Wind energy system

• US 8,167,533 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2010
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Green Electric Company
• Original Assignee: The Green Electric Company
• Inventors: Lucy, Dan, Blevins, Michael, Green, Colin, Blitterswyk, Nick
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Justine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Davis, Jason
• Application Number:
  US12/771,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20110103942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 415/4.2, 415/4.4, 415/60, 416/197.R, 416/198.R, 416/DIG.9, 290/55
• US Class Current: 415/4.2
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/20 Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 3/0454 and only with concentrating action, i.e. only increasing the airflow speed into the rotor, e.g. divergent outlets F03D3/0463 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/00 Details, components or accessories not provided for in groups F03D1/00 - F03D17/00
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/25 the apparatus being an electrical generator F03D9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/13 to collect or cause flow towards or away from turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/133 with a convergent-divergent guiding structure, e.g. a Venturi conduit
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/40 Use of a multiplicity of similar components
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2250/23 prismatic
• 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

Abstract

Wind energy systems comprise a wind accelerator having a support assembly and an outer structure surrounding the support assembly. The wind accelerator has a front region and a rear region. The rear region is substantially wider than the front region, and the outer structure tapers from the rear region to the front region. One or more turbines are mounted on the support assembly at or near the rear region of the wind accelerator or at or near the widest point of the wind accelerator.

Claims

1. A wind energy system comprising:

a wind accelerator having a front region and a rear region and defining an open top or an open bottom, the rear region being substantially wider than the front region, the wind accelerator tapering from the rear region to the front region, the rear region defining one or more vents facilitating reverse inflow of air and vertical outflow of air through the open top or the open bottom; and

one or more turbines mounted on the rear region of the wind accelerator.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein when air flows across the wind accelerator the air accelerates as it travels from the front region to the rear region.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the wind accelerator directs the air into the one or more turbines such that the air contacting the one or more turbines is moving at a higher velocity than air flowing past the front region of the wind accelerator.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the wind accelerator comprises a support assembly and an outer structure surrounding the support assembly.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the outer structure is made of a flexible material.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the support assembly defines a substantially hollow interior.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein the outer structure defines one or more rear vents.

8. The system of claim 3 further comprising a rectifier and an inverter to provide electricity from the turbines.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the wind accelerator is one of the following shapes:

wedge, tear drop, tadpole, V-shape, W-shape, modified wedge, modified teardrop or modified tadpole.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for orienting the wind energy system so that it faces into oncoming wind.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more turbines is selected from the group:

Darrieus vertical axis wind turbine and Savonius vertical axis wind turbine.

12. A wind accelerator apparatus comprising:

a support assembly and an outer structure surrounding the support assembly and defining an open top or an open bottom, the wind accelerator apparatus having a front region and a rear region, the rear region including a widest point of the wind accelerator apparatus and being substantially wider than the front region, the outer structure tapering from the rear region to the front region and defining an open back facilitating reverse inflow of air and vertical outflow of air through the open top or the open bottom.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising one or more turbines mounted on the support assembly at or near the widest point of the wind accelerator apparatus.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the wind accelerator apparatus directs the air into the one or more turbines such that the air contacting the one or more turbines is moving at a higher velocity than air flowing past the front region of the wind accelerator apparatus.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the outer structure is made of sail cloth.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the support assembly comprises a gantry framework defining a substantially hollow interior.

17. The wind accelerator apparatus of claim 12 wherein when air flows across the wind accelerator apparatus the air accelerates as it travels across the outer structure from the front region to the rear region.

18. A wind energy apparatus comprising:

a wind accelerator having;

a support assembly and an outer structure surrounding the support assembly, the support assembly defining a substantially hollow interior, an open top or an open bottom, and an open back facilitating reverse airflow into the substantially hollow interior and vertical outflow of air through the open top or the open bottom; and

a front region and a rear region, the rear region being substantially wider than the front region, the outer structure tapering from the rear region to the front region;

one or more turbines mounted on the support assembly in the rear region of the wind accelerator.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein when air flows across the wind accelerator the air accelerates as it travels across the outer structure from the front region to the rear region.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the wind accelerator is mounted on a pole and height of the apparatus is less than about 200 feet.