Ground-Level Wind Turbine Generator via Swivel Drive
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wind turbines face significant downtime and productivity losses due to the remote location of the gearbox and electric generator on top of the tower, making maintenance and repairs time-consuming and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A wind turbine design featuring a swivel assembly on top of the support tower that allows rotation of the drive line through a pair of right-angle drives to turn an electric generator located proximate ground level, enabling easier access and maintenance by relocating the rotational energy conversion to ground level.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the gearbox and electric generator are located on top of the tower, then the wind turbine can capture wind energy effectively, but maintenance and repair time increases substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the electric generator and gearbox from the tower top location and relocates them to ground level. The drive line is extended through the tower to transmit rotational energy from the rotor (still at tower top) to the ground-level components. This extraction eliminates the need for personnel to access and repair components at heights of 50-100 feet, dramatically reducing maintenance time and safety risks while preserving wind energy capture capability.
2Productivity
If the gearbox and electric generator are located on top of the tower, then the rotor can be positioned high to capture wind, but access for maintenance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the electric generator and gearbox from the difficult-to-access tower top position and places them at ground level where maintenance personnel can easily access them. The drive line serves as a transmission medium that carries rotational energy from the high-positioned rotor to the low-positioned components, decoupling the location of energy capture from the location of component maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive line acts as an intermediary element that transmits rotational energy through the tower structure from the rotor at the top to the gearbox and electric generator at ground level. This intermediary allows the rotor to remain positioned high for optimal wind capture while the components requiring maintenance are accessible at ground level.
3Device complexity
If the gearbox and electric generator are located on top of the tower, then the structural design is simplified, but productivity loss during maintenance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the electric generator and gearbox from the tower top and relocates them to ground level, connected via an extended drive line. This relocation adds some structural complexity (extended drive line, additional support structures) but eliminates prolonged productivity losses associated with maintaining components at height. The trade-off favors productivity preservation during maintenance periods.
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 reduces downtime and increases productivity by facilitating quicker maintenance and repair of the gearbox and electric generator, as the critical components are now more accessible, thereby improving overall wind energy harvesting efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a rotor which intercepts air movement to turn a drive line
Implementation Method 2
a swivel assembly located on top of a support tower which allows rotation of a drive line through a pair of right angle drives to turn an electric generator
Data Source
AI summary
A wind driven electric generator including a rotor which intercepts air movement to turn a drive line including a first right angle drive swivelly coupled on the top of a support tower and a second right angle drive located proximate ground level to deliver rotational energy of a drive line to an electric generator located proximate ground level.