Patent ID: 9013052
Filing Date: 2015-04-21
Classification: F03B,F05B,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A device for harnessing energy from a body of water, the device comprising: a central axle; a Darrieus rotor having at least two Darrieus rotor blades, each Darrieus rotor blade being directly or indirectly connected with the central axle at a first longitudinal location on the Darrieus rotor blade; and at least two connecting arms connecting the Darrieus rotor blades to the central axle, each connecting arm being attached to its respective Darrieus rotor blade with a hinged connection, the hinged connection being at a second longitudinal location on the Darrieus rotor blade longitudinally spaced from the first longitudinal location, such that the Darrieus rotor and the connecting arms are rotatable about a common axis of rotation with the central axle, each connecting arm being attached to the central axle with a rigid connection which establishes an angle of the connecting arm relative to the common axis of rotation; wherein an axis of hinging of the hinged connection: is at an angle α of less than 30° with a plane perpendicular to the common axis of rotation, and is at an angle β of less than 15° with a plane perpendicular to a line that runs from the common axis of rotation to a leading edge of the particular Darrieus rotor blade near the hinged connection, which line is situated in a plane perpendicular to the common axis of rotation.