VERTICAL AXIS WIND GROUP AND COMBINED PLANT THAT COMPRISES

SAID WIND GROUP DESCRIPTION

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to the alternative energetic sources, and, in particular, it relates to a vertical axis wind group.

Furthermore, the present invention relates to a combined plant o alternative energy that comprises said vertical axis wind group.

State of the art

Are known installation of alternative energy exploitation, such as wind energy and solar power. Are also known combined installations that comprises wind turbine and solar panels which are activated in combination or alternatively, with respect to each other, according to some different climatic conditions .

In wind installations, vertical axis turbines are common.

These comprises a vertical rotation axis in which blades are functionally coupled, to convert a torque generated by wind energy in mechanical energy and then in electric energy. Being devices to aerodynamic resistance, the vertical axis turbine under a same encumbrance, exploit the force of the wind less effectively of the horizontal axis turbine. Have however the advantage to be coupled in an arrays configuration.

It is felt however the need of improving the efficiency and the performances of vertical axis turbine, both at in a startup phase that in an operation regime. Such both in a version purely wind, and in a combined version with photovoltaic modules.

Example of installations according to the prior art are described in the documents US2011/229304 and WO 2011/049280.

Summary of the invention

It is then a feature of the present invention to provide a vertical axis wind group that is adapted to improve the performances and reduce energy loss in steady conditions with respect to the turbine according to the prior art.

It is also a feature of the present invention to provide a vertical axis wind group structurally easy and not expensive to make.

It is still a feature of the present invention to provide a combined plant that comprises said vertical axis wind group that achieves the same objects.

These and other objects are achieved by a vertical axis wind group that comprises:

- a first vertical axis turbine having a first rotation axis ;

- at least a second vertical axis turbine having a second rotation axis functionally associated in series to said first vertical axis turbine, such that said first and second rotation axis lying respectively on a same reference plane parallel to said rotational axes, - a protection carter associated with said first and second vertical axis turbine,

wherein said protection carter keeps free and exposed to the wind a first upper portion, defined with respect to said reference plane, of each of said first and second turbine, and covers and insulates by the wind a second portion, opposite to said first portion, and

wherein said protection carter comprises at least one conveying duct obtained in said second portion which fluidically connects said first and second turbine in such a way that :

when a main wind flow hits respectively the first and the second turbine on said first portion in order to generate: an active rotation of blades of said first and second turbine, and a conveyed wind flow that from said first portion cross said second portion and is conveyed by said conveying duct to pass between said second turbine towards said first turbine in order that an additional thrust imparted by the wind on said first turbine is generate,

and such that when a primary wind flow hits respectively the first and the second turbine on said second portion is rejected by said protection carter, in such a way that it is suitable that avoids a passive resistance of said first and second turbine.

With active rotation is intended a rotation of the turbine according to a torque direction that exploits the wind flow in an active way, whereas with resistance passive is intended a wind flow direct opposite to the active direction that then generates a resistance and a performance reduction.

This way, the wind group according to the present invention makes it possible to exploit the wind flow in two different steps: that primary when hits directly the blades of the turbine into the portion exposed to the wind, and - in the meantime - in a secondary step.

In the latter, the same wind flow passes through an isolated carter portion and is conveyed by the conveying duct between the second turbine towards the first turbine. In this way, the wind flow is substantially conveyed and able to operate on the blades of the first turbine, instead of being dispersed and does not exploited. This increases the overall transformation efficiency and the generation of electric energy .

In a preferred exemplary embodiment, said conveying duct comprises a first portion duct and a second portion duct, which defining substantially a triangle branch, said triangle branch which is adapted to direct a first conveyed flow substantially tangential to directrix of said blades, and a second conveyed flow substantially radial to directrix of the blades.

The first and second conveyed flows move differently trough said triangle branch for then to meet together and hit the blades of the first turbine. In this way, the conveyed flows are added to the main flow contributing to move the blades of the first turbine.

Advantageously, additional turbine of said first and second turbine to form a battery of turbine aligned and adjacent to each other, are provided.

Each couple of turbine adjacent to each other, reproduce the operation described above.

Preferably, said first and second turbine comprise blades with a curved shaped profile, in particular a concave curvature exposed towards the flow of wind.

Advantageously, each blade has a curvature radius set between 0.2m and 2m, in particular between 0.5m and lm.

Preferably, said wind group is arranged on an orientable support, in such a way that it is adapted to expose towards the direction of the wind said first portion of each of said first and second turbine.

According to another aspect of the present invention is provided a combined plant that comprises:

said vertical axis wind group;

at least one photovoltaic module functionally associated with said vertical axis wind group,

wherein said at least vertical axis wind group and said at least photovoltaic module are mounted on a support base pivotally connected with respect to a rotation axis orthogonal to said support base.

In a preferred exemplary embodiment said plant comprises a first and a second level plane stacked to each other, wherein on said first level plane is arranged said wind group and on said second level plane, which are arranged above said first level plane, said photovoltaic module is arranged.

In particular, said first level plane is conformed to define a channel in which at least one vertical axis wind group is arranged.

Said channel is conformed to assist further the conveying of the wind to maximize the wind flow captured that is adapted to activate the wind group.

In particular, two support bases conformed as platforms functionally independent from each other are provided, said support bases are conformed to be rotationally adjusted in an independent way to each other. This way, the position of the wind group can be adjusted most favorably and independent with respect to the orientation of the photovoltaic module. In particular, a plurality of wind groups adjacent and spaced to each other, according to a predetermined pitch, are provided .

In particular, said predetermined pitch is set between lm and 3m, preferably between 1.5m and 2m.

Advantageously, a plurality of photovoltaic modules arranged on said second level plane are provided.

Each photovoltaic module is orientable with respect to the direction of the sun to adjust own angular position with respect to the support base.

Description of Figs . Of the invention

Further characteristic and advantages of the invention -are better shown by examination of the following detailed description of more preferred embodiments, but not exclusive, shown for example and not limitative, with the support of the attached drawings, wherein:

- Fig. 1 shows a diagrammatical elevational front view with a torn cross section of a vertical axis wind group according to the present invention;

- Fig. 2 shows a diagrammatical view of the wind group of

Fig. 1 in an exemplary embodiment in which three turbines in series are provided;

- Fig. 3 shows a diagrammatical view of a combined plant that comprises at least one wind group of Figg. 1 or 2 associated with at least one photovoltaic module.

Detailed description of the invention

With reference to Fig. 1, a vertical axis wind group 1, according to the present invention is shown.

The wind group comprises a first vertical axis turbine 2 with a first rotation axis XI, and at least one second vertical axis turbine 3 with a second rotation axis X2 functionally associated in series to the first turbine 2.

In particular, the first and second rotation axis XI, X2 are aligned to each other and lying respectively on a same reference plane P.

The wind group 1 comprises, furthermore, a protection carter 4 that covers in part the first and the second turbine, in order to keep open and exposed to the wind a first upper portion 50, defined with respect to the reference plane P, and to coat and protect by the wind a second portion 60, opposite to the first portion 50.

The protection carter 4 comprises at least one conveying duct 5, 6 obtained in the second portion which fluidically connects the first 3 and the second 4 turbines.

When a primary or main wind flow 7, 7' hits respectively the first and the second turbine on the first portion 50, or open portion 50, an active rotation of the blades 2a of each turbine 2 and 3 is generated.

At meantime, a conveyed wind flow 7a", 7b" that crosses the second portion, or closed portion 60, and is conveyed in the conveying duct 5, 6 between the second turbine towards the first turbine in order to assist the pushed imparted by the wind on the blades 2a of the first turbine 2, according to a direction of rotation concordant, is generated.

On the other hand, the protection carter 4 allows to protect the second portion of the turbine exposed in direction which is opposite to the direction of active rotation that then cause the generation of a resistance and a contrast flow.

In a preferred exemplary embodiment, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the conveying duct comprises a first 5 and a second 6 portion duct, which defining substantially a triangle branch, that is adapted to converge a first conveyed flow 7a" substantially tangential to the directrix of the blades 2a of the second turbine 3, and a second flow conveyed 7b" substantially radial to the directrix of the blades 2a of the second turbine 3.

The first and the second conveyed flow flows differently on the branch for then converge and hits the blades of the first turbine 2. This way, the conveyed flows is added to the main flow to increase the efficiency and the performances of the wind group.

As shown in Fig. 3, are provided turbine additional 3' to the first 2 and second 3 turbine to form a battery of turbine aligned and adjacent to each other.

In structural aspects of detail, each turbine comprises blades 2a with a curved shaped profile (Fig.3), in particular a curvature concave exposed towards the wind flow.

Each blade 2a has a radius of curvature R comprised 0.2m and 2m, in particular between 0.5m and lm.

In Fig. 3 is shown a combined plant that comprises at least one vertical axis wind group 1 and at least one photovoltaic module 10 functionally associated to each other.

The plant is characterized in that the vertical axis wind group 1 and the photovoltaic module 10 are arranged on a orientable support base 70, 80 pivotally connected with respect to a rotation axis orthogonal at a same.

In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the plant comprises a first level plane A and a second level plane an and B stacked to each other. On the first level plane is arranged the wind group 1, in particular more wind groups at a distance from each other according a predetermined pitch p.

On the second level plane B, which are arranged superiorly with respect to the first level plane A, instead is arranged the photovoltaic module 10, in particular more photovoltaic modules aligned to each other in rows.

In particular, the first level plane is conformed to define with the second level plane B a channel 20 in which the wind groups are arranged. The channel 20 assists the conveying the wind maximizing the wind flow captured that would activating the wind groups 1.

The wind groups are for example at a distance from each other according to a pitch set between 0, 5 meters and 3 meters, in particular between 1 meter and 2 meters.

In a preferred exemplary embodiment, each level plane A and B comprises support bases conformed as platforms 70, 80 functionally independent from each other, to be rotationally adjusted each in an independent way. This way, the position of the wind groups 1 can be adjusted most favorably and independent with respect to the position of the photovoltaic modules 10.

The latter are - at the same time - rotationally adjustable with respect to the direction of the solar radiation.

The description of which above at least one exemplary embodiments particular is capable of show the invention from a viewpoint conceptual so that other, using the prior art, can be changing and/or adapting in various applications an exemplary embodiment without further researches and without moving away from each other by the concept inventive, and, then is intended that such adaptation and changes will be high as equivalent of an exemplary embodiment specific. The means and the material to provide the various functions described can be changes nature without for this come out from the field of invention. Is intended that the expression or the terminology used have object purely descriptive for this not limitative .