Wind Tower Rotatable Intake Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rotor-type wind turbines face high installation and maintenance costs, environmental noise issues, and hazards to wildlife due to their tall structures and rotor blades, while existing wind towers have inefficiencies in capturing wind flow and may not justify the construction of taller towers for higher winds.
Innovation Solution
A wind tower design with a rotatable, elevated wind intake section featuring discrete internal passageways and outlets optimized for streamlined airflow, allowing all inlets to face oncoming wind and capturing wind from a wider range of directions, which can lead to a taller and more efficient wind tower with improved power return.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If rotor-based wind turbines are placed on tall towers to access higher winds, then wind energy capture is improved, but installation and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two separate components: an elevated wind intake structure and a ground-based turbine. The intake captures wind at height while the turbine operates at ground level, eliminating the need to position the turbine itself on a tall tower. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by separating the wind capture function (benefiting from height) from the turbine operation function (benefiting from ground-level accessibility).
Solution Approach 2:
A vertical passageway or conduit acts as an intermediary element, transporting wind from the elevated intake to the ground-based turbine. This intermediary structure enables the transfer of kinetic energy from high-altitude wind to a ground-level turbine, resolving the spatial conflict between height-based wind capture and ground-based turbine operation.
2Power
If rotor blades are made longer and lighter to improve efficiency, then wind energy capture is improved, but structural strength and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor blades are completely removed from the system. Instead of using blades to directly capture wind energy, the system extracts only the wind capture function and transfers it to an elevated intake structure. This eliminates the need for long, lightweight, high-strength rotor blades entirely, resolving the contradiction between efficiency and structural requirements.
3Power
If rotor-based wind turbines are used to maximize power generation, then energy output is improved, but noise and wildlife hazard increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system eliminates the harmful aspects (noise and wildlife hazard) associated with rotating blades while preserving the beneficial function (energy generation). By replacing rotor blades with a passive intake structure, the system converts a harmful design into a beneficial one that maintains power generation capability without the adverse effects.
4Power
If wind intake structure is made taller to access higher winds, then wind energy capture is improved, but construction cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the tall intake structure from the turbine, allowing the intake to be optimized for height while the turbine remains compact and ground-based. This segmentation enables the wind capture component to be tall without requiring the entire system (including expensive turbine equipment) to be positioned at height, thereby reducing overall construction 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 design enhances wind capture efficiency, reduces maintenance costs, and allows for taller structures to access higher winds, justifying larger investments in renewable energy infrastructure by maximizing power return and minimizing environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
all of the inlets in the intake section are orientated for concurrently receiving an oncoming wind-flow
Implementation Method 2
the output passageway being in fluid communication with the outlets and extending downwardly from the intake section toward the support surface for delivering wind flow to a turbine
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a wind tower (10) for delivering wind flow to a turbine. The wind tower (10) including includes a support structure (12) mounted to a support surface (14) and a wind intake section 16 rotatably mounted to the support structure (12) and elevated with respect to the support surface (14). The intake section (16) includes a plurality of internal passageways (32) extending between a plurality of wind-facing inlets (22) and a plurality of outlets (34). The plurality of inlets (22) are orientated for concurrently receiving an oncoming wind-flow W. Each of the inlets (22) are in fluid communication with one of the outlets 34 via one of the passageways (32). The wind tower (10) further includes an output passageway (42) for collecting wind flow W from the plurality of outlets (34). The output passageway (42) is in fluid communication with the outlets (34) and extends downwardly from the intake section (16) toward the support surface (14) for delivering wind flow W to a turbine located at or proximate to the support surface (14).