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Recent Patents on Mechanical Engineering

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ISSN (Print): 2212-7976
ISSN (Online): 1874-477X

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Research Article

New System for the Acceleration of the Airflow in Wind Turbines

Author(s): Alejandro Alonso-Estébanez*, Pablo Pascual-Muñoz, Felipe P. Alvarez Rabanal, Daniel Castro-Fresno and Juan J. Del Coz Díaz

Volume 12, Issue 2, 2019

Page: [158 - 167] Pages: 10

DOI: 10.2174/2212797612666190311154747

Price: $65

Abstract

Background: This patent is based on the wind industry technology called Diffuser Augmented Wind Turbines (DAWTs). This technology consists of a horizontal axis wind turbine, which is housed inside a duct with diverging section in the direction of the free air stream. In this paper, a review of preceding patents related to this technology is carried out.

Objective: This paper presents an innovative patent to improve the performance of horizontal axis wind turbines. In particular, this system is aimed at improving the performance of those turbines that otherwise might not be installed due to the low wind resource existing at certain locations.

Methods: The most innovative elements of this patent are: (1) the semi-spherical grooves, which are mechanized on the surface of the two diffusers in order to guarantee a more energetic boundary layer; (2) the coaxial diffuser, which is located downwind following the first diffuser in order to increase the suction effect on the air mass close to the inlet; (3) the coaxial rings located around the first diffuser outlet, which are used to deflect the external airflow toward the turbine wake; and (4), the selforientating system to orientate the system by the prevailing wind direction.

Results: An application of the patent for increasing the power generated by a horizontal axis wind turbine with three blades is presented. The patent is designed and its performance is evaluated by using a Computational Fluid Dynamics code. The numerical results show that this system rises the airflow going through the rotor of the turbine.

Conclusion: The patented device is an original contribution aimed at enabling a more profitable installation of wind turbines in places where the wind resource is insufficient because of the wind shear caused both by the proximity of the earth and the obstacles on the earth surface.

Keywords: Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), diffuser, flow accelerator, wind energy, wind lens technology, wind turbines.

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