Patent ID: 6870280

Claim:
A vertical-axis wind turbine, comprising: an upper and lower hub defining an open central space with only an imaginary vertical axis therebetween so that an airflow passing between said upper and lower hubs is unobstructed; a rotor assembly rotatably connected to said upper and lower hubs for rotation about said imaginary vertical axis; a plurality of spaced apart rotor blades positioned in said rotor assembly, each rotor blade having an airfoil configuration with a curved portion adjacent a radial edge of said rotor assembly and a generally linear portion extending inwardly therefrom in a direction toward said imaginary vertical axis but not contacting any other rotor blade and being displaced from said imaginary vertical axis, said curved portion curves away from the generally linear portion toward an outer circumference of said rotor assembly; and a plurality of stationary stator blades arranged circumferentially about said rotor assembly, each stator blade being positioned tangentially to said radial edge of said rotor assembly and spaced apart so as to allow airflow to respective rotor blades that has a propulsive effect thereon and to restrict airflow to said respective rotor blades that has a drag effect thereon.