Patent ID: 8734104

Claim:
A vertical axis wind turbine with a vertical axis of rotation, the turbine comprising: at least one rotor blade segment, which comprises at least retractable and extendable flow plates, wherein the rotor blade segment is supported such that the rotor blade segment is rotatable about the vertical axis of rotation; and at least one control device to control the flow plates, the control device comprising: a first component comprising at least one spring element; a second component comprising at least one mass element, the mass element is provided on a first sub-component, wherein the first sub-component is supported such that the first sub-component is rotatable about an axis of rotation; and a third component comprising an actuator, wherein the third component is detachably connected with the second component, wherein at least two connection points are arranged on the first sub-component such that the connection points are essentially opposed to one another with reference to the axis of rotation, in each connection point one connecting element engages, which in each case connects the control device with one flow plate of the vertical axis wind turbine, wherein the control device controls the flow plates in opposite senses to one another via the connecting elements with a pivotal movement of the first sub-component conditioned by action of a centrifugal force on the mass element.