GB2628103A

GB2628103A - Wind turbine

Info

Publication number: GB2628103A
Application number: GB2303628.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Close Sean
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2023-03-13
Filing date: 2023-03-13
Publication date: 2024-09-18
Also published as: WO2024189352A1; GB202303628D0

Abstract

A wind turbine apparatus comprising a housing (10, Fig. 1) adapted for positioning on or adjacent to a railway track, the housing including at least one rotor 24 mounted on a substantially horizontal drive shaft 26 in a pathway between the inlet (28, Fig. 4) and outlet 30, and an electrical generator 32 in communication with the drive shaft configured to generate electrical power. The at least one rotor is configured to be rotated by wind created by trains running on the railway track passing through the housing between the inlet and the outlet. The apparatus further comprises at least one conduit 34 extending from the outlet towards the inlet, the conduit adapted for channelling a proportion of air from the outlet towards the inlet. The turbine within the pathway between the inlet and outlet may also be a vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT).

Description

Wind Turbine

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to wind turbines, and in particular to wind turbines for harnessing wind created by the movement of trains.

Background of the Invention

The world's energy resources are depleting and it increasingly important to find new ways of generating energy. Wind power s a renewable energy source. Wind turbines harness energy from wind by converting mechanical power used to spin a rotor into electrical energy. Successfiilly harnessing energy from wind can be difficult since ideal sites for reliable and consistent wind are often in remote. locations. Further, wind turbines are typically very large imposing structures and tend to be noisy and not visually appealing.

_gloving vehicles, such as trains, produce gusts of wind. A wind turbine device which aims to harness energy from such gusts of wind is described in CN106368904. The power generation device comprises a number of turbine blades transmission shafts and a generator. The device is designed to be mounted on rails for ng part of a railway track.

CN101149045 describes a similar railway wind power generation device. The apparatus is arranged between railway track rails and includes multiple rotors mounted on a shaft, the shaft connected to a central generator.

It would be desirable to provide an alternative wind turbine apparatus suitable for use on a railway track.

Summary of the Invention

According to the ivention a wind turbine apparatus comprises a housing adapted tiu positioning on or adjacent to a railway track, the housing including: at least one rotor mounted on a substantially horizontal drive shaft; and an electrical generator conununication with the drive shaft and configured to generate electrical power from movement of the drive shaft; wherein the housing includes an inlet and an outlet and a pathway thereberween and at least one rotor is located within the pathway between the inlet and the outlet, and the at least one rotor s configured to be rotated by wind passing through the housing between the inlet and the outlet, the wind created by trains running on the railway track; and wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one conduit extending from the outlet towards the inlet, the conduit adapted for channeling a proportion of air from the outlet towards the inlet.

Air travelling at speed enters the housing via the inlet, passes through the housing, and exits the housing via both the outlet and the at least one conduit. Air entering the at least one conduit is redirected back towards the inlet.

The outlet is preferably smaller in size compared to the inlet. Preferably the outlet has a cross-sectional area around 50% of the size of the inlet.

Preferably the apparatus further comprises at least one fin extending across the inlet, the at least one fin arranged to direct air towards the at least one rotor. Preferably, at least one fin is shaped to accelerate air flow nto the housing.

A railway track comprises a pair of substantially parallel rails and a plurality of railway sleepers are arranged substantially perpendicular to the rails. When the apparatus is in use, the drive shaft is arranged substantially perpendicular to the rails. The apparatus is positioned such that wind or high speed airflow created by a train travelling on the railway track passes through the housing of the apparatus, entering via the inlet.

Preferably, the means for positioning the housing on or adjacent to a railway track comprises a bracket adapted for connection to a railway sleeper forming part of the railway track. The housing may be attached to a railway sleeper such that the housing is located between the parallel rails, or the housing may be attached to a railway sleeper such that the housing is located to one side of the railway track.

Preferably the or each conduit for channeling a proportion of air from the outlet towards the inlet includes at least one entrance orifice located adjacent to the outlet, and at least one exit orifice located adjacent to the inlet. The at least one exit orifice is preferably arranged such that air exiting the at least one conduit via the at least one exit orifice is directed across the inlet, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the pathway between the inlet and the outlet. The apparatus may include a plurality of air-directing fins extending across the inlet. Preferably the at least one conduit comprises a plurality of exit orifices and each exit orifice is substantially aligned with one of the fins. In this way air exiting the at least one conduit blows across the fins and helps to remove any debris.

Preferably the apparatus includes two conduits for channeling a proportion of air from the outlet towards the inlet. Preferably the conduits are located on opposing sides of the housing and the entrance orifices of the conduits are located at opposing sides of the outlet.

The wind turbine apparatus may further comprise an exhaust manifold shaped to direct proportion of the exhaust air towards the at least one conduit.

The rotors may be horizontal axis turbines or vertical axis turbines.

The apparatus may further comprise a battery for storage of electrical energy generated by the electrical generator.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In the Draw ch illustrate preferred embodiments of the wind turbine of the invention: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wind turbine apparatus; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 1 with an end plate, top plate and side plate removed; Figure 3a is a rear view of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 3b is a cross section along the line A-A of Figure 3a; Figure 4 is a front view of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 5 illustrates a front angular ew of the apparatus with the housing removed; and Figure 6 illustrates an exhaust manifold which forms part of the apparatus of Figure 1

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

The Figures illustrate awind turbine apparatus which comprises a housing 10 which is adapted to be attached to a railway sleeper via a bracket 14. The bracket is shaped so that it fits around a sleeper 16, as shown in Figures 3a and 3b. Once the bracket is installed around a sleeper, an end plate 18 is affixed to the apparatus, encapsulating the sleeper within the bracket.

As shown in the cross section of Figure 3h, the housing includes an inlet 28 and an outlet 30 located on opposing sides of the housing. In the illustrated example the outlet 30 has a cross-sectional area which is around 30% smaller than the cross-sectional area of the inlet 28. This narrowed outlet path helps to accelerate air flow through the housing via a venturi effect.

Figure 2 illustrates the housing 10 with a side plate 12 and top plate 22 removed. The housing includes a plurality of rotors 24, mounted on a drive shaft 26. When installed on a railway track the drive shaft 26 is oriented substantially parallel to the sleepers and the apparatus is arranged on the railway track so that gusts of wind generated by trains pass through the housing from the inlet to the outlet, causing the rotors, and drive shaft, to rotate. The rotors illustrated are horizontal axis turbines, but vertical axis turbines could equally be employed.

The apparatus includes an electrical generator 32 located at one end of the housing, and the generator converts mechanical energy from the rotating d e shaft into electrical energy.

As shown more clearly in Figure 3b, the inlet of the housing is preferably provided with a plurality of air-directing fins 36a, 361), 36c which extend substantially horizontally across the inlet. In the illustrated example there are three fins. The fins are in a fixed position within the inlet and are shaped to help accelerate wind coming into the inlet. In the illustrated example the central fin 36b is shaped such that it has a narrower cross-section towards the front of the inlet as shown in Figure 3b. This has the effect of narrowing the paths of the wind as it enters the housing and helps to accelerate the wind via a ventu effect. In addition, parts 38 of the housing adjacent the inlet are shaped at an angle in order to funnel air towards the rotors. The fins are also angled to direct the air flow towards the top of housing, so that the air flow impinges on the rotor blades and minimises any counter rotational forces. These features help to improve efficiency of the apparatus.

The apparatus farther includes a pair of conduits 34 which are arranged to redirect a proportion of air from the outlet back towards the inlet. Preferably one conduit is located on each side of the housing, as illustrated in the figures. Preferably around 50% of the air is redirected towards the inlet. One end 34a of each conduit is arranged adjacent to the outlet so that exhaust air can enter the conduit. Exhaust air from the outlet then travels along the conduit and is then expelled at the other end of the conduit, adjacent to the inlet. In the illustrated example the conduit branches into three parts adjacent the inlet and has three exit orifices 34h each located adjacent one of the fins 36a, 36b, 36c. Exhaust air which has been redirected from the outlet is expelled from the conduit in a direction substantially parallel to the fins. This expelled air helps to clean any debris build up on the fins and rotor blades, meaning less maintenance of the apparatus is required.

Inside the housing, adjacent to the outlet there is an exhaust manifold 20 which is located adjacent to the top plate of the housing. The exhaust manifold is shaped to help collect exhaust air from the outlet end of the housing for redirection via the conduits 34. The exhaust manifold illustrated comprises a plurality of pockets 42, and a plurality of apertures 40, which direct exhaust air towards the entrance orifices 34-a of the conduits 34.

Claims

Claims 1. Wind turbine apparatus comprising a housing adapted for positioning on or adjacent to a railway track, the housing including: at least one rotor mounted on a substantially horizontal drive shaft; and an electrical generator communication with the drive shaft and configured to generate electrical power from movement of the drive shaft; wherein the housing includes an inlet and an outlet and a pathway therebetween and at least one rotor is located within the pathway between the inlet and the outlet, and the at least one rotor is configured to be rotated by wind passing through the housing between the nler and the outlet, the wind created by trains running on the railway track; and wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one conduit extending from the outlet towards the inlet, the conduit adapted for channeling a proportion of air from the outlet towards the inlet.
2. Wind turbine apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 further comprising at least one tin extending across the inlet, the at least one fin arranged to direct air towards the at least one rotor.
3. Wind turbine apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, further comprising a plurality of fins extending across the inlet, wherein at least one of the fins is shaped to accelerate air Clow into the housing.
4. Wind turbine apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the means for positioning the housing on or adjacent to a railway track comprises a bracket adapted for connection to a railway sleeper forming parr of the railway track.
5. Wind turbine apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the at least one conduit includes at least one entrance orifice located adjacent to the outlet, and at least one exit orifice located adjacent to the inlet, and wherein the at least one exit orifice is arranged such that air exiting the at least one conduit via the at least one exit orifice is directed across the inlet, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the pathway between the inlet and the outlet.
6. Wind turbine apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the apparatus includes a plurality of fins extending across the inlet, each fin arranged to direct air towards the at least one rotor, and wherein the at least one conduit comprises a plurality of exit orifices and each exit orifice is substantiallyaligned with one of the fins.
7. Wind turbine apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, further comprising an exhaust manifold shaped to direct a proportion of the exhaust air towards the at least one conduit.
8. Wind turbine apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the apparatus comprises two conduits for channeling a proportion of air from the outlet towards the inlet and the conduits are located on opposing sides of the housing.
9. Wind turbine apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the rotor s selected from the group comprising: a horizontal axis turbine and a vertical axis turbine.
10. Wind turbine apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, further comprising a battery for storage of electrical power generated by the electrical generator.