Vertical axis wind turbine with multiple flap vanes
An improved wind turbine device with energy storage comprises a turbine rotor with rotatable vertical shaft, at least one bearing for said vertical shaft, and multiple rotor vanes disposed symmetrically for rotation about the vertical shaft. Each of said multiple rotor vanes is substantially box-shaped with four solid sides and a front and rear side disposed in a radial vertical plane. The front side to each vane is substantially open faced and the rear side has an opening covered by a plurality of flaps. Each of said flaps is capable of moving with the directional passage of wind through the vane.
1. A vertical axis wind turbine for storing energy, said wind turbine comprising:
(a) a turbine rotor with a support platform, a rotatable vertical shaft extending from said platform, at least one bearing for said vertical shaft, and at least three rotor vanes disposed for rotation about the vertical shaft, each rotor vane having four solid sides, a front side and a rear side disposed in radial vertical planes, the front side being substantially open faced and the rear side having a rectangular opening surrounded by a support rim that connects to the rear of the four solid sides, said opening covered by a plurality of flaps joined to the rotor vane with a plurality of hinges, each of said flaps being capable of: moving about a horizontal axis of rotation with a directional passage of wind through the rotor vane; and preventing air from flowing through the rotor vane when forced against the support rim on the rear of the four solid sides; and
(b) means for attaching each rotor vane to said vertical shaft so that the front side of each vane lies in the same rotational direction around said vertical shaft.
2. The energy storing wind turbine of claim 1 , which contains an even number of vanes.
3. The energy storing wind turbine of claim 1 , which contains an odd number of vanes.
4. The energy storing wind turbine of claim 1 , wherein each vane contains an even number of flaps.
5. The energy storing wind turbine of claim 4 , wherein each vane contains at least two flaps.
6. The energy storing wind turbine of claim 1 , wherein each vane contains an odd number of flaps.
7. An improved vertical axis wind turbine for storing energy, said wind turbine comprising:
(a) a turbine rotor with a support platform, a rotatable vertical shaft extending from said platform, at least one bearing for said vertical shaft, and at least three rotor vanes disposed for rotation about the vertical shaft, each rotor vane having four solid sides, a front side and a rear side, which front and rear sides are disposed in radial vertical planes, and the front side being substantially open faced and the rear side having a rectangular opening surrounded by a support rim that connects to the rear of the four solid sides, said opening covered by two or more flaps joined to the rotor vane with a plurality of hinges, each of said flaps being capable of: moving about a horizontal axis of rotation with a directional passage of wind through the rotor vane; and preventing air from flowing through the rotor vane when forced against: the support rim on the four solid sides; one or more hinges for the other flaps and combinations thereof; and
(b) means for attaching each rotor vane to said vertical shaft so that the front side of each vane lies in the same rotational direction around said vertical shaft.
8. The energy storing wind turbine of claim 7 , wherein each vane contains an even number of flaps.
9. The energy storing wind turbine of claim 7 , wherein each vane contains an odd number of flaps.
10. In a vertical axis wind turbine that comprises:
(a) a turbine rotor with a rotatable vertical shaft, at least one bearing for said vertical shaft, and three to five rotor vanes disposed symmetrically for rotation about the vertical shaft, each rotor vane being made from durable lightweight material and having four solid sides, and a front side, and a rear side disposed in radial vertical planes, the front side being substantially open faced and the rear side having a rectangular opening surrounded by a support rim that connects to a rear of the four solid sides; and
(b) means for attaching each rotor vane to the vertical shaft so that the front side of each vane lies in the same clockwise or counter-clockwise direction around the vertical shaft, the improvement wherein:
the opening to the rear side of each rotor vane is covered by a plurality of stacked, rigid flaps that move about a horizontal axis of rotation to an open position with directional passage of wind through the rotor vane and to a closed position with the directional passage of wind against said rigid flaps, said closed position preventing air from flowing through said rigid flaps for said rotor vane.
11. The energy storing wind turbine of claim 10 , wherein each vane contains an even number of flaps.
12. The energy storing wind turbine of claim 10 , wherein each vane contains an odd number of flaps.