Lift-type vertical axis turbine

摘要

A vertical axis turbine includes a modified darrieus type rotor having at least three circumferentially spaced apart blades, each having an airfoil shape in cross section such that the blades generate a torque in a direction of rotation of the turbine about the vertical axis responsive to a generally horizontal wind across the blades. Support members, for example flexible cables, are connected under tension between adjacent ones of the blades to extend in a generally circumferential direction about the turbine at an inclination from horizontal in a criss-crossing pattern with other support members. A tensioning mechanism also urges opposing top and bottom ends of the rotor towards one another such that the blades are supported under compression in a pre-stressed condition by the support members and the tensioning mechanism to maintain the blades in a substantially rigid and fixed orientation throughout the operation of the turbine rotor.

主权项

1. A lift-type turbine comprising:
a base structure; a rotor supported for rotation on the base structure about a vertical axis of rotation, the rotor comprising at least three blades supported relative to one another at circumferentially spaced positions about the vertical axis of rotation in which each blade extends between top and bottom ends of the rotor; each blade comprising a working section having an airfoil shape in cross section such that the blades generate a torque in a direction of rotation of the turbine about the vertical axis responsive to a generally horizontal wind across the blades as the blades are rotated in the direction of rotation of the turbine; a plurality of flexible support members connected under tension between adjacent ones of the blades to extend in a generally circumferential direction about the turbine; at least some of the support members comprising transverse support members in which each transverse support member is coupled to each blade at a different elevation than adjacent ones of the blades such that the transverse support members extend between each adjacent pair of the blades at an inclination from horizontal and such that at least some of the flexible support members intersect one another between the blades.