US008232664B2

(12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 8,232,664 B2

Stroup et al. (45) Date of Patent: Jul. 31, 2012
(54) VERTICALAXIS WINDTURBINE 772,786 A * 10/1904 Clifford ......................... 415,42
1,382,591 A * 6/1921 Ackermann ... 41.5/4.2
4,031.405 A * 6/1977 Asperger ........................ 290/55
(75) Inventors: St. stroup sESS);
uis Piloto, Johnson City, TN (US)
4,039,849 AA ** 8/1977
4,132.282
Mater et al. ..................... 290/55
1/1979 Sparks ........................... 1802.2
4,318,019 A 3/1982 Teasley et al. ........... 310/156.35
(73) Assignees: Mark R. Stroup, Longwood, FL (US); 4,365,929 A * 12/1982 Retz ... ... 415,53.1
Luis Piloto, Johnson City, NJ (US) 4,546,264 A * 10, 1985 Pinson ............................ 290,54
4.551,631 A * 1 1/1985 Triglio ........................... 290/55
(*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this 22:3: A : 38. Rich ; :
patent is extended or adjusted under 35 4,834,610 A * 5/1989 Bond, III ... 415,53.3
U.S.C. 154(b) by 421 days. 5,126,584 A 6/1992 Ouellet ........................... 290/55
5,380,149 A 1/1995 Valsamidis .... ... 415.2.1
(21) Appl. No.: 12/461,837 5.391926 A * 2/1995 Staley et al. .................... 290/55
5,503,530 A * 4/1996 Walters ....... ... 416, 197 A
1-1. 5,632,599 A 5/1997 Townsend ....................... 416/42
(22) Filed: Aug. 25, 2009 6,015,258. A 1/2000 Taylor ............ ... 41.5/4.4
O O 6,091,161 A * 7/2000 Dehlsen et al. ................. 290,43
(65) Prior Publication Data 6.425.205 B2 * 7/2002 Wygle et al. .................... 49,349
6,448,669 B1 9/2002 Elder .............................. 290,54
US 2010/0045039 A1 Feb. 25, 2010 6,465,899 B2 10/2002 Roberts ........................... 29044
O O 6,740,989 B2 5/2004 Rowe .......... 290/55
Related U.S. Application Data 6,884,020 B2 * 4/2005 Kaare et al. . ... 415/1
(60) Provisional application No. 61/189,975, filed on Aug. 3. R 39. Evr 5i
25, 2008. 7,094,017 B2* 8/2006 Kurita . ... 41.5/4.2
7,235,893 B2 * 6/2007 Platt ................................ 290,54
(51) Int. Cl. 7,242,108 B1* 7/2007 Dablo ............................. 290/55
7,417.334 B2 8/2008 Uchiyama ....................... 290/55
C 39 3:08: 7,633,177 B2* 12/2009 Platt ................................ 290,54
FO3D 7/OO (2006.01) (Continued)
(52) U.S. Cl. .............................. 290/55; 290/44; 41.5/4.2 Pri E Pedro J C
(58) Field of Classification Search .................... 290/44, rimary Examiner — Pedro Juluevas
290/55; 41.5/4.2 (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — William M. Hobby, III
See application file for complete search history.
(57) ABSTRACT
(56) References Cited This invention is for a vertical axis wind turbine apparatus
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
supported in a tower with wind diverter doors for controlling
ck
the air impinging on the turbine blades. The diverter doors are
127,771 A 6/1872 Hosey ... ... 415, 4.2 closable in high wind conditions to seal off the wind turbine
ck
177,597 A 5, 1876 Ward .... ... 415, 4.2 to protect the turbine against damage.
250,806 A *ck 12/1881 Hamel ..... ... 415, 4.2
356,145 A 1, 1887 McKenzie r 415, 4.2
570,123 A ck
10, 1896 Clinton ......................... 415, 164 8 Claims, 6 Drawing Sheets

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 US 8,232,664 B2
Page 2

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 2008. O131281 A16, 2008 Kariya .......................... 416, 183
2008/0217925 A1*
9, 2008 Boone etal 290/55
7,847,428 B2* 12/2010 Platt ................................ 290/54 2009, OO97960 A14/2009 Williams . 415,42
7,880,323 B2* 2, 2011 Menges ... 290/55 2009.0167027 A1T/2009 Kato ............................... 290/55
7,922,450 B2 * 4, 2011 Narasimalu . . 416/23 2009, O220339 A1*
9, 2009 Wu et al. ........................... 416.1
7.946,802 B1* 5, 2011 Iskrenovic ..
8,072,091 B2* 12/2011 Wilson et al. 5. 2010, O247314 A1* 9, 2010 Narasimalu .. 416,146R
2011/0280707 A1* 11, 2011 Iskrenovic ..................... 415,42
2001/0054257 A1* 12/2001 . 49,349
Wygle et al.
2003/0231951 A1* 12/2003 Kaifeet al. 4.1542 * cited by examiner
U.S. Patent Jul. 31, 2012 Sheet 2 of 6 US 8,232,664 B2

26 15
12

11

27 h"L"
le. 25 22 N 23

FIG. 2
U.S. Patent Jul. 31, 2012 Sheet 3 of 6
U.S. Patent Jul. 31, 2012 Sheet 4 of 6
U.S. Patent Jul. 31, 2012 Sheet 6 of 6 US 8,232,664 B2

FIG. 6

31

FIG. 7
 US 8,232,664 B2
1. 2
VERTICALAXIS WIND TURBINE lull periods. The rigid tower and diverter doors allow the wind
turbine to be used in hurricanes and other high wind condi
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional tions by closing the diverter doors and the rigid frame.
Application No. 61/189,975, filed Aug. 25, 2008. The present wind turbine can be installed in a city or urban
environment and allows for ease in connection to an electrical
FIELD OF THE INVENTION grid and the transfer of electricity to the consumer.
In the past, there have been a wide variety of vertical axis
This invention is for a vertical axis wind turbine supported wind generators including the following U.S. patents. The
in a tower with wind diverter doors for controlling the air Rice U.S. Pat. No. 6,984,899 is a vertical axis windmill for the
impinging on the turbine blades. The diverted doors are clos- 10 generation of electric power utilizing wind which maintains a
able in high wind conditions to protect the turbine against relatively constant rotational frequency of the shaft of the
damage.
windmill. It uses two wind foils which extend radially out
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION ward from the blades to provide a scoop for pulling in more air
15 than would normally be received by the blades. The wind foils
Wind turbines are generally classified into two groups direct the flow to the power producing part of rotation of the
based upon the orientation of the turbine axis of rotation. blades and close to control the wind flow to the blades.
There are horizontal axis wind turbines and vertical axis wind The Elder U.S. Pat. No. 6,448,669 is for a vertical axis
turbines. Horizontal wind turbines are the traditional image water turbine used to convert water kinetic energy into
when thinking of windmills. The rotor shaft and an electric 20 mechanical energy. A vertical axis wind turbine is mounted So
generator are generally mounted atop a tower and are con that wind is compressed and directed to the rotor blades by a
nected to a gear box that converts the slow rotation of the plurality of fixed stator blades. The Kato U.S. Patent Appli
blades into a faster rotation for the electric generator. Hori cation Publication No. US 2009/0167027 is for a blade for a
Zontal axis wind turbines have the disadvantages of needing windmill and a windmill and wind power generator of the
to be readjusted to face the wind with every shift of the wind 25 vertical axis type. The Tsipov U.S. Pat. No. 6,962.478 is for a
direction and requires gearing, braking and feathering con vertical axis windmill having a wind turbine mounted inside
trols to transfer the torque to an off-axis generator and means a frame. A plurality of gate elements which are turnably
to keep the rotational speeds within acceptable limits. These connected to the frame are for the closing and opening of the
turbines are equipped with high wind shutdown features to openings in the frame by wind flowing Substantially in a
avoid over speed damage. Vertical axis wind turbines, on the 30 horizontal plane. The Williams U.S. Patent Application Pub
other hand, have blades mounted to a vertically extending lication No. 2009/0097960 is for a vertical axis windmill
rotor shaft and are favored in areas where winds constantly assembly.
shift direction because the blades are not required to be The Kariya U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/
rotated to face into the wind and where low winds occur
because they require a slower wind speed to start generating 35 013 1281 is for a vertical axis windmill with a guiding device
electricity. which includes vertical plates which are fixed on the bottom
Each group of wind turbines has advantages and disadvan of the base structure to the top of the rotor in an annular array.
tages. The main disadvantage of vertical axis wind turbines is The Uchiyama U.S. Pat. No. 7,417,334 is for a wind power
drag created as the blades rotate into the wind even while a lift generation system which uses a permanent magnets and coils
is being created on the opposite side. The turbulent winds 40 for generating electric power.
located near the ground can cause excessive noise as well as The Valsamidis U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,149 is for a wind tur
torque and strain on the main rotor shaft and bearings. Other bine cross wind machine which has a circumferential
disadvantages are that they have only about half the efficiency arrangement of guide vanes around a centrally located rotor
of the horizontal axis wind turbines in large part because of and having an arrangement of turbine blades in the middle so
the additional drag that they have as the blades rotate into the 45 that the guide vanes can guide the wind falling upon a coun
wind. teracting rotor blades towards the direction of rotor rotation.
The present invention overcomes disadvantages of vertical The Taylor U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,258 and the Teasley et al.
axis wind turbines by utilizing a tower configuration in which U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,019, and the Townsend U.S. Pat. No.
the wind driven blades and turbine are inside a tower frame. 5,632.599 each teach wind turbine rotor blade designs.
The towerframe has diverter doors that reduce the draft of the 50 The Rowe U.S. Pat. No. 6,740,989 is for a vertical axis
blades as they rotate into the wind. The doors transfer the load wind turbine which has vanes Surrounding a turbine rotor
of the blades to the tower and off the axis. This increases with each vane creating a turbulent Swirling boundary layer
bearing life and ease in maintenance and repairs. Diverter on the vane surface that rotates in the direction that draws and
doors also control the quantity of wind to the blades and redirects air flow into the air flow channels defined by the
therefore can increase wind to the blades in low wind condi- 55 stator Vanes. It is then compressed by the narrowing of the
tions and will decrease wind in high wind conditions using channels and directed to rotor blades to drive the turbine.
computer control motors on the diverter doors. The tower The Roberts U.S. Pat. No. 6,465,899 is for an omni-direc
configuration with the diverter doors, which can be fully tional vertical-axis wind turbine. The Ouellet U.S. Pat. No.
closed, allows for greater protection against high wind con 5,126,584 is for a windmill having a stator and a rotor. The
ditions. The tower configuration with diverted doors allows 60 stator Surrounds and Supports the rotor and has equally spaced
the vertical axis wind turbine to be configured for a multi Vanes having a stationary shutter Surrounding a movable inner
megawatt generation and allows the turbines blades, which shutter capable of pivoting around the longitudinal axis.
can increase torque and allow for a gearbox ratio to increase The present invention is for a vertical axis wind turbine for
the speed of the generator. In addition, the increased torque generating electricity which has a vertically extending wind
and weight transfer of the axis to the tower allows the axis to 65 turbine having its rotor shaft connected through a gearbox to
be fitted with a fly wheel which limits over torque from gusts an electric generator and which has a plurality of diverter
of wind and allows continuous electrical generation during doors which are movable to control the air flow to and from
 US 8,232,664 B2
3 4
the wind turbine which doors are closable to protect the wind through a 180 degree range of motion. Each diverter arm 15
turbine to protect against winds exceeding a predetermined has upper and lower Support arms 18 which rotate on hinges
velocity. 21. The wind turbine 11 rotary shaft 12 is connected to a gear
box 22 which in turn is connected through a shaft 23 to an
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION electrical generator 24 located in the housing 17. The turbine
shaft 12 has a weighted flywheel 20 attached thereto to limit
A vertical axis wind turbine for generating electricity has a over torque from wind gusts and to allow continuous electri
tower base having a tower frame attached thereto and a ver cal generation during short lolls in the wind. Housing 17 also
tically extending wind turbine mounted in the tower frame. has the computer control circuit 25 therein which is con
The wind turbine has a central shaft and a plurality of wind 10
nected to a wind direction and forced sensor 26. The central
turbine Vanes and has the shaft attached to an electric genera circuit 25 is connected to each of the diverter door electric
torthrough a gearbox for producing electricity by the rotation motors 27. Each diverter door electric motor 27 is attached to
of the turbine. A plurality of diverter doors are movably the frame 14 and, as seen in FIG. 7, rotates a pinion gear 28
attached to the tower frame adjacent the wind turbine and are which is meshed with a curved or circular gear rack 30. A gear
movable to control the air flow to and from the wind turbine 15
from any direction. The diverted doors are fully closable to rack 30 is attached to each diverter door supportarm18 which
block air flow to the wind turbine from winds exceeding a is hinged with the hinges 21 to the tower frame 14. Each
predetermined velocity So that a vertical standing wind tur diverter door 15 supportarm18 is attached to the circular gear
bine generates a controlled electrical output while being pro rack 30 with a pin 31 so that rotating the pinion gear 28 with
tected during storms and very high winds by the movement of the electric motor 27 will rotate the circular gear rack 30 to
a plurality diverted doors. The wind turbine tower frame has rotate the support arm 18 and diverter door 15.
a wind force and direction sensor attached thereto operatively In operation, the wind sensor 26 provides data to the motor
connected to a computer control circuit for controlling the control 25 which controls the electric motors 27 to move the
movement of the diverted doors. Each diverter door has a diverter doors 15. When the wind exceeds a predetermined
Support arm hinged to the tower frame for rotation and each 25 force, motors 27 drive the pinion gears 28 and racks 30 to
arm is attached to a curved gear rack driven by a meshed close the diverter doors 15 to a position flat with the tower
pinion gear to rotate each diverter door. Each pinion gear is frame 14 to close off the tower frame to enclose the wind
coupled to an electric motor which rotates the pinion gear to turbine 11, as shown in FIG. 5. The diverter doors 15 also
move the curved gear rack to rotate the diverter door and each 30
function to increase the speed of rotation of the turbine 11 by
gear motor is coupled to a control circuit for opening and reducing the drag and turbulence which occurs on the back
closing each diverter door responsive to wind force and direc side of the turbine blades. Lift is created when the wind
tion sensor. pushes off the turbine blades and a low pressure system builds
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS on the backside, or non-windside, of the blades. The two front
35 diverter doors 15 are angled, for example, at 45 degrees from
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present the direction of the wind, as seen in FIG.4, as pressures builds
invention will be apparent from the written description and up on the backside of the vanes while increased wind speed
the drawings in which: occurs on the flipside of the vanes to increase the lift and the
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vertical axis wind turbine torque generated on the main turbine shaft 12.
in accordance with the present invention; 40 The diverter doors 15 can also be positioned, as in FIG. 3,
FIG. 2 is a sectional diagrammatic view of the wind turbine to face the oncoming wind. The tower frame 14 has diverter
of FIG. 1; doors 15 positioned for movement to reduce drag and air
FIG. 3 is a top diagrammatic view of the operation of the pressure of wind that is within the turbine blades before the
wind turbine of FIGS. 1 and 2 having each diverter door wind egresses out the back of the turbine. As the blades rotate
opened to extend radially from the center axis; 45 counterclockwise, as shown in FIG.3, the wind is released out
FIG. 4 is a sectional diagrammatic view in accordance with the back of a traditional vertical axis wind turbine.
FIG.3 in which one diverter door has been shifted to direct the The enclosed wind turbine of the present invention can use
wind coming into the wind turbine; a wide variety of turbine blades but a watermill design as used
FIG.5 is a sectional diagrammatic view of the wind turbine in watermills has been found to generate a large amount of
of FIGS. 3 and 4 having all the diverter doors closed; 50 torque. The turbine blades can be made of any diameter
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the turbine blade portion of the desired but are made of a lighter material.
wind turbine of FIGS. 1 and 2; and A disadvantage of vertical axis wind turbines is that when
FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of the diverted door gear a lift is created on one side of the device, drag is created on the
rack and pinion gear. opposing side because the wind is blowing on both sides of
55 the device. This problem has been addressed in the past by
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED feathering the foils or vanes on one side and Supporting them
EMBODIMENTS on the other side which causes an unbalanced load. The
present diverter doors 15 are designed to reduce the drag
A vertical axis wind turbine 10 is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and forces from the turbine blades and transferring it to the tower
2 having a plurality of turbine blades or vanes mounted to a 60 diverter doors 15.
central rotary shaft 12. The wind turbine 11 has a plurality of The present wind turbine uses a gearbox 22 between the
turbine blades 13 and is supported in a vertically extending turbine shaft 12 and the electrical generator 24. This allows
tower frame 14. The tower frame 14 has eight vertically the relatively slow rotation and high torque power of the
attached diverter doors 15 hingedly attached to the vertically waterwheel type blades to be converted to a high speed low
extending frame 14. The vertically extending tower frame 14 65 torque power running generator. A gear ratio of 20/1 or higher
is fixedly attached to a base 16 which has a control housing 17 may be used with the present wind turbine while allowing
mounted thereon. Each diverter door 15 can be rotated Sufficient torque to generate a large electric generator.
 US 8,232,664 B2
5 6
Waterwheel design type turbine blades 22 can be seen in whereby a vertical standing wind turbine generates a con
FIG. 6 mounted to a turbine frame 33 attached to turbine trolled electrical output while controlling airflow to said
Support arms 34. wind turbine and being protected against Storms by the
It should be clear at this point that a vertical axis wind individual movement of each of a plurality of diverter
turbine has been shown which has diverter doors controlling doors.
the air impinging on the turbine blades and in which the 2. The wind turbine in accordance with claim 1 in which
diverter doors are closable in high wind conditions to protect said wind turbine tower frame has a force and wind direction
the turbine against damage. However, the present invention is sensor attached thereto.
not to be construed as limited to the forms shown which are to 3. The wind turbine in accordance with claim 2 in which
be considered illustrative rather than restrictive. 10 each said diverter door has a Supportarmhinged to said tower
We claim: frame for rotation thereon.
1. A vertical axis wind turbine for generating electricity 4. The wind turbine in accordance with claim 3 in which
comprising: each said diverter door Support arm is attached to a curved
a tower base; gear rack driven by a meshed pinion gear coupled to one said
a tower frame attached to said base; 15 electric motor to rotate said diverter door.
a vertically extending wind turbine mounted in said tower 5. The wind turbine in accordance with claim 4 in which
frame and having a central shaft and a plurality of wind each said electric motor is coupled to a control circuit for
blades attached thereto, said shaft being attached to an opening and closing one said diverter door responsive to said
electric generator for producing electricity therefrom wind force and direction sensor.
upon rotation of said shaft; 6. The wind turbine in accordance with claim 5 including a
a plurality of diverter doors, each diverter door being mov gear box coupled between said wind turbine shaft and said
ably connected to said tower frame adjacent said wind electric generator.
turbine, said plurality of diverter doors being movable to 7. The wind turbine in accordance with claim 6 in which
seal said wind turbine in a housing formed by said plu each said diverter door has a second Support arm extending
rality of diverter doors when winds exceed a predeter 25 parallel to said Support arm and hinged to said tower frame.
mined Velocity; and 8. The wind turbine in accordance with claim 7 having a
a plurality of electric motors, one said electric motor being weighted flywheel attached to said central shaft.
coupled to each said diverter door to variably position
the coupled diverter door relative to each other diverter
door for controlling air flow to said wind turbine,