Patent Publication Number: US-2009224552-A1

Title: Multiple Turbine Energy Collector and System

Description:
This application claims priority and herein incorporates by reference U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/945,638, filed Jun. 22, 2007. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Energy use has transformed human life and allowed us to populate many different climates and environments. As developing countries move to join the 21 st  century, more and more energy is needed. For many years now, fuels such as oil and coal have provided the developed world with cheap and easy to use energy sources. However; although vast, the supply of these energy sources are limited and finite which has led to much higher energy costs. 
     These developments have led to renewed and increased interest in alternative sources of energy. The most important of these include sun, wind, tides and geothermal sources. In 2005, the total world production of these alternative sources amounted to about 14% of the world&#39;s total energy consumption. Wind power accounts for a just under 5% of this total. As concerns for supply exhaustion and carbon dioxide production increase, these numbers will invariably grow. 
     Wind power is one of the fastest growing areas of alternative energy sources. Wind can be used to do work directly like pumping water, but the most common means of wind harvesting is using the wind to produce electricity. Wind power production is renewable and essentially produces no greenhouse gasses. 
     While wind power has many advantages, the generator units are expensive and require regular maintenance. In order to increase power output, users generally need to use more turbines, each one connected to a generator unit. There is a need for a way to increase power output without the expense of adding more generators. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A multiple turbine energy collector and system comprises a plurality of turbines connected using a transmission system to transfer the movement of the turbines to rotate a generator to generate an electric current. In one embodiment, the turbines are arranged linearly with a gearing transmission means to couple the plurality of turbines to the generator. Other embodiments comprise a belt driven transmission or a chain driven system to drive the generator. In yet another embodiment, the turbines are stacked vertically. An independently rotating wind facing aerodynamic shroud covers a portion of the turbines creating a venturi shaped opening which increases airflow around the turbines and creates a low pressure region on the drag side of the turbines. The turbines are Vertical-Axis Wind Turbines (VAWTs) and may be either a drag or lift type. 
     Other features and advantages of the instant invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention which refers to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         FIG. 1  is an illustration of a multiple turbine energy collector according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a detailed view of a portion shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is another detailed view of a portion shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an illustration of a multiple turbine energy collector according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a detailed view of a portion shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is another detailed view of a portion shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an aerodynamic shroud according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a top perspective view of an aerodynamic shroud according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a top perspective view of an aerodynamic shroud according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a side perspective view of an aerodynamic shroud according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is an illustration of a multiple turbine energy collector according to an embodiment of the present invention 
         FIG. 12  is an illustration of a multiple in-line turbine energy collector according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a portion of a turbine and aerodynamic shroud according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is made to the drawings in which reference numerals refer to like elements, and which are intended to show by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , a multiple turbine energy collecting device  100  comprises a plurality of turbines with shrouds  102  mounted vertically on a plurality of vertical shafts  108 . In the embodiment shown, turbines  102  are shown as Vertical-Axis Wind Turbines (VAWTs). Other embodiments use any suitable VAWT turbines including both lift and drag types as is known in the art such as Savonius, Darrieus, Giromill, Cycloturbine and Turby turbines. Plurality of turbines  102  are coupled together using a belt drive  106  tensioned by tensioners  112 . Each turbine  102  is coupled with belt drive  106  which is connected to shafts  108 . Any suitable method of engaging turbines  102  with belt drive  106  may be used. Belt drive  106  causes generator  114  to turn to produce electricity. Generator  114  is a high efficiency generator which includes the associated electrical circuitry necessary to operate generator  114  as is known in the art. Of course any generator or other rotably operated device may be connected to multiple turbine energy collecting device  100  such as pumps, mills, etc. 
     Generator  114  is connected to belt drive  106  by power pulley  110  which may be a direct drive or further geared as is known in the art. Additionally, a computer (not shown) may monitor and control the delivery of rotational torque to generator  114  as is known in the art. Power transfer is controlled by adjusting the tension of tensioners  112  as is known in the art. The computer (not shown) may also be used to control tensioners  112 . Tensioners  112  may also be used to take generator  114  offline. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 4-6 , a multiple turbine energy collecting device  400  comprises a plurality of turbines  102  mounted vertically on shafts  108 . Vertical shaft  108  is connected to a bevel gear  404  which engages a bevel gear  406  mounted on a drive shaft  402 . Generator  114  turns when drive shaft  402  rotates bevel gear  408  which engages with bevel gear  410 . Of course other power coupling systems may be used such as computer controlled transmissions as is known in the art. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 7-10 , an aerodynamic shroud  706  partially encloses turbines  704  which in this case are drag type turbines such as a Savonius wind turbine. Shroud  706  is held in position by structural support arms  714  which are attached to a wind directional vane  702  which aligns shroud to operate at maximum efficiently as it responds to wind direction. As the air flows through shroud  706 , it is channeled around turbines  704  increasing the speed of the airflow. The shape of shroud  706  acts as venturi  713  which increases the efficiency of turbine  704  by producing a laminar flow of air across the blades of turbine  704 . Shroud  706  keeps the drag side of turbine  704  covered. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 11 , a multiple turbine energy collecting device  1000  comprises plurality of turbines with shrouds  102  mounted vertically on shafts  108 . In the embodiment shown, turbines  102  engage a chain  1006  with a plurality of chain gears  1002 . A spring loaded tensioner (not shown) is used to adjust the tension and to take an individual turbine  102  offline. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 12 ; a multiple turbine energy collecting device  1200  comprises a plurality of turbines  1202  mounted vertically on a shaft  1204 . In the embodiment shown, turbines directly turn shaft  1204 . Of course a gearing mechanism (not shown) could be used to selectively engage drive shaft  1204  as is known in the art. 
     Referring to  FIG. 13 , a drag side shroud portion  706  works in conjunction with a lift side shroud portion  706  to further enhance the wind flow around turbine  704  through venturi  713 . Shroud portions  706  and  707  have an intake portion  720  to further direct the airflow through shroud portions  706  and  707  exiting through venturi  713 . 
     Shroud  706  can be mounted on any of the embodiments shown to increase efficiency. The size of shroud  706  can be varied and it is possible to use a greater number of smaller shrouds or fewer larger shrouds as long as portion of the airflow is directed through the venturi shaped opening  713 . 
     Although the instant invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art.