CPC F03D 80/80 (2016.05) [F03D 1/0608 (2013.01); F03D 1/0675 (2013.01); F03D 9/25 (2016.05); F03D 13/10 (2016.05)] | 32 Claims |
1. A portable wind turbine comprising:
a nacelle having a curved aerodynamic shape;
a drive hub rotatably mounted to the nacelle, the drive hub having an axis of rotation and configured to rotatably drive a generator; and
a plurality of resilient rotor blades reconfigurable between an operating configuration and a transportation configuration; wherein:
in the operating configuration each of the plurality of rotor blades radially extend in a respective radial direction outward from the drive hub, for imparting rotational torque, about the axis of rotation, to the drive hub in response to wind;
wherein each blade of the plurality of rotor blades is curved and has a profile that substantially matches a profile of an exterior surface of the nacelle so that
in the transportation configuration, at least a substantial portion of each of the plurality of rotor blades is disposed against and conforms to the exterior surface of the nacelle,
wherein in the operating configuration, with the rotor blades being positioned downwind of the nacelle, the nacelle is shaped to create a streamlined effect to mitigate drag and support laminar wind flow at locations proximate to bases of the rotor blades, and
wherein the portable wind turbine is a downwind turbine and the shape of the nacelle is one of:
i. an elliptical shape;
ii. a hemispherical shape;
iii. a cylindrical shape with a hemispherical end;
iv. a conic, pointed or spherically blunted shape;
v. a bi-conic shape;
vi. a tangent ogive;
vii. a secant ogive shape;
viii. a parabolic shape;
ix. a bullet shape; and
x. a Haack series shape.
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