Innovative Solutions for Increasing Sweep Area of Wind Turbines

Crossflow axes rotary mechanical devices with dynamic increased swept area. The devices extract more energy from fluids like wind and water compared to traditional crossflow turbines. The devices have two or more coaxial rotors that rotate in sync using a synchronizing mechanism. Each rotor has blades attached via arms. The blades are designed to avoid collision while maximizing the swept area between the rotors. This allows more fluid to be processed and energy extracted compared to conventional crossflow turbines.

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A wind turbine blade with deployable air deflectors to quickly counteract sudden increases in wind gusts. When sensors detect a load or wind gust magnitude or angle change, the air deflectors extend from the blade surface. The sensors trigger the deflectors to extend, increasing drag and decreasing lift to stabilize blade loads. They retract during normal conditions. The deflectors can be located at various positions on the blade and deployed to varying heights.

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Determining the optimal configuration of a wind turbine for a specific location to maximize energy production and lifespan involves analyzing wind flow characteristics at the location along with environmental conditions to select the ideal set of physical and control parameters for the turbine. The process uses a database of parameter combinations and applies a function to determine performance and fatigue estimates for each combination based on the location data. The combination with the best performance and fatigue values is then selected as the optimal configuration for that location.

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Vertical axis wind turbine with improved blade design for increased performance and an illuminated decorative ornament that can be powered by the turbine. The turbine blades have a curved shape with a cupped leading section and tapered airfoil section. This allows the combined drag/lift operation needed for efficient VAWT performance. The cupped section is joined to the airfoil section with decreasing radius and chord length towards the blade ends. This reduces turbulence and noise at the tips.

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Wind turbine with lightweight, adjustable blades that increase efficiency in low winds and protect the turbine in high winds. The blades have triangular airfoil shapes with curved leading edges, flat trailing edges, and detachable trailing edge sections. They can fold/unfold and slide telescopically to change surface area and sweep. The blades are connected to a hub with a gap between them. The cupped sail-like blade shape captures wind, while detachable sections allow blades to release in high winds to avoid damage. Sensors automatically adjust blade shape and sweep area based on wind conditions.

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A wind generator system with lightweight, high efficiency, adjustable blades that can change their surface area and length to increase efficiency in low wind conditions and protect the generator in high winds. The blades are triangular with a curved outer skin attached to a lightweight inner frame. Linear actuators fold/unfold the outer skin to change surface area, and the blades slide along telescopic masts to change length. Sensors automatically control the adjustments based on wind conditions. The blades also have features like auto-release trailing edges and simultaneous release mechanisms to prevent damage in high gusts.

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A wind turbine system that captures wind energy along the ridge of a gabled roof building. The system is housed in an enclosure that channels the airflow to avoid the stagnation point at the roof peak. This allows the turbine to benefit from the increased wind speed deflected to the ridge by the sloped roof. The enclosed turbine is visually appealing, bird-friendly, and prevents snow accumulation. It provides 5-8 times the energy of an exposed turbine.

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Floating vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) for offshore power generation that overcomes the limitations of conventional horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs). The VAWT has a 360° rotor with aerodynamic or impulse-based blades supported by fluidic or magnetic bearings. It leverages bearing advances to eliminate the gearbox and enable large-scale VAWTs. The rotor is designed to generate 60 Hz power without conversion directly. The floating platform has fins for stability and reduces drag using techniques like air bubbles and textured hulls.

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Horizontal axis wind turbine system with improved efficiency, reliability, and scalability compared to traditional wind turbines. The system uses a redirected power transmission path to enable multiple independent generators mounted on a tower. It uses bevel gears to redirect the horizontal rotor rotation to counter-rotating vertical shafts driving separate generators. This eliminates the need for power transmission through the yawing nacelle. The vertical generators can extract power independently without yaw constraints. The system can also use clutch mechanisms to add or remove generators for variable power output.

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An optimized modular wind turbine array with self-orienting turbines and an integrated system to maximize energy extraction from wind flows. The array includes a scalable networked superstructure of modular turbines. The turbines have variable geometry nozzles and inertial rotors to optimize energy conversion from varying wind conditions. The turbines are self-orienting to face the wind. The modular construction allows easy replacement of individual turbines. The integrated system maximizes energy extraction by tightly packing turbines in the array and adapting to varying wind conditions.

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A wind turbine with a generator that solves the problem of scaling up wind turbines to larger sizes. The turbine rotor has a ring-shaped hub with one or more blades that rotates around a stationary stator. This allows the hub to be much larger in diameter compared to traditional turbines. The large hub diameter reduces bending moments on the blades and hub, while eliminating the need for a central shaft. The rotor torque is transmitted directly to the stator without a shaft via magnetic bearings. The stator supports the rotor using magnetic bearings to handle axial forces.

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