welcome to windgen.org
dedicated to the development of vertical axis wind turbines
Windgen.org has been established to encourage the development of low-wind turbines, with an emphasis on vertical axis turbines (VAWTs.) Despite a slight theoretical disadvantage when compared to horizontal wind turbines HAWTs,) it is believed that VAWTs can play a significant role in generating usable power, particularly in low winds, and where HAWTs are prohibited.
On this site you will find links to commercial VAWT manufacturers. Since many companies have withdrawn their performance graphs after being challenged, we only link to companies that continue to publish their windspeed / watt performance.
You will also find links to successfull experimenters that are willing to share their information. Hopefully, with the discussion board (click on the image to the left) we can add many more success stories.
The patent information and the serious studies on this site are public information, but check with your attorney before you make plans to do anything commercial with the information obtained from this website. In the same breath, I would strongly encourage that you research the patent library; it is a great source for a wealth of information and nonsense; the trick is to tell the difference.
- windgen
Click image to go to discussion board
This is a turbine built by Ed Lenz. Ed is one of many experimenters that have contributed to the considerable interest in do-it-yourself wind generators. He is, however, one of the few that held the belief that there is a place for VAWTs. Click on the photo to go to Ed's website; lots of good information and usable items.
The turbine was in a past issue of Mechanics Illustrated.
Click photo to go to Ed's website
It is recommended that prior to contributing to the discussion board, if you are not familiar with the terminology and issues associated with wind turbines, that you study the tutorial published by the Danish Wind Energy Association.Their website offers a diverse choice of information and subtle issues associated with putting blades in the air to produce power. Click on the photo on the right to access info from the folks who have been harnessing the power of the wind longer than anyone else.
Sometimes this link gets hi-jacked by "the talent factory." email me if it does; windygen@gmail.com
Click on photo for tutorial
Commercially Available VAWTs:
To date, these are the only commercial VAWT manufactureres we are even reasonably comfortable in publishing links to. The reason, as stated above, is that some manufacturers have either removed their performance data after being challenged, or simply will not make the data public. If you know of a commercial VAWT manufacturer that is not timid about standing behind their numbers, please email me and I will include them in this website. Send info to: windygen@gmail.com. Please note: links on this website are not an endorsement of any manufacturer or their products.
Windside
Patents
There are many ways to search patents. Our preferred method is to go to freepatentsonline. From there you can initiate your own search, or get the complete patent documents from the patent numbers referred to on this website.
Some patents we have found of particular interest are listed below. Click on the PDF link for a representative drawing. If you want to view the full patent, copy the patent number from the abstract and paste it into the search window at freepatentsonline. From there you can easily download the entire patent.
7,189,050 Abstract
Disclosed are various embodiments of cross-wind turbines that are capable of providing high efficiencies over a wide range of wind velocities. An airfoil stator causes wind to accelerate along its surface and creates a low pressure area on the leading face of the rotor blade during the power stroke. A blocking stator blocks wind from impeding the movement of the rotor blades during the return cycle and directs wind onto the trailing face of the rotor blades during the power cycle. A large pressure differential is created between the leading face of the rotor blade and the trailing face of the rotor blade during the power cycle which creates a large amount of force that rotates the rotor blade about the central shaft. In some embodiments, gaps are provided between the inside edge of the rotor blade and a stationary shaft which vents wind collected by the rotor blade during certain portions of the rotation cycle. The vented wind increases the pressure on the trailing face of the...
7,220,107 Abstract
The present invention relates to a windmill device rotating by a wind power. More particularly, to efficiently obtain rotating energy irrespective of a wind direction, the present invention is firstly characterized in that assuming that an outermost radius as a distance between the remotest position of each blade from the center of a vertical shaft and the vertical shaft is r1, an innermost radius as a distance between the nearest position of each blade to the vertical shaft and the vertical shaft is r2, and the angle (rad) of an arbitrary position r in an inner peripheral surface of the cross-section of the blade by regarding a line segment for connecting the remotest position from the vertical shaft to the vertical shaft as a reference is t (in this case, 0<=t<=2π/3), the form of the inner peripheral surface in the cross-section of each of the three blades satisfies a following formula: description="In-line Formulae" end="lead"r=(r1−r2)×((t−2π/3)×2)/(2π/3)×2+r2.descrip...
6,984,899 Abstract
A vertical axis windmill is provided wherein the amount of wind directed to blades in the power producing part of rotation and the mechanical load of multiple generators is controlled by a feedback control to maintain a relatively constant rotational frequency of the shaft of the windmill. In a preferred embodiment, two wind foils extend radially outwardly from the blades to thereby provide a scoop capable of pulling in more air than would normally be received by the blades. The wind foils then direct the wind flow to the power producing part of rotation of the blades for maximum power output, when necessary. The wind foils can close to control the wind flow to the blades. The generating capacity of a plurality of generators is also controlled in response to shaft rotation to maintain substantially constant shaft rotation.
This is an interesting approach to VAWTs that surely deserves further exploration. Click on the drawing to go to a fuller description.
If you know of any VAWT projects of potential merit that you would like to see posted on this website, please send a link or other related information to windygen@gmail.com.
Thanks! and happy hunting!
UrbanGreenEnergy
Peter Sharp sent us this abbreviated study of a novel cycloturbine that derserves looking into. For a more comprehensive study, you can email Peter : sharpencil@sbcglobal.net.
LynxWind
