Using crank-crank mechanism to reorient flat blades of vertical wind turbine for improving its performance

Abstract

Wind energy is one of the most promising renewable energy resources in terms of cost, environmentally friendly, and sustainability. Accordingly, exploiting its full potential has extensively attracted researchers to cope with the depletion of traditional energy resources. In this paper, enhancements in the design of a vertical axis wind turbine have been suggested, which entail employing self-oriented flat blades for improving the turbine's efficiency. Basically, the proposed design depends on utilizing a mechanical mechanism that is effectively capable of providing the turbine blades with the ability to reorient themselves. This self-oriented motion assures a continually perpendicular orientation between the affecting wind direction and the blade surface. Besides, it has been proposed that the turbine should be enclosed in a self-oriented cylindrical rotary cage that has an inlet for airflow. This cage rotates by self-motion without using motors for adjusting its inlet towards the affecting wind direction. To assess the proposed design validity, a vertical wind turbine prototype with the proposed attachments has been built and efficiency improvements have been reported. Moreover, the results of the experimental and theoretical natural frequencies ensured that the proposed turbine design can safely work for considerably high angular speeds with no risk of resonance scenarios.

Keywords

• Crank-crank mechanism
• Self-oriented blade
• Renewable energy
• Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT)
• Finite element
• Mechanisms