Patent Abstract:
The invention provides a revolving overhead windmill which includes airfoil means for interfacing with a fluid current comprising an air current or wind, and which includes energy harvesting means utilizing fluid current driven periodic motion of the fluid-foil means for capturing fluid-dynamic renewable energy and converting it into usable energy in a desired form such as electricity. The invention provides devices, methods and systems for harvesting renewable energy for medium-scale, large-scale and ultra-large-scale applications, to provide real and substantial benefits towards efficiently fulfilling energy needs while also more broadly serving humanity and our global environment. The various embodiments of the invention provide energy with zero consumption of fossil fuels and zero emissions of greenhouse gases.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    As the World&#39;s human population grows and as the economic prosperity of our global population grows, the energy demand of our global population also grows. With limited availability of oil reserves, there is a growing need for the conception, development and deployment of cost-effective and large-scale renewable energy alternatives. The continued use of fossil fuels to meet current and emerging energy needs also has very negative environmental consequences, including massive emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants, along with exacerbation of global warming and climate change effects. These factors provide strong motivation for the invention, development and deployment of cost-effective, large-scale renewable energy alternatives. 
         [0002]    The Sun provides enormous quantities of energy to the World every second, and that energy can be found in harvestable form as direct solar energy and as wind energy. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention provides a renewable energy harvesting system for harvesting fluid-dynamic renewable energy as contained in wind or air current energy. 
         [0004]    The invention provides a revolving overhead windmill which includes airfoil means for interfacing with a fluid current such as a wind, and which includes energy harvesting means utilizing fluid current driven periodic motion of the airfoil means, for capturing fluid-dynamic renewable energy and converting it into usable energy in a desired form such as electricity. The invention provides devices, methods and systems for harvesting renewable energy for medium-scale, large-scale and ultra-large-scale applications, with a special focus on abundant offshore wind resources, to provide real and substantial benefits towards efficiently fulfilling energy needs while also more broadly serving humanity and our global environment. The various embodiments of the invention provide energy with zero consumption of fossil fuels and zero emissions of greenhouse gases. 
         [0005]    The invention with its several preferred embodiments can be understood from a full consideration of the following specification including drawings, detailed description, and claims. 
         [0006]    This invention constitutes a further advance of inventive technology related to a prior invention defined in U.S. Pat. No. 7,750,491 entitled “Fluid-Dynamic Renewable Energy Harvesting System” that was invented by the same Inventor and assigned to the same Assignee. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1A  shows a plan view of a revolving overhead windmill, similar to a satellite view of the invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1B  shows a partial side view from a location far outside of the advancing airfoil means, of one preferred embodiment of the invention, showing only the upwind airfoil means and downwind airfoil means and adjacent structure. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1C  shows a partial side view of the same embodiment as  FIG. 1B , more clearly illustrating an annular volume and second annular volume. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1D  shows a partial side view of the same embodiment as  FIG. 1B , more clearly illustrating a third annular volume and fourth annular volume as well as location of a center of gravity below a metacenter. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1E  shows an increased scale partial side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1B , to more clearly illustrate inventive features of the upwind airfoil means and adjacent structure. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1F  shows a further increased scale partial side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1B , to more clearly illustrate inventive features near the base of the upwind airfoil means. 
           [0013]      FIG. 1G  shows an increased scale partial side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1B  from a location outside of the advancing airfoil means, of the advancing airfoil means and adjacent structure. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  shows an increased scale partial side view of another preferred embodiment of the invention from a location outside of the advancing airfoil means, illustrating the advancing airfoil means and adjacent structure. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3A  shows an increased scale partial side view of another preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating inventive features of the aerostatically supported upwind airfoil means and adjacent structure. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3B  shows an increased scale partial side view of the same preferred embodiment of the invention as in  FIG. 3A , from a location outside of the advancing airfoil means, illustrating the aerostatically supported advancing airfoil means and adjacent structure. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  shows an increased scale partial side view of another preferred embodiment of the invention from a location outside of the advancing airfoil means, illustrating the aerostatically supported advancing airfoil means and adjacent structure. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  shows an increased scale partial side view of another preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating inventive features of the aerostatically supported upwind airfoil means and adjacent structure. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  shows an increased scale partial side view of another preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating inventive features of the aerostatically supported upwind airfoil means and adjacent structure, sited over a layer of moving water such as a floodplain in a flood state, or tidelands with maximum high tides, or marshlands following heavy monsoon rains, or similar or analogous situations of a variable or a temporary layer of moving water. 
           [0020]      FIG. 7A through 7N  show, in block diagram form, several alternate generator means for converting mechanical “net work” to “energy in a desired form for at least one of transmission, storage, processing and use” in one preferred form as electrical energy. 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  shows a plan view of multiple revolving overhead windmills in an array, with shared anchors in the underwater ground surface. 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  shows a plan view of a revolving overhead windmill being towed to its installation site by a tugboat. 
           [0023]      FIGS. 10A through 10D  illustrate aspects of control system means for controlling the revolving overhead windmill. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0024]    Prior to commencing with the detailed description, certain expressions are defined as pertaining to their use in the following detailed description and claims. 
         [0025]    The expression “topologically coaxial” as pertaining to two annular volumes refers to these two annular volumes having axes of revolution that are either (i) identical or (ii) separated some not excessive measure of linear or angular separation. To cite a common world example, a stack of onion rings of various sizes and geometries all ringing a common post would be considered “topologically coaxial” according to this definition. 
         [0026]    The expression “overhead” as pertaining to the revolving overhead windmill, refers to a location that is up or at a level located somewhere in the opposite direction as the local gravity vector, from the perspective of a person or camera or viewpoint at the level of a local ground surface. 
         [0027]      FIG. 1A  shows a plan view of a revolving overhead windmill  1  above a ground surface  89 , with the plan view being similar to a satellite view of the invention. 
         [0028]      FIG. 1A  shows a revolving overhead windmill  1  comprising plural airfoil means  3  for contacting proximate flow fields of an air current or wind current or wind  5 , when said wind current exists and carries wind current energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy. Each airfoil means  3  is installed with an effective axis of rotation  9 A around which each of said airfoil means can effectively rotate in orientation to some extent, said axis of rotation being disposed within 60 degrees of vertical during normal operation of said revolving overhead windmill  1 . 
         [0029]    Connecting means  17  are provided, for serving as means for connecting the plural airfoil means  3  in a sequential arrangement around a circuit  21  of closed periphery topology enclosing an axis of revolution  21 A, as illustrated, wherein the axis of revolution  21 A is disposed within 60 degrees of vertical (vertical being out from the page in this plan view). The connecting means  17  include connecting members  19  that connect adjacently-located airfoil means  3  in the sequential arrangement. 
         [0030]    While the configuration of the invention illustrated in  FIG. 1A  shows a total of  45  airfoil means arranged in a closed periphery topology, it should be understood that variant embodiments of the invention may feature different numbers of airfoil means and different geometric specifics and different size and different scale, without any express or implied limitation. 
         [0031]    Note that the revolving overhead windmill  1  is revolving in a direction of revolution  1 D that is a clockwise direction as seen in this plan view or satellite view, but that in variant embodiments it may revolve in a direction of revolution that is counterclockwise or clockwise as seen from a satellite view, or selectably clockwise or counterclockwise at different times as desired. Selection of clockwise or counterclockwise revolution for arrays of revolving overhead windmills in either the Northern Hemisphere or Southern Hemisphere, may also help reduce severity or risk of cyclonic storms in these Hemispheres, such as cyclones, hurricanes, typhoons and similar storm systems with air mass rotational energy content that can be destructive. 
         [0032]    In the plan view shown in  FIG. 1A , the air current or wind  5  is flowing from left to right, but it will be understood that the invention is operable for any and all steady or varying wind directions. With the wind  5  flowing from left to right in the illustration, the airfoil means  3  closest to the left end of the system is designated as the upwind airfoil means  3 U. With the wind  5  flowing from left to right in the illustration, the airfoil means  3  closest to the right end of the system is designated as the downwind airfoil means  3 D. With the clockwise direction of revolution  1 D and the wind  5  flowing from left to right in the illustration, the airfoil means  3  closest to the top end of the system in this plan view, is designated as the retreating airfoil means  3 D. With the clockwise direction of revolution  1 D and the wind  5  flowing from left to right in the illustration, the airfoil means  3  closest to the bottom end of the system in this plan view, is designated as the advancing airfoil means  3 A. 
         [0033]    Thus  FIG. 1A  illustrates revolving overhead windmill  1 , comprising: plural airfoil means  3  for contacting proximate flow fields of a wind current  5  when said wind current exists and carries wind current energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy; an effective axis of rotation  9 A around which each of said airfoil means can effectively rotate in orientation to some extent, said axis of rotation being disposed within 60 degrees of vertical during normal operation of said revolving overhead windmill; and connecting means  17  for connecting said plural airfoil means in sequence in an annular volume  101 , said connecting means including connecting members  19  that connect adjacently-located airfoil means in said sequence. 
         [0034]      FIG. 1B  shows a partial side view from a location far outside of the advancing airfoil means  3 A (shown in  FIG. 1A ), of one preferred embodiment of the revolving overhead windmill  1  of  FIG. 1A , showing only the upwind airfoil means  3 U and downwind airfoil means  3 D and adjacent structure. Other parts of this preferred embodiment are hidden, so as to more clearly illustrate how key parts of the invention are related. 
         [0035]    The airfoil means  3  are shown as wing-like windfoils with internal structure including wing spars  3 SP, and also fitted with control surfaces  9 CS that are used to appropriately orient each airfoil means  3  at an optimized angle of attack at various parts of its circuit around the axis of revolution  21 A, to maximize wind energy extraction and harvest. In this preferred embodiment the illustrated energy harvesting means  25  includes control system means  9 , for converting a portion of said fluid-dynamic kinetic energy into net work on said airfoil means over the course of a cycle of substantially periodic motion of said airfoil means revolving in said annular volume, by utilizing time-variable fluid-dynamic pressure distributions and resulting forces acting on said airfoil means  3  at said time-variable orientations to contribute to driving said substantially periodic motion when said wind current  5  exists and carries wind current energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy. The control system means  9  includes the control surfaces  9 CS. The illustrated airfoil means  3  are also shown fitted with trailing edge flaps  9 F, to enable higher airfoil lift coefficients and further optimize wind energy harvest. 
         [0036]    As shown, the energy harvesting means  25  further includes energy conversion means  27  for converting at least some of said net work into energy in a desired form for at least one of transmission, storage, processing and use, with said energy conversion means  27  including an annular electromagnetic generator  120 . The annular electromagnetic generator could be a permanent magnet generator (PMG) or other generator. 
         [0037]    In this preferred embodiment, buoyant support means  4 B are provided, for utilizing a buoyancy force from fluid displacement comprising water displacement from a volume below a water surface  13 , to at least partially contribute to supporting said airfoil means  3  above the water surface  13  and above a ground surface  89  wherein the ground surface is an underwater ground surface  89 U. The water depth  13 D can be any value from fractions of an inch to many miles, but without limitation may be on the order of 750 feet nominal for one version of the preferred embodiment as illustrated. Thus the revolving overhead windmill  1  here comprises an offshore vertical axis wind turbine with variable pitch airfoil means or windfoil means or blades, that revolve in a large circuit around the axis of revolution  21 A. The revolving overhead windmill  1  is held substantially on station in a given geographic location, using position-keeping means  23  that include a position-keeping tether or cable  23 T and anchor  89 B in the underwater ground surface  89 U. Note that a variety of known anchor devices including anchors, pilings, buried posts, ground screws penetrating into the underwater ground surface  89 U, etc., that are known from the prior art, can be used within the spirit and scope of the invention herein described. 
         [0038]      FIG. 1B  also illustrates vertical load reacting means  110  for reacting vertical loads, said vertical loads comprising at least one of airfoil means weight loads and buoyant support means buoyancy loads. The vertical load reacting means  110  here include an annular truss  113 A comprising a floating annular truss  113 FA that serves as at least part of the buoyant support means  4 B. The distributed buoyancy support provided around a large circumference by the floating annular truss  113 FA enables adequate support while reducing wave-induced loads and structural failure risk of the revolving overhead windmill  1 , even for large amplitude and/or large wavelength waves such as tsunami waves in open seas or coastal regions. 
         [0039]      FIG. 1C  shows a partial side view of the same embodiment as  FIG. 1B , more clearly illustrating an annular volume  101  and second annular volume  102 . Connecting means  17  serve as means for connecting said plural airfoil means  3  in sequence in the illustrated annular volume  101 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 1C  also illustrates vertical load reacting means comprising plural vertical-load-carrying structural members  111  arranged in sequence in a second annular volume  102  that is topologically coaxial with said annular volume  101 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 1C  further illustrates position-keeping means  23  for maintaining said revolving overhead windmill  1  substantially within a desired geographic envelope  13 G, which position-keeping means includes at least one of a tether or cable  23 T and an anchor  89 B fastened to the underwater ground surface  89 U. 
         [0042]      FIG. 1D  shows a partial side view of the same embodiment as  FIG. 1B , more clearly illustrating a third annular volume  103  and fourth annular volume  104  as well as location of a center of gravity  4 CG below a metacenter  4 MC. 
         [0043]      FIG. 1D  shows wave load reduction means  140  comprising plural load reduction elements  141  arranged in sequence in a third annular volume  103  that is topologically coaxial with the annular volume  101  of  FIG. 1C . 
         [0044]      FIG. 1D  also shows energy harvesting means including energy conversion means  27  for converting at least some of said net work into energy in a desired form for at least one of transmission, storage, processing and use; said energy conversion means  27  including an annular electromagnetic generator  120  located in a fourth annular volume  104  that is topologically coaxial with the annular volume  101  of  FIG. 1C . 
         [0045]      FIG. 1D  further shows a revolving overhead windmill  1 , wherein a portion of said revolving overhead windmill  1  that is supported by the buoyancy force from buoyant support means  4 B, has a center of gravity location  4 CG that is below a metacenter  4 MC associated with said buoyancy force. 
         [0046]    It is well known in the art of floating entities that floating entities have a metacenter associated with the entity&#39;s center of buoyancy and its movement, and that a floating entity will typically float stably when it has a center of gravity location that is below this metacenter. Sometimes there are multiple metacenters associated with different axes of rotation of a floating entity, and in this case it will float stably when it has a center of gravity location below the lowest of the plural metacenters associated with different possible axes of rotation. For cases with water and/or air displacement buoyancy, the concept of stability associated with center of gravity location below one or more equivalent metacenters can be similarly defined by extension. 
         [0047]      FIG. 1E  shows an increased scale partial side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1B , to more clearly illustrate inventive features of the upwind airfoil means and adjacent structure. 
         [0048]    A light  136  is shown on top of the airfoil means, and could be an aviation warning strobe or wind turbine warning light, to cite a couple of examples without any implied limitation. 
         [0049]    The airfoil means  3  is shown with three spars, comprising a main spar or central spar, forward spar and rear spar. While a three spar design is shown, it should be understood that designs with a single spar, with two spars, or with multiple spars are also possible within the spirit and scope of the invention, and based on analogous precedents in aircraft wing design and wind turbine blade design, without limitation. The space between spars is shown as gaseous content volume  4 GCV, which may be sealed or vented to the external atmosphere in alternate preferred embodiments. For reference, this space between spars is commonly used for fuel carriage in aircraft wings. The gaseous content volume  4 CGV is preferably filled with air, but in an alternate variant embodiment could be filled with a lifting gas such as hot air, hydrogen gas, or helium gas. 
         [0050]    The illustrated airfoil means  3  is shown fitted with four trailing edge flaps  9 F, without limitation. Various types of flaps such as simple hinged flaps, split flaps, slotted flaps, multi-slotted flaps, fowler flaps, blown flaps, or variable camber trailing edge integrated flaps, can be used within the spirit and scope of the invention. The preferred airfoil means have a well-designed symmetrical airfoil section, and the trailing edge flaps enable higher lift coefficients to be obtained, without excessive drag penalties. Leading edge high-lift devices (not shown) as known from the prior art of airfoils and wings, can also optionally be fitted to the airfoil means  3  in alternate embodiments of the invention. 
         [0051]    The illustrated control system means  9  include actuator means  10 , and serve as means for controlling time-variable orientations of said airfoil means  3  relative to said proximate flow fields of said wind current  5  when said wind current exists and carries wind current energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy. The actuator means  10  may comprise one or more of electrical actuation and electro-mechanical actuation and electro-hydraulic actuation and hydraulic actuation and pneumatic actuation and magnetic actuation and piezoelectric actuation and thermal actuation and shape memory alloy actuation, in variant embodiments of the invention as described and claimed. 
         [0052]    In the illustrated embodiment the actuator means  10  acts on a control surface  9 CS, that can be commanded to deflect to a desired angle so as to exert a desired control moment (in yaw) on one or both of the airfoil means  3  and the trailing edge flaps  9 F, so as to set the airfoil means at a desired angle of attack relative to the incoming airstream (accounting for the wind as well as the revolution speed of the revolving overhead windmill  1 ) and so as to set the flaps at an optimal deflection to optimize wind power extraction. Note that the control surface support structure may be mated to either the airfoil means  3  or flaps  9 F or both through mechanical means for coupling aerodynamic surfaces, known in the prior art of airfoil and wing and control surface and control system design. The mechanical means may include one or more of mechanical linkage means, spring means, damper means, gearing means, nonlinear linkage means, and travel stop means, as are known and applied in related fields of art. Note also that a control surface may have mass balance such as for avoiding aeroelastic effects such as flutter or divergence, may have aerodynamic balance, may have a horn balance (as illustrated) for reducing actuator power, may have proportional control, may have nonlinear control, and may have bang-bang control. Control laws or control algorithms for actuator control may include elements such as aerodynamic wake compensation control law that optimizes at least one of circumferential thrust, torque or power harvest while effectively compensating for downstream airfoils traversing the aerodynamic wake of upstream airfoils. Further description of control system features will be presented subsequently, in the context of  FIGS. 10A through 10D . 
         [0053]      FIG. 1E  shows energy harvesting means  25  that include the control system means  9 , actuator means  10 , control surface  9 CS, support structure connecting the airfoil means  3  to the control surface  9 CS, trailing edge flaps  9 F, the airfoil means  3  including spars  3 SP, and energy conversion means  27  including an annular electromagnetic generator  120 . 
         [0054]      FIG. 1E  also shows vertical load reacting means  110  for reacting vertical loads, said vertical loads comprising at least one of airfoil means weight loads and buoyant support means buoyancy loads, said vertical load reacting means comprising plural vertical-load-carrying structural members  111 . 
         [0055]      FIG. 1E  also illustrates buoyant support means  4 B for utilizing a buoyancy force from fluid displacement comprising water displacement from a volume below a water surface  13 , to at least partially contribute to supporting said airfoil means  3  above the water surface  13  and above a ground surface  89  wherein the ground surface is an underwater ground surface  89 U; connecting means  17  for connecting said plural airfoil means, said connecting means  17  including connecting members  19  that connect adjacently-located airfoil means  3  in sequence; and wave load reduction means  140  for reducing peak wave-induced loads acting on said connecting means  17  relative to reference peak wave-induced loads that would occur if said connecting means were rigidly attached to and supported by a rigid half-submerged toroidal ring floating in the water directly beneath said connecting means  17 , said wave load reduction means comprising plural load reduction elements  141 . 
         [0056]      FIG. 1E  further illustrates means for transmitting energy  43 T, such as electrical wire, to carry energy from the energy conversion means  27  including the annular electromagnetic generator  120 . The harvested electrical energy is consequential to the time integral of electrical power generated by said annular electromagnetic generator  120 , driven by captured wind power flowing as mechanical power in the circumferentially aligned force components from said airfoil means  3 , acting on said circumferential connecting means  17  and multiplied by the circumferential or azimuthal velocity of said connecting means  17 . 
         [0057]      FIG. 1E  also illustrates a revolving overhead windmill  1 , further comprising protection means  150  for reducing risk of damage to said revolving overhead windmill  1  from an environmental threat, wherein said environmental threat comprises at least one of a lightning strike (e.g., using the illustrated lightning rod) and an electromagnetic energy threat and a hurricane and a typhoon and a cyclone and a storm and a tsunami and a seismic sea wave and a tidal wave and a tidal bore and a large sea wave and an earthquake and volcanic activity and hail and a rainstorm and a snowstorm; and wherein said protection means comprises at least one of a grounding wire  151 , an electromagnetic threat shielding layer  152 , and tether load reduction means  153  for reducing loads consequent to said environmental threat acting on said revolving overhead windmill  1  from at least one tether connecting said revolving overhead windmill Ito said underwater ground surface  89 U. 
         [0058]      FIG. 1E  also illustrates an electrical device  130  supported by structure in said airfoil means  3 , as will be described further in the context of  FIG. 1F , below. 
         [0059]      FIG. 1F  shows a further increased scale partial side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1B , to more clearly illustrate inventive features near the base of the upwind airfoil means. 
         [0060]      FIG. 1F  shows an electrical device  130  supported by structure in said airfoil means  3 , which electrical device  130  comprises at least one of a battery  131  (shown) and a sensor  132  (shown) and an electrical wire  133 E (shown) and a signal wire  133 S (shown, may be electrical or optical or other type of signal wire, without limitation) and an electro-optical component  134  (shown) and a computer  135  (shown) and a light  136  (shown in  FIG. 1E  preceding) and a display  137  (shown) and a communication device  138  (shown) and a human interface device  139  (shown) and a photovoltaic electrical power source device  130 PV and an air turbine electrical power source device  130 AT. 
         [0061]      FIG. 1F  also shows the revolving overhead windmill  1  including plural modular structural members  50  and further including fastener means  51  for detachably connecting adjacent modular structural members to enable at least one of assembly and maintenance and inspection and service and repair and replacement, and further including an access space  52  for at least one of a human and a robot and a tool and a camera to be in said access space to at least one of facilitate and perform said at least one of assembly and maintenance and inspection and service and repair and replacement. 
         [0062]    Variant embodiments of the invention may include access spaces  52  suitable for human access that include without limitation an access hole, a catwalk, a gangway, a ladder, a stairway, an elevator, an escalator, a control room, an instrumentation/diagnosis room, an observation room or deck, an apartment room, a restroom, a dining area, a medical area, a helipad and a shelter area. Access means for accessing parts of the revolving overhead windmill  1  for inspection, maintenance, cleaning, service, repair and other purposes, may include human access means, robot access means, humanoid robot access means, and camera or imaging access means. 
         [0063]    For embodiments where the airfoil means  3  includes one or more of laminar flow surfaces or hybrid laminar flow surfaces or riblet surfaces or surfaces with vortex generators to inhibit airflow separation, access and/or cleaning and/or maintenance and/or service and/or replacement means may be provided. 
         [0064]      FIG. 1F  further illustrates airfoil rotating base structure  3 RBS at the base of the airfoil means  3 , with the three spars  3 SP structurally connected thereto. The rotating base structure  3 RBS, in normal operation, can freely rotate around the effective axis of rotation  9 A on a bearing interface  69 , above the annular connecting means  17 . Bearing means  69  also enable the connecting means  17  and annular electromagnetic generator rotor  120 R, part of the energy conversion means  27 , to together revolve above the air gap between rotor and stator  120 AG, over the stator part of the annular electromagnetic generator  120 . Note that annular connecting means  17 , bearing means  69 , and annular electromagnetic generator  120  can all include multiple components arranged in the annular geometry around the closed periphery topology enclosing the axis of revolution  21 A shown in  FIG. 1A . 
         [0065]      FIG. 1G  shows an increased scale partial side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1B  from a location outside of the advancing airfoil means, of the advancing airfoil means and adjacent structure. 
         [0066]      FIG. 1G  shows many of the same inventive features as  FIG. 1E , but now illustrating more features of the annular truss  113  that comprises a floating annular truss  113 FA. 
         [0067]      FIG. 1G  also shows vertical load reacting means  110  for reacting vertical loads, said vertical loads comprising at least one of airfoil means weight loads and buoyant support means buoyancy loads, said vertical load reacting means comprising plural vertical-load-carrying structural members  111  arranged in sequence.  FIG. 1G  illustrates vertical-load-carrying structural members  111  including (i) a post  112  and (ii) a truss  113  and (iii) an annular truss  113 A and (iv) a floating annular truss  113 FA. The post  112  could comprise a rod, bar, beam, spar, mast or other similar structural member. 
         [0068]      FIG. 1G  also illustrates buoyant support means  4 B along with buoyancy control means  4 BC that serves as means for varying the buoyancy force by pumping water ballast between a water tank  4 WT and the body of water below said water surface  13 . 
         [0069]      FIG. 1G  also illustrates wave load reduction means  140  for reducing peak wave-induced loads acting on said connecting means  17  relative to reference peak wave-induced loads that would occur if said connecting means were rigidly attached to and supported by a rigid half-submerged toroidal ring floating in the water directly beneath said connecting means  17 , said wave load reduction means comprising plural load reduction elements  141  arranged in sequence. 
         [0070]    The illustrated wave load reduction means  140  comprise water surface penetrating members  142  with a total cross-sectional area on the plane of said water surface  13  when there are no waves, that is less than a corresponding total cross-sectional area that would occur for said rigid half-submerged toroidal ring on the plane of said water surface  13  when there are no waves. This reduces the incremental wave induced load for a given local water surface level change, as the incremental water displacement volume is smaller and thus the incremental water displacement load will be smaller. 
         [0071]    Note that the wave load reduction means  140  may act to reduce one or more of many different kinds of wave induced loads from many different kinds of waves with different amplitudes, wavelengths, waveforms, speeds and three-dimensional and time-varying aspects. Waves can range from modest wind-driven waves to very large wavelength and/or amplitude waves such as tsunamis, tidal waves, earthquake caused waves etc. in open water and in shallowing or coastal waters. Wave loads may also combine with water current loads such as from an ocean current, tidal current or river current, and in conjunction may cause heaving, rolling, compression, tension, bending, twisting and/or torsion loads on structural members in the revolving overhead windmill  1 . 
         [0072]    While not illustrated, the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1G  can include features for preventing or inhibiting loss of cleanliness or damage to surfaces from biological entities such as birds, marine life forms and animals. Other examples include algae, barnacles, crustaceans, sucker-equipped fish, etc. Examples of inhibiting or prevention means know from related prior art include bird inhibiting means such as bird perch prevention strips, visual or aural or olfactory inhibiting means, biofouling inhibiting means such as special coatings or surface treatments, etc. 
         [0073]    The preferred embodiment of  FIG. 1B through 1G , in conjunction with the plan view configuration of the invention as shown in  FIG. 1A , therefore illustrates: 
         [0074]    a revolving overhead windmill  1 , comprising:
       plural airfoil means  3  for contacting proximate flow fields of a wind current  5  when said wind current exists and carries wind current energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy;   an effective axis of rotation  9 A around which each of said airfoil means can effectively rotate in orientation to some extent, said axis of rotation being disposed within 60 degrees of vertical during normal operation of said revolving overhead windmill;   control system means  9  including actuator means  10 , for controlling time-variable orientations of said airfoil means relative to said proximate flow fields of said wind current when said wind current exists and carries wind current energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy;   buoyant support means  4 B for utilizing a buoyancy force from fluid displacement to at least partially contribute to supporting said airfoil means  3  above a ground surface  89 ;   connecting means  17  for connecting said plural airfoil means in sequence in an annular volume  101 , said connecting means including connecting members  19  that connect adjacently-located airfoil means in said sequence;   vertical load reacting means  110  for reacting vertical loads, said vertical loads comprising at least one of airfoil means weight loads and buoyant support means buoyancy loads, said vertical load reacting means comprising plural vertical-load-carrying structural members  111  arranged in sequence in a second annular volume  102  that is topologically coaxial with said annular volume; and   energy harvesting means  25  including said control system means  9 , for converting a portion of said fluid-dynamic kinetic energy into net work on said airfoil means over the course of a cycle of substantially periodic motion of said airfoil means revolving in said annular volume, by utilizing time-variable fluid-dynamic pressure distributions and resulting forces acting on said airfoil means  3  at said time-variable orientations to contribute to driving said substantially periodic motion when said wind current  5  exists and carries wind current energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy;   said energy harvesting means further including energy conversion means  27  for converting at least some of said net work into energy in a desired form for at least one of transmission, storage, processing and use.       
 
         [0083]    The preferred embodiment of  FIG. 1B through 1G , in conjunction with the plan view configuration of the invention as shown in  FIG. 1A , also illustrates: 
         [0084]    a revolving overhead windmill  1 , comprising:
       plural airfoil means  3  for contacting proximate flow fields of a wind current  5  when said wind current exists and carries wind current energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy;   an effective axis of rotation  9 A around which each of said airfoil means can effectively rotate in orientation to some extent, said axis of rotation being disposed within 60 degrees of vertical during normal operation of said revolving overhead windmill;   control system means  9  including actuator means  10 , for controlling time-variable orientations of said airfoil means relative to said proximate flow fields of said wind current when said wind current exists and carries wind current energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy;   buoyant support means  4 B for utilizing a buoyancy force from fluid displacement comprising water displacement from a volume below a water surface  13 , to at least partially contribute to supporting said airfoil means  3  above the water surface  13  and above a ground surface  89  wherein the ground surface is an underwater ground surface  89 U;   connecting means  17  for connecting said plural airfoil means in sequence in an annular volume  101 , said connecting means including connecting members  19  that connect adjacently-located airfoil means in said sequence;   wave load reduction means  140  for reducing peak wave-induced loads acting on said connecting means  17  relative to reference peak wave-induced loads that would occur if said connecting means were rigidly attached to and supported by a rigid half-submerged toroidal ring floating in the water directly beneath said connecting means  17 , said wave load reduction means comprising plural load reduction elements  141  arranged in sequence in a third annular volume  103  that is topologically coaxial with said annular volume and   energy harvesting means  25  including said control system means  9 , for converting a portion of said fluid-dynamic kinetic energy into net work on said airfoil means over the course of a cycle of substantially periodic motion of said airfoil means revolving in said annular volume, by utilizing time-variable fluid-dynamic pressure distributions and resulting forces acting on said airfoil means  3  at said time-variable orientations to contribute to driving said substantially periodic motion when said wind current  5  exists and carries wind current energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy;   said energy harvesting means further including energy conversion means  27  for converting at least some of said net work into energy in a desired form for at least one of transmission, storage, processing and use.       
 
         [0093]    The preferred embodiment of  FIG. 1B through 1G , in conjunction with the plan view configuration of the invention as shown in  FIG. 1A , also illustrates: 
         [0094]    a revolving overhead windmill  1 , comprising:
       plural airfoil means  3  for contacting proximate flow fields of a wind current  5  when said wind current exists and carries wind current energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy;   an effective axis of rotation  9 A around which each of said airfoil means can effectively rotate in orientation to some extent, said axis of rotation being disposed within 60 degrees of vertical during normal operation of said revolving overhead windmill;   control system means  9  including actuator means  10 , for controlling time-variable orientations of said airfoil means relative to said proximate flow fields of said wind current when said wind current exists and carries wind current energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy;   buoyant support means  4 B for utilizing a buoyancy force from fluid displacement to at least partially contribute to supporting said airfoil means  3  above a ground surface  89 ;   connecting means  17  for connecting said plural airfoil means in sequence in an annular volume  101 , said connecting means including connecting members  19  that connect adjacently-located airfoil means in said sequence; and   energy harvesting means  25  including said control system means  9 , for converting a portion of said fluid-dynamic kinetic energy into net work on said airfoil means over the course of a cycle of substantially periodic motion of said airfoil means revolving in said annular volume, by utilizing time-variable fluid-dynamic pressure distributions and resulting forces acting on said airfoil means  3  at said time-variable orientations to contribute to driving said substantially periodic motion when said wind current  5  exists and carries wind current energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy;   said energy harvesting means further including energy conversion means  27  for converting at least some of said net work into energy in a desired form for at least one of transmission, storage, processing and use;   said energy conversion means  27  including an annular electromagnetic generator  120  located in a fourth annular volume  104  that is topologically coaxial with said annular volume.       
 
         [0103]    The preferred embodiment of  FIG. 1B through 1G , in conjunction with the plan view configuration of the invention as shown in  FIG. 1A , also illustrates: 
         [0104]    revolving overhead windmill  1 ,
       wherein said control system means  9  utilizes actuator means  10  that acts on at least one of (i) said airfoil means  3  and (ii) a control surface  9 CS connected to at least one of said airfoil means  3  and a trailing edge flap  9 F, which trailing edge flap is connected to said airfoil means and (iii) a control tab  9 CT;   and wherein said actuator means  10  utilizes at least one of electrical actuation and electro-mechanical actuation and electro-hydraulic actuation and hydraulic actuation and pneumatic actuation and magnetic actuation and piezoelectric actuation and thermal actuation and shape memory alloy actuation.       
 
         [0107]    The preferred embodiment of  FIG. 1B through 1G , in conjunction with the plan view configuration of the invention as shown in  FIG. 1A , also illustrates: 
         [0108]    a revolving overhead windmill  1 , wherein said buoyant support means  4 B utilizes at least one of (i) a buoyancy force from fluid displacement comprising displacement of water utilizing an underwater float member  4 UF, and (ii) a buoyancy force from fluid displacement comprising displacement of air utilizing a lifting gas chamber  4 LG. 
         [0109]    The preferred embodiment of  FIG. 1B through 1G , in conjunction with the plan view configuration of the invention as shown in  FIG. 1A , also illustrates: 
         [0110]    a revolving overhead windmill  1 ,
       wherein said vertical-load-carrying structural members  111  include at least one of (i) a post  112  and (ii) a truss  113  and (iii) an annular truss  113 A and (iv) a floating annular truss  113 FA and (v) a pivoting structural member  114  and (vi) a cable  115  and (vii) a stretchable cord  116  and (viii) a damper  117  and (ix) a shock absorber  118 .       
 
         [0112]    The preferred embodiment of  FIG. 1B through 1G , in conjunction with the plan view configuration of the invention as shown in  FIG. 1A , also illustrates: 
         [0113]    a revolving overhead windmill  1 ,
       wherein said energy conversion means  27  for converting at least some of said net work into energy in a desired form for at least one of transmission, storage, processing and use, comprises an annular electromagnetic generator  120  located in a fourth annular volume  104  that is topologically coaxial with said annular volume, which annular electromagnetic generator is configured to convert said net work into electrical energy.       
 
         [0115]    The preferred embodiment of  FIG. 1B through 1G , in conjunction with the plan view configuration of the invention as shown in  FIG. 1A , also illustrates: 
         [0116]    a revolving overhead windmill  1 ,
       further comprising an electrical device  130  supported by structure in said airfoil means  3 , which electrical device  130  comprises at least one of a battery  131  and a sensor  132  and an electrical wire  133 E and a signal wire  133 S and a an electro-optical component  134  and a computer  135  and a light  136  and a display  137  and a communication device  138  and a human interface device  139  and a photovoltaic electrical power source device  130 PV and an air turbine electrical power source device  130 AT.       
 
         [0118]    The preferred embodiment of  FIG. 1B through 1G , in conjunction with the plan view configuration of the invention as shown in  FIG. 1A , also illustrates: 
         [0119]    a revolving overhead windmill  1 ,
       wherein said revolving overhead windmill  1  includes plural modular structural members  50  and further includes fastener means  51  for detachably connecting adjacent modular structural members to enable at least one of assembly and maintenance and inspection and service and repair and replacement, and further includes an access space  52  for at least one of a human and a robot and a tool and a camera to be in said access space to at least one of facilitate and perform said at least one of assembly and maintenance and inspection and service and repair and replacement.       
 
         [0121]    The preferred embodiment of  FIG. 1B through 1G , in conjunction with the plan view configuration of the invention as shown in  FIG. 1A , also illustrates: 
         [0122]    a revolving overhead windmill  1 ,
       wherein said wave load reduction means  140  are contained in vertical load reacting means  110  for reacting vertical loads, said vertical loads comprising at least one of airfoil means weight loads and buoyant support means buoyancy loads, said vertical load reacting means comprising plural vertical-load-carrying structural members  111  arranged in sequence in a second annular volume  102  that is topologically coaxial with said annular volume  101 .       
 
         [0124]    The preferred embodiment of  FIG. 1B through 1G , in conjunction with the plan view configuration of the invention as shown in  FIG. 1A , also illustrates: 
         [0125]    a revolving overhead windmill  1 ,
       wherein said load reduction elements  141  include at least one of (i) a damper  117  and (ii) a shock absorber  118  and (iii) a pivoting structural member  114 P and (iv) a flexible structural member  114 F and (v) a stretchable cord  116  and (vi) a cable  115 .       
 
         [0127]    The preferred embodiment of  FIG. 1B through 1G , in conjunction with the plan view configuration of the invention as shown in  FIG. 1A , also illustrates: 
         [0128]    a revolving overhead windmill  1 ,
       wherein said wave load reduction means  140  comprises water surface penetrating members  142  with a total cross-sectional area on the plane of said water surface  13  when there are no waves, that is less than a corresponding total cross-sectional area that would occur for said rigid half-submerged toroidal ring on the plane of said water surface  13  when there are no waves.       
 
         [0130]    The preferred embodiment of  FIG. 1B through 1G , in conjunction with the plan view configuration of the invention as shown in  FIG. 1A , also illustrates: 
         [0131]    a revolving overhead windmill  1 ,
       wherein said water surface penetrating members  142  collectively include at least one of (i) a post  112  and (ii) a truss  113  and (iii) an annular truss  113 A and (iv) a floating annular truss  113 FA.       
 
         [0133]    The preferred embodiment of  FIG. 1B through 1G , in conjunction with the plan view configuration of the invention as shown in  FIG. 1A , also illustrates: 
         [0134]    a revolving overhead windmill  1 ,
       wherein said buoyant support means  4 B includes utilizes a buoyancy force from fluid displacement comprising displacement of water utilizing an underwater float member  4 UF, and further comprising buoyancy control means  4 BC for varying said buoyancy force by pumping water ballast between a water tank  4 WT and the body of water below said water surface  13 .       
 
         [0136]    The preferred embodiment of  FIG. 1B through 1G , in conjunction with the plan view configuration of the invention as shown in  FIG. 1A , also illustrates: 
         [0137]    revolving overhead windmill  1 ,
       further comprising protection means  150  for reducing risk of damage to said revolving overhead windmill  1  from an environmental threat, wherein said environmental threat comprises at least one of a lightning strike and an electromagnetic energy threat and a hurricane and a typhoon and a cyclone and a storm and a tsunami and a seismic sea wave and a tidal wave and a tidal bore and a large sea wave and an earthquake and volcanic activity and hail and a rainstorm and a snowstorm; and wherein said protection means comprises at least one of a grounding wire  151 , an electromagnetic threat shielding layer  152 , means for limiting revolutions per minute of said plural airfoil means  3  over said cycle of substantially periodic motion, means for commanding said plural airfoil means  3  to a feathered condition, motion limiting means for protecting bearing members that normally enable said cycle of substantially periodic motion, means for elevating said plural airfoil means to an increased elevation above said water surface  13 , and tether load reduction means  153  for reducing loads consequent to said environmental threat acting on said revolving overhead windmill  1  from at least one tether connecting said revolving overhead windmill  1  to said underwater ground surface  89 U.       
 
         [0139]    The preferred embodiment of  FIG. 1B through 1G , in conjunction with the plan view configuration of the invention as shown in  FIG. 1A , also illustrates: 
         [0140]    a revolving overhead windmill  1 , 
         [0141]    further comprising position-keeping means  23  for maintaining said revolving overhead windmill  1  substantially within a desired geographic envelope  13 G, which position-keeping means includes at least one of a tether or cable  23 T and an anchor  89 B fastened to the underwater ground surface  89 U. 
         [0142]    The preferred embodiment of  FIG. 1B through 1G , in conjunction with the plan view configuration of the invention as shown in  FIG. 1A , also illustrates: 
         [0143]    a revolving overhead windmill  1 , 
         [0144]    wherein a portion of said revolving overhead windmill  1  that is supported by said buoyancy force, has a center of gravity location  4 CG that is below a metacenter  4 MC associated with said buoyancy force. 
         [0145]      FIG. 2  shows an increased scale partial side view of another preferred embodiment of the invention from a location outside of the advancing airfoil means, illustrating the advancing airfoil means and adjacent structure. 
         [0146]    The preferred embodiment of  FIG. 2  illustrates control system means  9  that utilizes actuator means  10  that acts on a control tab  9 CT that controls a control surface  9 CS that in turn acts on the airfoil means  3 . No trailing edge flaps are provided in this illustrated embodiment. The actuator means  10  can utilize at least one of electrical actuation and electro-mechanical actuation and electro-hydraulic actuation and hydraulic actuation and pneumatic actuation and magnetic actuation and piezoelectric actuation and thermal actuation and shape memory alloy actuation. 
         [0147]    The preferred embodiment of  FIG. 2  also illustrates vertical load reacting means  110  for reacting vertical loads, said vertical loads comprising at least one of airfoil means weight loads and buoyant support means buoyancy loads, said vertical load reacting means comprising plural vertical-load-carrying structural members  111 , wherein said vertical-load-carrying structural members  111  include a post  112  and a damper  117  and a shock absorber  118 . 
         [0148]    The preferred embodiment of  FIG. 2  also illustrates revolving overhead windmill  1 , wherein the wave load reduction means  140  comprises water surface penetrating members  142  with a total cross-sectional area on the plane of said water surface  13  when there are no waves, that is less than a corresponding total cross-sectional area that would occur for said rigid half-submerged toroidal ring on the plane of said water surface  13  when there are no waves. 
         [0149]    Thus  FIG. 2  in conjunction with the layout of the revolving overhead windmill  1  shown in  FIG. 1A  and the understanding of the annular volumes  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104  as shown in  FIGS. 1C and 1D , together show: 
         [0150]    a revolving overhead windmill  1 , comprising:
       plural airfoil means  3  for contacting proximate flow fields of a wind current  5  when said wind current exists and carries wind current energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy;   an effective axis of rotation  9 A around which each of said airfoil means can effectively rotate in orientation to some extent, said axis of rotation being disposed within 60 degrees of vertical during normal operation of said revolving overhead windmill;   control system means  9  including actuator means  10 , for controlling time-variable orientations of said airfoil means relative to said proximate flow fields of said wind current when said wind current exists and carries wind current energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy;   buoyant support means  4 B for utilizing a buoyancy force from fluid displacement to at least partially contribute to supporting said airfoil means  3  above a ground surface  89 ;   connecting means  17  for connecting said plural airfoil means in sequence in an annular volume  101 , said connecting means including connecting members  19  that connect adjacently-located airfoil means in said sequence;   vertical load reacting means  110  for reacting vertical loads, said vertical loads comprising at least one of airfoil means weight loads and buoyant support means buoyancy loads, said vertical load reacting means comprising plural vertical-load-carrying structural members  111  arranged in sequence in a second annular volume  102  that is topologically coaxial with said annular volume; and   energy harvesting means  25  including said control system means  9 , for converting a portion of said fluid-dynamic kinetic energy into net work on said airfoil means over the course of a cycle of substantially periodic motion of said airfoil means revolving in said annular volume, by utilizing time-variable fluid-dynamic pressure distributions and resulting forces acting on said airfoil means  3  at said time-variable orientations to contribute to driving said substantially periodic motion when said wind current  5  exists and carries wind current energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy;   said energy harvesting means further including energy conversion means  27  for converting at least some of said net work into energy in a desired form for at least one of transmission, storage, processing and use.       
 
         [0159]    Thus  FIG. 2  in conjunction with the layout of the revolving overhead windmill  1  shown in  FIG. 1A  and the understanding of the annular volumes  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104  as shown in  FIG. 1C and 1D , together show: 
         [0160]    a revolving overhead windmill  1 , comprising:
       plural airfoil means  3  for contacting proximate flow fields of a wind current  5  when said wind current exists and carries wind current energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy;   an effective axis of rotation  9 A around which each of said airfoil means can effectively rotate in orientation to some extent, said axis of rotation being disposed within 60 degrees of vertical during normal operation of said revolving overhead windmill;   control system means  9  including actuator means  10 , for controlling time-variable orientations of said airfoil means relative to said proximate flow fields of said wind current when said wind current exists and carries wind current energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy;   buoyant support means  4 B for utilizing a buoyancy force from fluid displacement comprising water displacement from a volume below a water surface  13 , to at least partially contribute to supporting said airfoil means  3  above the water surface  13  and above a ground surface  89  wherein the ground surface is an underwater ground surface  89 U;   connecting means  17  for connecting said plural airfoil means in sequence in an annular volume  101 , said connecting means including connecting members  19  that connect adjacently-located airfoil means in said sequence;   wave load reduction means  140  for reducing peak wave-induced loads acting on said connecting means  17  relative to reference peak wave-induced loads that would occur if said connecting means were rigidly attached to and supported by a rigid half-submerged toroidal ring floating in the water directly beneath said connecting means  17 , said wave load reduction means comprising plural load reduction elements  141  arranged in sequence in a third annular volume  103  that is topologically coaxial with said annular volume and   energy harvesting means  25  including said control system means  9 , for converting a portion of said fluid-dynamic kinetic energy into net work on said airfoil means over the course of a cycle of substantially periodic motion of said airfoil means revolving in said annular volume, by utilizing time-variable fluid-dynamic pressure distributions and resulting forces acting on said airfoil means  3  at said time-variable orientations to contribute to driving said substantially periodic motion when said wind current  5  exists and carries wind current energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy;   said energy harvesting means further including energy conversion means  27  for converting at least some of said net work into energy in a desired form for at least one of transmission, storage, processing and use.       
 
         [0169]    Thus  FIG. 2  in conjunction with the layout of the revolving overhead windmill  1  shown in  FIG. 1A  and the understanding of the annular volumes  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104  as shown in  FIGS. 1C and 1D , together show: 
         [0170]    a revolving overhead windmill  1 , comprising:
       plural airfoil means  3  for contacting proximate flow fields of a wind current  5  when said wind current exists and carries wind current energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy;   an effective axis of rotation  9 A around which each of said airfoil means can effectively rotate in orientation to some extent, said axis of rotation being disposed within 60 degrees of vertical during normal operation of said revolving overhead windmill;   control system means  9  including actuator means  10 , for controlling time-variable orientations of said airfoil means relative to said proximate flow fields of said wind current when said wind current exists and carries wind current energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy;   buoyant support means  4 B for utilizing a buoyancy force from fluid displacement to at least partially contribute to supporting said airfoil means  3  above a ground surface  89 ;   connecting means  17  for connecting said plural airfoil means in sequence in an annular volume  101 , said connecting means including connecting members  19  that connect adjacently-located airfoil means in said sequence; and   energy harvesting means  25  including said control system means  9 , for converting a portion of said fluid-dynamic kinetic energy into net work on said airfoil means over the course of a cycle of substantially periodic motion of said airfoil means revolving in said annular volume, by utilizing time-variable fluid-dynamic pressure distributions and resulting forces acting on said airfoil means  3  at said time-variable orientations to contribute to driving said substantially periodic motion when said wind current  5  exists and carries wind current energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy;   said energy harvesting means further including energy conversion means  27  for converting at least some of said net work into energy in a desired form for at least one of transmission, storage, processing and use;   said energy conversion means  27  including an annular electromagnetic generator  120  located in a fourth annular volume  104  that is topologically coaxial with said annular volume.       
 
         [0179]    Thus  FIG. 2  in conjunction with the layout of the revolving overhead windmill  1  shown in  FIG. 1A  and the understanding of the annular volumes  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104  as shown in  FIGS. 1C and 1D , together show: 
         [0180]    a revolving overhead windmill  1 ,
       wherein said vertical-load-carrying structural members  111  include at least one of (i) a post  112  and (ii) a truss  113  and (iii) an annular truss  113 A and (iv) a floating annular truss  113 FA and (v) a pivoting structural member  114  and (vi) a cable  115  and (vii) a stretchable cord  116  and (viii) a damper  117  and (ix) a shock absorber  118 .       
 
         [0182]      FIG. 3A  shows an increased scale partial side view of another preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating inventive features of the aerostatically supported upwind airfoil means  3 U and adjacent structure. 
         [0183]    In  FIG. 3A , the gaseous content volumes  4 GCV are used to serve as lifting gas chambers  4 LG, and serve as buoyant support means  4 B. The embodiment of  FIG. 3A  also illustrates the use of load reduction elements  141  that include a pivoting structural member  114 P. 
         [0184]      FIG. 3B  shows an increased scale partial side view of the same preferred embodiment of the invention as in  FIG. 3A , from a location outside of the advancing airfoil means, illustrating the aerostatically supported advancing airfoil means and adjacent structure. This view of the embodiment also illustrates the use of load reduction elements  141  that include a flexible structural member  114 F, built into the connecting means  17  to enable the revolving overhead windmill  1  to better withstand storm-related load conditions by allowing some degree of engineered flexure. This view also shows a near-planar floating annular truss  113 FA, with the lighter-than-air subsystem above held in place with some allowed movement, by the pivoting structural members  114 P that can pivot as needed to react aerostatic loads and wind-driven thrust loads on the airfoil means  3 . 
         [0185]      FIG. 4  shows an increased scale partial side view of another preferred embodiment of the invention from a location outside of the advancing airfoil means, illustrating the aerostatically supported advancing airfoil means and adjacent structure. The embodiment of  FIG. 4  also illustrates the use of load reduction elements that include cables  115  that can pivot as needed to react aerostatic loads and wind-driven thrust loads on the lighter-than-air airfoil means  3 . 
         [0186]      FIG. 5  shows an increased scale partial side view of another preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating inventive features of the aerostatically supported upwind airfoil means and adjacent structure. 
         [0187]    The revolving overhead windmill  1  is supported by aerostatic buoyancy forces in a manner analogous to aerostatically supported dirigibles, airships or balloons. The revolving overhead windmill  1  includes a plurality of airfoil means (or “windfoil” means)  3  that are filled in considerable part with lifting gas  3 LG such as at least one of helium, hydrogen, other lifting gas and hot air; and connecting means  17  comprising a substantially toroidal ring structure that is an airfoil assembly support ring  35 AR, that is also preferably inflated with lifting gas  3 LG. If hydrogen is used as some or all of the lifting gas, it can optionally be re-supplied from electrolysis of water using energy from energy conversion means  27  to produce hydrogen, which can be fed by a pipe (not shown so as not to clutter the Figure) to the inflated elements to replace leakage losses of the lifting gas (any additional hydrogen produced could optionally be sent by pipe or barge or ship to end user entities on shore). Lightweight structure for the airfoil means  3  and the support ring  35 AR may both use advanced strong and light materials such as advanced composites, advanced fabrics and advanced metallic elements, and construction architectures such as those used in rigid, semirigid or nonrigid airships, for example. 
         [0188]      FIG. 5  also illustrates inflatable elements that include variable volume control using ballonets  3 BAL as known from the prior art of dirigibles, to vary aerostatic lift acting on the airfoil means  3 . 
         [0189]      FIG. 5  also shows the main or center spar  3 SP serving as a mast  3 M, with the bottom of the mast  3 M allowed to pivot in azimuth or yaw using bearings  69  at the locations illustrated. 
         [0190]    The embodiment of  FIG. 5  also illustrates the use of load reduction elements that include a stretchable cord  116  that can pivot as needed to react aerostatic loads and wind-driven thrust loads on the lighter-than-air airfoil means  3  and assembly support ring  35 AR. 
         [0191]    The distributed aero buoyancy around the perimeter of a large annulus, reduces water displacement of floating annular truss  113 FA, which in turn also enables reduced wave induced vertical loads for given wave height and wavelength. 
         [0192]    The preferred embodiment of  FIG. 5 , in conjunction with the plan view configuration of the invention as shown in  FIG. 1A , also illustrates: 
         [0193]    a revolving overhead windmill of claim  1 , wherein said buoyant support means  4 B utilizes at least one of (i) a buoyancy force from fluid displacement comprising displacement of water utilizing an underwater float member  4 UF, and (ii) a buoyancy force from fluid displacement comprising displacement of air utilizing a lifting gas chamber  4 LG. 
         [0194]      FIG. 6  shows an increased scale partial side view of another preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating inventive features of the aerostatically supported upwind airfoil means and adjacent structure, sited over a layer of moving water  13 M, such as (without limitation) a floodplain in a flood state, or tidelands with maximum high tides, or marshlands following heavy monsoon rains, or an arroyo or wash following heavy precipitation, or similar or analogous situations of a variable or a temporary layer of moving water. 
         [0195]    In this embodiment, vertical load reacting means  110  for reacting vertical loads comprising at least one of airfoil means weight loads and buoyant support means buoyancy loads, include plural vertical-load-carrying structural members  111 , which in turn include posts  112  braced by guy wires  112 G. Position keeping means  23  here comprise installation of the posts  112  in the ground surface  89 . 
         [0196]      FIG. 7A through 7N  show, in block diagram form, several alternate generator means for converting mechanical net work  128  to “energy in a desired form for at least one of transmission, storage, processing and use” in one preferred form as electrical energy  129 . 
         [0197]    The preferred embodiment of  FIG. 7A through 7N , in conjunction with the plan view configuration of the invention as shown in  FIG. 1A , also illustrates: 
         [0198]    a revolving overhead windmill  1 , 
         [0199]    wherein said energy conversion means  27  includes at least one of (i) an annular electromagnetic generator  120  located in a fourth annular volume  104  that is topologically coaxial with said annular volume  101 , and (ii) an electrical generator using an electromagnet  121  and (iii) an induction generator  122  and (iv) a doubly fed induction generator  122 D and (v) a field excited synchronous generator  123  and (vi) a gear-driven generator  124  and (vii) a direct-drive generator  125  and (viii) an AC generator  126  and (ix) a multiphase AC generator  126 M and (x) a DC generator  127 . 
         [0200]    The preferred embodiment of  FIG. 7A through 7N , in conjunction with the plan view configuration of the invention as shown in  FIG. 1A , also illustrates: 
         [0201]    a revolving overhead windmill  1 , 
         [0202]    wherein said annular electromagnetic generator  120  comprises at least one of (i) a permanent magnet generator  120 P and (ii) a permanent magnet synchronous generator  120 S and (iii) a pancake permanent magnet generator  120 PP and (iv) a direct drive permanent magnet generator with an ironless stator core  120 IL and (v) a permanent magnet generator with at least one of rigid wheels and rigid rollers and rigid ball bearings that serve as means  120 RW for maintaining a small and substantially constant air gap between stator and rotor members. 
         [0203]      FIG. 8  shows a plan view of multiple revolving overhead windmills  1  in an array, with shared anchors  89 B in the underwater ground surface  89 U. 
         [0204]      FIG. 9  shows a plan view of a revolving overhead windmill  1  being towed to its installation site by a tugboat  95 TB in a tow direction  95 D using a tow cable  95 C. 
         [0205]      FIGS. 10A through 10D  illustrate aspects of control system means for controlling the revolving overhead windmill. 
         [0206]      FIG. 10A  illustrates a representative control system block diagram for a revolving overhead windmill, wherein control system means  9  including actuator means, for controlling time-variable orientations of fluid-foil means, comprises (i) sensor means  71  for sensing a flow direction  5 FD comprising at least one of an air flow direction (of an air current such as a wind) and a water flow direction (of a water current such as an ocean current or tidal current or river current) and optionally for sensing other measurables, (ii) computational processor means  73  with at least one computational algorithm  73 A for generating a control command  79  as a function of said flow direction  5 FD, (iii) at least one powered actuator means  77  for executing the control command  79 , and (iv) at least one signal transmission means  75  for transmitting a signal containing said control command  79  from said computational processor means  73  to said powered actuator means  77 . [c11] The powered actuator means  73  can either directly control the orientation of fluid-foil means (that can include one or both of airfoil means  3 A and water foil means  3 WF), e.g. with a rotary or linear actuator or actuators, and/or indirectly control orientation of fluid-foil means using a control tab or other means for controlling including means for controlling at least one of a control surface  9 CS, tab  3 TAB, flap  3 F, blown flap  3 BF, slat  3 SL, and morphing shape aerodynamic member  3 MSA [not shown in this Figure but shown earlier].  FIG. 10A  also illustrates an optional operator interface  81  sending operator command(s)  83  to computational processor means  73  and receiving at least one of data and annunciation(s)  85  to an operator. An operator may actively control operation of the fluid-dynamic renewable harvesting system, or in alternate embodiments monitor its automatic operation and only intervene or override for non-normal, failure or emergency situations. 
         [0207]      FIG. 10B  illustrates several optional sub-elements which may reside in each of the blocks of the control system shown in  FIG. 10A . The elements in the sensor means  71  could include a local wind speed sensor, local water speed sensor, air or wind flow direction sensor, water flow direction sensor(s) at one or more depths, gust sensor, pressure sensor, acceleration sensor, rate gyro, force sensor, displacement sensor, temperature sensor, camera sensor, fluid-foil condition sensor, icing condition sensor, failure detection sensor and/or other sensor(s). The computational processor means  73  could include a computer, a microprocessor, hardware, software algorithms, redundancy and redundancy management, sensor signal selection and failure detection, excess wind stow or slow control, tipover prevention control, anti-ice/de-ice control, start and stop control and/or electrical power system control. The powered actuator means  77  could include a rotary actuator, a linear actuator, other actuator, a shape memory alloy actuator, a control surface actuator, a control tab actuator, a trailing edge deflectable surface actuator, a leading edge actuator, a fluid-foil orientation actuator, an inflation control actuator, an actuator power supply and/or actuator processor. The optional operator interface  81  could include one or more of an operator display, an operator annunciator, and/or an operator control. 
         [0208]      FIG. 10C  illustrates for a revolving overhead windmill, a computational algorithm  73 A that comprises orientation command generation means  73 OC for generating time-variable orientation commands  79 OC for each of plural airfoil means  3  as a function of at least one of said flow direction  5 FD and time-varying location  3 TVL of at least one of said plural airfoil means  3 , which time-variable orientation commands if properly executed by the at least one powered actuator means  77 , would result in time-variable orientations of said plural airfoil means  3  that tend to substantially maximize the net work on the airfoil means  3  over the course of a cycle of substantially periodic motion of the fluid-foil means, through time-variable fluid-dynamic pressure distributions that tend to substantially maximize resulting forces acting on the airfoil means  3  to drive said substantially periodic motion when a fluid current comprising an air current and/or water current exists and carries energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy. The fluid-foil means includes airfoil means. 
         [0209]      FIG. 10C  illustrates for a revolving overhead windmill, the additional feature comprising at least one of first command generation means  73 OCA for commanding orientations of airfoil or wind foil means to beneficially harvest wind or air current energy, and optionally second command generation means  73 OCB for commanding orientations of hydrofoil or water foil means to beneficially harvest water current energy. 
         [0210]      FIG. 10D  illustrates for a wind or air current, a representative fluid-foil orientation command  79 OC schedule (for airfoil or wind foil means) as a function of the azimuthal angle  19 AA along the rotational direction of motion  19 RD, starting with 0 at incoming air flow direction, as described earlier in the context of  FIG. 3A . In this representative preferred schedule, note that the fluid-foil is commanded to a maximum lift coefficient (C L ) orientation for the crosswind legs of its motion, while it can be commanded to a beneficial drag torque orientation on the peak downwind leg of motion near 90 deg azimuthal angle, and to a minimum drag feathered orientation on the peak upwind leg of motion near 270 deg azimuthal angle. Variant algorithms for fluid-foil orientation commands as a function of various sensor inputs and to achieve multiple objectives, are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. For excessively high wind speed or storm conditions where the airfoils may be at risk of excess loads or of tipping over, the orientation commands can be diminished or reduced as shown in the dot-dashed lines for reduced magnitude orientation commands  79 RED. The reduced magnitude orientation commands can optionally vary in magnitude as a function of azimuthal angle and other parameters such as wind speed or algorithmically calculated tipping risk. 
         [0211]      FIG. 10D  thus illustrates for a fluid-dynamic renewable energy harvesting system, the additional feature comprising a airfoil command modification means  79 A in said first command generation means  73 OCA, for modifying said airfoil orientation commands to avoid potential harm when said airfoil means  3 A are at risk of harm from at least one of wind loads and tipping. 
         [0212]    Note that the type of orientation command vs. azimuthal angle schedules shown in  FIG. 10D  will yield considerably greater energy extracted than a simple sinusoidal or similar fixed schedule orientation control. Note also that individual local flow speed and direction sensors for air and/or water flow may provide additional input to optimize each fluid foil orientation for wind foils and/or water foils at each instant, including considerations of downwash, wake, and local flow variations both natural and induced by other fluid foils. 
         [0213]      FIGS. 10A through 10D  collectively disclose for a revolving overhead windmill, control system means  9  that includes first sensor means  71 A for at least one of measuring and estimating wind direction plus first command generation means  73 OCA for generating airfoil orientation commands intended to control said time-variable orientations of airfoil means  3 A that are members of said airfoil means  3  plus first actuation means  77 A for executing said airfoil orientation commands. 
         [0214]    In one particular variant embodiment the airfoil orientation commands comprise a discrete set of airfoil orientation commands including (i) zero angle of attack relative to said wind direction  5 AD, (ii) angle of attack corresponding to maximum airfoil lift coefficient acting towards the right hand side from a perspective oriented against the wind direction  5 AD, and (iii) angle of attack corresponding to maximum airfoil lift coefficient acting towards the left hand side from a perspective oriented against the wind direction  5 AD. 
         [0215]    While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying Figures, it should be understood that further variations and combinations and alternate embodiments are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed and described herein.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5