Overspeed control arrangement for vertical axis wind turbines
US4105363A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 14, 1976 |
| Grant date | Aug 8, 1978 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 14, 1996 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E10/74
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
This invention is an overspeed control arrangement for vertical axis wind turbines employing normally vertically positioned rotor blades, said control arrangement allows the rotor blades to tilt either forward or backwards to form a swept wing configuration, at wind turbine speeds beyond the design rpm. When the rotor blade is in a highly swept wing configuration its high drag and low lift reduces the turbine rotor torque to zero and eliminates excessive overspeeding and structural damage. The rotor blade can tilt about a radial or nearly so, tilt-support arm, mounted on a concentric bearing, the tilting starts at the feathering design rpm which is controlled by the geometric position of the combined center of gravity of both rotor blade and tilt-support arm. The control arrangement is automatic and passive and does not require the use of springs, pulleys or levers.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.