Vertical axis wind turbine

Abstract

A vertical axis sail-type wind turbine includes an array of sail-like structures that are mounted on rotating main masts. The sail-like structures can be oriented to interact with the wind. For example, when the sail-like structures are moving in a downwind direction, they are oriented to present a flat surface that is perpendicular to the wind direction. On the other hand, when the sail-like structures are moving in an upwind direction, they are oriented to present a surface that is at an angle that creates an upwind vector. The sail-like structures rotate about the sail masts, which are mounted to transverse mounting arms that are firmly mounted to a main mast. The main mast rotates, transferring power through a gear and shaft drive to hydraulic pumps in the tower. This hydraulic fluid pressure is then used to drive an electrical generator.

1 . A wind turbine comprising: 
 a main tower;    at least two transverse mounting arms mounted on and supported by the main tower;    a sail assembly mounted between the at least two transverse mounting arms, the sail assembly comprising 
 a main mast defining a vertical axis of rotation,  
 at least two sail arms mounted on and supported by the main mast, and  
 a sail mounted between the at least two sail arms, the sail configured to rotate about the vertical axis of rotation in response to wind; and  
   a hydraulic pump configured and arranged to generate a hydraulic output in response to rotation of the sail about the vertical axis of rotation.    
   
   
       2 . The wind turbine of  claim 1 , wherein the sail comprises a plurality of vanes configured to be rotated to a first orientation when the sail is moving in an upwind direction and to a second orientation when the sail is moving in a downwind direction.  
   
   
       3 . The wind turbine of  claim 2 , wherein the sail further comprises a plurality of servo motors configured to selectively rotate the vanes to the first and second orientations.  
   
   
       4 . The wind turbine of  claim 3 , further comprising a microprocessor-based system configured to control operation of the vanes.  
   
   
       5 . The wind turbine of  claim 1 , wherein the sail assembly comprises: 
 three pairs of sail arms; and    three sails each mounted between a corresponding pair of sail arms.    
   
   
       6 . The wind turbine of  claim 1 , further comprising a flywheel assembly operatively coupled to the sail assembly.  
   
   
       7 . The wind turbine of  claim 6 , wherein the flywheel assembly is sized and configured to function as a gyroscope.  
   
   
       8 . The wind turbine of  claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of hydraulic brakes, and wherein the flywheel is configured to act as a brake disk for the hydraulic brakes.  
   
   
       9 . The wind turbine of  claim 1 , further comprising a pill block bearing drive mechanism configured and arranged to drive the hydraulic pump in response to movement of the sails.  
   
   
       10 . The wind turbine of  claim 1 , wherein the pill block bearing drive mechanism comprises a shaft arrangement having a variable effective length.  
   
   
       11 . The wind turbine of  claim 10 , wherein the shaft arrangement comprises a plurality of segments arranged in a slip fitting arrangement.  
   
   
       12 . The wind turbine of  claim 10 , wherein the shaft arrangement comprises a plurality of segments connected to one another via a universal joint.  
   
   
       13 . The wind turbine of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of guywires affixed to an upper portion of the main tower.  
   
   
       14 . A wind turbine arrangement comprising: 
 a plurality of wind turbines each comprising 
 a main tower,  
 at least two transverse mounting arms mounted on and supported by the main tower, and  
 a sail assembly mounted between the at least two transverse mounting arms, the sail assembly comprising 
 a main mast defining a vertical axis of rotation,  
 at least two sail arms mounted on and supported by the main mast, and  
 a sail mounted between the at least two sail arms, the sail configured to rotate about the vertical axis of rotation in response to wind,  
 
 each wind turbine configured to generate a hydraulic output in response to rotation of the sail about the vertical axis of rotation, wherein the hydraulic outputs of the wind turbines are linked together;  
   an electrical generator, and    a hydraulic pump configured to receive the linked hydraulic outputs of the wind turbines and to drive the electrical generator.    
   
   
       15 . The wind turbine arrangement of  claim 14 , wherein the electrical generator and the hydraulic pump are housed in a control building.  
   
   
       16 . The wind turbine arrangement of  claim 15 , wherein the control building comprises a pressure equalizer configured to equalize fluid pressures between the linked hydraulic outputs of the wind turbines.  
   
   
       17 . The wind turbine arrangement of  claim 15 , wherein the control building comprises: 
 a plurality of electrical generators;    a plurality of hydraulic pumps; and    a splitter arrangement to split the linked hydraulic outputs of the wind turbines among the plurality of hydraulic pumps.    
   
   
       18 . The wind turbine arrangement of  claim 14 , wherein the sail comprises a plurality of vanes configured to be rotated to a first orientation when the sail is moving in an upwind direction and to a second orientation when the sail is moving in a downwind direction.  
   
   
       19 . The wind turbine arrangement of  claim 18 , wherein the sail further comprises a plurality of servo motors configured to selectively rotate the vanes to the first and second orientations.  
   
   
       20 . The wind turbine arrangement of  claim 14 , wherein each wind turbine further comprises a flywheel assembly operatively coupled to the sail assembly.  
   
   
       21 . The wind turbine arrangement of  claim 20 , wherein the flywheel assembly is sized and configured to function as a gyroscope.  
   
   
       22 . The wind turbine arrangement of  claim 20 , further comprising a plurality of hydraulic brakes, and wherein the flywheel is configured to act as a brake disk for the hydraulic brakes.  
   
   
       23 . The wind turbine arrangement of  claim 14 , wherein each wind turbine further comprises a pill block bearing drive mechanism configured and arranged to drive the hydraulic pump in response to movement of the sails.  
   
   
       24 . The wind turbine arrangement of  claim 23 , wherein the pill block bearing drive mechanism comprises a shaft arrangement having a variable effective length.  
   
   
       25 . The wind turbine arrangement of  claim 14 , wherein each wind turbine further comprises a plurality of guywires affixed to an upper portion of the main tower.  
   
   
       26 . A wind turbine comprising: 
 a main tower;    a plurality of transverse mounting arms mounted on and supported by the main tower;    a plurality of sail assemblies mounted between at least two of the transverse mounting arms, each sail assembly comprising 
 a main mast defining a vertical axis of rotation,  
 at least two sail arms mounted on and supported by the main mast, and  
 a sail mounted between the at least two sail arms, the sail configured to rotate about the vertical axis of rotation in response to wind; and  
   a hydraulic pump configured and arranged to generate a hydraulic output in response to rotation of the sails of the sail assemblies about the vertical axes of rotation.