Efficient spiral wind-turbine configuration

摘要

A system for converting wind energy to rotational mechanical energy, comprising a conical impeller having multiple spiral vanes on its outer surface, the impeller supported so that it can rotate about its vertical, central axis in response to airflow impinging on the impeller, and connected to a mechanical drive system to transmit energy from the rotation of the impeller to a device that performs useful work using the transmitted energy.

主权项

1. A system for generating electrical power from wind, comprising:
a roughly-conical impeller oriented vertically with a wider base portion below a narrower tip portion, said impeller comprising at least two spiral vanes disposed on its outer surface and supported so that the impeller is free to turn about a roughly vertical axis; electrical generation means to convert rotary motion into electrical energy; and mechanical transmission means to transmit rotary motion from the impeller to the electrical generation means, wherein each spiral vane makes between two (2) and five (5) circuits around the impeller as it travels from the wider base portion of the conical impeller to the narrower tip portion of the conical impeller.