Wind turbine device

Abstract

A hybrid blade wind turbine device formed of at least a pair of straight outer airfoil blades, and a pair of inner helical wing blades, as supported for rotation within a safety protective cage structure, which wind turbine can be mounted in the vertical, horizontal, or other aligned operational positions. The inner helical half wing blades, being preferably somewhat shorter than the length of the outer airfoil blades, act to “regularize” the swirling wind regime flowing through the hybrid wind turbine, so as to maximize the efficiency of the outer airfoil blades. The helical half wing blades can be formed of individual segmented vane segments to provide improved operational capabilities for the overall hybrid wind turbine. To best harness annualized available wind conditions, the hybrid wind turbine can be customized, through modification of the number of vane segments, the selection of the specific shape of the outer airfoil blades, and the specific operational positioning of the outer airfoil blades. Alternatively, the helical halfwing blades can be formed as generally smooth-walled blades.

1 - 89 . (canceled) 
     
     
         90 . A method of overcoming blade profile differentiation in a helical wind turbine blade having a windward side and a leeward side, comprising the steps of:
 forming a rotatably supported helically twisted blade to comprise a plurality of flexible elongated vane segments, wherein each vane segment has a fixed edge and a free edge, and the free edge of one segment at least one of partially overlaps and substantially abuts the fixed edge of the next adjacent vane segment; and   raising the free edge of at least one vane segment up from the fixed edge of the next adjacent vane segment during rotation of the rotatably supported helically twisted blade, thereby providing an air valve opening to reduce air drag when the leeward side surfaces of the helically twisted blade are being periodically presented against the wind.   
     
     
         91 . The method of  claim 90 , wherein during rotation, the free edge of each vane segment is adapted to rise up from the fixed edge of the next adjacent vane segment by a variable separation distance in the range of between approximately ⅛″ to ¾″. 
     
     
         92 . The method of  claim 91 , wherein during rotational operation, the variable separation distance between the radially-outermost mounted vane segments is greater than the variable separation distance between the radially-innermost mounted vane segments. 
     
     
         93 . The method of  claim 90 , further comprising the step of mounting the helically twisted blade to a substantially vertically aligned rotatable turbine mast. 
     
     
         94 . The method of  claim 90 , further comprising the step of converting rotational energy of the rotatably supported helically twisted blade into electrical energy. 
     
     
         95 . The method of  claim 94 , further comprising the step of converting rotational energy of the rotatably supported helically twisted blade into electrical energy utilizing one of a direct drive permanent magnet alternator, a belt drive permanent magnet alternator, a direct drive generator, a belt drive generator, a direct drive air motor and a belt drive air motor. 
     
     
         96 . The method of  claim 90 , wherein the helically twisted blade is twisted from one end to the other end, through a twist rotation of one of approximately 45°, 90°, 180°, and 270°. 
     
     
         97 . The method of  claim 90 , further comprising the step of mounting a plurality of substantially straight airfoil blades fixed for rotation with the helically twisted blade and rotatably supported therewith. 
     
     
         98 . The method of  claim 97 , wherein the airfoil blades are longer than the helically twisted blade. 
     
     
         99 . The method of  claim 97 , further comprising the step of converting rotational energy of the rotatably supported helically twisted blade and airfoil blades into electrical energy. 
     
     
         100 . The method of  claim 97 , wherein the converting step comprises utilizing one of a direct drive permanent magnet alternator, a belt drive permanent magnet alternator, a direct drive generator, a belt drive generator, a direct drive air motor and a belt drive air motor. 
     
     
         101 . The method of  claim 97 , wherein the helically twisted blade is twisted from one end to the other end, through a twist rotation of one of approximately 45°, 90°, 180°, and 270°. 
     
     
         102 . The method of  claim 90 , further comprising the steps of lowering the free edges of the respective vane segments towards the respective fixed edges of adjacent vane segments when the leeward side is in position of taking in air, and raising the free edges up from adjacent fixed edges of adjacent vane segments as an air valve when the windward side is in position of being forced against wind, thereby creating reduced air drag by letting air flow from the leeward side through the separation air slots as formed between the respective raised free edges and fixed edges of the vane segments. 
     
     
         103 . A wind turbine apparatus for harvesting wind energy, comprising:
 a helical blade journaled for rotation;   the helical blade being separated into a plurality of lengthwise blade segments, each blade segment having a radially inward fixed edge, and a radially outward free edge, the respective free edges being adapted, during wind turbine operation, to rise up through a separation distance away from the respective fixed edges, the free edges thereby moving from a normal rest position to a full operating position.   
     
     
         104 . The apparatus of  claim 102 , further comprising a turbine mast journaled for rotation and wherein the helical blade is carried by the turbine mast; 
     
     
         105 . The apparatus of  claim 102 , wherein the free edge of a given blade segment radially overlaps the fixed edge of the next adjacent blade segment. 
     
     
         106 . The apparatus of  claim 102 , and an aerodynamically shaped nose element mounted on the fixed edge of the respective blade segments so as to help reduce air drag. 
     
     
         107 . The apparatus of  claim 102 , and at least a pair of airfoil blades fixed with and located radially outward of the helical blade. 
     
     
         108 . The apparatus of  claim 107 , wherein the overall length of the airfoil blades is in the range of approximately 105% to 150% of the overall length of the helical blade. 
     
     
         109 . The apparatus of  claim 107 , wherein two airfoil blades are carried by the turbine mast at diametrically opposed positions. 
     
     
         110 . The apparatus of  claim 107 , wherein a plurality of airfoil blades are carried by the turbine mast at circumferentially symmetrical positions. 
     
     
         111 . The apparatus of  claim 107 , wherein the airfoil blades are substantially straight. 
     
     
         112 . The apparatus of  claim 107 , wherein the airfoil blades are radially positionally adjustable relative to the helical blade, to thereby help maximize wind harvesting depending upon the local wind conditions and the mounting height of the wind turbine apparatus. 
     
     
         113 . The apparatus of  claim 107 , and a protective cage enclosing the helical blade and airfoil blades. 
     
     
         114 . The apparatus of  claim 102 , wherein the helical blade is mounted in one of substantially horizontal, vertical, and angular alignment. 
     
     
         115 - 122 . (canceled) 
     
     
         123 . A method of maximizing wind energy harvesting by a wind turbine while minimizing air drag and over-speed conditions, comprising the steps of:
 mounting a helically twisted blade supported for rotation;   mounting a plurality of substantially straight airfoil blades for rotation, wherein the substantially straight airfoil blades are mounted radially outwardly of the helically twisted blade and rotate with the helically twisted blade;   wherein the helically twisted blade is adapted to operate in low wind speed conditions to start the rotation of the airfoil blades,   wherein the airfoil blades and the helically twisted blade cooperate in mid-range wind speed conditions to rotate both the airfoil blades and the helically twisted blade,   and wherein the helically twisted blade is adapted to operate in high speed conditions to produce an air drag to prevent the over-speed rotation of the airfoil blades and the helically twisted blade.   
     
     
         124 . The method of  claim 123 , wherein the helically twisted blade comprises a plurality of flexible elongated vane segments, wherein each vane segment has a fixed edge and a free edge, and wherein in low speed conditions the free edge of at least one vane segment at least one of partially overlaps and substantially abuts the fixed edge of the next adjacent vane segment, to thereby assist in starting the rotation of the airfoil blades. 
     
     
         125 . The method of  claim 124 , wherein in mid-range wind speed conditions the free edge of at least one vane segment variably raises away from the fixed edge of the next adjacent vane segment thereby providing an air valve opening to reduce air drag when the leeward side surfaces of the helically twisted blade are being periodically presented against the wind. 
     
     
         126 . The method of  claim 124 , wherein in high speed conditions the free edge of at least one vane segment raises away from the fixed edge of the next adjacent vane segment thereby providing air drag to help prevent the over-speed rotation of the airfoil blades. 
     
     
         127 . The method of  claim 124 , wherein during rotation, the free edge of each vane segment is adapted to rise up from the fixed edge of the next adjacent vane segment by a variable separation distance in the range of between approximately ⅛″ to ¾″. 
     
     
         128 . The method of  claim 124 , wherein during rotational operation, the variable separation distance between the radially-outermost mounted vane segments is greater than the variable separation distance between the radially-innermost mounted vane segments. 
     
     
         129 . The method of  claim 123 , further comprising the step of converting rotational energy of the rotatably supported helically twisted blade and airfoil blade into electrical energy. 
     
     
         130 . The method of  claim 129 , further comprising the step of converting rotational energy of the rotatably supported helically twisted blade into electrical energy utilizing one of a direct drive permanent magnet alternator, a belt drive permanent magnet alternator, a direct drive generator, a belt drive generator, a direct drive air motor and a belt drive air motor. 
     
     
         131 . The method of  claim 123 , wherein the helically twisted blade is twisted from one end to the other end, through a twist rotation of one of approximately 45°, 90°, 180°, and 270°.