Segmented airfoil design for guide wires
The present invention is an improved wind turbine comprising: a wind turbine wheel having a hub, a rim and a cable extending between the hub and the rim; a set of airfoils rotatably carried by the cable and disposed between the hub and the rim; a cinch attached to the cable and disposed between adjacent airfoils; and, an upturned section included in at least one airfoil in the set of airfoils and disposed at a trailing edge of the airfoil wherein each airfoil has a different angle of attack relative to an adjacent airfoil.
1. An improved wind turbine comprising:
a wind turbine wheel having a hub, a rim and a cable extending between the hub and the rim;
a set of airfoils rotatably carried by the cable and disposed between the hub and the rim;
a cinch attached to the cable and disposed between adjacent airfoils;
said airfoils having symmetrical convex top and bottom surfaces with said top surface transitioning into an upturned section defined by an upward slope of a surface contour along a trailing edge portion of said top surface of said airfoils relative to a horizontal plane extending from a leading edge to a trailing edge, wherein said upturned section does not extend above a plane defined by an apex of the convex top surface, and wherein each airfoil has a different angle of attack relative to an adjacent airfoil; and,
a vane mounted directly to at least one of said airfoils, wherein said vane includes a shaft extending beyond said trailing edge of said airfoil and a fin disposed at a distal end of said shaft, wherein said vane causes rotation of said airfoil to an optimal angle of attack relative to a wind direction.
2. The improved wind turbine of claim 1 including:
an inner cable extending between a proximal end of the hub and the rim; and,
a set of inner airfoils carried by the inner cable.
3. The improved wind turbine of claim 2 including:
an outer cable extending between a distal end of the hub and the rim; and,
a set of outer airfoils carried by the outer cable.
4. The improved wind turbine of claim 1 including:
a first airfoil adjacent to the hub having a first length;
a second airfoil adjacent to the rim having a second length; and,
wherein the first length is less than the second length.
5. The improved wind turbine of claim 4 including an intermediate airfoil having a length between the first length and the second length.
6. The improved wind turbine of claim 1 including a spacer assembly disposed between adjacent airfoils.
7. The improved wind turbine of claim 6 including a resilient member included in the spacer assembly.
8. The improved wind turbine of claim 6 including a washer included in the spacer assembly.
9. The improved wind turbine of claim 1 wherein an airfoil in the set of airfoils has a length in a range of 2 feet to 12 feet.
10. The improved wind turbine of claim 1 including sailets attached to the rim extending from an exterior of the rim.
11. The improved wind turbine of claim 10 wherein the sailets include a variable pitch.
12. The improved wind turbine of claim 1 said airfoils include material selected from the group consisting of high performance vinyl ester resin, 40% unidirectional fiberglass reinforcement, 17% continuous fiberglass mat, resin mixture, UV inhibitors, pigments, surfacing coatings and combinations thereof.
13. The improved wind turbine of claim 1 including a cable opening defined in each airfoil in the set of airfoils for receiving the cable.
14. The improved wind turbine of claim 1 including a generator having a generator wheel configured to engage the rim and disposed below the rim.
15. An improved wind turbine comprising:
a wind turbine wheel having a rim;
a hub included in the wind turbine wheel having a proximal end and a distal end;
an inner set of cables extending between the proximal end of the hub and the rim;
a set of inner airfoils rotatably attached to the inner set of cables;
an outer set of cables extending between the distal end of the hub and the rim;
a set of outer airfoils rotatably attached to the outer set of cables;
said airfoils having symmetrical convex top and bottom surfaces with said top surface transitioning into an upturned section defined by an upward slope of a surface contour along a trailing edge portion of said top surface of said airfoils relative to a horizontal plane extending from a leading edge to a trailing edge, wherein said upturned section does not extend above a plane defined by an apex of the convex top surface; and,
a vane mounted directly to at least one of said airfoils, wherein said vane includes a shaft extending beyond said trailing edge of said airfoil and a fin disposed at a distal end of said shaft, wherein said vane causes rotation of said airfoil to an optimal angle of attack relative to a wind direction.
16. The improved wind turbine of claim 15 including a spacer assembly disposed between adjacent airfoils.
17. The improved wind turbine of claim 16 including a cinch included in the spacer assembly.
18. An improved wind turbine comprising:
a wind turbine wheel having a rim and a hub;
a set of cables extending between the hub and the rim;
a set of airfoils independently rotatably attached to the set of cables and extending between the rim and the hub; and,
said airfoils having symmetrical convex top and bottom surfaces with said top surface transitioning into an upturned section defined by an upward slope of a surface contour along a trailing edge portion of said top surface of said airfoils relative to a horizontal plane extending from a leading edge to a trailing edge, wherein said upturned section does not extend above a plane defined by an apex of the convex top surface; and,
a vane mounted directly to at least one of said airfoils, wherein said vane includes a shaft extending beyond said trailing edge of said airfoil and a fin disposed at a distal end of said shaft, wherein said vane causes rotation of said airfoil to an optimal angle of attack relative to a wind direction.