Vertical axis wind turbine system with one or more independent electric power generation units

Abstract

A vertical axis wind turbine system having a vertical mast with one or more turbine units supported thereon. The turbine units are of modular construction for assembly around the foot of the mast; are vertically moveable along the height of the mast by a winch system; and are selectively interlocking with the mast to fix the turbine units in parked positions. The turbine system and each turbine unit includes a network of portals and interior rooms for the passage of personnel through the system, including each turbine unit. The electrical generators, and other sub-components, in the turbine units are of modular construction that permits the selective removal and replacement of component segments, including the transport of component segments through the portals and interior rooms of the turbine system while the turbine units remain supported on the mast. The electrical generators are also selectively convertible between AC generators and DC generators.

1 . A wind turbine system comprising:
 a wind turbine unit comprising a carousel-carrier and a carousel rotatably supported on the carousel-carrier, wherein.   a vertical channel extends through a radial center of the carousel-carrier for reception of a vertical mast, and a vertical channel extends through a radial center of the carousel for reception of the carousel-carrier,   the carousel comprises a carousel-hub, a pair of carousel arms extending from the carousel-hub, and a carousel blade extending between the pair of carousel arms, and   the turbine unit is a modular turbine unit that is an assembly of multiple turbine segments, the turbine segments being circumferential segments that releasably couple to adjacent turbine segments.   
     
     
         2 . The wind turbine system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the carousel-carrier is a modular carousel-carrier that is an assembly of multiple carouser carrier segments, the carousel-carrier segments being circumferential segments that releasably couple to adjacent carousel-carrier segments.   
     
     
         3 . The wind turbine system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the carousel is a modular carousel that is an assembly of multiple carousel segments, the carousel segments being circumferential segments that releasably couple to adjacent carousel segments.   
     
     
         4 . The wind turbine system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the turbine unit comprises a stator housing in the carousel-carrier that releasably receives stator segments of a modular generator stator.   
     
     
         5 . The wind turbine system of  claim 4 , wherein
 the stator housing receives a number of stator segments that is a factor of three.   
     
     
         6 . The wind turbine system of  claim 4 , wherein
 the stator housing comprises electrical connections for mating with pre-wired stator segments, including electrical connections for mating with stator segments pre-wired for generating alternating electrical current and electrical connections for mating with stator segments pre-wired for generating direct electrical current.   
     
     
         7 . The wind turbine system of  claim 4 , wherein
 a modular generator stator comprising multiple stator segments is releasably received within the stator housing, and the stator is an alternating current stator or a direct current stator.   
     
     
         8 . The wind turbine system of  claim 7 , wherein
 the modular generator stator comprises a number of stator segments that is a factor of three.   
     
     
         9 . The wind turbine system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the turbine unit comprises a rotor housing in the carousel-hub that releasably receives rotor segments of a modular generator rotor.   
     
     
         10 . The wind turbine system of  claim 9 , wherein
 the rotor housing receives a number of rotor segments that is a factor of three.   
     
     
         11 . The wind turbine system of  claim 9 , wherein
 a modular generator rotor comprising multiple rotor segments is releasably received within the rotor housing.   
     
     
         12 . The wind turbine system of  claim 11 , wherein
 the modular generator rotor comprises a number of rotor segments that is a factor of three.   
     
     
         13 . The wind turbine system of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a rotating electrical joint for transmitting an electrical power between the carousel-carrier and the carousel, the rotating electrical joint comprising a slip ring and a number of slip ring brushes mounted for rotating engagement with the modular slip ring, wherein the slip ring is a modular slip ring that is an assembly of multiple slip ring segments, the slip ring segments being circumferential segments that releasably couple to adjacent slip ring segments.   
     
     
         14 . The wind turbine system of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a carousel rotation system for rotating the carousel on the carousel-carrier, the carousel rotation system comprising a crown gear and a pinion mounted for rotating engagement with the crown gear, wherein the crown gear is a modular crown gear that is an assembly of multiple crown gear segments.   
     
     
         15 . The wind turbine system of  claim 14 , wherein
 the carousel rotation system further comprises a number of roller bearings mounted on one of the carousel-carrier and the carousel-hub and a corresponding number of bearing tracks mounted on the other of the carousel-carrier and the carousel-hub, the roller bearings being mounted for rolling engagement with the bearing tracks so as to rotatably support the carousel-hub on the carousel-carrier,   the bearing tracks are modular bearing tracks that are assemblies of multiple bearing track segments, the bearing track segments being circumferential segments that releasably couple to adjacent bearing track segments.   
     
     
         16 . The wind turbine system of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a carousel braking system for braking the carousel against rotation on the carousel-carrier, the carousel braking system comprising a brake rotor and a number of brake calipers mounted for braking engagement with the brake rotor, wherein the brake rotor is a modular brake rotor that is an assembly of multiple brake rotor segments.   
     
     
         17 . The wind turbine system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the carousel-carrier comprises an interior room and a portal that grants personnel access to the interior room.   
     
     
         18 . The wind turbine system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the carousel-carrier is a modular carousel-carrier that is an assembly of multiple carousel-carrier segments, the carousel-carrier segments being circumferential segments that releasably couple to adjacent carousel-carrier segments,   the carousel-hub is a modular carousel-hub that is an assembly of multiple carousel-hub segments, the carousel-hub segments being circumferential segments that releasably couple to adjacent carousel-hub segments,   the carousel-carrier segments comprise first braking mechanisms and the carousel-hub segments comprise second braking mechanisms, the first and second braking mechanisms being engageable to secure the carousel-hub segments to corresponding carousel-carrier segments, and   an individual turbine segment comprises a carousel-carrier segment and a carousel-hub segment that are secured to one another by first and second braking mechanisms, the individual turbine segment being releasably couplable to adjacent turbine segments while the carousel-carrier segment and the carousel-hub segment are secured by the first and second braking mechanisms such that assembly of the turbine unit from the multiple turbine segments is contemporaneous with assembly of the carousel-carrier from the multiple carousel-carrier segments and assembly of the carouse-hub from the multiple carouse-hub segments.   
     
     
         19 . A method of assembling a turbine system,
 the turbine system comprising:
 a wind turbine unit comprising a carousel-carrier and a carousel rotatably supported on the carousel-carrier, wherein 
 a vertical channel extends through a radial center of the carousel-carrier for reception of a vertical mast, and a vertical channel extends through a radial center of the carousel for reception of the carousel-carrier, 
 the carousel comprises a carousel-hub, a pair of carousel arms, and a carousel blade extending between the pair of carousel arms, and 
 the turbine unit is a modular turbine unit that is an assembly of multiple turbine segments, the turbine segments being circumferential segments that releasably couple to adjacent turbine segments. 
   the method comprising:
 coupling together a number of turbine segments to yield an assembled turbine unit. 
   
     
     
         20 . The method of assembling a turbine system according to  claim 19 , wherein
 the number of turbine segments are coupled together around the foot of a vertical mast, such that the assembled turbine unit is mounted on the vertical mast   
     
     
         21 - 22 . (canceled)