BE1029739B1 - Wind turbine with axis perpendicular to the direction of the wind - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a wind turbine comprising a paddle wheel (1) which is mounted on a rotating shaft (7) and which is associated with an at least partially annular wind concentrator (20), possibly adjustable in position, which comprises possibly adjustable blades (25) arranged around said blade wheel (1), between two opposite annular elements (31,33), essentially perpendicular thereto, two annular elements (31,33), one of which at least has an inner surface diverging from the plane of symmetry (41) of the paddle wheel away from the axis of symmetry (5) of the annular element (31,33). The arrangement according to the invention makes it possible to increase the concentration of the wind entering the paddle wheel (1) and thus to improve the performance of the latter.

Description

! BE2022/5102

Wind turbine with axis perpendicular to the direction of the wind

The present invention relates to a wind turbine with an axis essentially perpendicular to the direction of the wind which drives it, in particular a wind turbine intended for the production of electrical energy. It relates more particularly to a wind turbine comprising a bladed wheel with an axis of rotation essentially perpendicular to the direction of the wind.

[0002] The generation of electrical energy from renewable energy sources is an area that has concentrated a lot of effort in recent years. In the context of rotating machines for generating electric current using the wind, a distinction is made between wind turbines with an axis of rotation parallel to the direction of the wind and wind turbines with an axis of rotation transverse, preferably essentially perpendicular, to the direction. of the wind that animates it. If the first are increasingly large, can nowadays generate up to more than 300 MW and are sometimes grouped together in fields of several dozen machines, especially on the high seas, the second have experienced less growth but have nevertheless all their interest in smaller installations.

[0003] Among the wind turbines with an axis of rotation perpendicular to the direction of the wind, we know in particular the paddle wheels. The paddle wheel can be associated with an at least partially annular wind concentrator, possibly adjustable in position, which comprises possibly adjustable vanes arranged around the paddle wheel, between two annular plates and which serve to guide and concentrate the wind before that it does not impact the blades of the paddle wheel, and possibly to facilitate the exit of the winds after having driven the paddle wheel. Mention will in particular be made of WO2004/063565 or WO2004/018872 or even WO2012/026879.

The present invention aims to improve the performance of such a wind turbine with an axis of rotation perpendicular to the direction of the wind, comprising a paddle wheel.

The present invention also aims to provide an electric generator assembly from renewable energy sources, advantageously from various renewable energy sources.

According to the invention, the wind turbine comprises a paddle wheel which is mounted on a rotation shaft and which is associated with an at least partially annular wind concentrator,

2 BE2022/5102 possibly adjustable in position, which comprises optionally adjustable vanes arranged around said impeller, between two opposite annular elements, essentially perpendicular thereto, two annular elements of which at least one has a wall or surface inner deviating from the plane of symmetry of the blade wheel away from the axis of symmetry of the annular element. The arrangement according to the invention makes it possible to increase the concentration of the incoming wind or, expressed differently, to increase the speed of the wind in the direction of the blades of the impeller, and thus to increase the power and improve the performance of it in electricity production.

According to one embodiment, said inner surface of an annular element is essentially planar. In this case, it forms a frustoconical surface on the periphery of the paddle wheel. According to another form of execution, it can be curved, like a trumpet bell. In both cases, cells are created on the periphery of the blade wheel having a section for capturing the wind that is significantly increased with respect to the section for the passage of the wind in the blade wheel. The catchment area is also increased over the catchment area of a known concentrator having outer surfaces substantially or approximately in the plane of the outer surfaces of the impeller.

[0008] The paddle wheel can be arranged horizontally (the axis being essentially vertical) or vertically (the axis being essentially horizontal). In both cases, the axis or shaft of rotation is advantageously essentially perpendicular to the direction of the wind.

[0009] The paddle wheel can advantageously be associated with at least one electrical current-generating machine. According to an advantageous embodiment, said at least one electrical generating machine is mounted on the shaft of the paddle wheel.

According to another advantageous embodiment, an electric generating machine is mounted on the shaft of the paddle wheel on each side thereof. This arrangement makes it possible to better balance the loads and/or stresses acting on the shaft of the paddle wheel and thus to reduce the wear of the bearings and bearings causing friction and thus reducing the efficiency of the machine.

The present invention also relates to an electric generator assembly of two or more paddle wheels associated with one or more electric generating machines. According to an advantageous embodiment, the various impellers are mounted on the same rotation shaft

3 BE2022/5102 and an electric generating machine is mounted at each of the two ends of the rotating shaft and possibly between two paddle wheels. Such an electric generator assembly makes it possible to advantageously group together several impellers on the same axis of rotation in a well-balanced manner and to produce electric current with good yields.

[0012] Such an electric generator assembly can be arranged in a support structure surmounted by a roof. The latter can be formed by or covered with photovoltaic panels. This electric generator set is particularly efficient since it is supplied by two renewable energy sources, the wind and the sun. It is known that most of the time one of the two sources is operational when the other is not and, therefore, the period of operation of the generator set of the invention is increased.

It is understood that in the context of the present invention, the terms "vertical" and "horizontal" in the singular and in the plural have the usual meaning, the object being in the normal position of assembly and/or use.

If the object of the invention is indeed as described above, it does not concern the blades, nor their position, nor their shape, nor their constitution. Those skilled in the art are certainly able to select the blades, both of the paddle wheel and of the wind concentrator, according to the needs of the installation to be built.

The invention is described in more detail in the example below, with the support of the figures in which: - Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a wind turbine according to the invention, perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the paddle wheel; and - Figure 2 is a schematic side view of a wind turbine according to the invention; and - Figure 3 schematically represents an electric generator assembly comprising several wind turbines according to the invention.

In the figures, the same reference marks relate to identical or similar elements. It is understood that the figures are schematic and serve only for the proper understanding and to illustrate the present description without thereby serving to limit the scope of the invention.

+ BE2022/5102

The schematic representation of Figure 1 clearly shows a conventional blade wheel 1 comprising blades 3 uniformly angularly distributed around the axis of rotation 5. With reference to Figure 2, it is clear that the blade wheel 1 is mounted on a shaft 7 which materializes the axis of rotation 5. On this shaft 7 are mounted two electric generators 11 and 13. On the periphery of the paddle wheel 1 is arranged a wind concentrator 20.

In the example shown, said wind concentrator 20 is fixed and comprises blades 25. According to the example, these are also fixed, all oriented in the same way and uniformly distributed over the periphery of the blade wheel 1, therefore angularly around the axis of symmetry 5 of the wind concentrator 20. It is nevertheless possible to provide orientable blades according to the direction of the impacting wind. As a variant, provision can be made for the wind concentrator 20 to be orientable. As can be seen in Fig. 2, the vanes 25 of the wind concentrator 20 are arranged between two annular elements or opposed annular walls 31 and 33, essentially perpendicular thereto, two annular walls 31,33 which have an inner surface 35,37 respectively, which deviates from the plane of symmetry 41 of the impeller 1 by moving away from the axis of symmetry 5 of the annular element 31,33.

The arrangement according to the invention makes it possible to concentrate the incoming wind 50 in the direction of the blades, in particular to increase the speed of the wind at the inlet of the paddle wheel, and thus to increase the power and to improve its performance, for greater electricity production.

[0019] It will be noted that in the representations, the axis of rotation 5 of the paddle wheel 1 is vertical.

It is of course clear to those skilled in the art that it can also be horizontal or have any other orientation. In any case, this axis 5 remains essentially perpendicular to the direction of the wind 50.

In the embodiment shown, said inner surface 35.37 of an annular element 31.33 is essentially planar. It therefore forms a frustoconical surface on the periphery of the blade wheel 1. Alternatively, it may be curved, like a trumpet bell.

In both cases, cells are created around the periphery of the blade wheel with a significantly increased wind collection section compared to the passage section of the wind in the blade wheel and the wind is thus concentrated on the blades of the blade. paddle wheel 1.

Figure 3 shows that it is advantageous to assemble several wind turbines described above on the same shaft 7 in order to form an electrical generator assembly of two, three or more

> BE2022/5102 paddle wheels 1 associated with one or more electric generating machines 11. In Figure 3, there is shown a generator at each end of the shaft 7 and two generators between two paddle wheels 1. In a form of advantageous execution, one can provide a single generator between two paddle wheels. This type of arrangement makes it possible to build an efficient electrical generator set.

As can still be distinguished in Figure 3, said electric generator assembly can be arranged in a support structure 60 surmounted by a roof 61. It is understood that the shaft and other elements of the together are asking to be secured in one way or another. Said roof is advantageously formed by photovoltaic panels. This electric generator set makes it possible to generate an electric current in a particularly efficient way since it transforms two renewable energy sources, the wind 50 and the sun 9.

Claims (10)

Claims 1. Wind turbine comprising a paddle wheel (1) which is mounted on a rotation shaft (7) and which is associated with an at least partially annular wind concentrator (20), optionally adjustable in position, which comprises blades (25 ) optionally adjustable arranged around said impeller (1), between two opposite annular elements (31,33), essentially perpendicular thereto, two annular elements (31,33) of which at least one has an inner surface (35,37) deviating from the plane of symmetry (41) of the impeller (1) away from the axis of symmetry (5) of the annular element. 2. Wind turbine according to claim 1 characterized in that said inner surface (35,37) of an annular element (31,33) is essentially planar. 3. Wind turbine according to claim 1 characterized in that said inner surface (35,37) of an annular element (31,33) is curved, like a trumpet bell. 4. Wind turbine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the paddle wheel (1) is associated with at least one electric current generating machine. 5. Wind turbine according to claim 4, characterized in that said at least one electrical generating machine (13) is mounted on the shaft (7) of the paddle wheel (1). 6. Wind turbine according to claim 4, characterized in that an electric generating machine (13) is mounted on the shaft of the paddle wheel (1) on each side thereof. 7. Wind turbine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the paddle wheel (1) is arranged horizontally. 8. Wind turbine according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the paddle wheel (1) is arranged vertically. 9. Wind turbine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is associated with at least one other wind turbine, preferably mounted on the same axis of rotation (5). 10. Wind turbine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is surmounted by photovoltaic panels (61).