WIND TURBINE WITH AUTOMATIC TILTING FRAME FOR UNLOADING DAMAGING WINDS ENCOUNTERED BY WIND TURBINES

摘要

A wind turbine assembly is provided. The assembly includes a support structure and a wind turbine mounted on the support structure. The wind turbine includes a front face with blades defining a surface area to engage incoming wind, a roll axis about which the wind turbine can rotate in response to incoming wind to drive an electric generator, where the support structure defines a horizontal tilt axis about which the wind turbine can pitch forward and backward. The tilt axis divides the surface area of the wind turbine into upper and lower portions of unequal size, such that incoming wind on the front face of the wind turbine applies unequal force to the upper and lower portions of the surface area of the wind turbine to induce pitch of the wind turbine about the tilt axis.

主权项

1. A wind turbine assembly comprising:
a support structure; a wind turbine mounted on the support structure, the wind turbine including:
a front face with blades defining a surface area to engage incoming wind;a roll axis about which the wind turbine can rotate in response to incoming wind to drive an electric generator; the support structure defining a horizontal tilt axis about which the wind turbine can pitch forward and backward; the tilt axis dividing the surface area of the wind turbine into upper and lower portions of unequal size; wherein incoming wind on the front face of the wind turbine applies unequal force to the upper and lower portions of the surface area of the wind turbine, inducing pitch of the wind turbine about the tilt axis; wherein the wind turbine and support are balanced to allow the wind turbine to naturally pitch about the tilt axis into plurality of positions based on incoming wind speed, including at least:
a substantially vertical position in response to a particular wind speed;a high wind position in response to higher winds than the particular wind speed, the high wind position being at a non-zero angle to the substantially vertical position to reduce the physical stress placed on the assembly.