FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of wind turbine systems for harvesting wind energy to produce electric power. More particularly, a vertical wind turbine system is placed horizontally in a flat rack container-like structure which can suitably be located as the top layer on container vessels.

GENERAL BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART

The shipping industry is looking into how it can reduce its share of global greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Agreement. If the sector is to meet the decarbonization challenge, then there is need to build new vessels emitting less then present vessels and to retro-fit the existing ships to significantly reduce their C02 emissions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention can help the shipping industry, especially container vessels, to reduce emissions. This invention would help the container vessel industry to lower its emissions fast without needing to make drastic changes to existing fleets in the near future. The windmills of the present invention ca be loaded as the top layer of a container vessel, in similar sized and shaped structures as conventional containers. Accordingly, the wind turbine system of the invention is arranged horizontally in a flat rack container-like structure. This way, the windmills can both harness the air streams that press up each side of the ship when it is sailing and also harness all other wind that passes by. It will not matter where the wind comes from, the windmills will always rotate. This invention can be readily transported and easily mounted at any desired location on the ship. The windmills of the invention can further be used on land as well, such as but not limited to remote locations where it is difficult to make foundations for a conventional windmill tower or where electricity is temporarily needed.

In a first aspect, the invention sets forth a windmill structure that comprises at least one windmill blade arranged on a stationary horizontally arranged axis, an elongated frame with the general shape of a rectangular prism, the axis arranged centrally and along the long dimension of the frame, the frame defining a windmill house surrounding said at least one windmill blade, the windmill house having at least two oppositely arranged side openings on the long sides of the

l house. The top plane of the windmill house can comprise a top surface panel and can in some embodiments also have an opening, which can be a part of the top or substantially all of the top. In some useful embodiments at least one of the oppositely arranged side openings is closeable, such as by moveable panels, a sliding door structure, one or more tarpoulin which in some embodiments can be rolled up, or the like.

In some embodiments the windmill structure comprises a generator connected to the windmill axis. The generator can be arranged within the frame structure, distally connected to one end of the rotating main axis. The windmill structure can comprise a gearbox connecting the generator and axis. In some embodiments the generator is a permanent magnet generator, such generator is as such well known in the art and can advantageously be connected directly to the rotating axis. In typical use on a vessel, after loading the container vessel, the wind turbines, each in a respective container structure, are loaded as the top layer of the cargo. The container structures can then be interconnected and then optionally connected to a hybrid engine that helps the main engine of the ship. It is also possible with this invention to produce hydrogen to store for later use or to charge battery packs. In some embodiments solar panels are arranged on top of each container structure to also harvest energy from the sun.

In some embodiments the windmill structures are positioned on floating docks, barges or vessels not in use for regular transport (e.g. discontinued freight vessels), and placed in a permanent location such as out of the coast, providing a floating electricity power plant.

The windmills of the present invention can be referred to as vertical windmills, as they correspond to certain degree structurally to conventional vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) for land use, i.e. windmills with blades arranged on a vertically rotating main axis. In the present invention, however, the main axis of the windmill is arranged horizontally, so in effect the windmill is not“vertical” in a geometric sense, but can be referred to as a horizontally arranged “vertical windmill”. In the present text, when a“vertical” windmill of the invention is being referred to, what is meant is a horizontally arranged“vertical” windmill. Thus, the windmill of the present invention has many features in common with vertical windmills for land-use, including that the main axis of rotation is stationary, as is the electrical generator.

The windmills of the present invention are suitably loaded as the top layer of a container vessel in similar shaped and sized container-like structures as cargo containers. The vertical wind turbine system of the invention which is placed horizontally in flat rack container structure is first and foremost harnessing the wind that presses up each side of the ship when it is cruising but also harnesses other wind that passes by. This invention can be readily transported and easily mounted at any desired location on a ship because the same mechanism is used to load the windmill structures as other conventional containers of a container vessel. In some embodiments the windmill structures are loaded one of top of another, forming two or more levels of windmills. In such embodiments some windmill structures can be configured without its own generator but instead connected to a generator on an adjacent windmill structure, such as a windmill structure above or below the first mentioned structure. In such generator-free structure the windmill and rotating axis can extend along substantially all of the structure. In these embodiments the stacked windmill can be connected by a suitable force transmission mechanism, a chain or the like, connecting the top or bottom axis to the axis and/or generator of the other windmill in the joined pair.

The container structure comprises a rigid frame with the general shape of a rectangular prism (i.e. regular“box shape”) that generally define the container-sized outlines of the structure. Thus, in preferred embodiments the size of the frame and windmill house corresponds to a conventional 20 or 40-foot freight container. The rotational axis of the turbine is arranged horizontally and centrally along the length of the structure. The axis is held on one end within a bearing and the other end is preferably connected to a generator. The generator is generally stationary, arranged in one end of the container structure. In some embodiments the structure comprises one or more central bearing held by a centrally arranged support for supporting a central point of the axis. Such central bearing can, e.g., be held by diagonally arranged members extending from the top and bottom bars of the sides, or by a centrally arranged plate orthogonal to the turbine axis. It follows that in these embodiments the windmill blade is split in at least two parts to accommodate rotation of the blade on each side of the central bearing.

The frame defines a windmill house surrounding the at least one windmill blade of the windmill. The house has at least two oppositely arranged side openings on the length sides of the house. These openings may comprise essentially all the main surfaces of the sides of the frame, typically excepting the part of the frame that contains the generator. Thus, the frame can be described as comprising on the one hand a house for surounding the windmill blade (“windmill house”), and an adjacent generator house, which is typically closed.

In some embodiments also the top end of the house has an opening, which may comprise up to substantially all of the surface of the windmill house.

The at least one windmill blade size and shape is constrained by the dimensions of the frame and windmill house but can otherwise have any known suitable shape such as in particular known and tested shapes of conventional vertical wind turbine blades. In one embodiment, the at least one windmill blade is a helical type blade, which term refers to herein that the blade has at least a partially helical shape, around the axis. In some embodiments the windmill comprises at least two, such as three helical type blades or four helical type blades. In another embodiment so-called Savonius type blades are used, which are scoop-shaped blades, well known to the skilled person. There are typically two such blades in the windmill but can also be three. In another embodiment so-called Darrieus blade is used. It follows that in some embodiments the blades themselves are attached directly to the rotating axis, whereas in other embodiments blades are used that comprise winglets arranged distally away from the axis and attached to the axis via extension arms.

BRIEF DECRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a embodiment of a wind turbine in a flat rack container structure.

FIG. 2 is a view of a second embodiment of a wind turbine in a flat rack container structure with closed top and controlled open/closed sides when necessary in bad weather condition.

FIG. 3 is a side view of an embodiment of a wind turbine in a flat rack container structure with one or more solar panel on top and controlled open/closed sides when necessary to close in bad weather condition.

FIG. 4 is a side view where the turbine blade is split in the middle to accommodate for a central support supporting the center of the turbine axis.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment where two container-like frame structures each containing a windmill are joined one on top of the other.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a container ship to show how the wind turbines harness the air pressure from each side of the ship when it is sailing.

FIG. 7 is a top view of container ship from above to show where the windturbines container structures can be located.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

A detailed description of particular embodiments of the present invention will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIG 1 , a first embodiment of the windmill structure includes a flat rack container structure 10, a vertical windmill turbine 20 arranged horizontally and rotating around an axis 15, the axis is connected to a generator 30, optionally via an optional gearbox 40. In this embodiment the container structure 10 comprises a windmill house 25 and a generator house 35. Referring to FIG 2, this embodiment includes flat rack container structure 10, vertical windmill turbine 20 placed horizontally with generator 30 and a gearbox 40. In this embodiment the container structure also includes a closed top 12 and controlled open/closed sides 14, e.g. for closing off the windmill house for bad weather conditions.

Referring to FIG 3, a third embodiment shows flat rack container structure 10, vertical windmill turbine 20 placed horizontally with generator 30 and a gearbox 40. This embodiment windmill structure also includes one or more solar panel 60 on top and controlled open/closed sides 14, such as for bad weather conditions.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment where at least one central support member 16 is arranged in the frame for providing additional support to the axis 15, substantially at a middle point of the axis. The central support member 16 can comprise a plate with a hole and bearing 17 in the middle, in another embodiment the central support member comprises diagonal bars with ends attached to the frame bars that run parallel to the axis, the diagonal bars having at their intersection a hole with a bearing, for supporting the axis. In these embodiments the rotor blade is split in the middle to accommodate the central support member allowing the rotor to freely rotate.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment with two windmill stuctures connected, one of top of the other. A transmission mechanism 31 is arranged to connect the axis of the top turbine with the axis and/or generator 30 of the lower tubine structure.

FIG. 6 is a front view of container vessel with a plurality of side-by-side arranged windturbines 20 in container structures 10 to show how the wind turbines harness the air stream 70 from each side of the ship when it is sailing.

FIG. 7 is a top view of a container ship as seen from above to show where the wind turbines 20 with genarator 30 and gearbox 40 in flat rack container structures 10 can be located.

The container structures can then be interconnected and the power is suitably used to help the main machine of the vessel.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the foregoing preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details thereof. Various equivalent variations and modifications can still occur to those skilled in this art in view of the teachings of the present invention. Thus, all such variations and equivalent modifications are also embraced within the scope of the invention as difined in the appended claims.