Patent ID: 7112893

Claim:
A wind-driven turbine system for generating electricity in combination with a cooling tower having a water basin in fluid communication with a vented passageway and a plurality of cooling vanes rotating on a central spindle, said turbine system comprising: a rigid frame including a plurality of elongated rectilinear beams conjoined to the cooling tower and juxtaposed above the cooling tower vanes at a predetermined height, said rigid frame spanning across a top portion of the cooling tower and being axially registered with the passageway for receiving a unidirectional convection air stream upwardly therethrough; at least one generator fan having a plurality of equidistantly offset blades operably coupled thereto, said generator fan being conjoined to said frame and protruding downwardly therefrom; a plurality of generator motors fastened to said rigid frame and being oppositely situated from said generator fan; and means for directly transferring kinetic energy from said generator fan to said generator motors such that a regulated quantity of electrical energy can be created for consumption, said generator motors being operably coupled and synchronized with an AC power grid for transmission and distribution, wherein said energy transferring means comprises: a gear box including an associated gear drive housed therein, said gear drive being operably engageable in a predetermined direction corresponding to the rotational movement of said blades during operating conditions; and a plurality of rectilinear drive shafts having opposed end portions operably conjoined to said gear drive and said generator motors respectively such that said drive shafts can be registered along a substantially horizontal plane, each said drive shafts cooperating with said generator motors for creating electrical energy from the convection currents emanating from the cooling tower.