Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine Scoop and Drum Layout for Wind Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wind turbines, both horizontal-axis and vertical-axis, face inefficiencies due to complex geometric designs, vulnerability to weather damage, and limitations in energy capture, particularly from wind directionality and generator capacity.
Innovation Solution
A vertical-axis wind turbine design featuring a scoop to funnel and compress air, directing it through an outer drum onto turbine blades, with a rotating inner drum and blades forming a power annulus, optimized by a directional vane and safety features like overspeed flaps, to enhance airflow and energy transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional wind turbine designs are used, then power generation capability is achieved, but energy capture efficiency is limited due to complex geometric designs and exposure to weather
Solution Approach 1:
The wind turbine is divided into modular components: an outer drum with air inlet/outlet openings, an inner drum with blades, a scoop for air intake, and a directional vane. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for its specific function, improving overall energy capture efficiency while simplifying the design of individual parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner drum with blades is nested within the outer drum, creating a compact configuration. The blades are attached to the inner drum which rotates within the stationary outer drum, allowing the active components to be protected within the structural housing while maintaining efficient airflow paths.
2Productivity
If exposed blades are used to capture wind energy, then power generation is enabled, but vulnerability to weather damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blades are nested within the protected environment of the outer drum, which shields them from direct exposure to weather elements such as rain, snow, and debris while still allowing them to rotate freely and capture wind energy through the controlled airflow paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer drum acts as an intermediary structure between the weather environment and the blades. It provides protection against weather damage while maintaining the necessary airflow characteristics for efficient energy capture, mediating between environmental protection and operational effectiveness.
3Productivity
If horizontal-axis wind turbines are used, then directional wind capture is achieved, but complex turning systems and high tower requirements increase device complexity and maintenance difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of having the turbine rotate horizontally to face the wind (horizontal-axis design), this invention inverts the approach by using a vertical-axis design where the outer drum remains stationary and the inner drum with blades rotates vertically. The directional vane captures wind from any direction and funnels it through the scoop, eliminating the need for complex horizontal turning mechanisms and high towers.
4Productivity
If permanent magnet generators are used, then power generation is achieved, but cogging prevents starting from zero wind velocity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the permanent magnets from the generator system, replacing them with an electromagnetic field generation approach using field coils. This eliminates the cogging effect that prevents starting from zero speed, as the electromagnetic fields can be dynamically controlled to initiate rotation without magnetic locking.
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 improves energy capture efficiency, reduces vulnerability to weather, and optimizes airflow for various wind conditions, enhancing power generation capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
a scoop that acts in the manner of a funnel to receive, accelerate, and compress air from wind
Implementation Method 2
accelerate, and compress air from wind
Implementation Method 3
The outer drum, with its inner workings described above, and the attached scoop can be rotated by a directional vane which is fixedly attached to the outer drum, to optimize airflow into the air scoop
Implementation Method 4
Each of these cells, in succession, can restrict the air such that much of its kinetic energy is transferred to its blade before it rotates and the air exits the outer drum
Implementation Method 5
The inner drum can be fixedly attached to a coaxial shaft that can transfer rotational energy to one or more devices directly or through transfer means which may include one or more pulleys, gears, chains, and/or belts
Data Source
AI summary
The invention generally includes vertical-axis wind turbine systems and devices that concentrate wind forces by receiving wind in through a funnel-shaped scoop and then imparting the received wind onto blades rotating between two coaxial drums. The wind concentrated between the blades then exits through an exhaust cone. The invention can also include electrical power generators that can start with minimal cogging and produce power in proportioned to the wind speed.