Patent ID: 7932620
Filing Date: 2011-04-26
Classification: F03D,Y02E,Y02P

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for producing electrical power from wind energy, comprising: a windmill having a tower, a transmission supported by the tower, a hydraulic pump supported by the tower and connected to be driven by the transmission to produce hydraulic pressure in an output line, and at least one windmill blade supported by the tower and connected to drive the transmission; a pressurized storage tank connected by a hydraulic line to the hydraulic pump mounted in the tower; a plurality of generator units connected to be selectively supplied with hydraulic pressure; each of said plurality of generator units including a hydraulic motor driving an electrical generator, and wherein each respective one of the generator units being selectively coupled hydraulically to the output of the hydraulic pump by respective diverter valves; and a controller for causing selective operation of ones of said plurality of generator units in a predetermined sequence by diverting hydraulic pressure to a next one in the predetermined sequence only when a current one of the generator units in the sequence being supplied with hydraulic pressure achieves a stabilized output voltage.