Wind Turbine

Abstract

A wind turbine having a plurality of airfoils disposed on the end of spokes which extend from a hub connected to a drive shaft. The airfoils are preferably disposed on an angle of about 40 to about 50 degrees with respect to the plane of rotation of the hub.

1 : A wind turbine comprising:
 a central hub, said central hub oriented to rotate about an axis of rotation which resides at an angle of from about substantially horizontal to an angle of about 45 degrees with respect to a vertical axis;   a plurality of spokes, said spokes each comprising a proximal end communicably coupled to and extending in a plane of rotation which is substantially perpendicular with respect to the axis of rotation and said spokes each comprising a terminal end;   a plurality of airfoils disposed on said terminal end portions of said spokes; and   said spokes each having a length which is at least as long as one of said airfoils.   
     
     
         2 : The wind turbine of  claim 1  wherein said airfoils are oriented into an incoming wind at an angle of about 30 to about 60 degrees with respect to the plane of rotation of said hub. 
     
     
         3 : The wind turbine of  claim 2  wherein said plurality of airfoils are oriented into an incoming wind at an angle of about 40 to about 50 degrees with respect to the plane of rotation of said hub. 
     
     
         4 : The wind turbine of  claim 3  wherein said plurality of airfoils are oriented into an incoming wind at an angle of about 45 degrees with respect to the plane of rotation of said hub. 
     
     
         5 : The wind turbine of  claim 1  wherein said spokes intersect said airfoils in a location at or near an aerodynamic centroid of said airfoils. 
     
     
         6 : The wind turbine of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of airfoils comprise at least five airfoils. 
     
     
         7 : The wind turbine of  claim 6  wherein said plurality of airfoils comprise at least 10 airfoils. 
     
     
         8 : The wind turbine of  claim 7  wherein said plurality of airfoils comprise at least 15 airfoils. 
     
     
         9 : The wind turbine of  claim 8  wherein said plurality of airfoils comprise at least 20 airfoils. 
     
     
         10 : The wind turbine of  claim 1  wherein said length of said spokes is at least twice as long as one of said airfoils. 
     
     
         11 : The wind turbine of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of airfoils comprise an outer ring of airfoils and an inner ring of airfoils. 
     
     
         12 : The wind turbine of  claim 11  wherein said outer and inner rings of airfoils counter-rotate with respect to one another. 
     
     
         13 : (canceled) 
     
     
         14 : A wind turbine comprising:
 a central hub:   at least eight spokes, each said spoke comprising a proximal end communicably coupled to said central hub and a terminal end portion;   at least eight airfoils, said airfoils disposed on said terminal and portions of said spokes, said spokes each comprising a length which is at least as long as one of said airfoils.   
     
     
         15 : The wind turbine of  claim 14  wherein said central hub is oriented to rotate about an axis which is substantially horizontal. 
     
     
         16 : The wind turbine of  claim 14  wherein said central hub is oriented to rotate about an axis which is substantially vertical. 
     
     
         17 : The wind turbine of  claim 14  wherein said airfoils are oriented into an incoming wind at an angle of about 40 to about 50 degrees with respect to the plane of rotation of the hub. 
     
     
         18 : (canceled) 
     
     
         19 : The wind turbine of  claim 14  wherein said airfoils are oriented at an angle of less than about 17 degrees with respect to a wind stream. 
     
     
         20 : The wind turbine of  claim 14  wherein one or more photovoltaic cells are disposed on a surface of one or more of said airfoils. 
     
     
         21 : The wind turbine of  claim 14  wherein at least some of said airfoils are spaced apart by a distance of less than about a width of said airfoils, thus providing a ground effect lift. 
     
     
         22 : The wind turbine of  claim 14  wherein said central hub is oriented to rotate about an axis which lies at an angle of between about substantially horizontal to about substantially vertical.