Protective wind energy conversion chamber

• US 20060108809A1
• Filed: 11/19/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saverio Scalzi
• Original Assignee: Saverio Scalzi
• Inventors: Scalzi, Saverio
• Granted Patent: US 7,215,037 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/55
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2016/006 wind power driven
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/00 Electric propulsion with power supply from forces of nature, e.g. sun or wind
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 3/0463 with converging inlets, i.e. the shield intercepting an area greater than the effective rotor area
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/25 the apparatus being an electrical generator F03D9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/30 Wind motors specially adapted for installation in particular locations means for mounting or supporting wind motors F03D13/20
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/941 which is a land vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/30 Wind power
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/728 Onshore wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/74 Wind turbines with rotation axis perpendicular to the wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/90 Energy harvesting concepts as power supply for auxiliaries' energy consumption, e.g. photovoltaic sun-roof

Abstract

A protective wind energy conversion chamber provides a protected multiple turbine mechanism axially aligned to convert kinetic energy of a moving fluid (e.g., wind) into rotational mechanical power by the reaction of the moving fluid with the turbine. The conversion chamber may either be configured as a vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) or horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT). The conversion chamber repositions an intake windward to collect and concentrate the wind prior to converting the wind into energy via the axially aligned multi-turbine mechanism. The remaining wind is released via a leeward-facing exhaust. Completely enclosed by the protective wind energy conversion chamber, the axially aligned multi-turbine mechanism avoids interference by birds and other outside objects.

Claims

1. A method for converting wind energy from an ambient wind current, the method comprising:

positioning a protectively covered intake windward, the intake being substantially normal to a flow of the ambient wind current to receive the wind;

collecting the wind into a channel having multiple conduits, the channel dividing the collected wind into the multiple conduits, each conduit having an inlet and an outlet;

concentrating the collected wind in each of the multiple conduits;

converting the concentrated wind into energy via multiple turbines, each turbine partially intruding into a respective one of the multiple conduits and having blades positioned substantially normal to the flow of the concentrated wind; and

directing the concentrated wind to a protectively covered exhaust to release the concentrated wind in a substantially leeward direction.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the multiple conduits are partitioned into substantially equal portions prior to concentrating the wind.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the positioning step includes rotating about a yaw axis the protectively covered intake to obtain an optimum flow of the ambient wind current.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising determining whether the step of conversion is within operating thresholds.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising repositioning the intake for optimal flow when operating outside of the operating thresholds.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the operating thresholds include several operating zones, each operating zone being associated with one gear.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein upon determining that the conversion is operating within a specific operating zone shifting at least one generator to the associated gear.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein each channel is divided into substantially equal concentrator conduits, each conduit being configured to direct and to separate the wind for a different turbine.

9. A wind energy conversion chamber comprising:

a wind chamber having a rotatable intake interface for receiving a gust of wind, a cavity formed within said wind chamber to allow passage of the received wind therethrough, and an exhaust interface for releasing the wind in a substantially leeward direction;

a converter having at least one turbine, the converter being partially shielded from the wind and being operatively coupled to interface with said cavity, said at least one turbine having a plurality of blades and being mounted within said wind chamber to position at least a portion of said plurality of blades within a plenum created in said cavity, a blade chord of said at least one turbine being substantially normal to the received wind from said intake interface; and

protective screens covering the intake interface and the exhaust interface configured to allow gusts of wind to pass through while preventing foreign objects from entering the converter to impede the rotation of the turbine.

10. The wind energy conversion chamber according to claim 9, wherein the cavity includes a concentrator channel coupled to the intake interface for concentrating the received wind and generating said plenum, said concentrator channel having an inlet and an outlet.

11. The wind energy conversion chamber according to claim 10, wherein said converter is coupled to said outlet of said concentrator channel to convert the concentrated received wind into kinetic/mechanical/rotational energy.

12. The wind energy conversion chamber according to claim 10, wherein the concentrated wind at said outlet of the concentrator channel is at a pressure greater than that of the outside atmosphere.

13. The wind energy conversion chamber according to claim 10, wherein said converter further includes a shaft to transfer power from the turbine, the shaft is coupled to a hub of said at least one turbine via a thrust bearing.

14. The wind energy conversion chamber according to claim 9, wherein said blade chord is not tapered.

15. The wind energy conversion chamber according to claim 9, wherein each of said plurality of blades have a tip and a root, said blade root having more pitch than said blade tip.

16. The wind energy conversion chamber according to claim 15, wherein said plurality of blades of said at least one turbine are twisted to enable easier startup and better high-speed performance.

17. The wind energy conversion chamber according to claim 9, wherein the converter includes a plurality of gear tracks, each gear track being associated with a specific operational threshold based in part on detected environmental conditions.

18. A system for generating power using wind, the system comprising:

at least two turbines oriented substantially perpendicular to a rotatable shaft and parallel to each other, each turbine having a plurality of balanced blades;

a divisible intake channel for collecting the wind, said divisible intake channel having at least one input and two outputs;

at least two concentrating channels coupled to said two outputs for concentrating the wind individually onto said at least two turbines;

an exhaust for releasing the wind;

at least two security coverings to prevent animals from interfering with operation and rotation of said at least two turbines and to allow passage of wind through the coverings, one security covering protecting said at least one input of said divisible intake channel and another security covering said exhaust; and

a wind shield to divert a first portion of the wind into the divisible intake channel and a second portion of the wind around the system to prevent negative interference with the rotation of the at least two wind turbines.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the wind shield includes a solid cylindrical housing having slotted openings for each turbine, the housing substantially enclosing the turbines except for a portion of the turbine exposed to the concentrating channels.

20. The system according to claim 19 wherein the housing, upon actuation, rotates the divisible intake channel in a windward direction to receive the wind gust.