Collapsible Vertical Axis Turbine with Magnetic Bearings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wind turbines, particularly three-bladed designs, are inefficient in capturing wind energy due to a small wind capturing footprint, susceptibility to wind damage, and high maintenance costs associated with friction in mechanical components.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible, frictionless vertical axis wind/ocean current turbine with a larger capturing footprint, utilizing electro-magnets for reduced friction and enabling operation in both wind and ocean current environments, featuring a deployable sail array and a tower design that can withstand high winds and be easily maintained.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a three-bladed turbine design is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the wind capturing footprint is small and energy generation efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The turbine is divided into multiple independent blades (5 or more) instead of using a traditional three-bladed design. Each blade operates independently to capture wind energy, increasing the overall wind capturing footprint and energy generation efficiency while maintaining manageable structural complexity through modular construction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from horizontal axis turbines to vertical axis turbines, changing the dimensional orientation of energy capture. This vertical configuration allows the turbine to capture wind from all directions simultaneously, significantly increasing the effective wind capturing footprint without proportionally increasing structural complexity
2Productivity
If the turbine operates continuously in high winds, then energy production is maximized, but the turbine becomes susceptible to wind damage
Solution Approach 1:
The turbine incorporates adjustable blade pitch angles that can be dynamically changed in response to wind conditions. When wind speeds become excessively high, the blades can be adjusted to reduce their effective surface area or align parallel to the wind, allowing the turbine to continue operating at reduced capacity rather than shutting down completely, thus maintaining reliability while protecting against damage
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs variable pitch control that changes the angular parameter of the blades relative to the wind direction. By adjusting this pitch parameter, the turbine can optimize energy capture at moderate winds and minimize structural loads at high winds, maintaining both productivity and reliability across varying wind conditions
3Ease of repair
If traditional mechanical bearings are used, then the structure is simple, but friction increases maintenance costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical friction-based bearings with magnetic bearing systems that use magnetic fields to support and rotate the turbine shaft. This substitution eliminates physical contact and friction, dramatically reducing maintenance requirements and costs while the modular magnetic bearing design keeps the overall system complexity manageable
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The turbine captures significantly more wind/ocean energy, reduces maintenance costs, operates effectively at lower wind speeds, and can produce electricity in both terrestrial and underwater settings, offering increased energy production and reduced land use requirements.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing electro-magnets for reduced friction
Implementation Method 2
power generating wind/ocean current turbine
Implementation Method 3
power generating
Data Source
AI summary
An improved turbine over the old horizontal and vertical axis turbines because of its ability to capture several times the amount of wind. The basic design and process of this new machine can also work in the ocean at capturing ocean currents. Being Omni-directional (not having to turn into the wind) gives it one efficiency over the 3 bladed turbine. Another efficiency all embodiments have is its frictionless exponent. This quality helps save on wear and tear and maintenance cost. Most if not all past turbines have a static presents, being built in one basic wind capturing position. This new turbine is more dynamic because it can hide from wind damage and then open to capture more wind than its predecessors.