Optimizing Wind Turbine Designs for Improved Power Efficiency

A wind turbine design that uses blade oscillation and periodic angle changes to maximize power output from fluid flows like wind and water. The turbine has a vertical blade connected to a counterweight that pivots perpendicular to the fluid flow. Control mechanisms vary the blade angle and rotation to optimize energy capture. The blade's oscillation and angle changes, along with flywheel momentum, extract more energy compared to fixed orientation turbines. The movements are coordinated to follow the fluid flow and avoid disruptive shocks smoothly. The design can be modular for ground, water, or rooftop installations.

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Apparatus for efficiently harvesting energy from air or water currents, using solid and/or morphing foils to take advantage of lift and drag forces. The apparatus has a frame with segmented tracks and foils that move along the tracks. The foils can be oriented perpendicular to the segments, like a carousel, or at other angles. The foils are designed to generate lift and drag forces from the currents.

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A system for converting energy from fluid flow like wind or water currents that has improved efficiency and flexibility compared to conventional wind turbines or water turbines. The system uses synchronized rotating blades that can change orientation and pass from horizontal to vertical axis rotation to capture more energy. The system has two interconnected transmission shafts with internal and external gearing that synchronize blade motion. The blades are mounted on a rotating hub with a pivot point that allows them to oscillate. The system can capture energy from fluid flow and also function as a generator by supplying power to the blades to rotate them.

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A massive wind turbine with large blades and a high solidity ratio to efficiently capture wind energy. The turbine uses a compound blade design with Y-shaped blades that provide lift force to reduce stress on the mast. The blades are mounted on a circular rail rotor that can be scaled to large diameters. The wind turbine has multiple units with hydraulic or pneumatic systems to adjust resistance and synchronize rotation for power generation. A control system manages the orientation and operation of the massive windmill to optimize power output.

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A turbine energy device with increased efficiency and power density compared to conventional turbines. The device uses multiple generator stages to multiply the relative rotation speed between rotor and stator for higher energy conversion. The generators are connected to the turbine rotor through external axles and transmission components like gears to achieve gear ratios that accelerate the stator rotation. This enables faster relative rotation and improved energy extraction compared to direct rotor connections. The multiple generator stages can be arranged in various configurations on the turbine rotor.

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A tethered wing design for wind energy conversion with optimized aerodynamic and mechanical properties for reliable, efficient, and durable operation. The wing design features a combination of rigid structural elements like beams and profiles with flexible membrane sections. The rigid elements provide shape and stability, while the flexible membranes generate lift. The wing uses a central tether connection and external bridle lines to allow free rotation. The tethering, profile elements, and pivot points are optimized for load transfer, flight stability, and angle control. The design achieves high lift, low weight, and performance suitable for airborne wind energy systems.

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A highly efficient and versatile airborne wind turbine for power generation that can fly at high altitudes using a combination of lift and drag forces to generate power. The turbine comprises a streamlined wing-shaped airfoil with a tethered cable that allows it to fly in a figure-eight path, maximizing energy extraction. The tether unwinds and rewinds from a reel as the airfoil moves in the figure-eight trajectory. The turbine is launched using a crane and can reach high altitudes where wind speeds are stronger and more consistent. The same airborne turbine design is also used to provide traction for ships.

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Heating assembly for wind turbine blades to remove ice build-up during freezing conditions and improve performance. A heat reservoir inside the blade cavity is connected to a heat source and has vents to release hot air onto the blade surface. The hot air heats the blade to melt ice and prevent re-freezing. Hot air is directed at the leading edge where ice accumulates and also at the trailing edge to prevent migrating ice from re-forming.

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Optimizing the maintenance schedule for wind turbines in a large-scale wind power system to maximize generation efficiency and minimize wind curtailment. The optimization models the power system with wind power and sets constraints on maintenance time, site, reliability, and continuity. The objective function balances minimizing wind curtailment due to maintenance with maintaining the turbines to maximize overall power generation.

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Wind harnessing device with a lightweight, simple, and adjustable blade design for lower cost, weight, and easy maintenance compared to conventional wind turbine blades. The device has an axle with poles extending out at each end and blade assemblies that can swing about their attachment points to the poles. This allows the blades to adjust their angle to the wind for improved efficiency compared to fixed-angle blades. The swinging blade design allows the device to harness wind power from wider angles.

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Wind turbine system with power split transmission coupling that enables efficient power generation and regeneration. The power split transmission coupling is a variable torque coupling that can divert hydraulic fluid to limit power to the generator when the rotor speed exceeds the generator's rating. The diverted fluid is stored under pressure. When the rotor speed drops below the generator rating, the stored fluid is used to boost generator power via a hydraulic motor. This allows generating the maximum potential power without exceeding the generator rating. The system can capture more power from varying wind speeds by using stored energy during lulls.

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A distributed compressed air energy storage system for wind farms improves the capacity factor of intermittent wind power. The system uses multiple small air storage tanks and compressor-expander trains at each wind turbine rather than large consolidated underground storage. The tanks are connected by a thermal interchange network to share heating and cooling to improve efficiency. The distributed storage and thermal exchange overcome the limitations of centralized compressed air storage systems.

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A system to increase the efficiency of wind turbines by channeling wind to the turbine to increase power output. The system involves using wind compressors placed around the turbine to redirect wind flow towards the turbine. The compressors create a Venturi effect where the redirected wind flows converge towards the turbine at an increased velocity and force.

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A vertical-axis wind turbine system that uses a wind director to improve efficiency by reducing drag on the returning blade while increasing force on the advancing blade. The wind director has an inlet that captures wind and an outlet that narrows to increase wind speed. This directed wind is applied to the advancing blade. The wind director also has a secondary duct angled to provide additional forward force on the returning blade.

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A wind power generation system using vertical-axis wind turbines that drive generators through wheel hubs. This allows the turbines to spin at higher velocities compared to conventional vertical-axis turbines, which have poor power generation efficiencies compared to horizontal-axis turbines. The system uses vertical-axis blades mounted on a moving body that rotates wheel hubs when the wind forces cause the body to move. The rotating hubs drive generators to produce electricity.

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An omnidirectional flow turbine system that captures fluid energy from any direction. The system has a vertical axis rotor surrounded by a motionless aerodynamic diffuser shaped like an inverted wing. The diffuser directs the fluid flow towards the rotor regardless of direction, maximizing capture. The diffuser uses Coanda effect and aerodynamic features to prevent stall. The turbine can be combined with photovoltaics, LEDs, Peltier devices, etc. to extract more energy. It's applicable to wind, ocean currents, and other fluid flows.

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Wind turbine blade attachments to improve aerodynamics and power generation. The attachments are flow-guiding devices like spoilers or Gurney flaps. The devices are attached to the blade surface with flexible housings filled with adhesive. This allows bonding without grinding or complex prep steps. The attachments are also positioned in triangles to distribute loads, curved to accommodate blade bending, and reinforced with ribs for stiffness.

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