Continuum Dynamics, Inc.

Alexander H Boschitsch

Alan J Bilanin

Glen R Whitehouse

Daniel A Wachspress

Glen D Whitehouse

A wind-driven power generating system with a hybrid wind turbine mounted on a floating platform that heels relative to horizontal in the presence of a prevailing wind. The hybrid turbine has a turbine rotor with at least two rotor blades, each mounted to a turbine shaft by at least one strut, and the system is configured so that the shaft forms a predetermined non-zero operating heel angle relative to vertical in the presence of a prevailing wind at a predetermined velocity. The blades and struts are airfoils with predetermined aerodynamic characteristics that generate lift forces with components in the direction of rotation around the shaft of the blades and struts at the operating heel angle to drive an electrical generator carried by the platform. The system can be designed to generate maximum power at the predetermined heel angle or essentially constant power over a range of heel angles.

Hybrid vertical/horizontal axis wind turbine for deep-water offshore installations

A lift-driven wind turbine has a turbine rotor with blades mounted to the turbine shaft by two struts hinged to the shaft and each blade to form a four-bar linkage. The blades' airfoil cross section generates lift that rotates the blades around the axis in the presence of a prevailing wind. The airfoil chord forms a geometric angle of attack &#x3b1;relative to the tangent of the blade path and the struts orient the blades with an outward tilt angle &#x3b3;. The turbine is designed with values of &#x3b1;and &#x3b3; that cause the lift generated by each blade to have an upward component that supports the blade against the force of gravity and a mean radially inward component that substantially balances centrifugal forces on the blade. Wind turbines designed according to the principles disclosed herein facilitate the construction of free-floating utility scale wind turbines for deep water installations.

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Cranbury, NJ, United States of America

Alexander H Boschitsch