Flow-Consolidating Wind Turbine Conduit for Low-Turbulence Intake
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wind turbines operate less efficiently due to high turbulence in incoming airflow, which reduces the conversion of wind energy to mechanical rotor rotation.
Innovation Solution
The wind turbine system incorporates a flow consolidating conduit with a decreasing cross-sectional area and multiple flow partitions that subdivide and gradually merge airflow paths, combined with an annular pre-rotor flow recirculation passage to reduce turbulence and increase coherence, directing airflow through an air driven rotor assembly to generate energy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a traditional open rotor design is used, then the device complexity is low, but the energy conversion efficiency deteriorates due to high turbulence in incoming airflow
Solution Approach 1:
The flow consolidating conduit is segmented into multiple flow paths using flow partitions, which divide the incoming airflow into separate streams that can be individually managed and consolidated. This segmentation allows for better control of airflow turbulence while maintaining a manageable structural complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The flow consolidating conduit with its decreasing cross-sectional area acts as an outer structure that contains and guides multiple inner flow paths. The nested arrangement of flow partitions within the conduit allows efficient space utilization and airflow management without proportionally increasing overall device complexity
2Stability of the object's composition
If flow partitions are added to consolidate airflow, then airflow coherence is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Flow partitions are positioned upstream within the consolidating conduit to pre-organize and straighten airflow paths before the air reaches the rotor assembly. This preliminary action of airflow conditioning ensures coherent, low-turbulence airflow arrives at the rotor, improving energy conversion efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The flow consolidating conduit employs a decreasing cross-sectional area in the axial direction, creating a gradual compression effect that further enhances airflow coherence. This dimensional change along the conduit length works synergistically with the flow partitions to stabilize airflow without requiring additional complex mechanical components
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
This design enhances wind turbine efficiency by reducing turbulence and increasing airflow coherence, leading to improved energy conversion and generation capacity.
Implementation Method 1
high turbulence in incoming airflow, which reduces the conversion of wind energy to mechanical rotor rotation
Implementation Method 2
a flow consolidating conduit with a decreasing cross-sectional area and multiple flow partitions that subdivide and gradually merge airflow paths
Implementation Method 3
wind turbines can help reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by utilizing wind energy for electricity generation
Implementation Method 4
The efficiency of a wind turbine refers to the effectiveness of the wind turbine in converting kinetic energy of wind into mechanical energy
Data Source
AI summary
A flow driven turbine system is disclosed. The flow driven turbine system includes a flow consolidating conduit and a flow driven rotor assembly. The flow consolidating conduit is close sided and extends from a consolidating conduit upstream end to a consolidating conduit downstream end. The flow consolidating conduit includes a flow capture inlet at the consolidating conduit upstream end, and a plurality of flow partitions that subdivide a cross-sectional area of the flow consolidating conduit into three or more flow paths. Each flow partition and each flow path extend between the consolidating conduit upstream end and the consolidating conduit downstream end. Each flow partition has a partition downstream end located upstream of the consolidating conduit downstream end. At each partition downstream end, adjacent flow paths merge into a merged flow path. The three or more flow paths gradually merge into a single flow path at the consolidating conduit downstream end.