WIND TURBINE ELECTRICITY GENERATING SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A system for producing electricity from wind energy, comprising:
- a turbine section comprising;
a shaft;
at least first and second turbines rotatably mounted to said shaft and arranged to rotate independently of one another and in opposite directions about said shaft when subjected to a same wind; and
at least one generator coupled to said at least first and second turbines and arranged to convert rotation of said first and second turbines into electricity, said at least one generator being mounted so as to be fixed relative to said shaft, the magnitude of electricity generation by said at least one generator being related to a torque induced on said shaft by said at least one generator responsive to rotation of said turbines relative to said shaft,said turbines having aerodynamic characteristics which provide in combination with the effect of the electricity generation by said at least one generator a situation where a sum of torques acting on said shaft is substantially zero;
wherein electricity generated by said at least one generator is conducted to an energy utilization device for usage or to electricity storage.
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Accused Products
Abstract
System for producing electricity from wind energy includes a shaft, at least two turbines rotatably mounted to the shaft and arranged to rotate independent of one another and in opposite directions when subjected to the same wind, and one or more generators that convert rotation of the turbines into electricity. The magnitude of electricity generation by the generator(s) is related to the magnitude of torque induced by the generator(s) on the shaft, and the electricity generation by the generator(s) may be controlled such that torques induced on the shaft by the generator(s) is controlled such that a sum of torques induced on the shaft is substantially zero. Generated electricity is conducted to users, to electricity storage, or to processing components. In an airborne embodiment, a lifting structure generates a lifting force to lift the turbines to a desired altitude, and an anchoring system anchors the turbines relative to the ground.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A system for producing electricity from wind energy, comprising:
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a turbine section comprising; a shaft; at least first and second turbines rotatably mounted to said shaft and arranged to rotate independently of one another and in opposite directions about said shaft when subjected to a same wind; and at least one generator coupled to said at least first and second turbines and arranged to convert rotation of said first and second turbines into electricity, said at least one generator being mounted so as to be fixed relative to said shaft, the magnitude of electricity generation by said at least one generator being related to a torque induced on said shaft by said at least one generator responsive to rotation of said turbines relative to said shaft, said turbines having aerodynamic characteristics which provide in combination with the effect of the electricity generation by said at least one generator a situation where a sum of torques acting on said shaft is substantially zero; wherein electricity generated by said at least one generator is conducted to an energy utilization device for usage or to electricity storage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification