Momentum-Conserving Wind-Driven Electrical Generator

Abstract

Wind-driven electrical generators will slow and lose kinetic energy when the wind slows or stops. When the wind slows or stops, kinetic energy in the rotating turbine and other rotating components that would otherwise be lost, is conserved by supplying a supplemental mechanical energy to the rotating components using a battery-powered motor. The electrical power for the drive motor is obtained from solar-charged batteries. In an alternate embodiment, solar cells provide all of the energy for the drive motor.

1 . A wind-driven generator comprised of:
 a wind-driven, rotating propeller having a plurality of blades, the blades extending from a rotating hub, and having a length-wise axis, the blades being configured to be rotatable about the length-wise axis, and wherein said propeller blades are capable of being rotated about said length-wise axis by at least one servo motor inside said hub, the rotation of the propeller by the wind rotating an elongated shaft coupled to the propeller;   an electricity generator coupled to the elongated shaft such that the generator generates electrical energy when the elongated shaft is rotating;   a wind speed detector operatively coupled to the computer, and which detects the speed of wind blowing into the propeller, and which generates a signal that causes a controller to change a pitch of the propeller blades in order to minimize wind drag.   
     
     
         2 . The wind-driven generator of claim  8 , further including a first clutch, which mechanically couples and mechanically de-couples the rotating shaft from an electricity generator, responsive to a signal from said wind speed detector. 
     
     
         3 . The wind-driven generator of claim  8  further including a transfer switch, which decouples the generator from an electrical load responsive to a decrease in at least one of: wind speed and elongated shaft speed. 
     
     
         4 . A wind-driven generator comprised of:
 a wind-driven, rotating propeller having a central hub and a plurality of blades that extend radially from the central hub, the blades having a longitudinal axis extending radially from the central hub, at least one of the blades having a pitch that can be varied by rotating the at least one propeller blade around the longitudinal axis, the rotation of the propeller by the wind rotating an elongated shaft that is coupled to the propeller, the at least one blade being coupled to a servo motor, the servo motor being configured to be able to change the pitch of the at least one blade responsive to a signal;   a detector, which generates said signal, the signal causing the servo motor to change the pitch of the at least one blade, in order to reduce wind drag on the propeller when at least one of: wind speed falls below a first predetermined value, and when propeller rotation speed falls below a second predetermined value.   
     
     
         5 . The wind-driven generator of claim  11  further including a software controlled transfer switch, which decouples the electric generator/motor from an electrical load under software control, when said electric generator/motor changes from said first mode to the second mode.