Patent Application
20110135459
The invention relates to a continuous-flow energy installation, in particular a wind power installation, which has at least one rotor, which rotates around an axis, having rotor blades. DE 810 500 B has already described a wind turbine having blades rotatable around a vertical axis, which is situated in a guide housing, which has a slightly tapering intake channel. A shielding body is centrally situated in the incident flow direction, which has an unfavorable effect on the flow, however.
According to DE 299 20 899 U1, 2451751 A1, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,918, wind power installations having vertical rotor and frontal incident flow are known, which also have a special housing-like inlet surface structure, through which funneling or suction is to be achieved, whereby higher through flow velocities are achievable.
DE 201 02 051 U1 discloses a wind power installation having vertical rotors with frontal incident flow, whose incident flow area is provided with funnel-like inlet and cover plates in a complex manner. A total of three vertical rotors are situated in this wind power installation. The flow resistance of this installation is increased in particular by the centrally situated baffle plates. Furthermore, a plurality of inlet surfaces are provided on the outer periphery.
A continuous-flow energy installation is described in WO 02/095221 A1, which also has a rotor having a vertical rotational axis, which is also regionally enclosed by a peripheral inlet surface structure and has inlet surfaces, which are situated on both sides of the rotor.
In all of the above mentioned solutions, the rotor blades extend from bottom to top and have a shape like an airfoil in cross-section.
The production of the inlet surface structures or the rotor blades is complicated and therefore the expenditure for design and manufacturing is relatively complex. In addition, the transport of these installations requires a large amount of space.
Inflatable air cushions which are used for boats and buildings have been known for some time. Thus, for example, the outer skin of the “Allianz Arena” was manufactured from a plurality of air cushions.
A stadium made of plastic on air cushions was disclosed in DE 10117 283 A1. For this purpose, modules made of soft plastic were brought into shape using compressed air and made load-stable and dimensionally-stable by rows of hard plastic seats and plates on the outer side and on the base as well as by internal tension cables.
Furthermore, an inflatable air cushion is known from the publication EP 1 752 070 B1, which is usable for an inflatable mattress, an inflatable couch, an inflatable bridge, or an inflatable boat, and is to have a flat surface configuration. The air cushion has a plurality of intersecting tension elements for this purpose, which are connected at both ends to the inner side of the outer skin and are brought under tension when the inflatable air cushion is inflated.
An air cushion which is to unfold properly is described in EP 1 386 586 B1. The femoral compression air cushion unit comprises a base plate and an inflatable air cushion, which is attached to the base plate, for this purpose, the air cushion unit comprising an internal telescopic guide, which connects the base plate to the air cushion, and the telescopic guide comprising a first rod, which is situated in a displaceable relationship to a guide element, the rod and the guide element being telescopically connected to one another.
However, the previously known air cushions are not provided for use in continuous-flow energy installations.
The object of the invention is to provide a continuous-flow energy installation, which has a simply designed structure and requires little space during transport.
The object is achieved by the features of the first patent claim. Advantageous embodiments result from the subclaims.
The continuous-flow energy installation according to the invention has, according to the invention, at least one rotor, which rotates around an axis, having rotor blades, an inlet surface structure being associated with the rotor and the rotor blades and/or the inlet surface structure at least partially consisting of one or more air cushions. The structure of the installation is thus substantially simplified, weight is reduced, and the transport volume is decreased.
The inlet surface structure preferably comprises at least two guide elements situated laterally to the rotor for the flow medium (referred to as diffuser elements hereafter), which are fastened on a main body.
The main body has two end plates spaced apart from one another, between which the diffuser elements implemented as air cushions are situated. The diffuser elements implemented as air cushions are preferably fastened using first struts between the end plates, for which purpose the diffuser elements have cutouts and the first struts penetrate the air guide elements in the area of the cutouts. For this purpose, the diffuser elements are reinforced in the area of their cutouts, e.g., using metal sleeves or plastic sleeves.
The rotor has at least two rotor plates spaced apart from one another, between which the rotor blades implemented as air cushions are fastened, in particular using two struts. The rotor blades also have cutouts and the second struts penetrate the rotor blades in the area of these cutouts. The rotor blades are advantageously implemented as reinforced in the area of the cutouts like the air guide elements.
At least one or both end plates of the main body are also provided with air cushions pointing outward, whose footprint essentially corresponds to the footprint of the corresponding end plate.
The air cushions have an outer skin and stabilizing tension elements, which are fastened on the outer skin, advantageously extend inside the air cushion.
Each air cushion can have one or more chambers, which are connected to one another and are fillable by a connection. Alternatively, each chamber can be fillable separately
The roller-like rotor preferably has rotor blades extending in the axial direction of the axis of the rotor and the diffuser elements situated between the end plates of the main body preferably also extend in the axial direction of the axis of the rotor.
The diffuser elements situated laterally to the rotor are particularly regionally curved in such a way that they are adapted to the profile of an envelope circle, which encompasses the ends of the rotor blades pointing outward.
The diffuser elements are particularly implemented like an airfoil profile in cross-section and form an inflow opening and an outflow opening for the flow medium, starting from the incident flow direction of the wind, the spacing between the surfaces of the air guide elements facing toward one another tapering up to the rotor like a confuser, subsequently being adapted to the profile/diameter of the rotor, and widening like a diffuser after the rotor. The outwardly pointing surfaces of the air guide elements are situated essentially in a mirror image to one another.
Through this novel innovative design of the continuous-flow energy installation, it is easily producible and transportable.
In particular employment with gaseous media, i.e., the use as a wind power installation (wind turbine), but also employment in liquid media, e.g., as a water power turbine or as a water wheel, open up new possibilities and ensure cost-effective mass production. The air cushions are first filled upon installation of the wind power installation.
In the incident flow direction of the wind, the inflow opening tapers from the entry of the confuser up to in front of the rotor at a ratio of 6:1, but preferably to a width which corresponds to approximately 50% of the diameter of the rotor. The outflow opening widens in relation thereto after the rotor to approximately twice the diameter of the rotor. The diffuser elements are fastened on the base plate, on which the rotor is also mounted so it is rotatable. The terminus plate is mounted so it is pivotable around a second axis in the case of vertical axial orientation, e.g., on a mast. Since the diffuser elements are connected to the base plate and the rotor is situated between the end plates of the housing, they jointly execute the pivot movement around the vertical second axis. The axes of the base plate and the rotor align or are spaced apart from one another, whereby better tracking of the installation as a function of the wind direction is ensured.
It is also possible to mount the main body and the rotor separately, so that only the main body having the diffuser elements is pivoted if the wind direction changes.
At least one rotor is mounted so it is rotatable between the end plates. Two or more rotors may also be situated adjacent to one another or one over the other between the end plates. Each rotor has at least two rotor plates, between which the rotor blades extend. Further rotor plates which stabilize the rotor blades may be situated between the two outer rotor plates. The rotor plates are preferably implemented as circular.
The rotor has multiple rotor blades around the periphery. Furthermore, in the “two-story” or “multistory” construction, rotor blades one over the other or adjacent to one another (depending on the orientation of the rotational axis) may also be combined. These rotor blades of the rotor which are situated one over another/adjacent to one another may align with one another or may be situated offset to one another in the peripheral direction.
The energy provided using the continuous-flow energy installation is usable via a generator for power generation or can also be employed directly to charge a battery. Furthermore, it is possible to use the rotation thereof to generate hot water.
The continuous-flow energy installation is preferably conceived in such a way that it is pivotable in any arbitrary direction. It is thus usable, having a vertically or horizontally oriented first axis of the rotor, as both a wind power installation and also as a turbine in liquid media (rivers, dams).
Due to the employment of air cushions as diffuser elements, the installation is predestined for floating use in watercourses, since it rises and sinks with the level and is therefore operable independently of the water level.
If the continuous-flow energy installation is used as a wind power installation, adjustability of the diffuser according to the wind direction is advantageous, so that the incident flow opening is always pointed or oriented in the wind direction.
This can be implemented, for example, using a vane-like configuration on or under the wind power installation. This is a simple and low-maintenance possibility for automatic orientation of the diffuser housing.
The height of the diffuser element is to correspond approximately to the height of the rotor.
It is possible to use the continuous-flow energy installation according to the invention in land, air, and water vehicles, depending on the field of use, in connection with corresponding outputs and converters for energy generation from the wind or travel wind and/or from flowing liquid media.
The wind power installation can be used in connection with a generator to charge a battery, for example.
However, the continuous-flow energy installation is also operable in combination with hydraulic and/or pneumatic and/or other electrical systems or in combination with an internal combustion engine like a hybrid system. Furthermore, it is possible to use it in space travel.
Through the configuration of one or two of the diffuser elements at a relatively small spacing from the rotor blades and the funnel-shaped expansion in and opposite to the wind direction in connection with the employment of the air guide blades, a surprisingly strong suction effect and a partial vacuum in the outflow direction of the wind are to be noted, which results in a large increase of the through flow velocity and thus the speed of the rotor. The output of the wind power installation can thus be increased by approximately 30%.
The invention is explained in greater detail hereafter on the basis of exemplary embodiments and associated drawings. In the figures:
The air guide blades 3 are spaced apart from the rotor blades 2, as is also shown in
The air guide blades 3 cause the air flow of the rotor blade 2 to be maintained longer, whereby the efficiency of the installation can be substantially increased. The “double blade” formed from the rotor blade 2 and the air guide element 3 therefore causes a substantial performance increase of the installation. The direction of curvature of rotor blade 2 and air guide element 3 is preferably implemented in the same direction. The rotor 1 is partially sheathed by an air guiding surface structure 7 (see
The rotor 1 is covered by up to approximately 50% of its diameter by the first diffuser element 9 in the incident flow direction, so that the rotor 1 only has incident flow on approximately 50% of its width. In the incident flow direction of the wind W, an inflow opening E is formed between the two diffuser elements 9, 10 in front of the rotor 1 and an outflow opening A is formed opposite thereto behind the rotor 1. The vertical outer surfaces 9a and 10a of the first and second diffuser elements 9, 10 are implemented in a mirror image to one another and are curved between the inflow opening E and the outflow opening A, first convexly in a large arc of curvature and then concavely in a smaller arc of curvature.
Guide elements L having a bevel of approximately 45°, by which turbulence can be avoided or reduced, extend toward the first and the second diffuser elements 9, 10 from the upper end plate 8.1 and from the lower end plate 8.2.
According to
Both diffuser elements 9, 10 are fastened to one another using fasteners (not shown) and are mounted so they are pivotable using transverse struts 14 according to
The three-dimensional view of a rotor 1 having rotor blades 2 situated one over another and offset to one another (without the use of air guide blades) is shown in
The top view of the rotor 1 according to
The inflow opening E oriented in the incident flow direction of the wind W and the outflow opening A are once again obvious from this view according to
The vertical outer surfaces 9a of the first diffuser element 9 extend between the first edge 9.1 and the second edge 9.2, a diffuser surface 9b extends between the second edge 9.2 and the third edge 9.3, and a confuser surface 9c extends between the first edge 9.1 and the third edge 9.3. The diffuser surface 9b first runs from the edge 9.2 in a convex arc, which is adjoined by a concave curve up to the edge 9.3, following the profile of the rotor 1. The confuser surface 9c first has a concave and then a convex curve from the edge 9.1 up to the edge 9.3. The second diffuser element 10 has the edge 10.2 in the direction toward the wind exit. The second diffuser element 10 has a vertical outer surface 10a toward the outside and a diffuser surface 10b in the direction toward the rotor 1 between the edge 10.1 and the edge 10.2. The profile of the diffuser surface 10a is designed in a mirror image to the surface 9a. The surface 10b runs in a convex curve up to the rotor 1, which is adjoined by a concave curve, from which the surface 10b runs in a convexly curved arc up to the edge 10.2. Viewed outward approximately from the centerline of the rotor 1 in the direction toward the outflow opening A, the surfaces 9b and 10b have approximately the same profile in a mirror image. The spacing b2 between the edge 9.3 and the surface 10b, which delimits the inflow opening E, is at least approximately 0.5×D. The spacing b3 of the edges 9.2 and 10.2 which forms the outflow opening A is preferably approximately 1D to 2D.
The rotor blades 2 are implemented in the form of an airfoil in cross-section and extend radially inward in a curved or arced shape from the outer periphery. The convexly curved surface of the rotor blades 2 points in the rotational direction, the concavely curved surface of the rotor blades 2 receives the incident flow.
The inner longitudinal edges of the rotor blades 2 point toward the concave surface of the next rotor blade 2. If present, the air guide blades 3 are curved and oriented similarly to the rotor blade.
A simple possibility for tracking the air guiding surface structure 7 according to the wind direction is shown in
With the aid of the transmission, for example, the output of the rotor of the continuous-flow energy installation in the form of a low speed and a high torque is converted into an output required for a generator, i.e., a high speed and a low torque.
The output provided by the rotation of the rotor is relayed by the transmission (not shown in the exemplary embodiments) to the corresponding accepting assemblies (generator, pump, etc.).
Furthermore, it is possible according to exemplary embodiments (not shown) to drive a pump through the continuous-flow energy installation.
The continuous-flow energy installation is pivotable as desired and can operate using horizontally or vertically oriented rotor axes. It is also possible to pivot the continuous-flow energy installation (symbolically within an imaginary spherical body) into any arbitrary position.
The solution according to the invention is therefore usable for manifold areas of application.
Through the acceleration of the wind velocity in the flow bodies by the air guide elements (diffuser elements) in particular, the energy yield can be increased by more than five-fold in comparison to typical continuous-flow energy installations.
Typical, in particular three-bladed horizontal wind power installations, can generate unacceptable acoustic and visual effects. The noise level is often over 35 dB, which is perceived as annoying at night in particular. Furthermore, the change between light and shadow and, in particular in sunshine, the “disco effect”, when light is irregularly reflected from the blank surfaces of the rotor blades, can be unbearable in the long term.
These disadvantages do not occur with the wind power installation according to the invention, because it operates at a very low noise level, which is nearly at zero, or only corresponds to the natural wind noise.
Due to the use of the diffuser or the diffuser elements, an annoying light-shadow change does not occur. It is thus also possible to erect the wind power installations close to residences.
The large outer surfaces 9a, 10a of the diffuser elements 9, 10 may be used as billboards.
According to
The use of a “floating” horizontal continuous-flow energy installation S for power generation is schematically shown in a front view in the canal 23 in
In all of the above-mentioned examples according to
With the aid of the transmission, for example, the output of the rotor of the continuous-flow energy installation in the form of a low speed and a high torque is converted into an output which is required for a generator, i.e., a high speed and a low torque.
The output provided by the rotation of the rotor is relayed by the transmission (not shown in the exemplary embodiments) to the corresponding receiving assemblies (generator, pump, etc.).
Furthermore, it is possible according to exemplary embodiments (not shown) to drive a pump through the continuous-flow energy installation.
The continuous-flow energy installation is pivotable as desired and can operate using horizontally or vertically oriented rotor axes. It is also possible to pivot the continuous-flow energy installation (symbolically within an imaginary spherical body) into any arbitrary position.
The solution according to the invention is therefore usable for manifold areas of application.
Through the acceleration of the wind velocity in the flow bodies by the air guide elements (diffuser elements) in particular, the energy yield can be increased by more than five-fold in comparison to typical continuous-flow energy installations.
Typical, in particular three-bladed horizontal wind power installations, can generate unacceptable acoustic and visual effects. The noise level is often over 35 dB, which is perceived as annoying at night in particular. Furthermore, the change between light and shadow and, in particular in sunshine, the “disco effect”, when light is irregularly reflected from the blank surfaces of the rotor blades, can be unbearable in the long term. These disadvantages do not occur with the wind power installation according to the invention, because it operates at a very low noise level, which is nearly at zero, or only corresponds to the natural wind noise.
Due to the use of the diffuser or the diffuser elements, an annoying light-shadow change does not occur. It is thus also possible to erect the wind power installations close to residences.
The large outer surfaces 9a, 10a of the diffuser elements 9, 10 may be used as billboards.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 2008 010 396.7 | Jul 2008 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/DE09/01079 | 7/29/2009 | WO | 00 | 1/31/2011 |
