A system for harnessing wind energy to charge the electric storage battery of a vehicle, whether the vehicle is parked or in motion. While the vehicle is being driven, a roof-mounted, internal wind turbine harnesses wind energy and causes rotation of the shaft of an electric generator mounted to an interior surface of the roof. For charging the battery while the vehicle is parked, an external wind turbine is storable in the vehicle when not in use and attaches to the internal wind turbine. Cups of the kind used in cup anemometers are attached to radial arms that extend from an external shaft of the external wind turbine and catch ambient wind currents while the vehicle is parked, causing the external shaft and the generator shaft to rotate.

Methods and apparatuses for wind turbine vane pitch control are described. In one embodiment, a turbine shaft transmits mechanical power, a vane support structure is coupled to the turbine shaft, a vane is coupled to the vane support structure through a vane shaft, a balancing weight is coupled to a first location of the vane, and an alignment weight is coupled to a second location of the vane.

A vertical axis windmill turbine includes a support structure for supporting the vertical axis windmill turbine above ground level. At least one rotor rotates upon the support structure. The at least one rotor has a horizontal structure having a rotational axis perpendicular to the ground level. The support structure further comprises at least one circular torque ring member extending around the rotational axis of the at least one rotor. A plurality of blades positioned within each of the at least one rotor causes the at least one rotor to rotate on the support structure responsive to wind force. A plurality of torque ring mounting connectors associated with each of the plurality of blades interconnect the at least one circular torque ring to the plurality of blades. A plurality of vanes are located on each of the plurality of blades and rotate between an open position to limit drag on the at least one rotor and a closed position that provides a rotational force to the at least one rotor. The plurality of vanes rotating between the open position and the closed position responsive to a wind force.

A ventilator (10) comprises a ventilator stator (12) for mounting to a structure and a ventilator rotor (14) for mounting and rotation with respect to the stator. One or more wind-drivable elements (44) are mounted to the ventilator rotor. A motor (20) is provided for operation between the ventilator rotor and ventilator stator for selective motor-driven rotation of the ventilator rotor.

A vertical axis windmill turbine includes a support structure for supporting the vertical axis windmill turbine above ground level. At least one rotor rotates upon the support structure. The at least one rotor has a horizontal structure having a rotational axis perpendicular to the ground level. The support structure further comprises at least one circular torque ring member extending around the rotational axis of the at least one rotor. A plurality of blades positioned within each of the at least one rotor causes the at least one rotor to rotate on the support structure responsive to wind force. A plurality of torque ring mounting connectors associated with each of the plurality of blades interconnect the at least one circular torque ring to the plurality of blades. A plurality of vanes are located on each of the plurality of blades and rotate between an open position to limit drag on the at least one rotor and a closed position that provides a rotational force to the at least one rotor. The plurality of vanes rotating between the open position and the closed position responsive to a wind force.

A pressure generating device has a housing and a lamellar arrangement with a number of lamellae separated by gaps. The lamellae are manufactured from solar glass. The pressure generating device has a means for converting the solar energy incident through the lamellar arrangement into thermal energy, such that, by this means the air situated in the interior of the pressure generating device can be heated. The pressure generating device has at least one air inlet opening through which air can enter the interior of the pressure generating device and at least one second air outlet opening through which the heated air can emerge from the interior of the pressure generating device.

The invention relates to a rotor for a vertical axis turbine comprising: a blade support structure extending from a center of the rotor, a blade pivotally coupled to the blade support structure at a distance from the center of the rotor, anda pitch regulating mechanism arranged between the blade support structure and the blade to regulate the pitch of the blade in dependence of fluid dynamic forces acting on the blade, wherein the pitch regulating mechanism comprises a damper system, wherein the damper system has a first damping coefficient in a first rotational direction of the blade relative to the blade support structure and a second damping coefficient in a second rotational direction of the blade relative to the blade support structure.

A ventilator (10) comprises a ventilator stator (12) for mounting to a structure and a ventilator rotor (14) for mounting and rotation with respect to the stator. One or more wind drivable elements (44) are mounted to the ventilator rotor. A motor (20) is provided for operation between the ventilator rotor and ventilator stator for selective motor-driven rotation of the ventilator rotor.

A wind machine with aerodynamic elements to concentrate and accelerate an wind flow entering from outside, said machine having a housing, with an air intake, a first section converging up to an element having a substantially spherical or cylindrical section, a second and a third section, downwind said first converging section, each of said first section, said second section and said third section causing said wind flow to contact said element which has a substantially spherical or cylindrical section substantially up to its median line, a first and a second auxiliary air intake, coincident with said median line of said element having a substantially spherical or cylindrical section, said element having a substantially linear portion, being downwind of said first and second air intakes, and having a fourth and fifth section after said third section.

A ventilator (10) comprises a ventilator stator (12) for mounting to a structure and a ventilator rotor (14) for mounting and rotation with respect to the stator. One or more wind drivable elements (44) are mounted to the ventilator rotor. A motor (20) is provided for operation between the ventilator rotor and ventilator stator for selective motor-driven rotation of the ventilator rotor.