ORBITING DRUM WIND TURBINE AND METHOD FOR THE GENERATION OF ELECTRICAL POWER FROM WIND ENERGY
First Claim
1. An orbiting drum turbine for capturing energy from a flowing fluid medium such as wind or water, comprising:
- (a) a base,(b) at least one flow-driven, drum-shaped drive element having a central axis, which is guided around the base in a continuous orbiting course while maintaining essentially the same angle between the drive element central axis and an intersecting horizontal plane, thereby transferring energy to an energy output element,(c) means for guiding the drive elements in the continuous orbiting course so that the drive elements follow the continuous orbiting course when a flowing fluid medium impinges on the drive elements, and(d) means for spinning the drive elements as they follow the continuous orbiting course, such that the drive elements can engage in motion comprising simultaneously spinning and travelling along the continuous orbiting course.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wind turbine captures energy from a flowing fluid medium using drum-shaped drive elements that spin while traveling along a continuous orbiting course around a base. Attached roller bearings engaging stationary raceways can guide the drive elements. Means for spinning the drive elements can include toothed belts engaging drive element cog wheels. Spinning can provide Magnus effect enhancement. Wind energy is captured by the drive element motion, then transferred to the base cog wheels by a toothed belt and finally fed to an output shaft. The invention includes locating drive elements in a moving fluid medium, spinning the drive elements as they are urged by the wind along a continuous orbiting course and capturing energy by linking the motion of the drive elements to an external device. The method includes adjusting the base'"'"'s azimuth and the angle of incidence of the wind in response to wind direction and speed.
-
Citations
21 Claims
-
1. An orbiting drum turbine for capturing energy from a flowing fluid medium such as wind or water, comprising:
-
(a) a base, (b) at least one flow-driven, drum-shaped drive element having a central axis, which is guided around the base in a continuous orbiting course while maintaining essentially the same angle between the drive element central axis and an intersecting horizontal plane, thereby transferring energy to an energy output element, (c) means for guiding the drive elements in the continuous orbiting course so that the drive elements follow the continuous orbiting course when a flowing fluid medium impinges on the drive elements, and (d) means for spinning the drive elements as they follow the continuous orbiting course, such that the drive elements can engage in motion comprising simultaneously spinning and travelling along the continuous orbiting course. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 21)
-
-
12. An orbiting drum turbine for capturing energy from a flowing fluid medium such as wind or water comprising:
-
(a) a base, (b) at least one drum-shaped drive element having a central axis, (c) at least one roller bearing attached to an end of the drive element, (d) at least one raceway on the base, the roller bearing engaging the raceway, the bearing and raceway serving to guide the drive element in a continuous orbiting course around the base while maintaining essentially the same angle between the drive element central axis and an intersecting horizontal plane, (e) means for spinning the drive element about its central axis as it follows the continuous orbiting course, the means comprising; (i) at least one movable toothed belt, (ii) at least one drive element cog wheel mounted on an end of the drive element and engaging the movable toothed belt, and (iii) at least one stationary drive surface mounted on the base and in contact with the drive element cog wheel, the stationary drive surface designed to grip the drive element cog wheel, permitting the drive element cog wheel to roll along over the stationary drive surface but designed to prevent the drive element cog wheel from slipping on the stationary drive surface, (f) at least one base cog wheel rotatably supported by the base, engaging the movable toothed belt and receiving mechanical energy from the movable toothed belt; wherein the turbine is configured so that when a flowing fluid medium impinges on the drive element, the drive element engages in motion comprising simultaneously spinning and travelling along the continuous orbiting course, the turbine being configured such that said motion captures energy from the impinging fluid medium and transfers the energy to at least one base cog wheel via the movable toothed belt. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
wherein the base can be pivoted from the swing carrier in the forked crown, thereby varying the attitude of the base to match the flow speed of the fluid medium, so that during high speed conditions the apparatus can be throttled by tilting to maximize performance by varying the angle of incidence of the fluid medium on the base.
-
-
14. The turbine of claim 12, further comprising:
-
(a) solar power cells installed on the turbine, (b) tracking control that serves, during a calm, to position the turbine so as to optimize performance of the cells based on the position of the sun.
-
-
15. The turbine of claim 12 further comprising an output shaft rotatably connected to the base cog wheel, wherein the captured energy is transferred from the base cog wheel to the output shaft from which the energy is eventually transferred to an external dynamo.
-
16. The turbine of claim 12 further comprising at least one cable, wherein the turbine can be raised and lowered on a support mast using the cable.
-
17. The turbine of claim 12,
(a) wherein the turbine comprises at least one belt guide rail mounted on the base, and (b) wherein the movable toothed belt comprises: -
(i) at least two tracks (ii) at least one flat steel reinforcing band, (iii) a flat steel reinforcement extension that sticks out from the belt edge and engages at least one belt guide rail.
-
-
18. A method of capturing energy from a moving fluid medium comprising:
-
(a) locating at least one drum-shaped drive element in a moving fluid medium, (b) spinning the drive element about a central axis as it is urged by the impinging moving fluid medium along a continuous orbiting course around a base, while maintaining an essentially constant angle between the drive element central axis and a horizontal plane, (c) capturing energy from the impinging fluid medium by linking the motion of the drive elements to an external device. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
Specification