Free-standing propeller, method of operation, and preferred uses thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a novel flexible propeller (1), in which each of the rotor blades (30) has a gear (52) directly operatively connected to a reference gear (51) of a timing gear (50), the timing gear (50) being operatively connected to a hub gear (12), which in turn controls the angular velocity ω of the rotational motion of the hub (10). n configured to detect and process S rot is the size of the gear (52) of the rotor (30), and S r When the size of the reference gear (51) is assumed to be as follows: the angular velocity ω of the reference gear (51) r , the angular velocity ω of the rotational motion of the hub (10) n The ratio to ω r / ω n =1±(1 / 2)×(S rot / S r The reference gear 51 and the gear 52 of the rotor 30 in the timing gear 50 are designed to satisfy the above. In this respect, the swivel propeller 1 is distinct from conventional propellers 1. The present invention is particularly suitable for use in wind power plants, water power plants, and power units of ships or aircraft.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a novel free-floating propeller comprising a hub rotatably mounted on a shaft. The hub comprises two rotors arranged opposite each other, or at least three rotors arranged to form a star shape with respect to each other. The rotors are arranged on the hub at the ends of their longitudinal axes at an angle α to the central axis of the shaft, such that the longitudinal axes of the rotors describe the circumference of a right circular cone when rotated through 360 degrees. The hub comprises a timing gear for rotating the rotors about their longitudinal axes.

[0002] The invention further relates to a method of operating such a swivel propeller and its preferred use. [Background technology]

[0003] A propeller (from the Latin "propellere" meaning "to push") is a mechanical element that generally has blades (hereafter referred to as rotors) arranged radially (in a star shape) around a shaft, serving as a power source.

[0004] In fluid mechanics or aerodynamics, a propeller is used to generate motion in a fluid or to drive a propeller using a moving fluid. A typical application for motion in a fluid is a propeller used as a screw propeller on a ship. In an aircraft, the propeller is sometimes called an air screw propeller. In a helicopter, the propulsion is obtained by the upward movement, but here the term rotor is used. A typical application of a propeller driven by a moving fluid is a wind or water power plant. These work on a similar principle, except that they do not generate power to obtain thrust or lift (A) but instead obtain power from the air or water current. A propeller used in this way is also called a repeller.

[0005] The early propellers in wind turbines date back to the 11th century, giving them a history of about 1,000 years. Even in modern wind turbines (HAWTs) with horizontal axes, the drag component (W) of wind energy is eliminated, and only the lift component (A) is used to generate energy from the air flow. In particular, as can be seen from the formula of the circle that if the rotor blades are doubled, the rotor area is quadrupled, so the rotor diameter has gradually become larger in order to generate more power. In new facilities built at the end of the 1990s, the typical diameter was less than 50 meters, but since 2003, 60 to 90 meters have become the mainstream. In 2018, the average rotor diameter was 118 meters, and the average hub height was 132 meters. However, this development has come with the disadvantage of an increase in cases of damage to wind turbines due to gusts and strong winds.

[0006] On the other hand, the so-called Savonius rotor, or Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT), is a design that does not require height compared to a HAWT, and therefore only utilizes the drag component (W) and wastes all of the lift component (A).

[0007] In operation, many VAWT devices face the problem that they are not cost-effective unless they exceed a certain wind speed, e.g., a ramp-up or cut-in speed. Below the ramp-up speed, the VAWT device idles, but the control electronics and actuators still need to be powered, e.g., for pitching the rotors, and the device continues to consume power. To address this problem, a wind power device is known, as described in US Pat. No. 5,399,363. The wind power device is similar to a Savonius rotor, but has a solar converter mounted perpendicular to the rotors. The solar converter converts solar energy into a different form of energy, preferably electrical energy. It is advantageous to supply the device with the energy generated by the solar converter at low wind speeds. This allows the device to operate independently of the power grid, even below the start-up speed.

[0008] Another solution to the problem of the rise time in a VAWT device is to optimize the alignment of the rotor with respect to the wind or fluid flow. For this purpose, in the patent document 2, a VAWT device is disclosed that includes multiple rotors. One of the rotors is at an angle of 30 degrees to 60 degrees with respect to the main vertical axis of rotation, and the other rotor has a special aerodynamic profile intended to generate a so-called "secondary induced flow" that advantageously increases the aerodynamic efficiency of the device. The rotor here is itself rigidly connected to the hub of the disclosed VAWT device. On the other hand, a VAWT device disclosed in the patent document 3 is also known. This VAWT device also includes a rotor formed at an angle from the vertical plane, but is characterized by its material composition rather than its special profile. This rotor is made of a flexible material and has a certain degree of self-adjustment, i.e. it can change direction to a certain degree independently depending on the wind pressure and its own restoring force. Here again, the rotor is rigidly connected to the hub of the above-mentioned VAWT device.

[0009] Furthermore, as disclosed in US Pat. No. 5,399,633 and US Pat. No. 5,493,896, turbines, propellers or devices are known that adjust the mechanical alignment of the rotors with respect to the wind or fluid flow, respectively. Finally, US Pat. No. 5,493,633 and US Pat. No. 5,493,896 disclose VAWT devices with rotors angled with respect to the vertical axis of rotation, where the angle of attack of the rotors can be mechanically aligned to a certain extent with respect to the wind flow. US Pat. No. 5,493,633 provides an independent drive, in particular an electric motor or a pneumatic drive, which varies the angle of attack of the rotors. Finally, US Pat. No. 5,493,896 provides a planetary gear for the same purpose, which, together with the rotors arranged on the hub, is configured to rotate the rotors about the vertical axis by 180 degrees relative to the hub during each 360 degree rotation of the hub. However, in the gear configuration described there, the size ratio of the gears connected to the rotors to the central fixed gear, the so-called sun gear, is limited to 2-1, which leads to an early large gear deployment and, furthermore, the increase in the number of rotors significantly affects the size of the hub. In some cases, even an arrangement with only three rotors on the hub can be problematic with prior art gear designs. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] European Patent Application Publication No. 1626176 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2017 / 187229 [Patent Document 3] U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,956 [Patent Document 4] US Patent Application Publication No. 2011 / 0076144 [Patent Document 5] International Publication No. 2014 / 188289 [Patent Document 6] China Patent Publication No. 105863957 [Patent Document 7] GB 2495745 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] In view of this situation, the present invention has an object to provide a propeller that is improved over the prior art, which is particularly compact compared to conventional propellers, while at the same time allowing the arrangement of as many rotors as possible, preferably utilizes both lift (A) and drag (W) components, and particularly preferably is suitable for general use both for generating energy from wind or water power and for propelling ships or aircraft. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] This object is achieved by a swivel propeller with the features of claim 1. Further advantageous refinements and developments, which may be applied individually or in combination with one another, are set out in the dependent claims.

[0013] In the free-rotating propeller according to the invention, each of the rotor blades has a gear that is directly operatively connected to a reference gear of a timing gear, the timing gear being operatively connected to a hub gear, the hub gear being operatively connected to a hub of the rotational motion of the hub at an angular velocity ω n configured to detect and process S rot is the size of the rotor gear, and S r When the size of the reference gear is set as ω, the angular velocity of the reference gear is r , the angular velocity of the hub's rotational motion ω n The ratio to ω r / ω n =1±(1 / 2)×(S rot / S r The reference gear and the gear of the rotor in the timing gear are designed to satisfy the above. In the above points, the swivel propeller is different from the conventional propeller.

[0014] In particular, in this case, the radius, the diameter and / or the number of teeth of the gears may be used as parameters for determining the size of the respective gears.

[0015] Furthermore, in the context of the present invention, the term "gears" should be understood to include not only conventional gears with visible teeth of a very wide variety of shapes and materials, but also so-called "friction gears", i.e. non-sliding gears in contact with each other and capable of driving each other by friction.

[0016] The design of the rotor reference gear and the gear of the timing gear according to the above formulas is advantageous in that, unlike the prior art, there is no need to provide a direction gear between the rotor reference gear and the gear of the timing gear, and therefore a direct operational connection between the rotor reference gear and the gear can be realized, which allows a more compact design of the hub. Secondly, compared to the prior art, the interaction of the timing gear and the hub gear according to the above formulas is advantageous in that it removes size restrictions on the gears used in the timing gear gear, i.e. the rotor reference gear and the gear. This allows not only more than two rotors to be arranged on the hub, but also allows the design of the hub to be small, robust and flexible. The number of rotors actually arranged on the hub of a swivel propeller constructed according to the invention can therefore be advantageously applied in particular to wind power plants, water power plants, ship or aircraft power units, etc.

[0017] Furthermore, the 360° rotation of the longitudinal axis of each rotor defines the circumference of a right circular cone, resulting in a compact propeller design, since each rotor can alternately utilize both lift (A) and drag (W) components as it rotates along the circumference of the right circular cone.

[0018] In a first refinement of the invention, the reference gear may be located in the center of the timing gear and surrounded by the rotor gears. In such an "inner configuration", S rot is the size of the rotor gear, and S r When the size of the reference gear is set as ω, the angular velocity of the reference gear is r , the angular velocity of the hub's rotational motion ω n The ratio to ω r / ωn =1+(1 / 2)×(S rot / S r ) can be preferred. The "internal configuration" advantageously allows the selection of different combinations of rotor reference gears and gears with different sizes, allowing multiple rotors to be placed on the hub. The specific size ratio of the selected reference gear to the rotor gear can also be determined by modifying the formula according to the invention and depending on the selected number of rotors. In such an "internal configuration", the reference gear rotates faster than the hub.

[0019] Also, in a refinement of the invention, the reference gear is preferably realized as a planetary gear, a ring gear or a crown gear, and may be arranged off-center of the timing gear while surrounding the rotor gear. In such an "outer configuration", S rot is the size of the rotor gear, and S r When the size of the reference gear is set as ω, the angular velocity of the reference gear is r , the angular velocity of the hub's rotational motion ω n The ratio to ω r / ω n =1-(1 / 2)×(S rot / S r ) it may be preferable to design the rotor reference gear and the gears. The "outer configuration" is just as flexible as the "inner configuration" in terms of the number of rotors and possible gear combinations, but also reduces gear wear. Using a modified version of the formula according to the invention described above, the reference gear of the "outer configuration" rotates slower than the hub.

[0020] In a further refinement of the present invention, the angle α between the longitudinal axis of each rotor and the central axis of the shaft may be 30 degrees to 60 degrees, 35 degrees to 55 degrees, or 40 degrees to 50 degrees. According to the present invention, an angle of 45 degrees is preferred since it has the advantage of maximizing the use of both the lift component (A) and the drag component (W).

[0021] In this respect, it has proven useful if, at the first intermediate point (T1), each rotor blade is aligned along a vertical plane (x,z) of a three-dimensional coordinate system (x,y,z) relative to the free-floating propeller as the hub rotates about the shaft. It is advantageous to align the rotor blades in a vertical plane, preferably perpendicular to the air or water flow, since this allows the drag component (W) to be utilized at its (theoretical) maximum value.

[0022] In this case, at the first intermediate point (T1), the longitudinal axis of each rotor may be allowed a vertical deviation of up to + / - 15 degrees from the vertical plane (x,z).

[0023] Furthermore, it has proven useful if, at the third station (T3), each rotor is aligned along a horizontal plane (x,y) of a three-dimensional coordinate system (x,y,z) relative to the free-floating propeller as the hub rotates about the shaft. It is advantageous to align the rotors in a horizontal plane, preferably parallel to the air or water current, since this allows the lift component (A) to be utilized at its (theoretical) maximum value.

[0024] In this case, at the third relay point (T3), the longitudinal axis of each rotor may be allowed to deviate horizontally from the horizontal plane (x,y) by up to + / - 15 degrees.

[0025] In a further preferred refinement of the invention, it has proven useful if each rotor blade, at least in its part, has two substantially planar upper parts.

[0026] By arranging solar cells on the substantially flat surface, it is possible to advantageously generate additional electricity from solar energy.

[0027] In a further preferred refinement of the invention, it has proven useful if the lateral edges of each rotor are rounded or conical, which are advantageous in reducing or minimizing the drag coefficient.

[0028] In order to prevent performance degradation due to blade vibrations, it has proven useful if adjacent and / or opposing blades are connected to each other by cables, which may be attached to the blades between a central position and an end position, preferably in the region of the blade tips or adjacent thereto. Advantageously, such cables provide the blades with additional stability, support and strength.

[0029] The invention is particularly suitable for mounting arrangements in which the central axis of the shaft forms an angle β between 0° and 360°, preferably 45°, with respect to the horizontal direction (X) of the mounting coordinate system (x,y,z) for the swivel propeller. An angle β=45° is advantageous because it allows the swivel propeller according to the invention to be installed even on elevated ground, on a sloping or flat roof, on the wall of a building or on a substantially vertical surface. Even in the case of a conventional mast mounting arrangement, an angle β=45° of the central axis of the shaft is advantageous because it allows the swivel propeller according to the invention to be mounted away from the mast. This is particularly advantageous because it prevents damage or breakage of the rotors on the mast during gusts or strong winds, as is usually the case with known HAWT installations.

[0030] The invention further relates to a method of operating a flexible propeller as described above, in which the rotation of the rotor about the longitudinal axis is effected by a gear mechanism in synchronism with the 360° rotation of the rotor along the circumferential surface of the cone.

[0031] In a refinement of this method, it has proven useful if the rotation speed of the rotors about the longitudinal axis is half the speed of the 360° rotation of the rotors along the circumference of the cone. The rotation speed of the rotors along the circumference of the cone is therefore synchronous with the rotation speed of the hub or the rotation speed of the entire free propeller. Meanwhile, the rotors rotate about the longitudinal axis, preferably in a direction opposite to the direction of the 360° rotation of the rotors along the circumference of the cone. This is advantageous because it results in an alignment that allows maximum utilization of the lift component (A) or the drag component (W) at all times as the rotors rotate 360° along the circumference of the cone.

[0032] The present invention is particularly suitable for use in wind power plants, water power plants, and in the power sections of ships or aircraft, among other applications. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0033] Further details and further advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, to which the invention is not limited. The schematic diagram is as follows: [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a swivel propeller. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the swivel propeller of FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 shows the cone formed by the rotation of each rotor, with four intermediate points T1, T2, T3, and T4 chosen as an example. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows a side view of a swivel propeller with rounded blade tips. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 shows an outline of the proposed rotor profile. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 shows various mounting situations and specific applications of the swivel propeller according to the invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 shows various mounting situations and specific applications of the swivel propeller according to the invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 shows various mounting situations and specific applications of the swivel propeller according to the invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 shows various mounting situations and specific applications of the swivel propeller according to the invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 illustrates various mounting situations and specific applications of the swivel propeller according to the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 shows various mounting situations and specific applications of the swivel propeller according to the invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 illustrates various mounting situations and specific applications of the swivel propeller according to the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 illustrates various mounting situations and specific applications of the swivel propeller according to the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 illustrates various mounting situations and specific applications of the swivel propeller according to the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 illustrates various mounting situations and specific applications of the swivel propeller according to the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 illustrates various mounting situations and specific applications of the swivel propeller according to the present invention. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 illustrates various mounting situations and specific applications of the swivel propeller according to the present invention. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 illustrates various mounting situations and specific applications of the swivel propeller according to the present invention. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 shows an example of a timing gear of the prior art. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 shows, in cross section, a modified example of a propeller of the present invention having a timing gear as the "inner component." [Figure 21] FIG. 21 shows in cross section a modified example of a propeller of the present invention with a timing gear as the "outer configuration." DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] In the following description of preferred embodiments of the present invention, components that are considered to be the same or equivalent are given the same reference numerals.

[0035] 1 shows a perspective view of a swivel propeller 1. The swivel propeller 1 comprises a hub 10 rotatably mounted on a shaft 20. The hub 10 comprises two rotor blades 30 arranged opposite each other or at least three rotor blades 30 arranged in a star shape with respect to each other. A particularly preferred embodiment is shown with four rotor blades 30 arranged in a star shape. According to the invention, the hub 10 is arranged such that the rotor blades 30 are arranged at the ends of their longitudinal axes 31 at an angle α to the central axis 21 of the shaft 20 such that the longitudinal axes 31 of the rotor blades 30 describe the circumferential surface 71 of a right circular cone 70 when rotated through 360 degrees.

[0036] Figure 2 shows a side view of the swivel propeller 1 of Figure 1. It can be seen from this figure that the longitudinal axis 31 of each rotor 30, when rotating through 360 degrees, defines the circumferential surface 71 of a right circular cone 70, thus resulting in a compact design of the propeller 1. This is because each rotor 30, as it rotates along the circumferential surface of the right circular cone, is able to utilize both the lift component A and the drag component W (represented by the thick arrows) in an alternating manner.

[0037] In refinements of the invention, the angle α between the longitudinal axis 31 of each rotor 30 and the central axis 21 of the shaft 20 may be between 30° and 60°, between 35° and 55°, or between 40° and 50°. According to the invention, the 45° arrangement, as shown, has proven to be advantageous and preferred, since it allows maximum utilization of both the lift component A and the drag component W.

[0038] In this respect, it has proven useful if, at the first intermediate point T1, each rotor 30 lies along a vertical plane (x,z) of a three-dimensional coordinate system (x,y,z) relative to the free-standing propeller 1 as the hub 10 rotates about the shaft 20. Aligning the rotors 30 in a vertical plane, preferably perpendicular to the air or water flow, is advantageous since it allows the drag component W to be utilized at its (theoretical) maximum value.

[0039] In this case, at the first intermediate point T1, the longitudinal axis 31 of each rotor 30 may be allowed a vertical deviation of up to + / - 15 degrees from the vertical plane (x,z) (not shown).

[0040] Furthermore, it has proven useful if, at the third intermediate point T3, each rotor 30 is aligned along a horizontal plane (x,y) of a three-dimensional coordinate system (x,y,z) relative to the free-standing propeller 1 as the hub 10 rotates about the shaft 20. It is advantageous to align the rotors 30 in a horizontal plane, preferably parallel to the air or water flow, since this allows the lift component A to be utilized at its (theoretical) maximum value.

[0041] In this case, at the third relay point T3, the longitudinal axis 31 of each rotor 30 may be allowed to horizontally deviate by up to + / - 15 degrees from the horizontal plane (x,y) (not shown).

[0042] In order to prevent performance degradation due to vibrations of the rotors 30, it has proven useful if adjacent and / or opposing rotors 30 are connected to each other by cables 40. Here, the cables 40 can be attached to the rotors 30 between a central position and an end position, preferably in the region of or adjacent to the rotor tips 34. Such cables 40 are advantageous in that they provide additional stability, support and strength to the rotors 30.

[0043] 3 shows a cone 70 formed by the rotation of each rotor 30 with four intermediate points T1, T2, T3 and T4 selected as an example. As is generally known, a cone is a geometric body formed when all points of a limited continuous surface lying in a plane are connected by straight lines to a vertex 72 outside the plane. If the surface is, as in the example, a disk 73, the body is called a cone 70. If the vertex 72 is perpendicular to the disk 73, as in the example, the body is called a right circular cone 70. In the case of the swivel propeller 1 according to the invention, the vertex 72 is formed by the hub 10.

[0044] The modified example of the free-floating propeller 1 is advantageous because, when the rotor 30 passes through the selected relay points T1 to T4, it obtains (at least in theory, but not limited to) the following values ​​of drag W and lift A:

[0045] [Table 1]

[0046] FIG. 4 shows a side view of the free-moving propeller 1 with rounded rotor tips 34. It has proven useful if each rotor 30 has, at least in part, two substantially planar upper parts 32. On the substantially planar upper parts 32, solar cells can be advantageously arranged to generate additional electricity from solar energy (not shown). Also provided is a timing gear 50 (not shown here functionally exactly or to scale) which allows the rotor 30 to rotate about the longitudinal axis 31. A more detailed description of the timing gear 50 according to the invention will be given with reference to FIGS. 19 to 21, based on two variants.

[0047] The method of operating the flexible propeller 1 described above is characterized in that the rotation of the rotor 30 about the longitudinal axis 31 is carried out in synchronization with the 360° rotation of the rotor 30 along the circumferential surface 71 of the cone 70 by means of a timing gear 50 (not shown functionally or to scale in Figures 4 and 8).

[0048] In a refinement of the method, it has proven useful if the rotation speed of the rotor 30 around the longitudinal axis 31 is half the speed of the rotor's 360° rotation along the circumferential surface 71 of the cone 70. The rotation speed of the rotor 30 along the circumferential surface 71 of the cone 70 is therefore synchronous with the rotation speed of the hub 10 or of the entire free propeller 1. The rotor 30, on the other hand, rotates around the longitudinal axis 31, preferably in a direction opposite to the direction of the rotor 30's 360° rotation along the circumferential surface 71 of the cone 70 (the direction of rotation of the rotor 30 and the direction of rotation of the hub 10, respectively, are indicated by arrows in FIG. 2 ). This is advantageous, since it results in an alignment that allows maximum utilization of the lift component A or the drag component W at all times when the rotor 30 rotates 360° along the circumferential surface 71 of the cone 70.

[0049] FIG. 5 shows an overview of the preferred rotor profile. Here, FIG. 5a shows a substantially rectangular rotor 30. The rotor shown in FIG. 5b differs in that it has rounded lateral edges 33. In contrast, FIG. 5c shows a substantially diamond-shaped rotor 30, also with rounded lateral edges 33. Finally, FIG. 5d shows a substantially elliptical rotor 30 with conical lateral edges 33. Circular or conical lateral edges 33 are advantageous for reducing or minimizing the drag coefficient. Furthermore, ultra-flat rotors 30 may be used. FIGS. 5e to 5h show various embodiments, in which stiffeners 35 may be provided in the middle and / or at the ends of the rotor 30 for stabilization. The rotor 30 shown in FIGS. 5a to 5h may be made of known composite fiber materials. Also suitable is a fiber material tensioned by the stiffeners 35, particularly for the rotor 30 shown in FIGS. 5e to 5h.

[0050] The present invention is particularly suitable for use as a power source for wind power plants (FIGS. 6 to 9), hydraulic power plants (FIGS. 10 to 14), ships (FIGS. 15) or aircraft (FIGS. 16 to 18). In this case, a suitable mounting arrangement is one in which the central axis 21 of the shaft 20 forms an angle of 0 degrees to 360 degrees, preferably 45 degrees, with respect to the horizontal plane.

[0051] FIG. 6 shows a preferred mounting arrangement of two free-standing propellers 1 as part of a tandem wind power plant. From the figure, it can be seen that the mast 81 is perpendicular to the mounting coordinate system (X, Y, Z) relative to the free-standing propeller 1. Standing from the ground at 80 along the Z axis Also, Mast 81 has Two generators 60 adapted to generate electricity, each driven by the hub 10 of the swivel propeller 1 according to the invention Equipped withIn this case, the central axis 21 (not shown) of the shaft 20 is spaced apart from the mast 81 at a preferred angle β=45° with respect to the horizontal plane X. To synchronize the rotation of the rotor 30 about the longitudinal axis 31, the 360° rotation of the rotor 30 around the circumferential surface 71 of the cone 70, and / or the drive of the generator 60, one or more timing gears 50 (not shown functionally exact or to scale in FIGS. 4 and 8) may be provided, for example, on the hub 10 itself (see FIG. 4) or between the hub 10 and the generator 60.

[0052] Figure 7 shows a preferred mounting arrangement of four swivel propellers 1 as part of a quattro wind installation. As can be seen, the swivel propellers 1 are grouped in a star shape in order to balance as much as possible the forces acting on the mast 81 due to the lift component A and the drag component W. Further details are explained in Figure 6.

[0053] Figure 8 shows a preferred mounting arrangement for two free-wing propellers 1 as part of a tandem wind plant. In this example, a conventional generator 60, located on the ground 80 rather than on a mast 81, is driven via a timing gear 50 (not shown here functionally accurate or to scale).

[0054] Of course, one free-standing propeller 1 according to the invention may also be arranged at the end of a mast 81, in particular at the end of a mobile phone mast (FIG. 9). In this case, the central axis 21 (not shown) of the shaft 20 is arranged at the end of the mast 81 at a preferred angle β=90° with respect to the horizontal plane X.

[0055] 9a to 9c further illustrate preferred mounting arrangements for the individual flexible propellers 1 on various architectural structures 82. FIG.

[0056] As can be seen from Fig. 9a, the swivel propeller 1 according to the invention can be arranged transversely to the front face 821 of the building 82. In this case, the central axis 21 (not shown) of the shaft 20 is arranged away from the front face 821 of the building 82 at a preferred angle β = 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane X.

[0057] Alternatively or additionally, the flexible propeller 1 according to the invention may also be part of a wind power installation arranged on a sloping roof 822 (Fig. 9b) or a flat roof 823 (Fig. 9c) of a building 82. In this case, the central axis 21 (not shown) of the shaft 20 is arranged on the roof 822 or 823 of the building 82 at a preferred angle β of between 45 degrees and 90 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane X.

[0058] Fig. 10 shows a preferred mounting arrangement of a swivel propeller 1 as part of a hydropower device. It can be seen from this figure that the swivel propeller 1 according to the invention is arranged on a bearing 84 fixed to the bottom surface 831 of a body of water 83. Such an arrangement may preferably be configured so that at the illustrated relay point T1, the rotor 30 with the largest drag component W against the water flow is completely immersed in the body of water 83, and the remaining rotor 30 rotates at least partially, or preferably entirely, above the water level 832. The body of water 83 may be a river, a strait, or any other flowing water body, such as the outlet of a dam or the penstock of a hydroelectric power plant.

[0059] 11 shows a preferred mounting arrangement for two swivel propellers 1 as part of a tandem hydro machine with separate bearings 84 for each swivel propeller 1. Further details are as explained in FIG.

[0060] 12 shows a preferred mounting arrangement for two swivel propellers 1 as part of a tandem water power plant with a common bearing mast 85 fixed to the water bottom 831. Further details are also as explained in FIG.

[0061] 13 shows how the tandem hydraulic device of FIG. 11 is preferably positioned under a bridge 86, and how the bearings 84 are part of the bridge pier 861. Further details are also as illustrated in FIG.

[0062] 14 shows another tandem hydraulic device with bearings 84 located under bridge elements 862. Further details are as described in FIG.

[0063] 15 shows a preferred use of two swivel propellers 1 as a power source for a vessel 87. Unlike power generation applications, the shaft 20 of each swivel propeller 1 is now driven by a motor 90 (not shown here) or equivalent drive source. It will be understood that the drive source rotates the swivel propellers 1 so that all of the forces exerted by the swivel propellers 1 on the vessel 87 are balanced when the vessel moves forward in a straight line.

[0064] Figure 16 shows a preferred use of four swivel propellers 1 as part of a powered kite 88. As in the embodiment according to figure 7, here too the swivel propellers 1 are grouped in a star shape so that the forces acting on the powered kite 88 due to the lift component A and the drag component W are balanced as far as possible. It can be seen how the hub 10 of each swivel propeller 1 drives a respective generator 60. Here the swivel propellers 1 are grouped in a star shape around a central bearing 84 so that the forces of the swivel propellers 1 are balanced. In other respects the same reference can be made to the above description.

[0065] 17 and 18 show a preferred use of two swivel propellers 1 as a power source for an aircraft 89 (transport drone). Unlike the power generation application, the shaft 20 of each swivel propeller 1 is here driven by a motor 90 or an equivalent drive source. It is understood that the drive source rotates the swivel propeller 1 so that all the forces acting on the aircraft 89 by the swivel propeller 1 are balanced when the aircraft moves straight forward. In this case, the aircraft 89 shown in FIG. 17 is advantageous because it does not require additional wings. Rather, the swivel propeller 1 may be placed directly on the outer housing of the aircraft. This is advantageous because it allows the maneuverability of the aircraft 89 to be increased to the maximum. If necessary, in the case of the aircraft 89 shown in FIG. 18, a stub wing may be provided as a boundary of the swivel propeller 1 to the outer housing of the aircraft 89. This is advantageous because it increases the flight stability of the aircraft 89.

[0066] The following Figures 19 to 21 show the basic operation of the flexible propeller 1 according to the invention, with various modifications and configurations, and in particular the interaction of the timing gear 50 and the hub gear 12.

[0067] Therefore, in FIG. 19, an example of a prior art timing gear 50 is shown.

[0068] Here, a timing gear 50 for controlling five rotor blades 30 is illustrated. In addition to the reference gear 51 and five gears 52 of the rotor blade 30, five directional gears 53 located on the reference gear 51 and the gears 52 are required. The directional gears 53 are particularly for transmitting force and adjusting the rotation direction of the gears 52 of the rotor blade 30. rot is the size of the gear 52 of the rotor 30, and S r When the size of the reference gear 51 is set to S, between the reference gear 51 and the gear 52 of the rotor 30, rot / S r=2 / 1 size relationship must be maintained to ensure that the rotation of the impeller 30 about the longitudinal axis 31 is synchronized with the 360 ​​degree rotation of the impeller 30 about the circumferential surface 71 of the cone 70. In the prior art, the above design requirements would result in a relatively large hub 10 structure with a similar timing gear 50. Moreover, arranging multiple large gears 51, 52, and 53 on a relatively small hub 10 is often economically infeasible, technically difficult, and in some configurations technically impossible.

[0069] In contrast, FIG. 20 shows, in a cross-sectional view, an improved example of a propeller 1 according to the invention, which comprises a timing gear 50 as a so-called "inner component".

[0070] As can be seen, the hub 10 comprises a timing gear 50 which allows the rotors 30 to rotate about the longitudinal axis 31. On each rotor 30 there is arranged a gear 52 which is operatively connected directly to a reference gear 51 of the timing gear 50. In contrast to the prior art, this has the advantage that no direction gear 53 is required. The timing gear 50 is operatively connected to a hub gear 12 which determines the angular velocity ω of the rotational movement of the hub 10. n The timing gear 50 is configured to detect and process the timing and hub gear 12. The operational connection between the timing gear 50 and the hub gear 12 can be realized in various ways, but in the present example, the reference gear 51 of the timing gear 50 is operationally connected to the hub gear 12, in particular to one of the gears of the hub gear 12, via a connecting element 511. The hub gear 12 can be preferably designed as a planetary gear or a simple gear gear.

[0071] In the "inner configuration" of the timing gear 50 shown here, a reference gear 51 is located in the center of the timing gear 50 and is surrounded by gears 52 of the rotor 30. In accordance with the present invention, S rot is the size of the gear 52 of the rotor 30, and S r When the size of the reference gear 51 is set as ω, the angular velocity of the reference gear 51 is r , the angular velocity ω of the rotational motion of the hub 10 n The ratio to ω r / ωn =1±(1 / 2)×(S rot / S r The reference gear 51 and the gear 52 of the rotor 30 are designed to satisfy the above.

[0072] In the case of the "inner configuration" of the timing gear 50 shown here, S rot is the size of the gear 52 of the rotor 30, and S r When the size of the reference gear 51 is set as ω, the angular velocity of the reference gear 51 is r , the angular velocity ω of the rotational motion of the hub 10 n The ratio to ω r / ω n =1+(1 / 2)×(S rot / S r It is preferable to design the reference gear 51 and the gear 52 of the rotor 30 so as to satisfy the above-mentioned condition.

[0073] The following table shows various gear size combinations and the angular velocity ω of the reference gear 51 calculated using the formula of the present invention described above. r and the maximum possible number of rotors 30 that can be arranged on the hub 10 in each combination. Here, the angular velocity ω n is set to 1 (so ω r The value of ω n (The velocity is relative to

[0074] [Table 2]

[0075] Referring to this table, for example, the size ratio S rot / S r If the ratio is 1:1, the angular velocity ω of the rotational motion of the hub 10 is n Angular velocity ω of the reference gear 51 relative to ris 1.5, which is technically possible for the correspondingly designed and selected hub gear 12. For example, considering the design of the timing gear 50 in the "inner configuration" described above, the design of the hub gear 12, and the interaction between the two calculated by the formula according to the present invention, ultimately, a maximum of four to five rotor blades 30 can be arranged on the hub 10.

[0076] In this case, the above table shows only a part of the theoretically possible combinations, and there is an advantage that the design of the timing gear 50 can be arbitrarily selected according to the application.

[0077] Finally, FIG. 21 shows, in a cross-sectional view, a refinement of a propeller 1 according to the invention, which comprises a timing gear 50 as an “outer configuration”.

[0078] Here, the difference with the "inner configuration" shown in FIG. 20 is that a reference gear 51, preferably realized as a planetary gear, a ring gear or a crown gear, is arranged off-center of the timing gear 50, while surrounding the gear 52 of the rotor 30. The matters explained in FIG. 20 are also applied to this improvement regarding such a structure. In this case, S rot is the size of the gear 52 of the rotor 30, and S r When the size of the reference gear 51 is set as ω, the angular velocity of the reference gear 51 is r , the angular velocity ω of the rotational motion of the hub 10 n The ratio to ω r / ω n =1-(1 / 2)×(S rot / S r It is preferable to design the reference gear 51 and the gear 52 of the rotor 30 so as to satisfy the above-mentioned condition.

[0079] The following table shows various gear size combinations and the angular velocity ω of the reference gear 51 calculated using the formula of the present invention described above. r and the maximum possible number of rotors 30 that can be arranged on the hub 10 in each combination. Here, the angular velocity ω n is set to 1 (so ω r The value of ωn (The velocity is relative to

[0080] [Table 3]

[0081] Referring to this table, for example, the size ratio S rot / S r When the ratio is 1:4, the angular velocity ω of the rotational motion of the hub 10 is n Angular velocity ω of the reference gear 51 relative to r is 0.875, which is technically possible for the correspondingly designed and selected hub gear 12. For example, considering the design of the timing gear 50 in the "outer configuration" described above, the design of the hub gear 12, and the interaction between the two calculated by the formula according to the present invention, ultimately, a maximum of 4 to 6 rotor blades 30 can be arranged on the hub 10.

[0082] The combination shown in the last row of the above table is that the gear 52 of the rotor 30 is the same as the size S of the reference gear 51. r However, with the timing gear 50 of the prior art (see FIG. 19), this is completely physically (technically) impossible to realize, and even if it were possible to realize it, it would require the use of a chain drive or a toothed belt drive.

[0083] Again, the above table shows only a portion of the theoretically possible combinations, and the "outside configuration" also has the advantage that the design of the timing gear 50 can be freely selected depending on the application.

[0084] The present invention relates to a novel free-rotating propeller 1. Each of the rotor blades 30 has a gear 52 that is directly operatively connected to a reference gear 51 of a timing gear 50 that is operatively connected to a hub gear 12 that controls the angular velocity ω of the rotational motion of the hub 10. n configured to detect and process S rot is the size of the gear 52 of the rotor 30, and S rWhen the size of the reference gear 51 is set as ω, the angular velocity of the reference gear 51 is r , the angular velocity ω of the rotational motion of the hub 10 n The ratio to ω r / ω n =1±(1 / 2)×(S rot / S r The reference gear 51 and the gear 52 of the rotor 30 in the timing gear 50 are designed to satisfy the above-mentioned. In the above points, the swivel propeller 1 is different from the conventional propellers 1.

[0085] The invention is particularly suitable for use in wind power plants, water power plants, marine or aircraft power plants, and the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 1 Free-floating propeller 10. Hub 11 Central axis of hub 10 12 Hub gear 20 Shaft 21 central axis of shaft 20 30 Rotor 31 Vertical axis of rotor 30 32 Upper part of rotor 30 33 Side of rotor 30 34 Rotor Tip 35 Stiffener 40 Cable 50 Timing Gear 51 Reference Gear 511 Connection Element 52 Rotor (30) Gear 53 Directional gear (conventional technology only) 60 Generator 70 Cone 71 Circumferential surface of cone 70 72 Apex of cone 70 73 Cone 70 Disk 80 Foundation 81 Mast 82 Buildings 821 Front 822 Sloped Roof 823 Flat Roof 83 Water area 831 Water bottom 832 Water surface 84 Bearings 85 Bearing Mast 86 Bridges 861 Bridge pier 862 Bridge elements 87 Ship 88 Powered Kite 89 Aircraft 90 Motor A Lift component W drag component T1, T2, T3, T4 relay points α is the angle between the longitudinal axis 31 and the central axis 21 in the three-dimensional coordinate system of the free-standing propeller 1 β is the angle between the central axis 21 of the shaft 20 and the horizontal plane X in the mounting coordinate system of the swivel propeller 1 x, y, z 3D coordinate system of free-moving propeller 1 x First direction of the horizontal plane y the second direction in the horizontal or vertical plane z First direction of the vertical plane X, Y, Z: Installation coordinates of free-moving propeller 1 X horizontal plane Y Horizontal plane (perpendicular to X) Z vertical plane

Claims

1. A free-floating propeller (1) comprising a hub (10) rotatably mounted on a shaft (20), The hub (10) comprises two rotors (30) arranged opposite each other, or at least three rotors (30) arranged to form a star shape with respect to each other, the rotors (30) are arranged on the hub (10) at the ends of their longitudinal axes (31) at an angle α to the central axis (21) of the shaft (20) such that the longitudinal axes (31) of the rotors (30) describe a circumferential surface (71) of a right circular cone (70) when rotated through 360 degrees; The hub (10) includes a timing gear (50) that rotates the rotor (30) about its longitudinal axis (31); Each of said rotors (30) has a gear (52) directly operatively connected to a reference gear (51) of said timing gear (50); the timing gear (50) is operatively connected to a hub gear (12); The hub gear (12) is configured to detect and process the angular velocity ωn of the rotational motion of the hub (10); The reference gear (51) is disposed at the center of the timing gear (50) and is surrounded by the gear (52) of the rotor (30); Designing the reference gear (51) and the gear (52) of the rotor (30) in the timing gear (50) such that the ratio of the angular velocity ωr of the reference gear (51) to the angular velocity ωn of the rotational motion of the hub (10) satisfies ωr / ωn=1+(1 / 2)×(Srot / Sr), where Srot is the size of the gear (52) of the rotor (30) and Sr is the size of the reference gear (51); or The reference gear (51) is disposed off-center of the timing gear (50) while surrounding the gear (52) of the rotor (30); the reference gear (51) and the gear (52) of the rotor (30) in the timing gear (50) are designed so that a ratio of an angular velocity ω r of the reference gear (51) to an angular velocity ω n of the rotational motion of the hub (10) satisfies ω r / ω n = 1 - (1 / 2) × (S rot / S r ), where S rot is the size of the gear (52) of the rotor (30) and S r is the size of the reference gear (51); A swivel propeller (1).

2. the reference gear (51) is arranged off-center of the timing gear (50) while surrounding the gear (52) of the rotor (30) and is realized as a planetary gear, a ring gear or a crown gear; A swivel propeller (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that it is

3. The angle α between the central axis (21) of the shaft (20) and the longitudinal axis (31) of each rotor is 30 degrees to 60 degrees, 35 degrees to 55 degrees, 40 degrees to 50 degrees, or 45 degrees. A swivel propeller (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that it is

4. When the hub (10) rotates around the shaft (20), at a first intermediate point (T1), each of the rotor blades (30) is aligned along a vertical plane (x, z) of a three-dimensional coordinate system (x, y, z) relative to the free-rotating propeller (1). A swivel propeller (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that it is

5. At the first intermediate point (T1), the longitudinal axis (31) of each of the rotors (30) is allowed to deviate vertically from the vertical plane (x, z) by up to + / - 15 degrees. A swivel propeller (1) according to claim 4, characterised in that it is

6. When the hub (10) rotates around the shaft (20), at a third relay point (T3), each of the rotor blades is aligned along a horizontal plane (x, y) of a three-dimensional coordinate system (x, y, z) relative to the free-rotating propeller (1). A swivel propeller (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is

7. At the third relay point (T3), the longitudinal axis (31) of each of the rotors (30) is allowed to deviate horizontally from the horizontal plane (x, y) by up to + / - 15 degrees. A swivel propeller (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that it is

8. Each of the rotors (30) has at least a portion thereof two substantially planar upper portions (32); A solar cell is preferably arranged on the planar upper portion (32) of each of the rotors (30). A swivel propeller (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is

9. each lateral edge (33) of said rotor (30) is circular or conical; A swivel propeller (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is

10. Adjacent and / or opposing rotors (30) are connected to one another by cables (40) which are preferably attached to said rotors (30) between a central position and an end position, preferably in the region of or adjacent to the rotor tips (34); A swivel propeller (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is

11. the central axis (21) of the shaft (20) is arranged at an angle between 0 degrees and 360 degrees, preferably 45 degrees, with respect to the horizontal direction (X) of a mounting coordinate system (X,Y,Z) for the free-standing propeller (1); A swivel propeller (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is

12. A method for operating a swivel propeller (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, comprising the steps of: A timing gear (50) ensures that the rotation of the rotor (30) about the longitudinal axis (31) is synchronized with the 360° rotation of said rotor (30) along the circumferential surface (71) of the cone (70). A method comprising:

13. the rotational speed of the rotor (30) about the longitudinal axis (31) is half the speed of the rotor (30) in a 360° rotation along the circumferential surface (71) of the cone (70); 13. The method according to claim 12.

14. Use of a swivel propeller (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13 in wind power plants, water power plants, marine or aircraft power plants, etc.

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