Wind turbine assembly and related method

Abstract

Wind turbine assembly, and related method, is provided that exploits an aerodynamically enhanced wind region of a building in proximity to a parapet of the building. A wind turbine assembly includes a support assembly configured to couple to a building in proximity to a parapet of the building and a rotor assembly coupled to the support assembly such that its rotor is oriented relative to the enhanced wind region to optimize electrical generation.

1. A wind turbine assembly for mounting atop a building, comprising:
 a support assembly configured to mount atop a building, in proximity to a parapet of the building, wherein wind directed at a side of the building flows over the parapet to create an enhanced wind region above the parapet and a wind shadow behind the parapet; and 
 a rotor assembly including a rotor coupled to an electric generator to generate an electrical current; 
 wherein the rotor includes an elongated hub and a plurality of blades disposed about the hub; 
 and wherein the rotor assembly is mounted to the support assembly in such a manner that wind flowing over the parapet interacts with the blades to cause the rotor to rotate about the axis of the elongated hub, with the blades disposed in an upper portion of the rotor's rotation disposed in the enhanced wind region and with the blades disposed in a bottom portion of the rotor's rotation disposed in the wind shadow of the parapet. 
 
     
     
       2. A wind turbine assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the plurality of blades include a plurality of airfoils disposed about the hub; 
 the rotor further includes a plurality of arms that couple the airfoils to the hub, and 
 the rotor is oriented relative to the support assembly in such a manner that the airfoils disposed in the upper portion of the rotor's rotation are disposed in the enhanced wind region and such that the airfoils disposed in the bottom portion of the rotor's rotation are disposed in the wind shadow of the parapet. 
 
     
     
       3. A wind turbine assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the blades project outward from the hub and are curved to face concavely towards the wind in the upper portion of the rotor's rotation. 
     
     
       4. A wind turbine assembly for mounting atop a building, comprising:
 a support assembly including a base configured to couple to a building, in proximity to a parapet of the building, and further including an elongated pole projecting upward from the base, wherein wind directed at a side of the building flows over the parapet creating an enhanced wind region in proximity to the parapet in which the wind flows along a wind flow path that is angled upward relative to horizontal; and 
 a rotor assembly including
 a sleeve adjustably disposed about the elongated pole of the support assembly, and 
 a rotor coupled to the housing sleeve and to an electric generator to generate an electrical current, the rotor including a central hub and a plurality of blades projecting outward therefrom, thereby defining an axis of rotation, 
 wherein the rotor assembly is coupled to the support assembly such that the rotor is located in the enhanced wind region and such that the rotor's axis of rotation-is oriented at a selected, fixed downward pitch, in general alignment with the wind flow path; 
 
 wherein the elongated pole of the support assembly includes a curved upper portion, and the sleeve of the rotor assembly is configured to be axially movable along the pole's curved upper portion, to orient the rotor's axis of rotation at the selected, fixed downward pitch. 
 
     
     
       5. A wind turbine assembly as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the upper portion of the elongated pole of the support assembly is curved such that the sleeve of the rotor assembly can be moved to a position where the rotor's axis of rotation has a selected downward pitch of up to 40 degrees relative to horizontal. 
     
     
       6. A wind turbine assembly as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the base of the support assembly mounts directly onto the parapet of the building. 
     
     
       7. A wind turbine assembly as defined in  claim 4 , wherein:
 the parapet of the building is an extension of a substantially vertical wall; and 
 the base of the support assembly mounts atop the building, behind the parapet. 
 
     
     
       8. A wind turbine assembly as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the rotor of the rotor assembly is located entirely above the parapet. 
     
     
       9. A wind turbine assembly for mounting atop a building, comprising:
 a support assembly including a base configured to couple to a building, in proximity to a parapet of the building, and further including an elongated pole projecting upward from the base, wherein wind directed at a side of the building flows over the parapet creating an enhanced wind region in proximity to the parapet in which the wind flows along a wind flow path that is angled upward relative to horizontal; and 
 a rotor assembly including
 a sleeve adjustably disposed about the elongated pole of the support assembly, and 
 a rotor coupled to the housing sleeve and to an electric generator to generate an electrical current, the rotor including a central hub and a plurality of blades projecting outward therefrom, thereby defining an axis of rotation, 
 wherein the rotor assembly is coupled to the support assembly such that the rotor is located in the enhanced wind region and such that the rotor's axis of rotation is oriented at a selected, fixed downward pitch, in general alignment with the wind flow path; 
 
 wherein the sleeve of the rotor assembly is configured to be rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the elongated pole of the support assembly, to orient the rotor's axis of rotation in a selected yaw direction. 
 
     
     
       10. A method of generating electrical power, comprising:
 positioning a wind turbine assembly atop a building, in proximity to a parapet of the building, such that the wind turbine assembly is exposed to an enhanced wind region created as wind flows over the parapet, along a wind flow path that is angled upward relative to horizontal, the wind turbine assembly including
 a support assembly including a base configured to couple to a building, in proximity to a parapet of the building, and further including a support projecting from the base, and 
 a rotor assembly including a housing adjustably coupled to the support of the support assembly, and a rotor coupled to the housing and to an electric generator to generate an electrical current, the rotor including a plurality of radial blades defining an axis of rotation; and 
 
 positioning the rotor assembly relative to the support assembly such that the rotor is located in the enhanced wind region and such that the rotor's axis of rotation is oriented at a selected, fixed downward pitch, in general alignment with the wind flow path; 
 wherein the support of the support assembly includes an elongated pole projecting upward from the base of the support assembly, the pole including a curved upper portion; 
 wherein the housing of the rotor assembly includes a sleeve disposed about the elongated pole of the support assembly; and 
 wherein the step of positioning the rotor assembly relative to the support assembly includes axially moving the sleeve along the curved upper portion of the elongated pole, to orient the rotor's axis of rotation at the selected, fixed downward pitch. 
 
     
     
       11. A method of generating electrical power, comprising:
 positioning a wind turbine assembly atop a building, in proximity to a parapet of the building, such that the wind turbine assembly is exposed to an enhanced wind region created as wind flows over the parapet, along a wind flow path that is angled upward relative to horizontal, the wind turbine assembly including
 a support assembly including a base configured to couple to a building, in proximity to a parapet of the building, and further including both a support projecting from the base and a generally horizontal crossbar having a fixed orientation relative to the building, and 
 a rotor assembly including a sleeve pivotally mounted to the crossbar and a rotor coupled to the sleeve and to an electric generator to generate an electrical current, the rotor including a plurality of radial blades defining an axis of rotation; and 
 
 positioning the rotor assembly relative to the support assembly such that the rotor is located in the enhanced wind region, the step of positioning including pivoting the sleeve relative to the crossbar, to orient the rotor's axis of rotation at a selected downward pitch, in alignment with the wind flow path.