Wind turbines with photovoltaic rotor blades

Abstract

Claim for protection: A combination of wind turbines in which the rotor blades are additionally equipped with large-area photovoltaic modules on the surface.

Description

[0001] 1. The idea being submitted here is the combination of a wind turbine's wind turbine rotor with photovoltaic modules. The energy generated can be dissipated, for example, by induction. 2. State of the art:

[0002] There are various different wind turbines such as: • Horizontal axis (horizontal axis wind turbines, HAWT) • Vertical axis (vertical axis wind turbines, VAWT) • Onshore wind turbines • Offshore wind turbines • Small wind turbines

[0003] A distinction is made here between: • Trilobite: Efficient and most widely used. • Two-bladed: Cheaper, but less stable at high wind speeds. • Multi-blade mills: Historical mills, ideal for slow but powerful work such as pumping.

[0004] In addition, there are innovative and special types of wind turbines such as: • Kite wind turbines: Use kites to harvest wind at high altitudes. • Bladeless wind turbines: Working with vibration or other technologies, e.g. for noise reduction.

[0005] None of the wind turbines currently available on the market offer the possibility of combining wind power generation with additional installed solar energy, thus being able to generate electricity even when there is no wind. 3. Calculating the power of a HelioVent wind turbine: a) Calculation of potential power per square meter: • Let's assume that a solar panel has an average power of 170 watts per square meter.1 m 2 Area generates about 0.17 kW. b) Calculation of the total power at 30,000 m 2 for a 3-blade wind turbine: This means that on an area of ​​30,000 m 2 a maximum installed capacity of approximately 5,100 kW can be achieved. c) Calculation of the annual energy yield: • If we calculate the annual yield based on an average solar irradiation of 1,000 kWh / m 2 / year, this results in 30 million kWh annually on 30,000 m 2 area with solar energy if the solar system operates under optimal conditions. Consideration of losses and efficiency

[0006] However, there are always losses due to factors such as: • Efficiency of solar panels (15-20% loss) • Temperature and weather conditions • Losses during conversion from DC to AC (alternating current)

[0007] Taking these losses into account, the actual energy production could be 15-25% lower, depending on the specific conditions.

[0008] Factors for the energy yield of vertical panels 1. Dependence on the altitude of the sun: • Vertically installed panels capture sunlight best when the sun is low in the sky (e.g. in winter or morning / evening). • At midday, when the sun is high in the sky, the rays hit the surface more flatly, which reduces the energy yield. 2. Location and direction: • South orientation (Northern Hemisphere): Maximum yields, but still lower than with tilted panels. • East or west orientation: Ideal if more energy is needed in the morning or evening. • North orientation: Usually not recommended as the solar radiation is minimal. 3. Reflection effects: • Vertical panels can better utilize scattered and reflected light from snow, water, or bright surfaces. This is especially beneficial in snowy or watery areas. 4. Loss due to less optimal irradiation: • Vertical solar panels typically produce about 30-50% less energy than optimally tilted panels. Examples of energy yield in kWh / m 2 :

[0009] Optimally inclined panels (e.g. 30-40°): • Average in Germany: 1,000-1,200 kWh / m 2 / Year.

[0010] Vertically installed panels: • South orientation: Approximately 500-800 kWh / m 2 / year, depending on the geographical location. • East / West orientation: Approx. 400-600 kWh / m 2 / Year. • North orientation: rarely over 100-200 kWh / m 2 / Year.

[0011] Advantages of vertical panels: 1. Space-saving installation: • Ideal for facades, balconies or fences where roof space is not available. 2. Low maintenance: • Rain cleans vertical panels better because dirt, snow or leaves hardly stick to them. 3. Less dependence on the season: • While tilted panels are less efficient in winter, vertical panels can work better in winter due to the low sun. 4. Conclusion:

[0012] With 30,000 m 2 With this area and modern solar panels, 30 million kWh or more could be generated per year, which could correspond to the annual electricity needs of approximately 8,500 to 10,000 households (assuming an average consumption of 3,000 kWh per household).

[0013] The exact amount may vary depending on location, module orientation, and other factors.

[0014] Vertically installed solar panels are less efficient than optimally tilted systems, but deliver good results in certain scenarios, in particular: • When there is little space on roofs (e.g. building facades). • To maximize winter yield or morning / evening power production. • In combination with reflective surfaces (e.g. snow or water).

[0015] With approximately 28,000 wind turbines, a scalable energy gain of several million kWh can be achieved. Explanations of the drawings: To picture 1: side view This image shows a side view of a wind turbine. The exact number of rotor blades is not visible in this image. 1. This section shows the existing power infrastructure of the wind turbine, which is used to transport the electricity generated by the solar panels. This optimally leverages the wind turbine's locational advantage twice over. To picture 2: Side view This image shows a simple side view of a HelioVent wind turbine. The number of rotor blades is not clearly visible. 1. This is a simple side view of a HelioVent wind turbine. The number of rotor blades is not visible in this image. Depending on the rotor system (2-blade, 3-blade), each rotor blade is equipped with solar modules on the front and back. These are integrated to provide optimal protection from environmental influences and ensure efficiency. 1.1 This is a simple side view of a HelioVent wind turbine. The number of rotor blades is not visible in this image. Depending on the rotor system (2-blade, 3-blade), each rotor blade is equipped with solar modules on the front and back. These are integrated to provide optimal protection from environmental influences and ensure efficiency. 2. Here, the solar modules integrated into the individual rotor blades are shown, which contribute to energy generation both in calm conditions and during operation. Should the wind be strong, 3. The base of the wind turbine is shown here. Conventional wind turbines consist of a concrete base. However, with HelioVent, this base is also equipped with solar modules that surround it at a 360-degree angle and can be aligned at the optimal angle to the sun. 4. Shown here are the backs of the HelioVent rotor blades of a wind turbine. The solar modules are also integrated into the back of the rotor blades to maximize energy generation. Due to the ability of many wind turbines to rotate, installing solar modules on the back of the rotor blades plays a crucial role. When the wind changes direction and the nacelle rotates, the HelioVent wind turbines can produce large amounts of energy even with the sun shining from behind – regardless of the wind. 5. This section shows the existing power infrastructure of the wind turbine, which is used to transport the electricity generated by the solar panels. This optimally leverages the wind turbine's locational advantage twice over. Picture 3: Front view Shown here is the front view of a conventional wind turbine. 1. Illustration of a 3-blade rotor system. 2. Representation of the concrete base of a classic wind turbine. Picture 4: Front view 1. Shown here are the HelioVent rotor blades of a wind turbine. They feature large solar modules on the front and back, which contribute to energy generation. This enables sustainable power production even in calm conditions. 2. Shown here is the base of a HelioVent wind turbine. The base can be covered with solar panels all around, up to 360 degrees, positioned at an optimal angle to the sun's rays. This requires minimal additional space but significantly increases energy generation. Figure 5: Front view of the rotor circle area 1. This diagram shows the rotor circuit of a rotating wind turbine. The difference in blade tip height maximizes the efficiency of the vertically mounted solar panels. 2. Illustration of a 3-blade rotor system without solar modules to illustrate the total rotor area. This area contributes to energy generation, whether from wind, a combination of wind and sunshine, or from no wind and sunshine alone. Figure 6: Front view of the rotor circle area 1. This diagram shows the rotor circuit of a rotating wind turbine. The height difference between the blade tips maximizes the efficiency of the vertically mounted solar panels to optimize energy generation. 2. Shown here are the HelioVent rotor blades, which are extensively equipped with solar modules. As the wind turbine rotates, these solar modules generate additional electricity. The difference in height between the blade tips maximizes energy yield. In calm conditions, the solar modules can be optimally aligned to achieve the greatest possible benefit. The solar modules mounted on the back allow energy to be produced when the sun is shining, even when there is no wind or when the wind is blowing from the “wrong” direction (i.e. wind from the front, sun at your back). 3. The height difference between the blade tips shown can vary between 75 and 220 meters depending on the wind turbine.

Claims

[1] Claim for protection: A combination of wind turbines in which the rotor blades are additionally equipped with large-area photovoltaic modules on the surface. [2] Protection claim: Wind turbines can generate large amounts of electricity even in calm conditions by equipping the rotor blades with large areas of photovoltaic modules or by completely replacing their surface with photovoltaics. [3] Protection claim: The rotation of the wind turbine increases the photovoltaic energy yield, as the area available for energy generation is significantly increased. [4] Protection claim: Making the solar systems usable without requiring additional land or arable land maximizes the locational advantage of the existing electricity infrastructure and uses the height of the wind turbines more efficiently. [5] Protection claim: The use of the existing electricity infrastructure makes it possible to operate wind turbines as usual and at the same time to take advantage of energy generation on windless, sunny days - without any additional effort. [6] Protection claim: Due to the large height difference of the blade tips of 75 meters to 220 meters between the rotor blade tips, the photovoltaic elements can capture light and convert it into energy, even in places where other photovoltaic systems would already be in the shade. [7] Claim: Wind turbines with photovoltaic modules on the back of the rotor blades. This allows the HelioVent wind turbines to continue generating solar energy even when exposed to sunlight from behind and wind from the front. [8] Claim for protection: Covering the base of the HelioVent wind turbines with photovoltaic modules makes it possible to make optimal use of the locational advantage of the area already used as well as the advantages of the existing electricity infrastructure. [9] Claim for protection: The possibility of rotating the nacelle and thus the rotor blades ensures that the solar modules can be precisely aligned to generate energy when there is no wind.

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