DE29923699U1 - windmill - Google Patents

Description

Applicant: Gerhard Eilerbeck
our ref.: GB 0500 DE

windmill

Description

The invention relates to a wind turbine for generating electrical energy according to the preamble of claim 1.

Due to the constant increase in the cost of electricity, oil, gas and other energy sources from fossil fuels in recent years and the noticeable dwindling availability of resources, the search for alternative forms of energy generation is becoming a promising and economically important energy sector. The use of renewable energies such as solar energy, wind energy or water energy is playing an ever-increasing role in the generation of electricity. Accordingly, various designs of wind turbines for generating electrical energy are known and already in use. The most common design consists of a mast and a generator block attached to the upper end of the mast, on whose almost horizontally arranged rotor shaft three propeller-like blades are usually attached. The blades rotate in a common, approximately vertical plane and in some designs are aligned so that they face the wind. However, some of these designs still have significant deficiencies in terms of their efficiency.

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Applicant: Gerhard Ellerbeck
our ref.: GB 0500 DE

DE 195 17 856 A1 discloses a wind turbine for generating electrical energy from wind, which has a mast on which at least two rotors are rotatably mounted, each of the rotors having at least two support arms running radially to the mast, to which several wind blades are pivotably attached about blade axes parallel to the mast. In the design according to DE 195 17 856 A1, the support arms also serve as a stop for the wind blades. With such a wind turbine design, the wind turbine can operate continuously regardless of the wind direction, without the need to adjust the rotors. When the wind blows at right angles, the wind blades, which can rotate about axes roughly parallel to the mast, rest directly on the support arm or on stops provided for this purpose on the support arms. This provides a largely closed surface against the wind, so that its attack force can be implemented to the maximum and is therefore available for generating electrical energy. During a rotation of the support arms around the mast, the blades automatically fold from a position that uses the wind to a position that lets the wind through, so that the wind can pass through between the wind blades in these positions of the rotors.

DE 195 17 856 A1 also discloses arranging several rotors axially one above the other on the mast, each of these rotors having two parallel support arms. One embodiment in the document is based on three rotors arranged at a distance of 120° from one another. The document also describes an overload protection device. A centrifugal governor connected to the shaft in the mast is coupled to a hood via cable connections. This essentially cylindrical hood is pulled over the rotor surface in the axial direction within the mast depending on the speed of the rotor shaft, so that the wind consequently has a reduced area of attack on the rotors. Such an overload protection device is very complex and therefore costly.

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Applicant: Gerhard Ellerbeck
our ref.: GB 0500 DE

The invention is based on the technical problem of providing a wind turbine for generating electrical energy, which is equipped with a simple and cost-effective overload protection device and has a high degree of efficiency.

This technical problem is solved with the characteristic features of claim 1.

Further embodiments of the invention are the subject of the subclaims.

It is then proposed to further develop a wind turbine for generating electrical energy with a mast on which at least three rotors are present, each of the rotors having at least two parallel support arms radial to the mast, to which several wind blades are pivotably attached about blade axes parallel to the mast, the support arms simultaneously forming a stop for the wind blades and the wind turbine having an overload protection device, in such a way that the support arms are designed in several parts and can be pivoted about at least one support arm axis parallel to the mast.

The multi-part design of the support arms has several advantages. It is possible to dismantle the outer ends of the support arms if, for example, reduced energy consumption is to take place for a longer period of time. The rotors can therefore be shortened in a simple manner. A wind turbine according to the invention can therefore be optimally adapted to the respective requirements, needs or conditions, since the support arms can vary in length. In addition, it is possible to immediately fold in the multi-part support arms in the event of a sudden strong wind, so that this also shows the great flexibility of a wind turbine according to the invention with the features mentioned. Furthermore, the support arm design according to the invention can also be used to simplify stopping the wind turbine. 30

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Applicant: Gerhard Ellerbeck
our ref.: GB 0500 DE

According to a further embodiment of the invention, at least one joint is present between the support arm parts. In addition, at least one securing receptacle is attached to each of the support arm parts, which is either coupled to a securing element consisting of a tension spring or can be equipped with holes through which an inherently stable securing element completely passes.

This type of connection of the support arm parts makes it possible, on the one hand, for the support arm parts to fold down automatically when a maximum permissible wind force is exceeded and, on the other hand, a detachable safety device has been created that can be quickly engaged or disengaged, which is particularly advantageous when sudden gusts of wind give rise to fears that the wind turbine will be damaged.

A very simple embodiment of an overload protection device in a wind turbine according to the invention for generating electrical energy can further consist in that the holes in the safety receptacles of the outer support arm part or parts have an insertion aid for the at least one preferably rod-shaped safety element.

In order to make it easier to unlock this overload protection device, it is proposed to couple this safety element to an actuating mechanism. The actuating mechanism can consist of rods, Bowden cables or similar devices that transmit tensile and compressive forces. It is also sensible to control the actuating mechanism using a hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, electromagnetic or gear-type auxiliary power system. This makes the operation of the overload protection device considerably easier. Furthermore, such a further embodiment of the invention makes it possible to automate the pivoting process of the support arms.

In the simplest case, the securing mounts can consist of flanges attached to the support arm parts, whereby the securing link can be a plug pin

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Applicant: Gerhard Eilerbeck
our ref.: GB 0500 DE

The actuating mechanism could be, for example, a Bowden cable connected to the plug pin on the mast side, i.e. on the inside.

According to the invention, the Bowden cable should be part of a speed-dependent control system. This control system intervenes when a predetermined speed is exceeded in such a way that it releases the locking pin. This makes it possible to fold the support arm parts relative to each other. The previously mentioned insertion aid is useful for (re-)inserting the locking pin and thus reconnecting the support arm parts to form a single support arm part. This can, for example, consist of a funnel-like grommet attached in front of the hole in the locking holder of the outer support arm part.

A wind turbine according to the invention should also have a base plate as part of a rotating ring around which the mast can rotate in its entirety in order to tap the electrical energy. Alternatively, however, it would also be possible to arrange the mast in a fixed position on the base plate and to attach the support arms of the rotors to the mast in a rotatable manner.

In order to improve the stability of the wind turbine, it may also be appropriate to provide additional stabilising devices, which can be attached to the mast, for example, in the form of outriggers.

A wind turbine according to the invention for generating electrical energy is very light due to its simple design and construction. This means that a mobile version can also be realized without great effort. For this purpose, it is proposed to provide brackets in a base plate, whereby these brackets are intended to hold or attach rolling elements, wheels or guide rails. Rollers or cylinders could be used as rolling elements, for example, which can ensure mobility of the entire wind turbine. The simple and uncomplicated design of the wind turbine according to the invention also makes it possible to

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Applicant: Gerhard Eilerbeck
our ref.: GB 0500 DE

to make it completely dismantable so that mobility is also guaranteed through the dismantling.

Another very advantageous embodiment of a wind turbine according to the invention consists in combining the wind turbine with solar cells for generating electrical energy from light. These can be attached to the front and/or back of the support arms and/or the wind blades or to any position on the wind turbine that is suitable for providing sufficient light. By combining the possibilities for generating electrical energy in this way, the efficiency of a wind turbine according to the invention can be further increased.

A preferred embodiment of a wind turbine according to the invention for generating electrical energy is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Show it:

Figure 1: a simplified, schematic representation of a wind turbine, Figure 2: a detail of a multi-part support arm without the wind blades attached to it,

Figure 3: detail of a multi-part support arm with attached pivoting wind blades, but without the overload protection and

Figure 4: a view in the direction of arrow IV from Figure 1 of a wind turbine according to the invention.

Figure 1 shows a highly simplified schematic representation of a wind turbine according to the invention for generating electrical energy.

This consists of the centrally arranged mast (1), on which three rotors (2, 3, 4) are arranged axially one above the other. The rotors were designated 2, 3 and 4. Each of the rotors (2, 3, 4) consists of two parallel and

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Applicant: Gerhard Ellerbeck
our ref.: GB 0500 DE

Support arms (5, 6) running in a radial direction relative to the mast (1). Three one-piece wind blades (7, 8, 9) are attached to the support arms so that they can pivot about a blade axis (10, 11, 12). The support arms (5, 6) simultaneously form a stop for the wind blades (7, 8, 9). As can be clearly seen from Figure 3, the wind blades (7, 8, 9) are attached to a front side of the support arms (5, 6) for the reason mentioned above.
In contrast to the solid lines, dashed lines in Figure 1 show a position of the rotor marked (2) that is pivoted by 180°. The comparison of these two rotor positions illustrates the operation of such a wind turbine, which will be discussed in more detail later.

The mast (1) is attached to a base plate (22). This base plate is part of a slewing ring (23) around which the mast rotates. Below this slewing ring (23) there is a base plate (24) which has holders (25) into which, for example, rolling elements, wheels or guides can be inserted, which ensure the mobility of the entire wind turbine if required. In Figure 1, (21) denotes a gear connection. This can consist in a known manner of a generator connection which is connected to the gear connection (21), for example via a transmission gear. The position (21) therefore generally represents a tap for the kinetic energy for generating electrical energy in a generator.

Figure 2 clearly shows a possible two-part design of a support arm (5) in a highly simplified, schematic representation. The support arm (5) shown consists of two support arm parts (5a, 5b). The support arm parts (5a, 5b) are spaced apart from one another in the radial direction. A support arm axis (13) is drawn in the middle between the support arm parts (5a, 5b), about which the support arm part (5a) can pivot relative to the support arm part (5b). A joint (14) is used to implement the pivoting movement.

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Applicant: Gerhard Eilerbeck
our ref.: GB 0500 DE

On the side of the support arm (5) opposite the wind vanes, two securing receptacles (15, 16) are attached to the support parts (5a, 5b), whereby the wind vanes have not been shown in Figure 2 for the sake of simplicity. Both securing receptacles (15, 16) each have a through hole (17). A securing member (18) passes through these holes (17). The passage, which consists of a bolt acting as a securing member (18), secures the two support parts (5a, 5b) relative to one another. In the position shown in Figure 2, the support arm parts cannot be pivoted. To actuate the plug pin (18), an actuating mechanism (19) is attached to the plug pin (18). In this case, the actuating mechanism consists of a Bowden cable that transmits tensile and compressive forces. The plug pin (18) can thus be pulled out of the bore (17) of the safety receptacle (15) by means of the actuating mechanism (19). This achieves the unlocking of the support arm parts (5a, 5b) according to the invention. The support arm part (5a) can be pivoted about the joint (14) after the connection between the safety receptacle (15) and plug pin (18) has been released.

To facilitate the reinsertion of the plug pin (18) into the bore (17) of the securing receptacle (15), an insertion aid (20) in the form of a sleeve is provided on the wind turbine design shown in Figure 2.

Figure 3 shows a schematically simplified version of a two-part support arm (5), which is shown in a folded-down position by dashed lines and in a stretched position connected to the support arm part (5b) by continuous lines. Several wind blades (7, 8, 9) are attached to the support arm (5). These wind blades are arranged on the support arm (5) so that they can pivot via blade axes (10, 11, 12). The blade axes (10, 11, 12) are each part of a joint that is located on a front surface of the support arm (5). Coaxial to these joints, of course, identical joint designs for the continuous wind blades are present on the second support arm (6) located below the support arm (5). As previously

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Applicant: Gerhard Ellerbeck
our ref.: GB 0500 DE

As described, the support arm part (5a) can be pivoted relative to the support arm part (5b) about a joint (14). The axis of rotation of this joint (14) forms the support arm axis (13).

Figure 4 shows a top view of the wind turbine according to the invention described in order to illustrate once again how the wind blades work. The illustration in Figure 4 therefore describes a view corresponding to the direction of arrow IV in Figure 1. The rotors (2, 3, 4) rotate around the mast (1). In this case, three rotors are attached to the mast, offset by 120° from one another. The wind direction is indicated in Figure 4 by the arrows drawn in. In the right half of the image, in relation to the wind direction, the wind blades (7, 8, 9) are aligned in the direction of the wind. The wind blades (7, 8, 9) on the left-hand side of the rotor (3) are pivoted about their blade axes (10, 11, 12) so far in the direction of the support arms (5) and (6) that they come to a stop on the support arms. The wind blades (7, 8, 9) of the rotor (3) thus form a largely closed surface for the wind to attack. At the latest after a rotation of the rotor (3) by 240°, i.e. when it is approximately in the position of the rotor (4) shown in Figure 4, the wind blades are again aligned in the direction of the wind, so that the wind can pass unhindered through the blades without encountering any significant resistance.

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List of reference symbols: mast 1 rotor 2 rotor 3 rotor 4 Support arm 5 Support arm part 5a Support arm part 5b Support arm 6 Support arm part 6a Support arm part 6b Wind blades 7 Wind blades 8th Wind blades 9 Wing axis 10 Wing axis 11 Wing axis 12 Carrier arm axis 13 joint 14 Fuse holder 15 Backup recording 16 drilling 17 Safety link 18 Actuating mechanism 19 Import assistance 20 Gearbox connection (generator connection) 21 Base plate 22 Slewing ring 23 Base plate 24 bracket 25

Claims (16)

1. Wind turbine for generating electrical energy with a mast ( 1 ) with at least three rotors ( 2 , 3 , 4 ), each of the rotors ( 2 , 3 , 4 ) having at least two parallel support arms ( 5 , 6 ) radial to the mast, to which several wind blades ( 7 , 8 , 9 ) are pivotably attached about blade axes ( 10 , 11 , 12 ) parallel to the mast ( 1 ), the support arms ( 5 , 6 ) simultaneously forming a stop for the wind blades ( 7 , 8 , 9 ) and the wind turbine having an overload protection device, characterized in that the support arms ( 5 , 6 ) are designed in several parts and can be pivoted about at least one support arm axis ( 13 ) parallel to the mast ( 1 ). 2. Wind turbine for generating electrical energy according to claim 1, characterized in that between the support arm parts ( 5 a, 5 b and 6 a, 6 b) there is at least one joint ( 14 ) and on each of the support arm parts ( 5 a, 5 b and 6 a, 6 b) there is attached at least one securing receptacle ( 15 , 16 ), the connection of which is a securing member ( 18 ). 3. Wind turbine for generating electrical energy according to claim 2, characterized in that the securing member ( 18 ) is a tension spring and the securing receptacles ( 15 , 16 ) are fastenings of the tension spring. 4. Wind turbine for generating electrical energy according to claim 1, characterized in that between the support arm parts ( 5 a, 5 b and 6 a, 6 b) there is at least one joint ( 14 ) and on each of the support arm parts ( 5 a, 5 b and 6 a, 6 b) there is at least one securing receptacle ( 15 , 16 ), the bores ( 17 ) of which a securing member ( 18 ) extends completely through. 5. Wind turbine for generating electrical energy according to claim 4, characterized in that the securing member ( 18 ) is coupled to an actuating mechanism ( 19 ). 6. Wind turbine for generating electrical energy according to claim 5, characterized in that the actuating mechanism ( 19 ) is a rod transmitting tensile and compressive forces or a Bowden cable. 7. Wind turbine for generating electrical energy according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the actuating mechanism ( 19 ) has a hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, electromagnetic or gear-type auxiliary power support. 8. Wind turbine for generating electrical energy according to one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the bore ( 17 ) present in the securing receptacle ( 15 ) of the respective outer support arm part ( 5a or 6a ) has an insertion aid ( 20 ) for the securing member ( 18 ). 9. Wind turbine for generating electrical energy according to one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that the securing receptacles ( 15 , 16 ) are flanges fastened to the support arm parts, the securing member ( 18 ) is a plug pin and a Bowden cable connected to the plug pin on the mast side is used as the actuating mechanism ( 19 ). 10. Wind turbine for generating electrical energy according to claim 9, characterized in that the Bowden cable is part of a speed-dependent control system which releases the plug pin ( 18 ) when a predetermined speed is exceeded. 11. Wind turbine for generating electrical energy according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wind turbine has a base plate ( 22 ) which is part of a slewing ring ( 23 ) about which the mast ( 1 ) as a whole can rotate. 12. Wind turbine for generating electrical energy according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the mast ( 1 ) is arranged stationary on a base plate ( 22 ) and the support arms ( 5 , 6 ) of the rotors ( 2 , 3 , 4 ) are rotatably attached to the mast ( 1 ). 13. Wind turbine for generating electrical energy according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wind turbine is designed to be mobile overall, with holders ( 25 ) for attaching or receiving guide rails or rolling elements being present in a base plate ( 24 ). 14. Wind turbine for generating electrical energy according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wind turbine can be dismantled as a whole. 15. Wind turbine for generating electrical energy according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wind turbine additionally has solar cells for generating electrical energy from light. 16. Wind turbine for generating electrical energy according to claim 15, characterized in that the solar cells are mounted on the front and/or the back of the support arms ( 5 , 6 ) and/or the wind blades ( 7 , 8 , 9 ).