Fluid turbine blade device

A fluid turbine blade device includes a vertical axis support base having a fulcrum-forming depression which acts as a first part, and a rotary assembly including a hub lid and a sleeve member rotatably surrounding the vertical axis support base. The hub lid has a projection acting as a second part and rotatably connected to the first part. The fluid turbine blade device further includes a plurality of blade modules mounted to the sleeve member and acted upon by fluid to drive the sleeve member to rotate, and a collision avoidance unit including a plurality of magnets disposed on the outside of the vertical axis support base and the inside of the rotary assembly to produce repulsive force.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/442,890, which was filed on Jun. 17, 2019, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD

The disclosure relates to a green energy power generation equipment, more particularly, to a blade device suitable for use with fluid turbines for generating power using moving fluids such as wind and water.

BACKGROUND

Referring toFIG. 1, a prior fluid turbine blade device comprises a vertical axis support base91and a blade assembly92mounted coaxially on the vertical axis support base91. The blade assembly92is capable of rotating about the axis of the support base91under the action of fluid. In order to have a smooth rotation of the blade assembly92, a rotation auxiliary means (not shown) such as a bearing, a roller or the like is usually applied at between the vertical axis support base91and the blade assembly92to hold the two and to minimize friction therebetween. Although the rotation auxiliary means can greatly reduce the friction generated when the blade assembly92is driven to rotate, in the absent of proper maintenance, it will gradually wear under long-term use to increase the friction during the rotation of the blade assembly92, and this in turn reduce the power generation efficiency.

SUMMARY

Therefore, the object of the disclosure is to provide a fluid turbine blade device that overcomes at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art.

According to the disclosure, a fluid turbine blade includes a vertical axis support base, a rotary assembly, a collision avoidance unit, and a plurality of blade modules. The vertical axis support base extends along a vertical axis, and includes top section that has a first part located at the vertical axis. The rotary assembly is coaxially mounted to the vertical axis support base, and includes a hub lid rotatably and coaxially assembled with the vertical axis support base, and a sleeve member extending downward from the hub lid and radially spaced from the vertical axis support base. The hub lid has a second part that is coaxially connected to the first part and that is rotatable about the vertical axis relative to the first part, with one of the first part and the second part including a depression and the other including an operatively associated projection. The collision avoidance unit is arranged between the vertical axis support base and the rotary assembly, and includes a plurality of first magnets disposed on the outside of the vertical axis support base, and a plurality of second magnets disposed on the inside of the rotary assembly and corresponding respectively in position to the first magnets for producing a repulsive force between the plurality of first magnets and the plurality of second magnets. Each blade module includes a blade (41) spaced from the rotary assembly, and a link rod assembly coupled between the rotary assembly and the blade. The blade is acted upon by fluid to drive the sleeve member to rotate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before the present disclosure is described in greater detail, it should be noted that where considered appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements, which may optionally have similar characteristics.

As shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, the first embodiment of the fluid turbine blade device according to the present disclosure includes a vertical axis support base1, a rotary assembly2, a collision avoidance unit3, and a plurality of blade modules4.

The vertical axis support base1extends along a vertical axis, and includes a support frame section11for standing on the ground, and a top section12integrated into the upper end of the support frame section11. The top section12includes a first part13located at the vertical axis and configured as a conical fulcrum-forming depression on the top surface of the top section12.

The rotary assembly2is coaxially mounted to the vertical axis support base1and capable of rotating around the vertical axis support base1in a rotation direction5. The rotary assembly2includes a hub lid21rotatably and coaxially assembled with the vertical axis support base1, and a sleeve member22extending downward from the hub lid21and sleeved around and radially spaced from the vertical axis support base1. The hub lid21has a lid body211vertically spaced from the top section12, and a second part23coaxially connected to the first part13and rotatable about the vertical axis relative to the first part13. In this embodiment, the second part23is configured as a conical projection extending from the lid body21for inserting into the first part13. The sleeve member22includes a tubular body221surrounding the support base1, and two vertically-spaced fastening units222attached on an outer surface of the tubular body221. Each blade module4is secured to the two fastening units222.

The collision avoidance unit3is arranged between the vertical axis support base1and the rotary assembly2, and includes a plurality of first magnets31disposed on the outside of the vertical axis support base1, and a plurality of second magnets32disposed on the inside of the hub lid21and the sleeve member22and corresponding respectively in position to the first magnets31, with the second magnets32arranged to have the same magnetic pole disposition as that of the corresponding first magnets31, such that a repulsive force is generated between the first magnets31and the second magnets32.

The blade modules4are distributed radially around the sleeve member22at an angular interval. Each blade module4includes a blade41spaced radially from the rotary assembly2, and a link rod assembly42coupled between the sleeve member22and the blade41. The link rod assembly42of each blade module4includes two link rods421which are fixedly and respectively attached to the fastening units222and extended to the respective blade41. The blade41of each blade module4includes a first portion411that has a surface413extending lengthwise vertically with the a width thereof substantially radial to the support base1, and a second portion412having a wedge leading edge toward the rotation direction5.

Taking the wind turbine as an example, when the blade device of the first embodiment is running, the blades41are acted upon by the wind to drive the rotary assembly2to rotate around the support base1, since the support base1and the rotary assembly are coaxially associated through contact only between the first part13and the second part23, the contact friction between the support base1and the rotary assembly2can be minimized. Moreover, the repulsive force produced by the magnetic pole dispositions of the first magnets31and the second magnets32will keep a smooth rotation of the rotary assembly2around the support base1not to tilt. Furthermore, for each of the blade modules4, the first portion411is configured to be a rectangular flat surface, and the second portion412is configured to be a wedge leading edge which has a relatively low form drag. The cooperation of the first portion411and the second portion412of the blade41can drive the rotary assembly2to rotate more efficiently.

As shown inFIG. 4, the second embodiment has a structure similar to that of the first embodiment. The main difference between this embodiment and the previous embodiment resides in the configuration of the hub lid21and the support base1. The second embodiment has the same advantages as those of the first embodiment.

The upper end of the top section12includes a cavity120for holding lubricant6, and the cavity120has a bottom surface121that defines a conical fulcrum-forming depression which is in communication with the cavity120and which acts to act as the first part13. The hub lid21includes a lid body211positioned spaced above the vertical axis support base1, and a protrusion212downward extending from the lid body211into the cavity120, and defining a conical pivot projection which extends downward from the lower end of the protrusion212to act as the second part23.

The protrusion212is inserted into the cavity120, with the second part23rotatably supported by the first part13to constitute the only contact surface between the protrusion212and the wall of the cavity120, while maintaining a space for holding the lubricant6between the wall of the cavity120and the protrusion212. With this arrangement, the cavity120containing the lubricant6will limit the tilt angle of the protrusion212when subject to an unbalanced force, and thus to prevent the sleeve member22from bumping into the support base1.

Referring toFIG. 5, the third embodiment has a structure similar to that of the first embodiment. The main difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment resides in the configuration of the cavity120and the protrusion212. The third embodiment has the same advantages as those of the first and second embodiments.

The top section12of the vertical axis support base1includes a cavity120on the top end thereof, with a positioning column122extending upward along the vertical axis from the bottom surface121of the cavity120. The first part13is provided as a fulcrum-forming depression formed on a top surface of the positioning column122and in communication with the cavity120. The protrusion212extends downward from the lid body211into the cavity120, and includes a positioning concavity213on the central bottom side for insertion of the positioning column122. The positioning concavity213has an upper surface214that defines a pivot projection acting as the second part23for rotatably associated with the first part13. With the lubricant6held in the cavity120and the positioning concavity213, the cooperation of the positioning column122and the positioning concavity213allows stable rotation of the rotatary assembly2around the support base1and not likely to tilt.

It is particularly noted that, in all of the above embodiments, the depression of the first part13and the projection of the second part23can be exchanged for the same purpose of rotating the rotary assembly2around the support base1. Besides, it should be noted that, while the first part13and the second part23in this disclosure are exemplified as being conical, other configurations, for example, hemispherical may be employed in other embodiments. Through the rotatable contact between the first part and the second part23of alternative configurations, the rotary assembly2is allowed to rotate around the support base1with smaller contact area.

In summary, the fluid turbine blade device of the present disclosure has the effect of rotating the rotary assembly2around the support base1through the first part13and the second part23, and preventing the sleeve member22from tilting and bumping into the support base1through the magnetic repulsive force produced by the collision avoidance unit3, so that the rotary assembly2is capable of smoothly rotating around the support base1without relying on bearings or other auxiliary components. The presently disclosed blade device when applied in fluid turbines can improve the efficiency of power generation and reduce the need for maintenance. Therefore, the object of the present disclosure has been achieved.