WO2003098036A1

WO2003098036A1 - Orbital-rotating turbine and propeller

Info

Publication number: WO2003098036A1
Application number: PCT/TR2003/000039
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hasim Vatandas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-05-21
Filing date: 2003-05-21
Publication date: 2003-11-27
Anticipated expiration: 2004-11-21
Also published as: AU2003239108A1

Abstract

An orbital-rotating wind turbine comprising an axle (2) supported by a supportive structure (1), supportive arms (4) fixed perpendicularly to said axle (2), vanes (3) pivotally arranged to said supportive arms (4) in a manner that pivoting axes thereof are substantially parallel to longitudinal axis of the axle (2) wherein transmission means (12) are provided between the vanes (3) and the axle (2) for maintaining preset position of vanes (3) with respect to each other during operation.

Description

ORBITAL-ROTATING TURBINE AND PROPELLER

The present invention relates to vertical-rotating wind turbines to produce profitable energy from the wind, furthermore the invention relates to water and gas turbines, and alternatively relates to fans and propellers.

The vanes of wind turbines are collected in two groups, as vertical and horizontal, according to rotation axes thereof. Horizontal-axis turbines are commonly utilized in this particular field. However, there is a remarkable disadvantage accompanied with the horizontal-axis turbines i.e. the wind energy cannot completely be converted into profitable energy, since the wind-encountering area of the vanes of horizontal-axis turbines is low. Moreover, the contribution for overcoming the disadvantage would not be accommodated simply through enhancement of the vane area, since turbulences are inevitably formed and leading to an inefficient structure.

Vertical-axis wind turbines are developed to enhance their yield by broadening the active wind-encountering area of wind turbines. These turbines too, however, fail to provide the adequate power and revolution. It is because all such turbines utilize only the wind force that blows from single direction with respect to the position of the axis against the wind.

Such a turbine is known from US 4,430,044 disclosing a rotor and blade forms pivotally attached to the outer ends of the rotor for motion in an orbital path. US 4,430,044 suggest a fair solution for producing an efficient power production. However, it is obvious that US 4,430,044 fails in enhancing the power production efficiency, since the blades can merely be forced by the wind force blowing from single direction of the rotor support.

The object of the present invention is to provide a wind turbine of the above- mentioned kind which produces power more effectively and efficiently.

The turbine in the scope of the present invention comprises a vertical axle supported by a structure, at least two vanes pivotally connected to supportive arms attached to the vertical axle and power transmission means attached to the vanes and to the vertical axle.

The vanes are preferably preset as the angle between the surface normal thereof become substantially 90°. The orbital movement of the vanes is sustained throughout the operation as the preset position of the vanes is remained by the transmission means.

The orbital-rotating vertical-axis wind turbine realized to achieve the objective of the present invention is illustrated in the annexed figures, wherefrom

Figure 1 , gives the general view of the orbital-rotating turbine;

Figure 2, gives the front view of the orbital-rotating turbine;

Figure 3, gives a cross-sectional top view of the orbital-rotating turbine; and

Figure 4, shows the multiple design of a horizontal axis orbital-rotating turbine.

The parts in such figures are individually numbered as following:

I . Supportive structure; 2. vertical axle;

3. vane;

4. supportive arm;

5. wind direction guide;

6. central gear; 7. vane gear;

8. transmission gear;

9. transmission shaft;

10. transmission shaft bearing;

I I . wind direction guide bearing; 12. gear system;

13. direction that wind compels vanes;

14. vane rotation direction; and

15. horizontal axle. This orbital-rotating turbine (Figure 1 ) comprises a vertical axle (2); a supportive structure (1 ) that bears and connects the axle (2) to the base; two supportive arms (4) fixed horizontally to upper and lower sides of the vertical axle (2); and one vane (3) that is placed so that it can rotate around itself between such two arms (4). There are also one wind direction guide (5) and a gear system (12), as the auxiliary mechanism.

The components that do not rotate among the components fixed to said axle (2) are the wind direction guide (5) supported by the upper part of the axle (2) and the central gear (6) connected to such guide (5). As the system rotates, the transmission gear (8) rotating around the fixed central gear (6) and the transmission shaft (9) forces the vanes (3) to rotate around their own by acting on the vane gears (7) by means of a secondary transmission gear (8). While the first adjustment is performed, one of the vanes (3) is fixed perpendicular and the other parallel to the wind guide i.e. the angle between the surface normal of the vanes is substantially 90°. Rotation initiates at the vane direction that is perpendicular to said guide (5), namely to the wind. The number of vane gear teeth is preferably as twice as the gear teeth of the central gear (6). So, when the vane (3) rotates around the axle (2) and displaces to the other side thereof (2), the vane (3) comes to the same direction with the wind. When the vane (3) rotates one full cycle around the axle (2), the vane (3) completes a half rotation around itself. Thus it maintains its whole perpendicular position of one side of the axle (2), and its whole parallel position on the other side.

An alternative transmission means (12) may comprise a chain or belt connecting the vane gears (7) to the central gear (6) instead of the transmission shaft (9) or the power may be transmitted by an integrated gear group from the vane gear (7) to the central gear (6).

According to the invention, a desired number of vanes can be fixed around the axle (2) in the orbital-rotating turbine (Figure 1 ). The higher the vane (3) number, the lower the vane surface area.

The vane (3) radius on the side, where the orbital-rotating turbine (Figure 1 ) rotates by the wind direction, increases; and the vane (3) radius on the side, where it rotates against the wind, decreases. In other words, it becomes shorter and longer towards the axle (2). This characteristic contributes positively to rotation.

Alternatively, in case this orbital-rotating turbine (Figure 1 ) is utilized as a turbine driven by water, steam or gas the matter that the axle is vertical or horizontal becomes insignificant. In this case, the axle (2) is hold by its two ends and the central gear (6) is connected to the stator.

When the system is operated reversely, namely, if it is operated by an external power, this turbine converting the linear movement of fluids into rotational movement becomes a system that donates fluids a linear movement. It is possible to embody any kind of fluid (air, water, steam, gas) propulsion and suction fans and propellers by the use of such orbital turbine. In this way, the axle to be used as either vertical or horizontal is fixed from its two ends (stator). The central gear is fixed to the supportive structure.

Figure 3 shows the positions that the vanes (3) possess in various instants of a rotation. The vanes almost always maintain their position to contribute to the rotation direction (14) in almost any points of such rotation.

Regarding turbine operations, the orbital-rotating turbine is used horizontally and in multiple configurations positioned one on the other (Figure 4) to provide storm protection. As the wind becomes more intense, the turbine is rotated laterally against the wind both to control the revolution and to terminate the system, if it becomes necessary.

Regarding this alternative embodiment, the revolutions of the horizontal axles is collected by means of chains and gears means and is transmitted to a generator. Another advantage of using a number of horizontal turbines one on the other is to increase the wind area without enhancing the rotation diameter, thereby relatively high R.P.M.'s are obtained.

Claims

1. An orbital-rotating wind turbine comprising an axle (2) supported by a supportive structure (1 ), supportive arms (4) fixed perpendicularly to said axle (2), vanes (3) pivotally arranged to said supportive arms (4) in a manner that pivoting axes thereof are substantially parallel to longitudinal axis of the axle (2) characterized in that transmission means (12) are provided between the vanes (3) and the axle (2) for maintaining preset position of vanes (3) with respect to each other during operation.

2. An orbital-rotating wind turbine according to claim 1 , characterized in that the transmission means (12) comprise a vane gear (7) connected to the vane (3), a transmission gear (8) being in contact with the vane gear (7) and being arranged to a transmission shaft (9) and a secondary transmission gear (8) being in contact with a central gear (6) provided to the axle (2).

3. An orbital-rotating wind turbine according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the number of vane gear teeth is preferably as twice as the gear teeth of the central gear (6) so that the turbine completes one cycle around the axle (2) when the vanes (3) completes a half cycle around their own axis.

4. An orbital-rotating wind turbine according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the number of vanes (3) is two.

5. An orbital-rotating wind turbine according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vanes (3) are preferably preset as the angle between surface normal of the vanes become substantially 90°.

6. A self-powered propeller comprising an axle (2) supported by a supportive structure, supportive arms (4) fixed perpendicularly to said axle (2), vanes (3) pivotally arranged to said supportive arms (4) in a manner that pivoting axes thereof are substantially parallel to longitudinal axis of the axle (2) characterized in that transmission means (12) are provided between the vanes (3) and the axle (2) for maintaining preset position of vanes (3) with respect to each other during operation.

7. A self-powered propeller according to claim 6, characterized in that the transmission means comprise a vane gear (7) connected to the vane (3), a transmission gear (8) being in contact with the vane gear (7) and being arranged to a transmission shaft (9) and a secondary transmission gear (8) being in contact with a central gear provided to the axle (2).

8. A self-powered propeller according to claim 6 to 7, characterized in that the number of vane gear teeth is preferably as twice as the gear teeth of the central gear (6) so that the propeller completes one cycle around the axle

(2) when the vanes (3) completes a half cycle around their own axis.