention the
compaction
9 compartment exits 18 are located in the inner wall itself and are air
tightly connected
downwind, by means, to wind turbine housings 9.
11 The wind driven twin turbines device operates both individually and in
12 groups, thus maximizing productivity beyond the scope of any device yet
available.
13 The wind entrances 23, occupying all the wind-facing area of the
14 upwind short side wall of the device housing 15 insure the maximum use of
the
defuse wind energy vector cross section, without energy loss - through
bypassing, in
16 or around the device.
17 The upwind portion of the device, in all aspects, concentrates the
18 defuse wind energy vector cross section in two ways: by gradually reducing
it to the
19 cross section of the wind compaction compartment or tunnels 16's exits 18,
and so
raising it's potential energy; and also by compressing it at the exits 18
under the force
21 of the wind mass in the wind compaction tunnels as acted upon by the wind
velocity
22 vector cross section at the wind entrances 23 - as such: the bigger the
wind velocity
23 and the dimension of entrances 23, relative to the exits 18 the longer the
wind
24 compression tunnels 16, and the smoother it's inner walls; the greater is
the potential
energy at exits 18.
CA 02299154 2001-10-15
1 The reduced wind turbine dimensions increase efficiency in two ways:
2 by reducing weight therefore cost, and by reducing dimensions and weight,
therefore
3 reducing frictional and mechanical resistances necessary to overcome before
any
4 production begins. The result expected is less idling time and wider
temporal and
spatial use.
6 As shown in Figure 5 ( a, d, a ), the present invention designs ability to
7 move one generator 30 with one or more turbines 7 allows the device to
commence
8 production at very low wind velocities. Figure 5a illustrates a plurality of
turbines 7 on
9 driving a common shaft 22. Figure 5d illustrates one generator driven buy
two
turbines. Figure 5e illustrates four generators, each being driven by two
turbines.
11 On the other hand the device's ability to move one or more generators
12 30 with one turbine as in Figure 5 ( b and c), increases the span of it's
use, under
13 conditions of high wind velocities, to near the structural limits. Figure
5b illustrates two
14 generators 30, one turbine per generator. Figure 5c illustrates an
alternate
arrangement of Figure 5b. These can easily be predicted for any location from
16 meteorological data and wind rose technique. In short, the present
invention can be
17 tailored to work efficiently in wind velocities barely exceeding the
frictional and
18 mechanical resistance, to wind velocities of hurricane magnitude.
19 The box shape of the device housing permits stacking while the large
roof area is ideal for solar panels in calm sunny days. Environmental and
safety
21 issues are well served by the invention's production of clean sustainable
energy and
22 the small concealed moving parts.
23 Electric energy production, in this invention, is believed to be big
24 enough to serve the needs of the widest spectrum of consumers. Futuristic
usage
includes: powering and recharging stations for electric vehicles; designer
water;
s
CA 02299154 2001-10-15
1 hydrogen and oxygen production; elimination of sewage water recycling and
dumping
2 in rivers, lakes, oceans, and it's use in farming; also ozone layer
replenishment; and
3 restoring of atmospheric oxygen lost to internal combustion engines and to
the
4 stratosphere through holes made during nuclear events. A vital usage is
sighted in
the upgrading, by hydrogen fixation, of immoveable hydrocarbons and bitumens;
6 and coal and organic matter liquefaction and conversion to fuels.
7 It is believed here that now a disclosure of the invention's main
8 components, the way it is built, the way it operates, and the main
applications and
9 uses are made.
9
