Control system for a vertical axis windmill
- St. Louis County, MO
A vertical axis windmill having a rotating structure is provided with a series of articulated vertical blades whose positions are controlled to maintain a constant RPM for the rotating structure, when wind speed is sufficient. A microprocessor controller is used to process information on wind speed, wind direction and RPM of the rotating structure to develop an electrical signal for establishing blade position. The preferred embodiment of the invention, when connected to a utility grid, is designed to generate 40 kilowatts of power when exposed to a 20 mile per hour wind. The control system for the windmill includes electrical blade actuators that modulate the blades of the rotating structure. Blade modulation controls the blade angle of attack, which in turn controls the RPM of the rotor. In the preferred embodiment, the microprocessor controller provides the operation logic and control functions. A wind speed sensor provides inputs to start or stop the windmill, and a wind direction sensor is used to keep the blade flip region at 90.degree. and 270.degree. to the wind. The control system is designed to maintain constant rotor RPM when wind speed is between 10 and 40 miles per hour.
- Research Organization:
- ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL CORP
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP03533
- Assignee:
- Brulle, Robert V. (St. Louis County, MO)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4410806
- Application Number:
- 06/298,990
- OSTI ID:
- 864747
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Control system for a vertical axis windmill
McDonnell 40-kW Giromill wind system: Phase I. Design and analysis. Volume I. Executive summary
Related Subjects
10
20
270
40
90
actuators
angle
articulated
attack
axis
axis windmill
blade
blade angle
blades
connected
constant
control
control function
control functions
controlled
controller
controller provides
controls
degree
designed
direction
direction sensor
electrical
electrical signal
embodiment
establishing
exposed
flip
functions
generate
grid
hour
information
inputs
kilowatts
logic
maintain
maintain constant
microprocessor
microprocessor control
mile
miles
modulate
modulation
modulation control
operation
position
positions
power
preferred
preferred embodiment
process
provided
provides
region
rotating
rotating structure
rotor
rpm
sensor
series
signal
speed
speed sensor
start
stop
structure
sufficient
utility
utility grid
vertical
vertical axis
wind
wind direction
wind speed
windmill