Enclosed Wind Turbine with Stack Effect Exhaust
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wind turbines have high profiles, exposed rotors that are damaged by harsh environments, limit their use due to aesthetics and wildlife concerns, and face zoning issues, with maintenance challenges and hydraulic oil leakage being significant problems.
Innovation Solution
A compact wind turbine design with an enclosed rotor and housing structure, featuring channels and an air scoop to direct air efficiently, netting to prevent wildlife entry, and a stack effect exhaust to reduce drag and enhance maintenance accessibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If wind turbines are designed with high profiles and exposed rotors to capture wind energy, then energy generation capability is improved, but wildlife safety deteriorates and maintenance complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor assembly is nested within the housing structure, with the rotor positioned inside the enclosed housing. This nesting arrangement allows the rotor to operate at height while being protected from wildlife, as the housing acts as a protective enclosure that prevents animals from accessing the rotor area.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing serves as an intermediary structure between the rotor and the external environment. It mediates the interaction by providing a protective barrier that allows wind energy capture while preventing direct contact between wildlife and the rotor, thus resolving the conflict between energy generation and wildlife safety.
2Productivity
If wind turbines are designed with exposed rotors to maximize wind capture, then energy generation is improved, but maintenance accessibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is designed as a segmented, modular structure with accessible sections. This segmentation allows maintenance personnel to access specific portions of the rotor assembly and housing without requiring complete disassembly, improving maintenance accessibility while preserving the enclosed design that protects the rotor.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing incorporates dynamic access mechanisms that allow it to be opened or accessed during maintenance operations and then closed or secured during operation. This dynamic design enables the structure to transition between protective and accessible states, resolving the contradiction between rotor protection and maintenance ease.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If wind turbines are designed with enclosed housings to protect rotors and reduce wildlife impact, then wildlife safety and aesthetics are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing structure is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it protects the rotor from wildlife, provides structural support, enables aesthetic integration, and facilitates maintenance access. By making the housing multi-functional, the design reduces overall system complexity despite the added protective enclosure, as fewer separate components are needed.
4Productivity
If channels are added to direct air flow to rotor blades, then energy generation efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air directing channels are merged with the housing structure, forming an integrated design where the channels are built into the housing walls rather than being separate components. This merging reduces overall device complexity by eliminating additional parts while maintaining the air flow directionality that improves energy generation efficiency.
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 design allows for efficient energy generation at low and high wind speeds with reduced noise and environmental impact, lower maintenance needs, and minimal harm to wildlife, enabling versatile and scalable deployment.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of channels is formed from the inlet opening to the peripheral edges of the rotor so as to direct air from the inlet opening to the bladed surfaces of the rotor
Implementation Method 2
the exhaust opening is formed so as to have a stack effect that reduces the drag against the rotor and allows the rotor to turn more freely
Implementation Method 3
the air scoop structure is preferably formed so as to channel the air towards the inlet opening which increases the pressure of the air as a result of the decrease in the area of the inlet opening
Implementation Method 4
A rotor is rotatably mounted within the housing wherein the rotor has a plurality of blades and is coupled to a generator
Data Source
AI summary
This wind turbine is enclosed in a housing structure with a bell shaped opening and a stack effect created on the roof. One side of the housing, facing the wind, opens up to receive air. The air that enters the housing is divided into multiple chambers. The chambers and turning vanes guide the air directly to the blades and help in minimizing air turbulence. The blades are angled to receive the maximum amount of the air. The air rotates the blades turning the rotor, converting mechanical rotation into electrical power. There is a horizontal rotor attached to vertical shaft which is used to generate electrical energy. The stack effect on the roof creates a negative air flow aiding in turning the rotor.