Turbine-Intake Tower Accelerates Wind Velocity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wind energy conversion systems face inefficiencies, high capital and maintenance costs, and reliability issues due to tall towers and long turbine blades, which result in excessive noise, vibration, and frequent failures, especially in offshore installations.
Innovation Solution
A turbine-intake tower system with a hollow support column and a dual nozzle configuration that accelerates wind, comprising a converging intake nozzle and a tower nozzle, to increase wind velocity before it reaches the turbine, allowing for shorter blades and reduced costs while maintaining or exceeding power output.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If taller towers and longer turbine blades are used to increase wind speed and power generation, then electrical power output is improved, but capital cost, material cost, installation cost, and maintenance cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
A nozzle assembly is introduced as an intermediary component between the wind source and the turbine blades. The nozzle accelerates the wind flow, creating a high-velocity jet that directly impinges on the turbine blades, thereby achieving high power output without requiring excessively long blades or extremely tall towers
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the velocity parameter of the wind flow by using a nozzle to accelerate it to high speeds. This parameter change allows the turbine to generate sufficient power with shorter blades, as the accelerated wind provides the necessary kinetic energy density
2Power
If longer turbine blades are used to increase power generation, then electrical power output is improved, but noise and vibration increase excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle acts as a mediator that concentrates and directs wind energy onto a smaller effective area of the turbine blades. This allows for shorter blades that generate less noise and vibration while still capturing sufficient energy through the accelerated wind jet
3Power
If longer turbine blades are used to increase power generation, then electrical power output is improved, but cost of material and installation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle assembly serves as a cost-effective intermediary that enables the use of shorter, less expensive turbine blades. By accelerating the wind flow, the nozzle compensates for the reduced blade length, maintaining power output while significantly reducing material and installation costs
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 system enhances wind energy conversion efficiency by increasing turbine inlet velocity, reducing blade length, material, and maintenance costs, and minimizing noise and vibration, thus improving the reliability and economic viability of wind power generation.
Implementation Method 1
The intake nozzle assembly (143) is configured to receive and to accelerate wind
Implementation Method 2
a converging intake nozzle (144)... The flow passage within intake nozzle (144) converges... Intake nozzle (144) acts to increase the flow velocity
Implementation Method 3
the tower nozzle (170)... acts to increase the flow velocity
Implementation Method 4
The flow passage within tower nozzle (170) converges... tower nozzle (170) further accelerates the wind
Data Source
AI summary
A turbine-intake tower for delivering wind to a turbine has a hollow support column, an intake nozzle assembly rotatably coupled to the support column, and a tower nozzle disposed within the support column. The intake nozzle assembly is configured to receive and to accelerate wind. The tower nozzle is configured to receive the wind from the intake nozzle assembly and to further accelerate the wind received from the intake nozzle assembly for delivery to the turbine.