Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Airflow Concentration

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional horizontal axis wind turbines face limitations such as noise, visual disruptions, poor built-environment acceptance, bird collisions, overspin issues, and inefficiency in calm winds, which restrict their effectiveness and expansion, particularly in isolated areas with stronger winds.

Innovation Solution

A vertical axis wind turbine design featuring a central shaft with radially extending stator and rotor blade sets, an upper and lower cowl that concentrates airflow, and a flywheel mechanism to prevent over-spinning, generating electrical and pumping power by focusing wind energy through a finial-like shape and utilizing pelton-foil regions and vanes to enhance airflow concentration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If horizontal axis wind turbines are used, then wind energy can be converted to power, but they produce noise and visual disruptions that reduce built-environment acceptance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewind energy conversion effectivenessVSAvoidnoise and visual disruption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional horizontal axis turbine design by using a vertical axis configuration. This fundamental geometric inversion allows the turbine to accept wind from any direction without needing to yaw, eliminates the visual flicker and noise associated with horizontal blade rotation, and enables installation in built environments where horizontal turbines would be unacceptable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from horizontal blade rotation to vertical axis rotation, changing the dimension of operation. The blades rotate around a vertical axis rather than a horizontal one, fundamentally altering the spatial orientation and eliminating the harmful effects associated with horizontal rotation while maintaining energy conversion effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If horizontal axis wind turbines are used, then power generation is achieved, but flying creatures collide with the blades

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower generationVSAvoidflying creature collisions

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

By inverting the rotation axis from horizontal to vertical, the patent changes the spatial plane in which blades rotate. This vertical orientation creates a different collision dynamics that reduces the risk to flying creatures while maintaining effective power generation capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Reliability

If horizontal axis wind turbines are used, then wind energy is converted, but they fail to produce power during calm winds and overspin at high wind speeds

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewind energy conversionVSAvoidpower production in calm winds and over-spin control

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The vertical axis configuration fundamentally changes the aerodynamic characteristics, allowing the turbine to effectively capture wind energy from any direction including calm winds, and naturally limits overspin through the vertical rotation geometry and associated control mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

4Productivity

If larger utility-scale horizontal axis turbines are deployed, then more wind energy can be captured, but blade failure risks increase preventing siting in existing utility corridors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewind energy capture capacityVSAvoidblade failure risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

By inverting to vertical axis rotation, the patent eliminates long horizontal blades that are prone to failure. The vertical configuration uses shorter, more robust blade structures that rotate vertically, dramatically reducing the risk of blade failure while maintaining or enhancing energy capture capacity in existing utility corridors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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 effectively generates power from wind energy across various wind speeds, including calm conditions, while minimizing noise and visual impact, and preventing over-spinning, thus improving the efficiency and acceptance of wind energy conversion in diverse environments.

Implementation Method 1

a rotor having rotor blade sets extending radially inward from a rotor periphery that encircle a shaft and are interdigitated with the plurality of stator blade sets to thereby pump air when rotor rotates

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAerodynamic force: Aerofoil

Implementation Method 2

an upper cowl coupled to the shaft vertically above the rotor and a lower cowl coupled to the shaft vertically below the rotor such that the rotor, upper cowl and the lower cowl radially inwardly concentrate, without confining, an airflow across the rotor's narrowest diameter

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFlow concentration: Focusing

Data Source

PatentUS11236721B2Vertical axis wind turbines

Publication Date: 2022.02.01 BIRD GREGORY FRANCIS

AI summary

A vertical axis wind energy power turbine having a hollow shaft on which are attached, rotating and fixed components with outer-surface shapes, fixed vanes, and integral heating to concentrate without confining airflow, an overspin-limiting power-enhancing self-engaging flywheel, and, conversion systems for both, pumped air that may be transferred through hollow mountings to do other work, and, for electricity generation.