Orbiting drum wind turbine and method for the generation of electrical power from wind energy

• US 8,253,264 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2011
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Erwin Martin Becker
• Original Assignee: Erwin Martin Becker
• Inventors: Becker, Erwin Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuevas, Pedro J
• Application Number:
  US13/027,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20110198857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 290/44, 290/54, 290/55
• US Class Current: 290/54
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 5/02 the wind-engaging parts being attached to endless chains or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/13 to collect or cause flow towards or away from turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/201 using the Magnus-effect
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/2212 perpendicular to wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/403 through the shape of the drive components
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/70 Wind energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/10 Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier

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.

Claims

1. An orbiting drum turbine for capturing energy from a flowing fluid medium such as wind or water, comprising:

(a) a base,

(b) a plurality of flow-driven, drum-shaped drive elements each drive element having a central axis, said axes remaining essentially mutually parallel while said drive elements are guided around the base in a continuous orbiting course, thereby transferring energy to an energy output element,

(c) means connected to said base 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 at least partly mounted on the base 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.

2. The turbine of claim 1, further comprising:

(a) a stator winding mounted on the base, and

(b) an armature winding on the drive element, positioned so as to induce an electric current by the motion of the drive element.

3. The turbine of claim 1, wherein the means for guiding the drive elements in the continuous orbiting course comprises:

(a) at least one roller bearing attached to the drive element, and

(b) at least one bearing raceway on the base;

and wherein the roller bearing engages the raceway, thereby guiding the drive element along the continuous orbiting course around the base.

4. The turbine of claim 1, wherein the means for spinning the drive elements as they follow the continuous orbiting course comprises:

(a) at least one movable flexible drive member,

(b) at least one drive element wheel mounted on the drive element and engaging the movable flexible drive member and transferring energy from the drive element to the flexible drive member, and

(c) a stationary drive surface mounted on the base and in contact with the drive element wheel, the stationary drive surface designed to grip the surface of the drive element wheel, permitting the drive element wheel to roll along over the stationary drive surface but designed to prevent the drive element wheel from slipping on the stationary drive surface.

5. The turbine of claim 4, wherein the movable flexible drive member comprises a toothed belt and the drive element wheel comprises a drive element cog wheel.

6. The turbine of claim 4, further comprising at least one base drive wheel rotatably supported by the base, engaging the movable flexible drive member and receiving energy from the movable flexible drive member.

7. The turbine of claim 6, wherein the energy output element comprises an output shaft rotatably connected to the base drive wheel and wherein the energy received by the base drive wheel is transferred to the output shaft and eventually to an external dynamo.

8. The turbine of claim 1, wherein the drive element further comprises a reinforcing spiral-shaped corrugated outer layer.

9. The turbine of claim 1, further comprising:

(a) a support,

(b) a rotary crane mounted on the support for following the direction of flow of the fluid medium,

(c) a forked crown mounted on the rotary crane, and

(d) a swing carrier mounted in the forked crown and supporting the base;

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.

10. The turbine of claim 1, further comprising:

(a) solar power cells installed on the turbine, and

(b) tracking automation and operational control that serve, during a calm, to position the turbine so as to optimize performance of the solar power cells based on the position of the sun.

11. The turbine of claim 9, wherein the turbine support is located on a mast and the turbine can be raised and lowered on the support mast using at least one cable.

21. The turbine of claim 1, wherein the means for spinning the drive elements as they follow the continuous orbiting course comprises:

(a) at least one first moveable flexible drive member;

(b) at least one drive element wheel mounted on the drive element and engaging the first moveable flexible drive member and transferring energy from the drive element to the first moveable flexible drive member;

(c) at least one second moveable flexible drive member moveably mounted on the base and in contact with the drive element wheel, capable of affecting the spin of the drive elements and capable of switching the direction of spin of the drive elements as they travel along the continuously orbiting course.

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.

13. The turbine of claim 12, further comprising:

(a) a support,

(b) a rotary crane mounted on the support for following the direction of flow of the fluid medium,

(c) a forked crown mounted on the rotary crane, and

(d) a swing carrier mounted in the forked crown and supporting the base;

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 a plurality of drum-shaped drive elements in a moving fluid medium, each drive element having a central axis, said central axes being essentially mutually parallel,

(b) spinning the drive elements about their central axes as they are urged by the impinging moving fluid medium along a continuous orbiting course around a base, and

(c) capturing energy from the impinging fluid medium by linking the motion of the drive elements to an external device.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising adjusting the base'"'"'s azimuth in response to wind direction.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising adjusting the angle of incidence of the flowing fluid medium on the base in response to the flow speed of the fluid medium.