Patent ID: 8358030

Claim:
A Savonius-type wind turbine apparatus comprising a shaft, a first wind turbine, a second wind turbine, and a two-piece alternator, the shaft having a longitudinal axis, the first wind turbine, the second wind turbine and the alternator being mounted on the shaft, the alternator being located between the first wind turbine and the second wind turbine, the alternator comprising (a) a circular magnet component fixed to the first wind turbine, and (b) a circular winding component fixed to the second wind turbine so that, when an effective wind blows in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, (1) the first wind turbine and the circular magnet component will rotate around the shaft in a first direction and (2) the second wind turbine and the circular winding component will rotate around the shaft in a second direction opposite the first direction, thereby generating electrical energy, the wind turbine apparatus being further characterized in that the first turbine comprises a first disc, a second disc and at least two blades, the shaft extending through a center of each disc, each blade extending from the first disc to the second disc and from a location adjacent the shaft to a location further away from the shaft, the first turbine comprising a third disc, the shaft extending through a center of the third disc, the second disc being located between the first disc and the third disc, at least two blades extending from the second disc to the third disc and from a location adjacent the shaft to a location further away from the shaft, the two blades extending from the first disc to the second disc defining a first substantially S-shaped configuration, the two blades extending from the second disc to the third disc defining a second substantially S-shaped configuration which is oriented substantially perpendicular to the first substantially S-shaped configuration.