HRP20000203A2 - Windmill with rotating sails - Google Patents

Description

The field to which the invention relates

This invention relates to a new type of windmill with a vertical rotor, with variable surface sails instead of arms.

Technical problem

Existing windmills convert wind energy into mechanical energy thanks to the geometry of the arms. The obtained mechanical energy is further converted either into electrical energy or to start water pumps. All existing windmills, due to the small area of the arms in relation to the space they occupy, have a low coefficient of wind energy utilization and a strong wind is needed to start them. They have great power when strong winds blow, which are rare, so they give little energy over a long period of time. Weak winds of 2 to 6 meters per second have little power, but in many hilly places, and along seas, lakes and rivers, they blow almost constantly. Thanks to this, their energy is on average high for a long period of time. Existing windmills can hardly use such weak winds.

State of the art

Existing windmills are divided into windmills with a horizontal rotor and windmills with a vertical rotor. Both of them have arms of a certain fixed geometric profile. It is precisely this profile that enables them to work, i.e. rotate. The disadvantage of such solutions is the small area of the arms on which the wind acts, in relation to the total space occupied by the windmill, and consequently a small coefficient of wind energy utilization, which has the further consequence that they start working in stronger winds. Most often, the large three-bladed windmills with a horizontal rotor used today only start working at a wind of 6 meters per second, while small windmills of the same type but with a larger number of blades, which serve small farmers for pumping water, can start working at a wind of 3 meters in seconds, if they are well maintained and have a minimum capacity pump connected. The speed of rotation of the arms is higher than the speed of the wind, so the tips of the arms, in large windmills, can even break through the sound wall in strong winds. Because of this, these high-speed windmills create a lot of noise.

Presentation of the essence of the invention

The primary goal of this windmill is to use large surface sails to take advantage of winds of 2 meters per second and above, regardless of which direction they are blowing.

The secondary goal is to increase the utilization coefficient of wind energy at low wind speeds.

A further goal is to automatically reduce the surface area of the windmill's sails in case of strong winds to prevent damage.

An additional goal is to enable the production of cheap electricity on all isolated farms, cottages and similar facilities, where there is no electricity grid and there are frequent breezes.

The advantages of a windmill with rotating sails will be shown in the following description.

A windmill with rotating sails has a vertical rotor with three pairs of arms - At the ends of each pair of arms there are bearings of one sail. Three pairs of arms with associated sails are placed in a relationship of 120 degrees. At the top of the rotor is a mechanism that places the sails in the optimal position towards the wind at all times. This mechanism consists of a wind deflector which, via the wind deflector shaft, operates a central differential which has a transmission ratio of 1:1. The upper gear of this differential is fixed to the wind deflector and it controls the other three gears which are set at 90 degrees to the upper one, and at the same time there is a relationship of 120 degrees between them. These three gears are fixed by the shaft to the side gears of the sails. Sail differentials have a transmission ratio of 1:2. The lower, larger sail differential gear is fixed to the sail shaft. Thanks to this mechanism, which consists of a wind deflector, a central differential, three sail differentials, three sails and associated shafts, it is possible to bring the sails into the optimal position according to the direction of the wind at any time. If the wind changes direction by, for example, 120 degrees, the wind deflector will also turn by the same angle, which will be transmitted via the differential to the sails, with the fact that the sails will turn in their bearing by a 50% smaller angle, i.e. by 60 degrees. This is achieved by the fact that the sail differentials have a transmission ratio of 1:2 and this is the most important thing for the operation of the windmill. When assembling the windmill, one pair of arms is placed at an angle of 90 degrees in relation to the wind deflector (seen from above). Then the sail on that arm is placed perpendicular to the wind deflector, and then all the axles and differentials connecting that sail to the wind deflector are fixed. Then the rotor is rotated by 120 degrees, so the second sail, which is on the second pair of arms, is also placed perpendicular to the wind deflector, after which all the elements connecting this sail to the wind deflector are fixed. The rotor is turned again by 120 degrees and the procedure is repeated with the third sail. After this, all three sails are set optimally to the wind. The sail, which is located on one side of the wind deflector, is placed with the maximum surface towards the wind. The wind pushes it, which causes the rotor to spin. By rotating the rotor, the sail in its seat is also rotated in the opposite direction, and by twice the smaller angle. Such rotation reduces the surface of the sail exposed to the wind. When the rotor is rotated 180 degrees, the sail is brought to the other side of the wind deflector, but is now set with minimal surface to the wind. All three sails in the same way push the rotor in the same direction and cause its constant rotation. If the wind changes direction, the wind deflector rotates to the same angle and simultaneously all three sails are placed in the optimal position towards the wind.

At the bottom of the rotor there is a wheel, a reducer, through which energy is transferred to one or more generators, a water pump or another machine. The reducer can be made as a large gear, reel or pulley, so that the energy is transmitted by gear transmission, friction transmission or belts. The reducer should be large enough to achieve the highest possible transmission ratio (due to the low number of revolutions), and at the same time it also serves as a flywheel. The reducer is mounted on 6 or more supports. At the top of the support there are bearing bearings that carry the reducer. At a 90 degree angle to the bearing, there are lateral inner and outer bearings that prevent the reducer from sliding off the bearing.

The sails of this windmill are rectangular in shape and catch the wind with a large area, so the windmill starts working already at a wind speed of 2 meters per second. When the wind increases, the surface of the sail is reduced, which protects the windmill from damage in the event of a storm. This is achieved thanks to the fact that each sail has a mechanism for expanding and contracting the sail. The sail has a shaft whose lower part rests on a bearing located on top of the lower arm. The upper part of the sail shaft is fixed to the larger, lower gear of the corresponding differential of the sail. A pipe for winding the sail is installed on the shaft of the sail. On this tube, the furler, a canvas sail is wound, which can be spread left and right using two sail holders. These holders slide on the upper and lower glides of the sail. On the left and right ends of the sail there are sliders for gravity weights. Gravitational weights using ropes, via small pulleys, pull the sail holders towards the sides of the sails and thus spread the sails. At the bottom of the sail there is a slide of centrifugal weights that expand outwards when the speed of rotation increases, and the sail is wound onto the winder via the rope wound on the winder. With this, the surface of the sail can be reduced by 95% of the maximum surface. This protects the windmill from damage, so the entire structure can be made less robust, which makes it lighter, cheaper and more sensitive to light breezes. Gravitational weights and centrifugal weights are connected by a tension rope that keeps a constant distance between them, so that the canvas of the sail always remains taut. Regulation of the expansion and contraction of the sail, i.e. at what wind speed the sail will begin to contract, is performed by increasing the mass of the centrifugal and gravity weights. If we want the sail to contract in weaker winds, increase the mass of the centrifugal weight and reduce the mass of the gravity weight. If we want to use more wind energy, i.e. that the sails start to gather only in stronger winds, we do the opposite.

The wind deflector should be large enough to overcome the frictional resistance of all gears and bearings, differentials and sails at a wind speed of 2 m/s.

Brief description of the drawing

Drawing no. 1 shows a series of sail positions in different phases of the rotor rotation through 360 degrees. The displayed positions are occupied by all three sails at different times. The picture shows that when the sail sits on the side of the rotor shaft, it has the maximum surface exposed to the wind, and when the rotor rotates 180 degrees, the minimum surface area of the sail is exposed to the force of the wind.

Fig. 2a, 2b, and 2c show the position of all three sails and wind deflectors in relation to the direction of the wind, at three different moments of rotation.

Fig. 3a and 3b show a schematic view of the windmill from the ground plan and perspective.

Fig. 4a and 4b show a schematic view of the windmill with a cross-section of the differential. The drawing shows the connection between the wind deflector, the central differential, the sail differential, and the sail itself. You can also see where the generator is located and how it starts. Fig. 4b shows the cross-section of the reducer and the bearings on which the reducer rotates.

On Fig. no. 5 shows the details of the sail. Shown are the shaft of the sail, the furler of the sail on which the canvas of the sail is wound, the holders of the canvas of the sail, the canvas of the sail itself, the upper and lower runners of the sail holder, the runners of the gravity and the centrifugal weight runners, the ropes for expanding the sails that connect them to the sail holders, the ropes for gathering of sails that are wound on the furler in the opposite direction to the furling of the sail, the tension ropes that connect the gravity and centrifugal weights. You can also see the small pulleys over which the weight ropes slide.

A detailed description of at least one way of realizing the invention

Referring to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2a, 2b and 2c, it can be seen that a windmill with rotating sails has three sails that, during rotation, occupy the optimal position in relation to the direction of the wind at all times. When the sail is sitting on the side of the wind deflector, the maximum surface area is exposed to the wind. The wind pushes the sail, and the sail pushes the rotor and it turns. At the same time, the sail is also rotated in its bearing, but in the opposite direction and by twice the angle of rotation of the rotor. In this way, the sail uses wind energy during the rotation of the rotor by 300 degrees. Only at 60 degrees during rotation does the sail brake the rotation of the rotor, and with minimal force since it is placed parallel to the wind in that part of the path. This kind of rotation is enabled by the mechanism for turning the sails, which can be seen in fig. 4a and 4b. and consists of a wind deflector (12), which is connected via the wind deflector shaft (11) to the upper gear of the central differential (13), three sail differentials (8), three differential shafts (10) that connect the side gears of the sail differential (15) with with the side gears of the central differential (14), and the shaft of the sail (17) which connects the upper arms (6) and the lower arms (5) of the rotor. The upper part of the sail shaft (17) is connected to the lower gear of the sail differential (16), and the lower part of the sail shaft is in the bearing located on top of the lower arm of the rotor (5). If the wind changes direction by 90 degrees and the wind deflector (12) will rotate by the same angle, which will transfer the rotation via the center differential (9), the differential shaft (10), and the sail differential (8) to the sail shaft (17), but for an angle of 45 degrees and in the opposite direction in its bearing. This is achieved by the fact that the central differential (9) has a transmission ratio of 1:1, and the sail differentials (8) have a ratio of 1:2. Which side the sails (7) and the rotor (4) of the windmill will rotate depends on the installation. During assembly, one sail at a time (7) is fixed in relation to the wind deflector (12). If then the sails are set so that they spin clockwise they will always spin that way, and if they are set the other way round they will spin in reverse. The rotation of the rotor (4) is transmitted to the reducer (3), which is driven by the electric motor. generator (2) or some other driving machine. This energy transfer is carried out using a reducer (3) with the highest possible transmission ratio. A large gear, wheel or pulley can serve as a reducer, which also depends on the dimensions of the windmill. Small windmills turn quickly, and large ones more slowly, so a larger reduction in the number of revolutions is required for large ones. The reducer (3) should also be heavy enough to serve as a flywheel and also to prevent the windmill from overturning in strong winds. The sail (7) is a large canvas surface that captures the wind with all its height and width. Since the strength of the wind depends on the third power of the wind speed, any stronger wind could tear both this canvas and the entire windmill. To prevent this from happening, a mechanism is installed on each sail that reduces the surface of the sail, which is illustrated in Fig. 5, as soon as the rotor rotation speed (4) increases. This mechanism consists of gravity weights (22) and thin ropes (27) that connect the weights to the sail holders (19), centrifugal weights (25) and ropes (28) that are wound on the sail winder (18), and in the opposite direction to the direction in which the sail itself is wound, so that the sail is wound when the ropes (28) are unwound and vice versa. The tension rope (29) connects the gravity weights (22) and the centrifugal weights (25), thus keeping the sail (7) taut, and all the ropes pass over small pulleys (26) that facilitate the sliding of the ropes. The upper part of the sail holder (19) slides on the inside of the upper sail slider (20) so that the sliding surface is not exposed to rain and ice. The lower part of the sail holder (19) slides on the lower slide of the sail (23) by means of a ring that is arranged around this slide during assembly. This ring must be wider than the slider (23) so that it does not get stuck when ice appears. The gravity weight (22) slides along the associated slide (21), and the centrifugal weight (25) slides along the associated slide (24). Both types of weights are made in the form of rings that slide on the associated slides. Their width should also be greater than the width of the sliders, so that they do not get stuck even when ice appears. The mass of the gravity weights (22) should be large enough so that in a weak wind, when the windmill rotates slowly, it can spread the sails (7) and attract the centrifugal weights (25) towards the axis of the sail (17). The mass of the centrifugal weights (25) must be large enough that when the rotation speed increases, it has a strong enough centrifugal force to wind the sail cloth (7) on the sail furler (18), and at the same time lift the gravity weights (22) upwards. By changing the mass of these weights, it is possible to regulate the speed at which the sails (7) will begin to contract. If we size the weights to collect the sail (7) at a slower rotation, we will get less energy, and if we size them to collect the wind only when the rotor turns quickly, it may happen that the wind damages the windmill.

Method of application of the invention

In this way, the invention of the windmill with rotating sails enables the use of frequent, strong winds and the conversion of wind energy into other forms of energy.

Weak winds of 2 m/s in many locations along seas, lakes, rivers and on the slopes of hills and hills blow almost constantly, and thus the windmill can work most of the time.

Thanks to the mechanism for retracting and expanding the sails, the windmill is protected from damage during storms. The windmill is slow-moving, so it doesn't make a lot of noise. The noise level is equal to the noise generated by sails on sailing ships.

On isolated family farms, cottages and similar places where there is no connection to the electricity grid, it is possible to build a windmill like this at a price lower than the price of an electricity connection. network.

When there is no wind, it is possible to use the energy accumulated in the el. accumulators, or backup sources of energy.

Claims (31)

1. A windmill with rotating sails consists of a support on which there is a generator and a differential and a windmill rotor, with three pairs of arms, on which there are cloth sails controlled by a wind deflector located on top of the rotor, which sets the sails in the optimal position at all times towards the wind, and the whole process indicated by that, is made possible by the mechanism for steering the sails, which consists of one three-sided central differential (9) with a transmission ratio of 1:1 and three satellite differentials of the sail (8) with a transmission ratio of 1:2, and associated axles that they connect the differentials to each other, and to the sails (7) and the wind deflector (12). 2. Windmill with rotating sails according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said central differential with a transmission ratio of 1:1 has four identical bevel gears, three of which are located at an angle of 120 degrees to each other, and are offset from each other, which are side gears of the central differential (14), while the fourth gear of the wind deflector (13) is located from above, perpendicular to the first three with which it is in contact with the teeth, and when it rotates, the other three also rotate by the same angle. 3. Windmill with rotating sails according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that said wind deflector gear is connected to said wind deflector (12) via the wind deflector shaft (11), so that said gear rotates together with said wind deflector. 4. Windmill g with rotating sails according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that the said side gears of the said central differential are connected by the differential shaft (10) to the side gears of the sail (15), which are located in the sail differential (8), so that the said the side gears of the sail differential turn simultaneously with the specified side gears of the central differential fig. 4a and 4b. 5. Windmill with rotating sails according to claim 1 and 4, characterized in that said sail differential located at the top of the upper arm of the rotor (6) has two bevel gears that are located at 90 degrees and have a transmission ratio of 1:2 with that the said side sail gear is smaller and the lower sail gear (16) is larger and is located on top of the sail shaft (17), so that said sail shaft rotates when said sail gears are rotated. 6. Windmill with rotating sails according to claim 1 and 5, characterized by the fact that the said sails in Fig. 5 consist of the said shaft of the sail which is inserted at the upper end and firmly connected to the said lower gear of the sail, and the lower end is inserted into the bearing which is located on top of the lower arm of the rotor (5). 7. Windmill with rotating sails according to claim 1 and 5, characterized by the fact that the said shaft near the top, and below the said upper arm of the rotor, has an upper slide of the sail holder (20) placed at 90 degrees, which is connected to the said sail shaft exactly at half its length. 8. A windmill with rotating sails according to claim 7, characterized by the fact that the mentioned upper slide of the sail holder (20) has a groove on the lower side through which the top of the sail holder (19) slides, so that water cannot enter the groove, which could in winter freeze. 9. Windmill with rotating sails according to claim 5, characterized by the fact that the said shaft of the sail has, at the bottom, at an angle of 90 degrees, a slide of centrifugal weights (24), which is connected to the said shaft of the sail at exactly half of its length. 10. Windmill with rotating sails according to claims 7 and 9, characterized by the fact that the said upper slide of the sail holder is located exactly, in plan, above the said centrifugal weight slides, and both said slides are of equal length. 11. Windmill with rotating sails according to claim 7 and 9, characterized in that the said upper slide of the sail holder and the said slide of the centrifugal weight are mutually connected at the ends with the slides of the gravity weights (21) so that together they form a quadrilateral. 12. Windmill with rotating sails according to claims 5, 7 and 9, characterized by the fact that the said shaft of the sail is placed on a wider tube that serves as a winder for the sail (18), on which the canvas of the sail (7) is wound, with the fact that the furler of the sail located between the said slide of the centrifugal weights and the said upper slide of the sail holder. 13. Windmill with rotating sails according to claim 9, 11 and 12, characterized by the fact that the said slide of gravity weights, at the bottom, and above the said slide of centrifugal weights, has a lower slide of the sail holder (23), which in the middle of its length has a ring through which the said shaft of the sail and the said furler of the sail pass freely, 14. Windmill with rotating sails according to claim 7, 12 and 13.. characterized by the fact that the said upper slide of the sail holder and the said lower slide of the sail holder serve as slides on which the sail holder (19) slides, and stretches the said canvas of the sail (7) , with the fact that the said sail holder on the upper side has an extension Fig. 5 that slides along the inside of the groove of the said upper slide of the sail holder, and on the lower side of the sail holder there is a ring that includes the said lower slide of the sail holder and slides on it. 15. Windmill with rotating sails according to claim 11, indicated by the fact that said sliders of gravity weights pass through thick wider rings that serve as gravity weights (22). 16. Windmill with rotating sails according to claim 9, 11 and 13, characterized by the fact that the said sliders of the gravity weights (21) near the top, and above the mentioned lower slider of the sail holder and above the mentioned slider of the centrifugal weight, i.e. in three places, have small pulleys (26). 17. Windmill with rotating sails according to claims 15 and 16, characterized by the fact that said gravity weights pull two gravity ropes (27), which pull the said sail holders towards the sides of the sail over said pulleys, thus spreading said sail. 18. Windmill with rotating sails according to claim 9, characterized by the fact that the said slide of centrifugal weights has mounted rings of greater mass that serve as centrifugal weights (25) and when turning the windmill, thanks to the centrifugal force, slide outwards. 19. Windmill with rotating sails according to claims 12 and 18, characterized by the fact that the said centrifugal weights are connected to the said winder of the sail via the rope of the centrifugal weight (28), so that the said rope is unwound from the said winder, and the winder thus turns and he winds the mentioned canvas of the sail on himself. 20. Windmill with rotating sails according to claim 12, 15, 16 and 18, indicated by that. that said centrifugal weights and said gravity weights are connected by means of a tension rope (29) which slides over said small pulleys and maintains a constant distance between said gravity weights and said centrifugal weights, thus keeping said sail taut. 21. Windmill with rotating sails according to claim 1, characterized in that said central differential is located on top of the rotor (4). 22. Windmill with rotating sails according to claim 21, characterized by the fact that the said rotor, at the top, sideways at 90 degrees, has three upper rotor arms (6) placed at an angle of 120 degrees. 23. Windmill with rotating sails according to claim 1 and 22, characterized in that the said three upper arms of the rotor have the said sail differentials installed at their other end. 24. Windmill with rotating sails according to claim 6 and 21, characterized by the fact that the said rotor at the bottom, sideways at 90 degrees, has three lower rotor arms (5) placed at an angle of 120 degrees, and which on its at the other end, they have bearings placed through which the lower part of the aforementioned sail shaft passes. 25. Windmill with rotating sails according to claim 21, characterized in that said rotor is placed on the center of a horizontally placed point that serves as a reducer (3), with said reducer on the periphery having an extension in the form of a sideways letter T as illustrated in Fig. 4b. 26. Windmill with rotating sails according to claim 25, characterized in that said reducer with rim expanded in the form of a sideways letter T as illustrated in Fig. 4b, on the upper side of the rim has incised gears, and on the lower side it is flat. 27. Windmill with rotating sails according to claim 25, characterized in that said reducer is placed on bearing bearings (30). 28. Windmill with rotating sails according to claim 25 and 27, indicated by the fact that said reducer is held on the inside of the rim by lateral internal bearings (31) that prevent said reducer from sliding off said bearing bearings. 29. Windmill with rotating sails according to claims 25 and 27, characterized by the fact that said reducer is held on the outside of the rim by lateral outer bearings (32) that prevent said reducer from sliding off said bearing bearings. 30. A windmill with rotating sails according to claim 27, 28 and 29, indicated by the fact that the specified bearing bearings, the specified internal side bearings and the specified external side bearings with small shafts are located on top of the windmill support (1), with the entire specified reducer there are at least 6 such supports with 8 mentioned bearings. 31. Windmill with rotating sails according to claims 26 and 30, characterized by the fact that a generator is attached to the said support, which is driven by gears located on the upper side of the said reducer.