FR2976980A1 - Wind control device i.e. wind gear box, for supplying wind to wind mill that is installed on e.g. car, for electric power supply, has rotor including guides and internal ducts for forming venturi to regulate velocity of air - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a rotor including a central wind turbine provided with a horizontal or vertical axis and surrounded by a movable fairing for protecting the rotor. The rotor is equipped with movable flaps for regulating flow of intake air and guides and internal ducts (44) for forming a venturi to regulate velocity of air so as to make the velocity constant regardless of velocity of outside wind. A divergent section (48) of the venturi is partially replaced by high speed externally concentric or side air flow by a throttle (34).

Description

Technical Field: The present invention relates to the use of wind as motive power and for the production of electricity. From windmills to modern wind turbines, many technical advances have been made, but the technology is limited by wind variability in direction and strength. It is this variability that the present invention aims to control.

State of the art: Many models of wind turbines are available on the market. For the majority, a horizontal axis propeller is mounted on a nacelle oriented in the direction of the wind. The useful air flow corresponds to the diameter swept by the blades which deflect it in the centrifugal direction causing a loss of efficiency. Wind turbines are mounted on high-altitude masts and the whole, sometimes gigantic, is fragile and must be flagged in strong winds. The rotational speeds are low, especially in comparison with the speed of rotation of the electric generator; given the size, the speeds at the end of the blades are however high. Some recent models of small size are faired claiming the benefit of the Venturi effect without having all the characteristics; others have a double rotor to take advantage of the resulting wind speed after passing through the first rotor. Vertical axis wind turbines are independent of the wind direction, but the blades must first fight against the wind before being propelled by it. Despite a sophisticated blade design, a 120 ° 3-blade machine, the effective surface is only half the gross area of a blade. It is accepted that the Darrieus type wind turbines are penalized by their difficult start in low wind and low efficiency, while the Savonius type models suffer from their weight. Numerous patents have been filed offering imaginative and audacious devices to improve existing techniques. The field of high speeds yet developed in aeronautical turbines was not considered.

This technology suffers from four main problems: - Low yields, already limited by Betz's law to 59%, corrected for propeller efficiency and mechanical and electrical efficiencies, bringing the total to 35%. - The numerous compromises imposed on the designers by the changing nature of the wind in direction and in force, its slowing down on the ground, the influence of the different obstacles, the congestion and the speed difference between the wind and the generator. - The weakness of the operating time, obvious to any observer. Current industrial models produce between 4 and 25 m / s of wind, with a nominal at 12m / s and a shutdown at around 50m / s. But in Europe, average speeds are much lower. The statistics of a seaside resort in Languedoc show that during 46% of the year the wind is less than 8.2 m / s. As a result, the operating time is barely 15 to 200, whereas large-scale storage is impossible. - Size and size are disproportionate to the power. The so-called mini wind turbine is already 1.5 m in diameter on a mat of 8m and the size of the gear for the production of big powers is made gigantic by the mechanics of the fluids. To express it simply a wind of 10m / s transmits to a plate of a m2 a theoretical maximum power of about 1 KW (in practice 450Watts) and therefore to reach 1MW theoretical it takes a surface of 1000m2 is a diameter of 36m , that we will perch on a mat of 80m. In other words, for 1MW with 1m2 of surface, it would require a wind speed of 100m / s, (360km / h) or a third of the speed of sound. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION To control the wind, it must be boxed and channeled; to get all the power, you have to manage its flow and speed. Achieving this goal is possible by using fluid mechanics, boating technologies and aeronautics. These considerations led to the design of a ducted device with a variable surface opening and a Venturi to accelerate the wind. This theoretical device has led to the present invention concerning a machine acting as a "wind speed box" which captures the instantaneous wind force and direction and restores it in a direction, a flow rate and a substantially constant speed. The wind speed box is particularly useful for the wind power supply of a wind turbine intended mainly but not exclusively for the production of electricity or, failing that, the driving force. The equipment corresponding to this application consists of 6 complementary parts. The flow diagram is synthesized in Figure 1, page 1/8 of the drawings. 1. A power station consisting of a wind vane and an anemometer for measuring the direction and speed of the wind. This device, commonly used in the field of boating, has the role of providing the information necessary for the management of the box described in paragraph 4 and components, diaphragms, guides and sectors component. 2. A diaphragm or movable flaps forming the front face of the box and intended to precisely regulate the flow of air admitted. 3. A bypass intended to conduct the air towards the terminal part of the box without passing into the wind turbine. This bypass is terminated by a throttle for accelerating the wind speed to form a fast divergent flow around the air leaving the wind turbine or turbine. This device can also allow the automatic orientation of the assembly in the wind bed. The bypass can also be equipped with movable shutters to regulate flow and air velocity or to close the duct in case of too strong wind. 4. A static or mobile box, which also forms a protective fairing, has a role of "wind speed box"; it may be in the form of a cylinder, a tube, a parallelepiped or the like and is provided with a number of adapted shaped mobile guides intended to form a channel of constant or variable cross-section leading to the flow of air towards the turbine or wind turbine paragraph 5 and then to the exit. The orientation of the box in the wind bed is ensured by the control unit in paragraph 1, or by mounting on the box a drift or by the effect of the device referred to 3. The box is constituted of three parts: 4-1 In the first part and following the section of the openings and the orientation of the guides, the wind box can either accelerate the air admitted by Venturi effect, or slow it by its divergent shape before the entrance air in the wind turbine. 4-2 The central part consists of the Venturi Pass where the turbine or wind turbine is fully or partially positioned and designed to operate with a high-speed air flow; to increase the speed, its section is several times smaller than that of the input diaphragm when it is fully open. The neck can also be constituted by moving walls or guides including in particular the central axis of the turbine. The opposite mobile wall may be formed by one or more sectors of the same axis. The outlet section is larger than that of the neck, but smaller than that of the wide open diaphragm. 4-3 The last part presents other openings of air supply, of divergent shape or not and of section and of sufficient length so that the airstream at the exit of the device finds the conditions of external speed without excessive turbulence . This last essential point for the proper functioning and efficiency of the Venturi, is provided by a booster powered by the bypass and consisting of a throat leading, around the air flow exiting the turbine, an air gap whose speed is intermediate between the speed outside and that at the neck. This device creates a vacuum that draws air out of the turbine and increases its efficiency; it also significantly reduces the length of the Venturi divergent. 5. A single or multi-stage vertical or horizontal turbine / wind turbine whose design is optimized for use with a substantially constant wind. Production and storage of electricity produced or connection to the network are treated in the same way for devices built according to this patent as for existing machines. Technical Considerations: The power supplied by the air to a plate opposite to it is proportional to the area of the plate and to the cube of the air velocity. As the wind speed is fixed, the management of the intake surface makes it possible to manage the inflow which is proportional to the product of the velocity by the surface (or the square of the diameter). The flow being constant in a pipe, the surface offered to the flow of air makes it possible to manage the speed. The Venturi system with a streamlined short convergent inlet, a neck and a long diverging, is commonly used to increase fluid velocity. In a typical assembly, there is observed: diameter at the neck / inlet diameter 13 0.6; angle of convergence 21 °, angle of divergence 8 °. To simplify and for a cylindrical Venturi, if the inlet diameter is twice that of the neck, the velocity at the neck is 4 times the wind speed and the power 16 times that of a wind turbine of the same diameter, If the convergent is short, the divergent is 3 to 7 times the diameter of the neck and its angle is 3 times lower. This length, necessary for the vein of air to find the speed of the wind outside without excessive turbulence, is such that no current wind turbine model integrates this device, thereby canceling the claimed Venturi effect. In gas turbines, compressors and turbines are often multi-stage; this system can also adapt to the Venturi device, making it possible to increase the speed ratio. When passing through the turbine, the wind transfers some of its kinetic energy to the rotor; the residual velocity can be accelerated by a second Venturi which will yield part of its kinetic energy in a second turbine stage. Simulation of the operation of a wind turbine equipped with a wind speed gear box 2. For this simulation, we assume a 3-position gearbox: doubled wind speed (X2), divided by 2 (D2) or simple guidance without changing the gearbox. speed (0). Wind speed Wind turbine classic gearbox Wind turbine with BV <2m / s 0 X 2 0 2 to 4 m / s 0 X2 50% 4 to 12m / s 50% X2 100% from 6 m / s 12 to 24m / s 100% O 100% 24 to 48m / s 100% D2 100% 48m / s to 96m / s 0 D2 100%> 96m / s 0 closed 0 With the wind distribution of the seaside resort mentioned above (3% lower at 4.3m / s, 51% from 4.3 to 8.1m / s, 36% from 8.1 to 12.5m / s and 10% above), it can be seen that the nominal power can be delivered in 80% of cases quadrupling the operating time.

For example, six models using the windbox principle are described below; in each case, the wind vane, anemometer, available commercially, is not described. It is the same with the enslavement of moving parts. Other models combining or improving these models are conceivable on the same principle. The six models proposed in support of this patent make use of known and reliable technologies; their cost of construction and maintenance should be moderate. As this cost is amortized over 4 times longer operating times, the price per electric kWh should be competitive. The reduction in size compared to the gigantism of existing models as well as the high availability allow to consider many industrial applications: individual or collective domestic wind turbines, small wind turbines for public lighting supply, wind turbines, wind turbines for motor vehicles or trains and wind turbines for industrial sites or power supply. A first embodiment comprises a fixed stator and flaps movable periphery; it is described by Fig 2 which shows the flow of air in a current configuration. Fig4 and 5 show the device seen in diametrical section and face. The principle device object of the patent can be realized with a fixed vertical cylindrical stator sandwiched in two horizontal circular plates [42] joined by pillars fixed on the circumference which serve as axis of rotation [43] to movable flaps [44] overlap (detail Fig 3). Air is admitted by opening flaps upwind. This opening is controlled by a central wind vane anemometer, conventional type. The wind vane determines the flaps that must be open, at the entrance and exit, and the anemometer controls the number of flaps to open and their angle according to the speed of the outside wind. Wind vane and anemometer are not shown in the drawings. The inlet flaps form a convergent channel [45] towards the turbine. The body [51] of the latter forms the inner wall of the Venturi neck, while the outer wall is constituted by an occlusion sector cylinder [46] rotatable around the axis of the turbine [53] but independent of she; it is therefore either subject to a wind turbine drift surmounting the stator, not shown, or subject to the central wind vane anemometer. Given the stability of the device, a drawing with 16 flaps made for example of aluminum profiles or fiberglass seems well suited. In this arrangement, the open opening of the rotary sector is about half a quadrant, while the outlet orifice is half smaller. The circulation of the air veins is materialized by the arrows. The electric generator, not shown is driven directly or indirectly by the axis of the turbine. The number of blades [52] of the turbine and their shape are optimized for the speed range provided for the wind turbine for example between 12 and 25m / s, for an outside wind of 4 to 50 m / s. At the outlet of the turbine, the air is channeled into the divergent [48] formed between the flaps whose length is twice the width of the turbine blades. To improve the efficiency of this divergent, a device booster complete. The flaps open to the left and to the right form a channel [33] with the outer wall of the blackout sector cylinder [46] and the inner wall of the shutters closed. This air is accelerated by the constriction [34] formed by the shutters. The nip is calculated so that the air velocity is substantially greater than that of the air exiting the divergent. The depression thus created improves the efficiency of the turbine.

The rotating elements of this model are all light. Sturdiness and stability are ensured by the 2 trays and the 16 static axes. However, the flow of air can not be optimized given the shape of the cylinder segment flaps and the bulges of the axes. The cylindrical shape allows a wide variety of sizes and therefore power for integration into the individual or collective habitat without the need for a mast.

A second embodiment corresponds to a horizontal axis wind turbine can operate with low winds, the proposed model Fig 6 and 7 can be mounted on a mat in the traditional way or installed on the roof. The windbox device is adapted to a single or multi-stage wind turbine [5] placed in a horizontal cylinder [47] whose interior forms a Venturi channel. The turbine stages make it possible to recover the residual kinetic energy at the output of the preceding stage. The last floors can also be placed in the diverging. The blades [52] are calculated in number and form to operate in a flow of ducted air and relatively constant speed. To the wind of the latter and on the same axis is placed a cone forming a diaphragm [2] shown in sectors [21] in the example; any other system providing the same functions that can replace it. A convergent [41] accelerates the wind at the entrance of the neck, up to 4 times the wind speed, while the divergent [48] whose length is reduced to once the diameter at the neck, thus ensures that a reduction of about half the turbine output speed. A Venturi type device [3] is installed around the divergent to accompany the deceleration of the air flow and improve the performance of the turbine.

The assembly mounted rotatable on an axis is self directional; it is however easier to provide orientation by the wind vane anemometer which controls opening and closing of the sectors of the diaphragm according to the force of the wind. This model corresponds, with a small footprint, to all current wind turbine applications. A third embodiment with a self-directional vertical axis wind turbine The model described by Figs 8, 9 and 11 is surmounted by a wind vane [11] integral with the fairing, orienting the assembly in the wind bed. The intake flaps [22] are rotatable on a vertical axis. In Figure 8 one of the shutters is shown closed and two 100% open. In case of excessive wind, the four flaps are closed thus protecting the turbine with the fairing [4]. The guides [44] are fixed and integral with the fairing. Figure 8 shows the flow of air streams. The turbine, whose blades [52] are in number and adapted vertical shape, rotates about the axis [53]. The section between the turbine body and the fairing defines a surface venturi neck 4 times smaller than the maximum inlet section and twice as small as the inlet section in the divergent [48]; these values are given by way of example, other configurations may be better adapted to the goal pursued. With only one flap open at 50% in strong winds, the wind speed will be reduced by about 50% with 2 flaps open and wind V, the speed at the neck will be multiplied by 1.4. In light winds, all flaps wide open, the speed at the neck should be about 2V and 1.4V at the turbine outlet. The profile of the booster [3] has been designed to multiply the wind speed by 2; it thus produces a rapid air gap around the flow coming out of the divergent [48] which by the effect of depression ensures the good performance of the ventilation system. The expected electric power of this model is of the order of kW. FIG. 10 shows a variant with two rotors, the second being fed by a convergent duct at the outlet of the first turbine by closing the flap. This rudimentary model, which has the shape of a big box (for example 50x65x70cm, the size of a radar), is suitable for example for nautical use. The fairing of the turbine allows positioning at the masthead surmounted by an anemometer and a wind vane or on the front part of the mast at a height where it does not interfere with the maneuvers and where the wind is already accelerated between genoa and large sail. A fourth embodiment comprises a horizontal vertical discharge turbine A vertical axis turbine is placed in a Venturi fairing. Drawings 12,13 and 14 show a preferred version of this model. The circular design allows the wind turbine to operate regardless of the direction of the wind. A vertical sliding cylinder [22] equipped with a flap forms converge with the cap [42] and makes it possible to regulate the intake air flow as a function of the wind force by adequate mechanical, electrical or other servocontrol. Vertical guides [44] eight in number in the example, integral with the body [4] can channel the flow of air in 3 to 4 sectors according to the incidence of wind. The intake surface is a function of the height between the bonnet and the sliding, the diameter of the bonnet [42], the coefficient of opening of the sliding cylinder and the incidence of wind. The inlet area at the annular Venturi neck [47] is proportional to the difference in squares of the inner and outer diameters; in the example it is 4 times smaller than the maximum input value. As a result, the speed at the pass is 4 times higher than the wind speed outside the pressure drops. The turbine, whose hub [53] is integral with the axis which drives the electric generator, is provided with about 16 blades [52] inclined at about 45 °; it is placed in the cylindrical Venturi neck and shown here in two opposite stages of rotation. The section in the neck is constant, but gradually increases in the divergent [48]. The air already slowed down by energy transfer to the turbine is at a double wind speed. A device [35] of circular Venturi type is placed at the base of the assembly; it is also cut into sectors by vertical walls [32] eight in number and whose positions correspond to the 8 vertical walls [44]. Its opening is dimensioned so as to admit an air flow comparable to that through the turbine and which after acceleration in the convergent multiplies by 4 the air velocity; the depression thus created ensures the evacuation of the air flow by the divergent [35]. The model presented, which should provide a theoretical power of 500W for a wind of 5m / s, has a footprint of 70x80 cm and could be installed at the top of a mast for the supply of a street lamp, each lamppost becoming independent, or sailboat. A fifth embodiment relates to a group of vertical wind turbines.

To provide electrical power from 100kW to iMW, the air velocities must reach 50 to 100m / s on a plate of lm '. These speeds, common in gas turbines, are poorly known in the field of wind turbines. The depression that accompanies the increase in kinetic energy is very important and requires a tight and resistant construction. The proposed model is an application of this patent to the field of power wind turbines. Only wind tunnel tests would allow the validation of the model. Figures 15 and 16 describe the device. The assembly is mounted on a circular base [42] which carries at the periphery of flaps [22] rotating around a shaft and controlled by the indications of a central vane anemometer. Eight vertical turbines [5] are mounted at 45 ° from each other; this assembly is fixed and is completed at the top and at the base by a convergent divergent assembly [3] intended for the final evacuation of the air having passed through the device. Whatever the incidence of the wind, the flaps always allow to admit a flow of air in a section whose surface varies from 0 zero to 4 times greater than the section of the turbines [5] of the first stage swept by the fins . In each of the 4 turbines, the wind was accelerated 4 times. The air is then directed by the channel [5] to the central turbine [54] which forms the second stage. It has the same dimensions as the turbines [5] but its fins are helical to drive the air vertically upwards and downwards. The sections are calculated so that the air velocity is again theoretically quadrupled causing a strong depression. The air is then admitted into the deceleration turbines [55] located in a divergent channel, then expelled towards the Venturi [3] formed between two disks partially connected by vertical supports channeling the air. The air admitted into the Venturi increases its speed to a value greater than the resulting turbine output speed [55]. The electrical power ratio with respect to the occupied volume is such that a cube of 10m side has a theoretical power of the order of 1MW, which corresponds to the industrial needs. The possibility of building compact equipment delivering average power and at a lower cost opens the prospect of installation on a pedestal or at the top of a pole and integration into an electricity distribution network to provide substantial additional power to the electricity grid locally. just like a transformer. The generalization of the system could change the tree structure of current networks into cellular networks on the model of mobile phone networks by increasing reliability and reducing online losses.

A sixth embodiment relates to the application of the patent to the means of transport, for motor vehicles, their speed is equivalent to a high air speed which is stable in the direction, often already captured for ventilation, and the speed is displayed. For a car traveling at 50km / h (14m / s), a turbine with blades of 20cmx25cm would provide a theoretical power of more than 150 Watts equivalent to that of an alternator. At 130km / h (36m / s) the theoretical power reaches 2800 Watts. A wind speed box with a dual section vent multiplies these powers by 8; this energy supply can reduce consumption or recharge the stock. The set can be placed in front of the radiator or in the roof and with two vertical turbines (height 25, diameter 40) placed side by side would measure 1m long. For the railways, the speed of the TGV from 180 to 360km / h (50 to 100m / s) makes it possible to envisage with an air intake of compatible size (50x280) a power of 500kW which would be deducted from the power called electrical from 6400 to 8800kW of current trains. 25 30 35

Claims (6)

REVENDICATIONS1. Wind control device for supplying a wind turbine, characterized in that it comprises a central rotor consisting of a wind turbine or turbine [5] with a horizontal or vertical axis, surrounded by a movable fairing [4] constituting protection of the wind turbine. rotor and equipped with movable flaps [22] regulating the flow of air intake and internal guides and ducts [44] forming Venturi with converging and diverging, for regulating the air velocity so as to make it substantially constant, whatever the external speed of the wind. The assembly is calculated so as to increase the air velocity to optimize the electrical power per unit area. 2. Device according to claim 1, the venturi divergent portion [42] of which is partially replaced by an externally concentric or lateral air flow of higher velocity produced by a suitable throttle [34]. 3. Device according to claims 1 or 2 connected to a central wind vane anemometer [1], or any other system, supplying data to a flap management automaton [22] and or air guides [44] [46], for optimizing the operation of the central rotor according to the direction and speed of the outside wind. 4. Device according to claims 1, 2 or 3 characterized in that it comprises several turbine stages [5], either at the outlet of the convergent [45] or at the inlet of the divergent [48], or both . 5. Device according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that its electric power ratio with respect to the occupied volume, allows the installation on a pedestal or pole and integration into an electrical distribution network in the same way as a post of transformation. 6. Device according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it is installed on a vehicle to contribute to its power supply.