Efficient systems and methods for construction and operation of accelerating machines
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for the efficiency with which fluid energy is converted into another form of energy, such as electrical energy, where an array of fluid energy conversion modules is contained in a scalable modular networked superstructure. In certain preferred embodiments, a plurality of turbines, such as for instance wind turbines, may be disposed in an array, where the plurality of arrays may be disposed in a suitable arrangement in proximity to each other and provided with geometry suitable for tight packing in an array with other parameters optimized to extract energy from the fluid flow. In addition, the turbines may be a more effective adaptation of a turbine, or an array of turbines, to varying conditions, including fluid conditions that may differ among different turbines in an array, or among different turbines in a set of arrays.
1. A wind power support structure, comprising:
a fixed position superstructure; and
a plurality of wind power turbine modules, wherein each of the plurality of wind power turbine modules is mounted on a rotating bearing facility in the fixed position superstructure such as to allow each one of the wind power turbine modules to rotate to a wind direction independently of the other ones of the plurality of wind power turbine modules, and wherein each one of the plurality of wind power turbine modules includes a nozzle for wind acceleration, a turbine, and a mechanical-to-electrical power conversion facility.
2. The support structure of claim 1 , wherein the fixed position superstructure is mounted to the ground.
3. The support structure of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wind power turbine modules are arranged in a plurality of rows of wind power turbine modules, each row of wind power turbine modules including one or more wind power turbine modules mounted to a rotating bearing facility in the fixed position superstructure such as to allow each of the rows to rotate to the wind direction independently of the other of the plurality of rows.
4. The support structure of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wind power turbine modules is arranged as a column of single wind power turbine modules, wherein each of the plurality of wind power turbine modules is mounted such as to allow each of the plurality of wind power turbine modules to rotate to the wind direction independently.
5. The support structure of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wind power turbine modules is a row and column array of wind power turbine modules.
6. The support structure of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of wind power turbine modules is removable from the superstructure.
7. The support structure of claim 1 , wherein the wind power support structure reduces the torque experienced by the superstructure from variation in inflow vectors in the vertical plane.
8. The support structure of claim 1 , wherein the wind power support structure increases safety.
9. The support structure of claim 1 , wherein the wind power support structure decreases loading on individual bearing mechanisms.
10. The support structure of claim 1 , wherein the wind power support structure increases load isolation.
11. The support structure of claim 1 , wherein the fixed position superstructure has a cross section.
12. The support structure of claim 11 , wherein the cross-section is a rectangle.
13. The support structure of claim 11 , wherein the cross-section is a polygon.
14. The support structure of claim 13 , wherein the polygon is an n-pointed regular polygon.
15. The support structure of claim 13 , wherein the polygon is an n-pointed irregular polygon.
16. The support structure of claim 11 , wherein the cross-section of the shape is circular.
17. The support structure of claim 1 , wherein the fixed position superstructure is a polyhedral.
18. The support structure of claim 17 , wherein the polyhedral is a regular polyhedral.
19. The support structure of claim 17 , wherein the polyhedral is a non-regular polyhedral.
20. The support structure of claim 17 , wherein the polyhedral is a prismatic polyhedral.
21. The support structure of claim 17 , wherein the polyhedral is an anti-prismatic polyhedral.
22. The support structure of claim 1 , wherein the fixed position superstructure has a structural variation.
23. The support structure of claim 22 , wherein the structural variation is a geodesic variation.
24. The support structure of claim 22 , wherein the structural variation is a tensegrity variation.
25. The support structure of claim 22 , wherein the structural variation is a height variation that varies the shape of the fixed position superstructure as a function of the height.
26. The support structure of claim 25 , wherein the height variation is a change in n of an n-pointed polygon.