This invention relates to an improved vertical axis water turbine assembly (2) for generating rotary power from fluid flow, the water turbine assembly (2) having active blade pitch control. The water turbine assembly (2) comprises a plurality of vertical blades (20) disposed about a vertical assembly axis, each vertical blade (20) having a vertical blade axis and being adapted for movement about said vertical blade axis. The water turbine assembly (2) further includes guide means to control the movement of each of the plurality of vertical blades (20) as the water turbine assembly (2) rotates.

In a vertical rotor apparatus that rotates in response to a moving fluid, a shaft defines an axis of rotor rotation. Rotor blades are longitudinally aligned in parallel with the shaft and each rotor blade defines an axis of blade rotation. A sensor generates a signal when any of the rotor blades are within rotor azimuthal angles of blade stall regions. A controller generates blade pitch information for the blade stall regions and an actuator, which is mechanically coupled to each of the rotor blades, alters blade pitch about the axis of blade rotation in accordance with the blade pitch information.

A mechanical device system that draws power from the wind by means of near-vertical blades pivotally mounted on a platform rotor that is flush with the ground and rotatable about a vertical axis. Wind forces are generated on the blades causing the platform rotor to turn thereby generating shaft power. An electrical generator coupled to the platform rotor converts the shaft power to electrical power, which is then distributed through conventional transmission means. The power output is maximized for a given wind speed by cyclically controlling each blade rotation to intercept the relative wind vector so as to create maximum blade forces over the periodic cycle. The blade axes are canted to match the rotational speed to the normal speed gradient of the prevailing wind to maintain constant (π*h*D)/Vw at all levels. The turbine is mounted atop an earth mound tailored to accelerate the flow near the ground to produce an optimum wind speed profile. The rotor speed is controlled to match the wind speed within narrow limits for maximum efficiency and power output.

A vertical turbine comprising a blade control mechanism including a sun gear engaging a plurality of planetary gears each coupled to blade assemblies. The sun gear has at least half circumference of its teeth removed, as the turbine receives maximum downstream torque in the circumference with teeth and it leaves blades free to rotate in the circumference without teeth for minimum upstream drag. The turbine converts the rotational blades into parallel movement and unidirectional propulsion with minimum turbulence.

This disclosure provides a vertical-axis windmill including a rotating vertical shaft and at least one vane assembly mounted to the rotating vertical shaft. The vertical-axis windmill rotates around a vertical axis when wind impinges upon the vane assembly. During rotation, a planar sail of the vane assembly moves along an oscillatory arc of about 90°, with the planar sail assuming each of a vertical orientation and a horizontal orientation once during each 360° rotation of the vertical shaft. As described below, this configuration advantageously allows the windmill to be self-starting and suited for operation at low wind-speed.

A mechanical device system that draws power from the wind by means of near-vertical blades pivotally mounted on a platform rotor that is flush with the ground and rotatable about a vertical axis. Wind forces are generated on the blades causing the platform rotor to turn thereby generating shaft power. An electrical generator coupled to the platform rotor converts the shaft power to electrical power, which is then distributed through conventional transmission means. The power output is maximized for a given wind speed by cyclically controlling each blade rotation to intercept the relative wind vector so as to create maximum blade forces over the periodic cycle. The blade axes are canted to match the rotational speed to the normal speed gradient of the prevailing wind to maintain constant (π*h*D)/Vw at all levels. The turbine is mounted atop an earth mound tailored to accelerate the flow near the ground to produce an optimum wind speed profile. The rotor speed is controlled to match the wind speed within narrow limits for maximum efficiency and power output.

The present invention relates to a vertical wind turbine (1) with a plurality of vertical blades (7), which are each supported such that they are motor-driven pivotable around a respective blade rotation axis (C.sub.7) independently of one another, and are rotatable on a common circular path (K) around a vertical rotor rotation axis (C.sub.2), and to a method for operating the vertical wind turbine (1), wherein angular positions of vertical blades (7) of the vertical wind turbine (1), which are each supported such that they are rotatable around a respective vertical rotor rotation axis (C.sub.2) and are motor-driven pivotable around a respective blade rotation axis (C.sub.7) independently of one another, are being predetermined. According to the invention, the vertical wind turbine (1) is operated in a particularly efficient and material-protecting way in that the angular positions of the blades (7) are each predetermined by means of at least one pitch motor (27) at least partially supporting the respective blade (7).

A vertical wind turbine with a plurality of vertical blades, which are each fastened to a respective vertical blade axis, such that they are pivotable around a respective blade rotation axis (C.sub.7) independently of one another, and are supported rotatable on a common circular path (K) around a vertical rotor rotation axis (C.sub.2), and a method for operating the vertical wind turbine, wherein pitch angles (β) of vertical blades of the vertical wind turbine, which are driven around a respective vertical blade axis, are predetermined. The pitch angle (β), at least in a partial load mode of the vertical wind turbine (1), is controlled such that the blades (7) rotate with an essentially constant tip speed ratio (λ).

A vertical wind turbine that includes a plurality of vertical vanes which is secured to a vertical vane axis so as to be rotatable independently of one another about a respective vane rotational axis and which are rotatably mounted about a vertical rotor rotational axis on a common circular path. A method for operating a vertical wind turbine, in which method pitch angles of vertical wind turbine vanes driven about a respective vertical vane axis are specified. The vertical wind turbine is operated in a particularly efficient and material-preserving manner by control of the pitch angles, at least in a partial load mode of the vertical wind turbine, such that the vanes rotate with a substantially constant tip-speed ratio.

An ocean power plant for converting slow water flow energy with a turbine comprising at least one endless rotation chain (4) with a plurality of plate holders (2) along the rotation chain where the plate holder comprises at least one plate (1) attached in each plate holder, further, the rotation chain running in an extended lane around and engaging at least one drive wheel (5) in the one end arch of the web tiltably attached to the plate holder to alternate between open position with the primary flow direction of the water flow, and closed position towards the flow direction, and the drive wheel has a turbine shaft (7) coupled to a generator device (G), an electrical generator or a converter of the rotational energy to hydraulics or other type of mechanical or potential energy, for the utilization of the rotational energy, furthermore the path of the rotary chain (4) is tilted relative to the main flow direction of the water flow, all arranged in a fully or partially submersible support structure (100).