The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for electricity generation in general and to wind turbines in particular. Background of the Invention:

Wind turbines are well known equipments for generating electricity from the kinetic power of the wind. Typically wind turbines have a tower or pole erected on the ground vertically and a rotor mounted thereon. The rotor is connected to an alternator/generator for generating electric power. The rotor is so configured to use the wind energy to rotate a shaft that in turn provides the rotatory motion to the alternator/generator. The rotor may have various shape and configuration to suit the environment conditions.

The shape and configuration of the rotor typically identify the behavior of a specific wind turbine in a particular environment. However every turbine has a limitation of working on a specific wind speed or in between a prescribed range of wind speed. If the speed of wind is too low then the turbine fails to operate. Only the high velocity of the wind is partly utilized and potential portion of velocity is untapped. Hence most of the turbines generate electricity for a limited time, only when preferred wind speed is available. Further the dependency of the preferred wind speed restricted the use of wind turbines in specific geographical regions.

Hence, to overcome the above drawbacks, the present invention provides an arrangement for generating electricity from wind energy that is not dependent on wind speed. Utilize

Summary of the invention: The present invention provides an improved wind turbine. According to an embodiment of the present invention the wind turbine comprises a rotor, an air pump, an air reservoir, a liquid reservoir, a discharge pipe, a turbine and a generator. The rotor is configured to convert wind energy into rotatory motion. The air pump is connected to the rotor and configured to operate with the rotation of the rotor. The air reservoir is connected to the air pump through a non-return valve. The liquid reservoir is maintained at a particular height and connected to the air reservoir. The liquid reservoir is configured to gain potential with the increase in volume of the air in the air reservoir. The discharge pipe is provided in the air reservoir and is configured to selectively allow discharge of the air from the air reservoir. The turbine is connected to the discharge pipe and configured to rotate on the discharge of the air from the discharge pipe. The generator is connected to the turbine for generation of electricity on rotation of the turbine. According to yet another embodiment, the present invention provides a method of generating electricity from the wind energy. The method comprises pumping air in an air reservoir by rotating a rotor using wind energy. Generating a pneumatic pressure in a liquid reservoir by raising height of a liquid stored in the liquid reservoir using the pumped air. Rotating a turbine using the pneumatic pressure to generate electricity. Other details and advantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following description and illustrative drawings of certain present embodiments thereof.

Brief description of the invention;

A more complete appreciation of this disclosure will be understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference symbols indicate the same or similar components, wherein:

Fig 1 illustrates a wind turbine according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig 2 illustrates a pneumatic arrangement for the windmill according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 3 illustrates a pneumatic arrangement for the. windmill according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed description of the invention Turning now to the drawings and referring first to Figure 1, that illustrates a wind turbine according to an embodiment of present invention. The apparatus have a rotor 1 configured to rotate through wind energy. According to an embodiment the rotor 1 is a fan mounted on a frame 2. The rotor 1 is held on a stand 3. According yet another embodiment the rotor 1 may be any convention rotor arrangement, such as but not limited to the one used in a conventional vertical or a conventional horizontal wind turbines. The rotor 1 is connected to a gear box 5 through a coupling 4. The gear box 5 is coupled to at least one air pump (not shown) through apt arrangement. According to an embodiment the air pump is a simple piston and cylinder arrangement. The gearbox is further coupled to a flywheel 8 through a coupling 6. The flywheel 8 is mounted on a flywheel stand 7. According to yet another embodiment an adjuster 9 is provided for adjusting the orientation of the rotor to utilize the wind energy efficiently. The rotor is mounted on vertical tower 12 through a stand 10. An air pipe 11 is provided that is connected from the air pump to an ambient air reservoir (shown in figure 2).

Turning to figure 2 that illustrates the pneumatic arrangement for the windmill according to an embodiment of the present invention. The air pipe 11 is connected to an air reservoir 15 and has a non-return valve 13 for inlet air. The air reservoir 15 may have a pressure gauge 14 and a safety valve 29. According to an embodiment the air reservoir is made up of two separate halves, joined together at the center and having a central flange 16. The air reservoir 15 is connected to a liquid reservoir 23 through a pipe 20. According to an embodiment the air reservoir may have diaphragm 17 fixed on central flange 16. According to an embodiment the diaphragm 17 may be of any stretchable material such as but not limited to rubber. The diaphragm 17 acts as a partition between the air and the liquid. In accordance with yet another embodiment a piston may be provided in the air reservoir that acts as an interface between the air and the liquid. In yet another embodiment the liquid used is water. The pipe 20 may further have liquid inlet pipe 18 with a valve 19 for providing liquid to the liquid reservoir 23. According to an embodiment of the present invention the liquid reservoir 23 may have an inflatable pouch 21. According to yet another embodiment the inflatable pouch 21 is a rubber bellow. According to yet another embodiment the inflatable pouch 21 may have a weight 22 placed thereon. The air reservoir 15 has at least one air out let pipe 25. The air outlet pipe 25 may have one or more valves 24 for selectively supplying air from the air reservoir 15. The air outlet pipe is connected to a turbine 26 that in turn coupled to a generator 28 through a coupling 27.

When the wind energy rotates the rotor 1, the air pump coupled to the rotor 1 is operated that in turn sucks air from the atmosphere and pumps the same in the air reservoir 15. The non-returning valve 13 ensures that no air is flown back to the air pump. The air in the air reservoir 15 pushes the diaphragm 17 thereby raising the level of liquid in the liquid reservoir 23. The rise in the liquid level results in generation of a positive potential in" the liquid reservoir 23 that in turn results in development of a pressure in the air reservoir.

Once there is sufficient pressure in the air reservoir, the air is released from the air outlet pipe 25 that in turn rotates the turbine. The turbine in turn rotates the generator thereby generating electricity.

This arrangement has the advantage of maintaining a constant pressure in the air outlet pipe 25, even when the rotor 1 is not able to rotate at a desired speed or not rotating at all, since the potential generated in the liquid reservoir compensates for any drop in the pressure in the air reservoir. Similarly when the rotor 1 is rotated at high velocity then the addition pressure generated is absorbed by the liquid reservoir that may be utilized when the rotor is not rotating at required velocity. Hence the turbine gets air at a constant velocity, irrespective of variation in rotor rotating speed.

Figure 3 illustrates pneumatic arrangement for the windmill according to another embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated the air reservoir is configured vertically and is connected through a 'U' tube pipe. Such an arrangement may further evade the use of diaphragm in the air reservoir. According to yet another embodiment the 'U' tube pipe may have a valve and a knob for selectively stopping ^' the flow of water between the water reservoir and the air reservoir.

Hence the arrangement disclosed in the present invention utilizes the entire velocity of wind to generate electricity without fluctuation by converting and storing the excess velocity

While certain present preferred embodiments of the disclosure and certain preferred methods of practicing the same have been illustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited thereto, but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.