WIND TURBINE WHICH CAN BE MOVED IN TRANSLATION

Abstract

The invention is directed to a wind generator, comprising a wind turbine which is mounted so that it is rotatable about a horizontal or approximately horizontal rotational axis and which has one or more blades or other wind-guiding surfaces for converting flow energy of the wind into rotational energy, and at least one generator, coupled to the hub or shaft of the wind turbine or to the output shaft of a gear connected thereto, for converting the rotational energy into electrical energy, wherein the center of gravity of the wind turbine, together with the hub and rotor shaft and rotatable parts coupled thereto which rotate about the same rotational axis, is translationally movable in a direction completely or predominantly in parallel to the rotational axis of the wind turbine.

Claims

1. A wind generator, comprising a wind turbine which is mounted so that it is rotatable about a horizontal or approximately horizontal rotational axis, and which has one or more blades or other wind-guiding surfaces for converting flow energy of the wind into rotational energy, and at least one generator, coupled to the hub or shaft of the wind turbine or to the output shaft of a gear connected thereto, for converting the rotational energy into electrical energy, characterized in that the center of gravity of the wind turbine, together with the hub and rotor shaft and rotatable parts coupled thereto which rotate about the same rotational axis, is translationally movable in a direction completely or predominantly in parallel to the rotational axis of the wind turbine.

2. The wind generator according to claim 1, characterized in that the translational movement of the wind generator takes place guided in parallel to the surface area of a subsurface, in particular guided in parallel to a preferably horizontal plane.

3. The wind generator according to claim 1, characterized in that the wind resistance of the wind turbine or of parts thereof is adjustable, in particular in that the setting angle of one or more blades or other wind-guiding surfaces is changeable, or in that the wind turbine is pivotable with respect to the incident flow direction, or in that a preferably streamlined cowling is pivotable in front of the wind turbine.

4. The wind generator according to claim 1, characterized in that the wind generator has a mobile design, in particular by means of bottom-side wheels.

5. The wind generator according to claim 4, characterized in that the wind generator and/or the wind turbine are/is situated on a chassis and/or onboard a vehicle or a nacelle.

6. The wind generator according to claim 5, characterized in that the chassis or vehicle can travel on rails.

7. The wind generator according to claim 6, characterized in that the rails are laid in a circle.

8. The wind generator according to claim 7, characterized in that the rails are mounted on a tower or some other elevated structure.

9. The wind generator according to claim 4, characterized in that the wind generator and/or its wind turbine are/is not coupled in terms of rotational movement to one of the bottom-side wheels.

10. The wind generator according to claim 5, characterized in that the nacelle is eccentrically mounted so that it is pivotable about a vertical pivot axis.

11. The wind generator according to claim 10, characterized in that the nacelle is eccentrically mounted so that it is pivotable in a circle about a vertical pivot axis, the rotational axis of the wind turbine being oriented approximately tangentially with respect to the circle described by the nacelle.

12. The wind generator according to claim 5, characterized by a device, in particular a motor, for driving the vehicle or chassis or the nacelle.

13. The wind generator according to claim 12, characterized in that the drive device is designed as an internal combustion engine, as an electric motor, or as a propeller that is mounted so that it is rotatable about a vertical axis, and is driven by a preferably upwardly directed convection flow.

14. The wind generator according to claim 12, characterized in that the projection of the center of gravity of the device, in particular the motor, for driving the chassis or vehicle or the nacelle is situated within a circle described by the vehicle or chassis or the nacelle during its movement, preferably at or near the midpoint of the circle.

15. The wind generator according to claim 12, characterized in that the projection of the center of gravity of the device, in particular the motor, for driving the vehicle or chassis is situated on the subsurface guiding the vehicle, outside a polygon spanned by the contact areas of the bottom-side wheels on the subsurface.

16. The wind generator according to claim 4, characterized in that the projection of the center of gravity of the wind turbine or wind generator onto the subsurface guiding the vehicle is situated within a polygon spanned by the contact areas of the bottom-side wheels on the subsurface.

17. The wind generator according to claim 1, characterized in that the wind turbine is not situated within a wind tunnel or surrounded by wind deflector plates.

18. The wind generator according to claim 5, characterized in that the diameter of the wind turbine is greater than the largest width of the vehicle or chassis, in particular greater than the lateral distance between two bottom-side wheels thereof on different sides of the vehicle or chassis.

19. The wind generator according to claim 5, characterized in that multiple chassis or nacelles are guided at the same time on a guide device.

20. The wind generator according to claim 19, characterized in that multiple chassis or nacelles guided on the same guide device are connected or coupled to one another in order to undergo synchronous movements.

21. The wind generator according to claim 20, characterized in that the sides of the wind turbines, which are acted on by incident wind (W) on multiple chassis or nacelles, point in the local directions corresponding to the same movement direction of the connecting means.

22. The wind generator according to claim 20, characterized in that the sides of the wind turbines, which are acted on by incident wind (W) on multiple chassis or nacelles, point in the local directions corresponding to opposite movement directions of the connecting means.

23. The wind generator according to claim 1, characterized in that the blades of a wind turbine are adjustable about their longitudinal axes in order to be adaptable to different relative speeds of the incident air.

24. The wind generator according to claim 23, characterized in that the blades of a wind turbine are continuously adjustable, i.e., adjustable over arbitrary, unlimited setting angles, in order to be adaptable to a reversal of the direction of relative rotation with respect to the incident air.

25. The wind generator according to claim 1, characterized by regulation which always orients multiple, preferably two, mutually connected wind turbines against the wind (W), in that the setting angle of the blades of the front wind turbine in the particular incident flow direction is in each case adjusted in such a way that the wind resistance of this wind turbine is increased, and is thus reduced by the incident wind (W).

26. The wind generator according to claim 1, characterized by a device for feeding the obtained electrical energy as current into a power grid, in particular an alternating current power grid or three-phase power grid.

27. The wind generator according to claim 26, characterized by a device for synchronizing the current, to be fed, with the frequency of the voltage in the alternating current power grid or three-phase power grid.

28. The wind generator according to claim 1, characterized in that a freewheel is situated between a wind turbine and the electric generator associated therewith, so that in the event of a countergust, the electric generator, despite the decelerated wind turbine, can continue to rotate freely in a practically undecelerated manner.

29. The wind generator according to claim 1, characterized in that a device for deflecting countergusts or other types of air flow that are unfavorable for the normal rotational direction of the wind turbine is provided at the wind turbine, preferably upstream or downstream therefrom.

30. The wind generator according to claim 29, characterized in that the device for deflecting countergusts or other types of air flow that are unfavorable for the normal rotational direction of the wind turbine is designed as a lamella-like curtain whose lamellae are open for a normal incident flow direction of the air, but closed for the opposite incident flow direction of the air.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] Further features, particulars, advantages, and effects based on the invention result from the following description of one preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference to the drawings, which show the following:

[0042] FIG. 1 shows a wind power plant having a wind turbine and wind generator that are movable on rails;

[0043] FIG. 2 shows another wind power plant having two wind turbines that are movable on rails, together with one wind generator each, with automatic regulation of the azimuthal orientation against the wind being implemented; and

[0044] FIG. 3 shows another modified wind power plant having two wind turbines that are movable on rails, together with one wind generator each, the wind turbines being provided with variable flow panels in order to keep unfavorable flow conditions away from the wind turbine in question.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0045] The mobile wind power plant 1 according to the invention according to FIG. 1 comprises a chassis 2 with a framework 3 for a wind turbine 4, and an electric generator 5 that is coupled thereto, for example via a gear.

[0046] Wheels 6 having wheel rims that are movable on rails 7 are mounted on the chassis 2. The wind power plant 1 may be moved along the rails 7 in this way.

[0047] A drive for the chassis 2 may be provided, for example by means of a motor coupled thereto or by means of a boom 9 coupled to a motor 8 that is centrally situated within a circular rail track.

[0048] Instead of a motor 8, it is also possible to provide some other type of drive, for example a convection turbine having a vertical axis, so that use may be made of ascending heated air as drive energy in order to increase the incident flow velocity, in particular when there is little or no air flow.

[0049] One advantage of the invention is that the wind turbine 4 together with the chassis 2 may be moved backwards along the rails 7 when the wind is too strong, so that the incident flow velocity is virtually reduced. When the wind speed decreases, the chassis 2 together with the wind turbine 4 may then be moved forward once again, thus virtually increasing the incident flow velocity. Overall, a relatively constant virtual incident flow velocity may thus be achieved.

[0050] In the drawing, the wind turbine 4 is situated eccentrically with respect to the chassis 2, i.e., not above the center of gravity of the chassis. However, this may be modified within the scope of another arrangement, in particular in such a way that the center of gravity of the overall arrangement made up of the chassis 2, framework 3, wind turbine 4, and electric generator 5 is situated approximately in the center of the area spanned by the four wheels 6, thus minimizing the risk of tipping.

[0051] Tipping of the chassis 2 together with its superstructures may also be counteracted by the rails 7 having not only an upper running track, but also a lower running track, which is engaged from below by suitably guided wheels 6.

[0052] FIG. 2 shows a refinement of the arrangement according to FIG. 1. Two chassis 2a, 2b are hereby provided in each case, each bearing one wind turbine 4a, 4b and one electric generator 5a, 5b, respectively. The arrangement is mirror-symmetrical with respect to an axis of symmetry 10 that passes exactly between the two chassis 2a, 2b.

[0053] Optimal incident flow by the wind is provided when the wind direction is parallel to the axis of symmetry 10. The flow conditions are then also symmetrical with respect to one another with good approximation, as are the forces acting on the two wind turbines 4a, 4b. These forces are thus evenly balanced.

[0054] Since the two chassis 2a, 2b are rigidly connected to one another by the booms 9a, 9b, the chassis always assume diametrically opposed positions with respect to one another along the circular rail track 7, relative to the midpoint thereof, where the central motor 8 is situated.

[0055] The overall arrangement made up of the chassis 2a, 2b and booms 9a, 9b is intrinsically rigid, and therefore can at best oscillate back and forth about a central axis, with the two chassis 2a, 2b traveling along the rails 7. Use may be made of this characteristic for an automatic orientation of the two wind turbines 4a, 4b with regard to the incident wind or air flow.

[0056] This may be achieved, among other ways, in that the setting angles of the blades of the particular wind turbine 4a, 4b, which is situated on the particular front chassis 2a, 2b with respect to the wind, are set to be flatter, i.e., in a plane transverse to the instantaneous wind direction. The surface area of this wind turbine 4a, 4b exposed to the wind thus increases, resulting in a torque that once again pushes the wind turbine 4a, 4b in question backwards, while the other wind turbine 4b, 4a then once again moves forward along the circular path 7. The force or drive energy required for this purpose is supplied by the wind.

[0057] Moreover, doubling or quadrupling the number of wind turbines 4a, 4b naturally results in a corresponding increase in the power conversion.

[0058] Whereas for the wind power plant 1′ according to FIG. 2, the overall arrangement is usually in equilibrium and therefore always undergoes only small compensating movements, the wind power plant 1″ is optimized for circulating operation at a rotational speed D, in particular also with an incident wind W.

[0059] Thus, since the overall arrangement made up of the wind turbines 4a, 4b, chassis 2a, 2b, and booms 9a, 9b rotates about the midpoint of the circular rail track 7, one of the two wind turbines 4a, 4b always faces the wind W, whereas the respective other wind turbine faces away at exactly the same point in time, i.e., is acted on by incident wind from behind, which would decelerate the rotation of this wind turbine 4a, 4b.

[0060] Such a disadvantageous effect may be avoided, for example, by a freewheel being situated in each case between a wind turbine 4a, 4b and the associated electric generator 6a, 6b, the freewheel transmitting only driving torques in the usual rotational direction, but not decelerating torques.

[0061] To avoid deceleration of a wind turbine 4a, 4b, in addition, one lamella-like curtain 11a, 11b may be provided in the area of each respective chassis 2a, 2b, in close proximity behind a wind turbine 4a, 4b.

[0062] The lamella-like curtains 11a, 11b are designed in such a way that an incident wind acting on the wind turbine 4a, 4b in question from the front can deflect the lamellae, which are pivotable about their longitudinal edges, preferably about their upper longitudinal edges, backwards, i.e., in the wind direction W. The lamellae thus pivot out of a shared plane and orient in parallel to one another, resulting in a large interspace between adjacent lamellae which allows the wind to pass through essentially unhindered.

[0063] However, if the wind direction W is from the opposite direction, the lamellae are prevented from correspondingly pivoting away in the other direction by means of stop elements. The lamellae thus remain in a shared plane, the lamella curtain remains closed, and the wind cannot pass through up to the wind turbine 4a, 4b in question, and thus also cannot decelerate the wind turbine.

[0064] At the same time, the back-pressure of the wind W acting on the closed lamella curtain delivers a torque which drives the overall arrangement made up of the chassis 2a, 2b, wind turbines 4a, 4b, and electric generators 6a, 6b in the direction of circulation, and which drives the respective front wind turbine 4a, 4b against the wind, so that in the position shown in FIG. 3, a maximum virtual flow S results that is given by

S=W+D*2πR,

where R stands for the average distance of a wind turbine 4a, 4b from the midpoint 12 of the circular rail track 7.

[0065] While the summand D*2πR remains approximately constant, regardless of the particular position of the chassis 2a, 2b in question, the influence of the summand W depends on the instantaneous position of the wind turbine 4a, eb ab in question, for example according to a sine or cosine function, resulting in incident flow approximately as follows:

S=W*sin α+D*2πR,

where α is the angle of revolution, relative to a zero point on the leg of the axis of symmetry 10 facing away from the wind W.

[0066] A freewheel, described above, as well as the lamella curtain 11a, 11b also described above, prevent a decelerating effect, in particular if the factor sin α is less than zero. In this case, the following always applies:

S>D*2πR,

since W*sin α is canceled out for values less than zero. The lamella curtain 11a, which is situated to the left of the line of symmetry 10 in each case in FIG. 3 and is closed, delivers the driving torque, and captures the incident air and distributes it to both wind turbines 4a, 4b via the booms 9a, 9b.

[0067] This higher virtual flow S results in a higher rotational speed of the wind turbine 4a, 4b, resulting, among other things, in easier start-up of the system.

[0068] In another, alternative embodiment, the wind power plant 1 may have a miniaturized design and may be situated onboard a vehicle that is suitable for roadway travel, so that this vehicle is able to generate current from its kinetic energy, for example during a braking operation. For this purpose, such a wind power plant is preferably situated within the vehicle body, for example beneath the hood, and when necessary may be switched on as soon as excess kinetic energy is available, such as during a braking operation or during downhill travel. For this purpose, the wind turbine may be concealed behind a streamlined cowling which may be opened as needed, but which is closed during acceleration operations so as not to generate air resistance.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0069] 1 wind power plant

[0070] 2 chassis

[0071] 3 framework

[0072] 4 wind turbine

[0073] 5 electric generator

[0074] 6 wheels

[0075] 7 rails

[0076] 8 motor

[0077] 9 boom

[0078] 10 axis of symmetry

[0079] 11 lamella curtain

[0080] 12 midpoint