ADJUSTMENT SYSTEM FOR WIND GENERATOR

The present invention relates to an automatic adj ustment wind generator and to an automatic adj ustment system for a wind generator .

A large number of wind generators are known in the art which are suitable for exploiting / trans forming the kinetic energy of the wind (wind energy) into electrical energy through the use of generating propellers .

Such known generators , when the rotation speed of the propeller becomes too high due to an increase in the intensity of the wind flow within which it is immersed, exploit the action of a mechanical hydraulic system by keying the blades until they stall in the event of winds beyond the safety limits , until the generator itsel f stops , which therefore no longer produces electricity with strong winds .

Furthermore , known wind generators , in order to reduce the speed of the propeller as a function of the intensity of the wind flow, may require the presence of suitable wind sensors cooperating with the related safety system, making these generators more expensive and technically more complex, even at the expense of operational reliability .

Therefore , obj ect of the present invention is solving the aforementioned prior art problems by providing an automatically adj usting wind generator capable of maintaining the rotation speed of the generating propeller substantially constant , automatically, with any wind speed condition .

Furthermore , an obj ect of the present invention is providing a wind generator whose automatic adj ustment is only a function of the rotation speed of the generating propeller blades , maintaining the same constant when strong winds would lead to forced stalling of the blades themselves .

Another obj ect of the present invention is providing an automatic adj ustment system for a wind generator that allows trans forming a normal prior art wind generator into a wind generator like that of the present invention .

Furthermore , an obj ect of the present invention is providing an automatic adj ustment system that allows trans forming a normal prior art wind generator into a wind generator capable of keeping the rotation speed of the generating propeller substantially constant , in an automatic way, even in the absence of a mechanical or electronic brake , in any wind speed condition .

Another obj ect of the present invention is providing an automatic adj ustment system that allows trans forming a normal prior art wind generator into a wind generator whose automatic adj ustment is only a function of the rotation speed of the blades of the generating propeller, maintaining the same constant when strong winds would lead to forced stalling of the blades themselves .

The aforementioned and other obj ects and advantages of the invention, which will emerge from the following description, are achieved with a wind generator and a adj ustment system such as those described in the respective independent claims . Preferred embodiments and non-trivial variants of the present invention form the subj ect matter of the dependent claims .

It is understood that all attached claims form an integral part of the present description . It will be immediately obvious that innumerable variations and modi fications ( for example relating to shape , dimensions , arrangements and parts with equivalent functionality) can be made to what is described, without departing from the scope of the invention as appears from the attached claims .

The present invention will be better described by some preferred embodiments , provided by way of non-limiting example , with reference to the attached drawings , in which :

FIG . la, lb and 1c show side views of a preferred embodiment of the sel f-regulating wind generator according to the present invention in dif ferent operating positions dependent on the intensity of the wind flow in which it is immersed;

FIG . 2 shows a schematic diagram of some functional components of the sel f-regulating wind generator according to the present invention; and

- FIG . 3 shows a diagram in which di f ferent operating positions of a generating propeller of the wind generator with automatic adj ustment according to the present invention are represented according to di f ferent values of the intensity of the wind flow in which it is immersed . With reference to the Figures , it can be noted that the wind generator 1 of the present invention comprises at least one generating propeller 3 immersed in at least one wind flow F' , F' ’ , F' ’ ’ , F" " , p' ’ ’ ’ ’ and at least one actuation means 5 for automatic dynamic adj ustment .

Advantageously, the actuation means 5 for automatic dynamic adj ustment are provided for modi fying the incidence a' , a' ' , a' ' ' , a' ' ' ' , a' ’ ’ ’ ’ , and consequently the proj ection of the rotational surface W' , W' ' , W' ' ' , W' ' ' ' , W' ' ' ' ' , of this generation 3 propeller with respect to the X-X direction of thi s wind flow F' , F' ' , F' ' ' , F' ' ' ' , F' ’ ’ ’ ’ as a function of the rotation speed V' , V' ’ , V' ’ ’ , V' ’ ’ ’ , V' ’ ’ ’ ’ of the generating propeller 3 itsel f .

In particular, the wind generator 1 comprises at least one articulation means 7 on which the actuation means for the automatic dynamic adj ustment 5 operatively acts in order to make the wind generator 1 rotate according to a first rotation direction R' or a second rotation direction R' ’ around an axis of rotation passing through said articulation means 7 and along a substantially vertical plane passing in the X-X direction when the rotation speed of the generating propeller 3 respectively increases or decreases with respect to a preset threshold value .

The wind generator 1 according to the present invention also comprises at least one means for detecting the rotation speed V' , V' ’ , V' ’ ’ , V' ’ ’ ’ , V' ’ ’ ’ ’ of the generating propeller 3 and operationally cooperating with the actuation means 5 for automatic dynamic adj ustment : in particular, the means for detecting the rotation speed V' , V' ’ , V' ’ ’ , V' ’ ’ ’ , V' ’ ’ ’ ’ of the generating propeller 3 can comprise at least one rotation speed sensor 6 , composed for example of a phonic wheel 6a, integral in rotation around the X-X direction to the generating propeller 3 , and a related angular speed detector 6b which, through a suitable means 9 for processing and acquiring the rotation speed V' , V' ’ , V' ’ ’ , V' ’ ’ ’ , V' ’ ’ ’ ’ , operationally cooperates with the actuation means 5 for automatic dynamic adj ustment .

Advantageously, therefore , as can be seen in particular in the diagram of FIG . 3 in which, in the abscissa axis the speed F of the wind flow is reported and in the ordinate axis W the amplitude of the proj ection of the rotational surface of the generation 3 propeller is reported, when the speed of the wind flow F' , F' ' , F' ' ' , F' ' ' ' , F' ' ' ' ' varies , the means of detecting the rotation speed V' , V' ’ , V' ’ ’ , V' ’ ’ ’ , V' ’ ’ ’ ’ of the generating propeller 3 detects the change in rotation speed V' , V' ’ , V' ’ ’ , V' ’ ’ ’ , V' ’ ’ ’ ’ of the generating propeller 3 and the signals to the actuating means 5 for automatic dynamic adj ustment that :

- i f the rotation speed V' , V' ’ , V' ’ ’ , V' ’ ’ ’ , V' ’ ’ ’ ’ is greater than the preset threshold value , by acting on the articulation means 7 it rotates the wind generator 1 according to the first rotation direction R' to modi fy the incidence a ' , a' ’ , a' ’ ’ , a' ’ ’ ’ , a' ’ ’ ’ ’ , and consequently decrease the amplitude of the proj ection of the rotational surface W' , W' ' , W' ' ' , W' ' ' ' , W' ' ' ' ' , of this generating propeller 3 with respect to the X-X direction of this wind flow to decrease the rotation speed of the generating propeller 3 itsel f at a value lower than or equal to this preset threshold value ;

- vice versa, i f the rotation speed V' , V' ’ , V' ’ ’ , V' ’ ’ ’ , V' ’ ’ ’ ’ is lower than the preset threshold value , acting on the articulation means 7 , it rotates the wind generator 1 in the second rotation direction R' to modi fy the incidence a' , a' ' , a' ' ' , a' ' ' ' , a' ' ' ' ' , and consequently increase the amplitude of the proj ection of the rotational surface W , W' ' , W' ' ' , W' ' ' ' , W' ' ' ' ' , of this generating propeller 3 with respect to the X-X direction of thi s wind flow to increase the speed of rotation of the generating propeller 3 itsel f .

In particular, from FIG . 3 , the speed of the wind flow increases from F' to F' ’ ’ ’ ’ : it can therefore be noted that , due to the presence of the actuation means 5 for automatic dynamic adj ustment and of the articulation means 7 , as they increase ( from F' to F' ’ ’ ’ ’ ) or decrease ( from F' ’ ’ ’ ’ to F ' ) the wind flow velocity, the incidence a' , a' ' , a' ’ ’ , a' ’ ’ ’ , a' ’ ’ ’ ’ of this generating propeller 3 with respect to the X-X direction of this wind flow varies , and consequently they suitably decrease ( from W' to W' ' ' ' ' ) or increase ( from W' ' ' ' ' to W' ) the amplitude of the proj ection of the rotational surface of the generating propeller 3 itsel f , thus maintaining the rotation speed of this propeller 3 at a value equal to or lower than the preset threshold value , which could represent the structural safety limit of the wind generator 1 according to the present invention . Advantageously, the actuation means 5 for the automatic dynamic adj ustment of the wind generator 1 can be any rotary actuator suitable for the purpose , such as , for example , an electric motor acting on the articulation means 7 .

Furthermore , it is possible to provide that the articulation means 7 comprises at least one unlocking/ locking means (not shown) from/to the actuation means 5 for the automatic dynamic adj ustment to al low a free rotation R' , R' ’ , even manually, of the wind generator 1 according to the present invention .

Furthermore , in one of its preferred embodiments , it is possible to provide that the total weight of the wind generator 1 according to the present invention is distributed at approximately 50% respectively to the left and to the right of the rotation axis passing through the articulation means 7 at least when the generator 1 is in its operating position shown in FIG . la .

Obviously, to allow the propeller 3 to be positioned in the right orientation with respect to the X-X direction of the wind flow F' , F' ’ , F' ’ ’ , F" " , F' ’ ’ ’ ’ , the wind generator 1 of the present invention can also comprise suitable means for orienting around a rotation means 11 , for example of the fi fth wheel type , which also allow the generator 1 itsel f to rotate around a substantially vertical axis Y-Y : in particular, i f it is a matter of a wind generator of relatively small dimensions , said orientation means can comprise at least one directional fin (not shown) ; alternatively, usually in the case of a wind generator 1 of medium or large dimensions , such orientation means can comprise an actuator means with hydraulic or electric operation, etc .

The present invention also comprises an automatic adj ustment system which allows trans forming a normal prior art wind generator into a wind generator 1 like the one described above .

In particular, the automatic adj ustment system for a wind generator according to the present invention comprises :

- at least one actuation means 5 for automatic dynamic adj ustment provided to modi fy the incidence of the generating propeller 3 and to be operationally connected to this wind generator 1 ; at least one means for detecting the rotation speed V' , V' ’ , V' ’ ’ , V' ’ ’ ’ , V' ’ ’ ’ ’ of the generating propeller 3 operatively cooperating with this actuation means 5 for automatic dynamic adj ustment ;

- at least one articulation means 7 on which this actuation means 5 for automatic dynamic adj ustment acts to rotate the wind generator 1 along a vertical plane passing through an X-X direction of the wind flow F' , F' ' , F' ' ' , F' ' ' ' , F' ' ' ' ' in which this propeller 3 is immersed and as a function of the rotation speed V' , V' ' , V' ' ' , V" " , V" " ' of the generating propeller 3 itsel f .