Conventional wind driven power generators require long blades that must be placed high into the air so as to be positioned in a relatively smoothly flowing air current and they must also be mounted high enough so that the whirling blades do not strike the ground, trees, buildings, communication lines, and the like. Due to the great length of the blades and height of the mounting
structures, the mounting towers can be enormous and require stabilizing guy wires anchored hundreds of feet from the mounting tower. Therefore, a large windmill can be physically and
visually overpowering up-close, such as in a backyard. Further, the spinning blades can create unpleasant and disruptive noise and vibration.
Solution
The present invention disclosure is a design configuration of a building, such as a single family house, where wind generation equipment is housed in the attic. The domed attic has multiple air passages built in its structure with a vertical turbine in the center. Air inlet and exhaust ports can be opened and closed based on atmospheric conditions with louvers that are part of the system.
Competitive Advantage
The present invention enables wind power generation equipment to be installed in resedential buildings.
Presently, no wind powered systems exist that provide usable electrical output with ordinary and variable wind flow arriving from any compass direction, while being visually
pleasing or unnoticeable, substantially inaudible and vibration free, as well as protected from the
elements.
Applications
Resedential wind generation systems.
Patent Status
U.S. provisional patent application filed on June 19, 2009.
Licensing Opportunity
We are seeking a commercialization partner with capabilities in product development, sales, and marketing. An exclusive license is available.
About the Inventors
Alexander Suma received a B.S. in Structural Engineering from Hogeschool Zuyd (The Netherlands) in 2003, a M.Sc. in Structural Engineering, and a M.Arch. from Eindhoven University of Technology (The Netherlands) in 2007. In January 2008 he started the PhD program at the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering at the College of Engineering. His research interests unfold in an investigation for green energy solutions that both demand understanding of engineering and skills in architectural design. Both are combined in a synergetic way to create beneficial solutions for science and society. More theoretical structural investigation is satisfied in his research to acoustic emission evaluation of structures in marine environments. Crack formation and corrosion of reinforced and pre-stressed concrete structures are evaluated and compared with different non-destructive investigation methods, i.e. chemical evaluation and acoustic emission.
