Richard
STEINKE
Wind Sail Receptor
Wind Sail Receptor, Inc.
http://www.windsailreceptor.com
Richard Steinke
President and CEO
ras@windsailreceptor.com
Phone:
(702)
293-1403
Video --
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcJ40Nq1FVk
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&id=106396
Pioneering
design
of
wind
sail receptor’s rotor blades increases efficiencies
while reducing maintenance costs
Bayer MaterialScience Polyurethane
Raw Materials Used in Formulations for Lighter, More Compact Blades
with Enhanced Durability and Weatherability
Boulder City, Nev., March 3, 2009 - Wind Sail Receptor, Inc. is
developing a rotor blade design that could change how wind turbines
harness power.
“We have the major breakthrough,” said Richard Steinke, president and
CEO of Wind Sail Receptor, Inc. “Our tests show that our product
provides
three times more efficiency
than existing turbines.”
The Wind Sail Receptor’s Quad Blade Construction uses Bayer
MaterialScience’s
polyurethane raw
materials to increase durability and weatherability, while reducing the
weight of the blades and maintenance costs.
The resulting polyurethane system offers flexibility and resistance to
the elements that is vital to the success of Steinke’s design. Most
rotor blades on the market are made of glass-fiber or carbon-fiber
reinforced plastics and similar to an airplane propeller, according to
the World Wind Energy Association.
Blades made of those materials are vulnerable to cracking or drooping
after prolonged exposure to the elements, Steinke explained. The
airplane design also doesn’t enable the best use of blade surface, he
said. When combined, these problems lead to increased maintenance costs
and downtime, reducing efficiency.
The unique design of the Wind Sail Receptor blades improves their
ability to capture wind: They can generate power in winds of five miles
per hour and continue generating at up to 50 miles per hour, depending
on the size of a new technology for a variable generator, Steinke said.
The Wind Sail Receptor’s design is also
more compact and lighter than existing
blades. Steinke estimates that a rotor blade for a standard
one-megawatt turbine weighs roughly four tons and measures 100 feet.
The Wind Sail Receptor blades will weigh no more than a half ton each
and have a measurement of less than 50 feet, Steinke explained.
Tests conducted showed that the blades developed by Wind Sail Receptor
will
outperform existing blade
designs without the high-pitched whooshing sound.
The Wind Sail Receptor design comes at an opportune time as wind power
generation continues to expand. In the United States, wind power
installations were expected to be 7,500 megawatts in 2008 alone –
enough power to generate electricity for 2.2 million homes, the
American Wind Energy Association reported.
Steinke estimates that he’ll have a market-ready product this year that
could be distributed through utility companies, possibly via joint
ventures. He anticipates being able to sell the design across three
platforms—from smaller units targeted for home and commercial use to
larger half-megawatt and one-megawatt units.
For this project Steinke utilizes Bayer MaterialScience’s MDI aromatic
isocyanate prepolymer and a mix of two different polyols. Steinke
purchases them from The E.T. Horn Company, a distributor of Bayer
MaterialScience’s polyurethane raw materials.
“I’ve always used Bayer MaterialScience raw materials in my
formulations because they have the highest quality controls. The
quality is always right,” Steinke said. “The blades are the most
important part, and with the high quality of Bayer MaterialScience
materials, they will surely stand the test of time.”
This project was an ideal fit for Bayer MaterialScience as well,
according to Tom Petricko, marketing manager – distribution, Bayer
MaterialScience LLC. “Sustainability has always been top-of-mind at
Bayer,” he explains. “For that reason, the opportunity to play a key
role in a project that advances the use of renewable energy is in
perfect alignment with our ongoing commitment to sustainability and
company motto: Science for a better life.”
About Wind Sail Receptor, Inc.
Wind Sail Receptor, Inc. was incorporated in the state of Nevada in
December 2002.Since its inception the company has been working to
invent a wind energy system that replaces conventional wisdom about
wind capturing energy technology along with sustaining
durability.
About Bayer MaterialScience
Bayer MaterialScience LLC is one of the leading producers of polymers
and high-performance plastics in North America and is part of the
global Bayer MaterialScience business with nearly 15,400 employees at
30 sites around the world and 2007 sales of 10.4 billion euros.
Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer
materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used
in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the
automotive, electrical and electronics, construction, medical, and
sports and leisure industries. Our inorganic basic chemicals unit
produces chlorine and related essential products for the chemicals
industry.
The Wind Sail Receptor’s Quad Blade Construction promises to increase
efficiencies compared with existing products. Molded from polyurethane
raw materials from Bayer MaterialScience, the rotor blades are lighter,
more compact and more durable than wind turbine blades now in use.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/jan/15/boulder-city-oks-experimental-wind-turbine/
Boulder
City
OKs
experimental
wind turbine
by
Tiffany Gibson
Jan. 15, 2010
Boulder City has agreed to let a company build an experimental wind
turbine on a tract of city land in exchange for the power it generates.
“If this is successful, there is no other alternative energy that can
match this technology,” said Richard Steinke, chairman of Wind Sail
Receptor Inc.
“This alternative energy would bring in a kilowatt of power much less
than 5 cents per kilowatt. There is nothing that I know of that can
compete with this, not even coal,” he said.
Steinke said he created his windmill design five years ago, and his
calculations indicate his wind turbine will be able to produce more
than one megawatt of power with winds of 25 mph. And it should generate
energy with winds as light as 3 mph, he said.
At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Steinke submitted a request to use
one acre north of Canyon Road to build and observe his wind turbine for
a year. He said he also plans to build a blade-constructing facility
nearby, which would bring an estimated 91 jobs to the city.
“We feel so confident in this that already I have eight countries that
have flown in and looked at this technology,” Steinke said. “I have
existing orders, but I need to build this to get the sizing of the
unit.”
The City Council voted unanimously to grant the land for the project. A
license agreement will be presented to the council next month for
approval.
City Manager Vicki Mayes said the Canyon Road site was selected because
it is a good location for wind and close to the city’s electric system.
She said the city will not charge Steinke rent for the land as long as
the output from the turbine is provided to Boulder City at no cost.
Steinke told council members that he plans to make his windmill turbine
design modular so it will be easier to move if it does not work. He
also said he wants to make the equipment blend in with the landscape.
Wind Sail Receptor will pay for all of the project’s expenses,
including liability insurance, he said.
Councilman Cam Walker said the wind turbine would help reduce their
power rates and allow the community to become more self-reliant,
especially with two or three wind turbines.
KR20080065624
WIND SAIL RECEPTOR
Inventor: STEINKE RICHARD A [US] ; MCGUIRE JOHN
EC: B63H1/26B; F03D1/06B; (+1)
IPC: F04D29/26; F04D29/38; F04D29/26; (+1)
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention pertains to wind mill blades, blades for turning
by a water flow and blades for turning in water, that are for mounting
to an axle for turning in a frame that is fitted to a tower to turn in
the wind and produce a power output for doing work, or for turning in
water.
[0003] 2. Prior Art
[0004] The present invention is in a new and substantially more
efficient wind powered blade structure than any presently available
wind mill blade or blade arrangements. Examples of a variety of both
old and new blade configurations are shown in U.S. patents to Logsoon,
Des. No. 141,589; to Amico, U.S. Pat. No. 2,023,659; to Preston, U.S.
Pat. No. 2,102,913; to Bunzer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,828; to Krolick, et
al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,592; to Wortham, U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,006; to
Arreola, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,061; to Vainrub, U.S. Pat. No.
5,437,541; to Hosoda, U.S. Pat. No. 6,249,059; and to Zeng, U.S. Pat.
No. 6,447,251, as well as in published U.S. patent applications to
Gericke de Vega, US2001/0011825 and to Johann, US2002/0070558. Unlike
these and other known earlier blade configurations, the wind sail
receptor design of the invention employs a pair of quad blades where
each quad blade is formed from a continuous section of material,
providing a stronger finished construction than is possible where
individual blades are axially fitted together. In which fitting
together, at equal distances around a front disk and rear hub, sail
portions of the individual blades are equidistant from one another and
overlap. Which blades spacing provides a uniform air flow path to a
wind flow through the blades, and with each blade bent to function as a
sail, functioning like a headsail or jib on a sail boat. The blade
arrangement provides a greatly improved force of blade turning from
even a light or variable wind in that the blades, when attached between
the front disk and rear hub, are stiff and will efficiently derive
energy from turning that is transferred into an axle connect between
the blades front disk and rear hub, with that turning converted to
useful energy, such as electrical energy, from a turning of a connected
generated and with that produced energy to be stored in a battery or
batteries, or can be directed into an electrical grid.
[0005] Heretofore, wind mill blade configurations have lack efficiency,
particularly the blades as are turned in a wind farm operation, and
operate at only an efficiency of approximately twenty (20), thereby
utilizing only a small percentage of the energy of a wind passing
through the blades, and, accordingly, have had to be large to produce a
worthwhile energy output. Present day examples of such wind farm type
blades are long, heavy blades, usually three blades, that are both
expensive to construct and maintain, particularly as to bearing wear.
The wind sail receptor of the invention unlike such wind farm blades,
or blades like those shown in the above cited prior art, provide a
substantially greater efficiency, of approximately ninety (90) percent
in winds of from eight (8) to ten (10) miles per hour and greater, and
utilizes a blade arrangement whose diameter is measured in inches
rather than in feet. Such blade arrangement, of course, is far less
expensive to construct and maintain, is a significantly more efficient
than earlier blade configurations and is therefore a very significant
improvement in wind power generation systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a
wind sail receptor that has an arrangement of three to ten blades that
are equally spaced and are connected axially, forming a blade
arrangement of a wind powered device for converting wind energy into
usable power.
[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide, as a
preferred blade arrangement, two sets of four equally spaced blades,
that are connected axially, forming a single blade arrangement of a
wind-powered device for converting wind energy into usable power.
[0008] Another object of the present invention to provide a wind sail
receptor were the individual blades are each curved from a leading to
trailing edge to perform a function like that of a sail, like that of a
head sail or jib of a sailing ship, and which blades are equally spaced
from one another around a forward disk to where a flow of air passing
across each blade leading edge acts around the curve of the blade to
efficiently convert wind energy into blade rotation and turn an axle or
shaft extending from the trailing face of a rear hub, turning a power
generation device.
[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a wind
sail receptor where a trailing edge of each blade has an half round
section proximate to a blade hub, that translates into a flat outer
section that extends to the blade end, and is to provide a flow path
for a wind traveling around the blade curved surface to discourage
generation of turbulence in the flow at the blade trailing edge.
[0010] Still another object of the present invention is to provide a
novel design of wind sail receptor blades that, by their construction
from a light gauge material, will respond to an increase in wing speed
by becoming more rigid making each blade suitable for turning in even a
high wind and water.
[0011] Still another object of the present invention is to provide a
wind sail receptor blade assembly having a minimum of one set of three
to five blades, and preferably with two sets of blades forming a blade
assembly of from six to ten blades, with the blade assemblies for axial
assembly between an aligned forward disk and rear hub and with the
individual blade bent around a selected arc and are attached, at equal
spaced intervals to the forward disk, forming the three to ten equally
spaced blades that overlap one another, providing uniform spacing
between the blade leading edges, whereby an air or water flow will
strike a curved blade portion, converting wind or water flow energy
into blade turning, with the assembly to exhibit approximately a ninety
(90) percent efficiency in a conversion of wind or water flow energy
into blade turning.
[0012] Still another object of the present invention is to provide a
wind sail receptor where each set of blades is formed from a flat
section of light gauge material where the individual blades are formed
by a removal or like spaced curved sections that extend from the center
area of the flat section, out to the section edge, squaring off the
blade outer end edges and connecting an outer edge end of each blade to
a forward disk.
[0013] Still another object of the present invention is to provide a
wind sail receptor that is simple and economical to produce where the
single set or the two sets of blades are easily manufacture by stamping
methods, and with the sets secured as a stack at their center rear hubs
and with the individual blades formed by a connecting each blade outer
edge end to a forward disk to form the wind sail receptor where the
individual blades are equally spaced and including a shaft or axle
fitted between the forward disk and rear hub to turn or be turned by a
power producing device, producing a power output from the blade turning.
[0014] The present invention is in a unique wind sail receptor
configuration for inclusion in a wind power or water operated system
where blade turning converts wind or water flow energy into usable
power, or where blade turning provides thrust through water. Two wind
sail receptor segments of three to five blades each can be used, with a
four-blade assembly being preferred and are herein referred to as a
quad blade assembly, for forming the wind sail receptor assembly. The
two segments of three to five blades each are fitted one over the other
and connected at rear hub sections, with ends of each of the blades
then bent through a selected arc as determined by the relationship of
the axial spacing distance between the rear hub and forward disk and
the blade length between which hub and its connection point to the
forward disk, with the blade ends connected, at spaced intervals,
around the forward disk. A shaft or axle is secured between the rear
hub sections and forward disk, and that shaft is journaled between
bearings in a frame or housing to allow the shaft or axle to be turned
by blade turning responsive to an air of water flow through the blades,
or the axle itself can be turned to turn the blades in water to
generate thrust. Each blade segment is formed from a flat section of a
stiff material, such as from light gauge steel, plastic, fiberglass or
an elastomeric material, such as urethane. In practice, for forming
each of the blade segments, like spaced sections corresponding to the
number of blades to be formed in the section, are removed at equal
intervals from the flat section of stiff material, with the removed
sections extending from an outside edge to a point spaced apart from
the flat section center that becomes the rear hub. A hole is formed in
a dog leg bend of each blade of each of two blade segments, and each
blade is bent through an arc that is determined from the ratio of the
length of the axle between the rear hub and forward disk to the length
of the blade between its hub and the blade's mounting to the forward
disk at the hole in the blade dog leg bend. Which ratio, to form the b
lade of the invention, requires that the axle length be approximately
point seventy-five (0.75) to point eighty-five (0.85) of the blade
length.
[0015] For an a six to ten bladed blade assembly, the pair of wind sail
receptor sections are aligned over one another, and, with the rear hubs
of each section aligned, each blade is bent through the arc determined
by a ratio of the distance between the rear hub and front disk, with
that hub to disk spacing ratio being from point seventy-five (0.75) to
point eighty-five (0.85) of the blade length, connecting the blade dog
leg bent to the forward disk, at one of spaced radial holes that are
each equidistant from the center of which forward disk, forming the
wind sail receptor. So arranged, for the six to ten blade assembly
formed by the stack of two wind sail receptor segments, blade segment
rear hubs are fitted over one another, aligning center holes through
each. Which rear hubs holes align with a center hole formed through the
forward disk to connect to an axle fixing the spacing distance
therebetween as determined for the blade length. Which axle is
journaled through bearings in a frame or mount, to be turned by a
turning of the blade assembly to turn a power generation device, such
as a generator. Or, where the blade assembly and axle are turned in a
water flow to provide thrust, a motor or the like is connected to turn
the axle. Where the blade assembly is turned by wind, the blade
assembly, axle and frame the axle is mounted in, and the power
generation device,
[0016] For the preferred eight-blade assembly, the individual blades
leading edges are spaced equidistantly apart approximately forty-five
(45) degrees, and curve identically from the leading edge to a trailing
edge that is itself curved outwardly from a lesser width across the
blade end through approximately one hundred eighty (180) degrees to an
end that butts against the blade rear hub. So arranged, the curved
blade surface receives an air or water flow that passes between the
adjacent blades that is essentially without turbulence and acts upon
that curved area that functions like a head or jib sail, efficiently
converting wind or water flow energy into blade turning. Which
efficiency, in practice, is approximately ninety (90) percent
efficient. The air or water flow, during its passage through the wind
sail receptor is essentially turbulence free, with that flow smoothly
directed over each blade surface to pass off of the outward curve
formed as a trailing edge of the blade. In practice, for a wind sail
receptor having a diameter of six (6) feet, a wind velocity of
approximately eight (8) miles per hour directed into the wind sail
receptor will produce approximately a megawatt of power. As a
comparison, for a current three blade wind mill arrangement, to produce
a like power output, the blade assembly diameter, across the hub must
be approximately two hundred feet. Which wind mill will, of course,
experience exponentially greater friction forces than those the six
foot diameter wind sail receptor of the invention will experiences in
like wind conditions. The wind sail receptor of the invention will,
accordingly, have lesser maintenance requirements than such two hundred
foot diameter wind mill, will be far cheaper to construct and maintain.
[0017] While a wind sail receptor formed from blade segments having
three to five blades, forming a six to ten blade assembly, the
invention can incorporate the single blade section of three to five
equal spaced blades that are fitted to an axle and, which blade
assembly will still function like, though not as efficiently, as the
stack of blade sections that form the six to ten blade assembly, within
the scope of this disclosure. The invention can be mounted in a frame
where the wind sail receptor is mounted to an axle journaled therein to
turn freely to receive an air flow directed therethrough. Further, the
invention mounted onto an axle can be turned by a power source in water
to produce an output thrust. Where the blade assembly of the invention
is to be turned by a wind or water flow, a frame is appropriate to
mount the axle between bearing, and where the wind sail receptor is for
use as a wind mill, such frame will be preferably mounted to a pivot
that, in turn, will be fitted to pivot on, a pole, tower, or the like.
Such frame can be a half or full hoop, or the like, that includes side
brackets for attachment between sides of a yoke that is fitted onto, to
rotate freely on a pole, to weather vane into a wind. Which frame to
also provide for mounting a power generating device, such as a
generator, to be turned by the turning blade assembly, generating power
that can be transmitted to a power storage device, such as a battery or
batteries, or the like. Additionally, the frame, rearwardly from the
blade assembly, can mount a rudder arrangement to provide for turning
the frame around its yoke pivot mount to weather vane and position the
blade assembly into the wind.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The invention may take physical form in certain parts and
arrangement of parts, and a preferred embodiments of which will be
described in detail in this specification and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings which form a part hereof:
[0019]
FIG. 1 shows a profile
perspective view taken from a left side and front end of a single
four-blade section of a wind sail receptor blade assembly of the
invention, with arrows illustrating a flow of wind entering the front
of the blade section, moving across each of the blades to exhaust off
from the blades trailing edges;
[0020]
FIG. 2 shows a top plan
view taken of a pair of a flat section of material that four radial
sections of material have been removed from, leaving four like spaced
apart blade portions extending outwardly from around a rear hub;
[0021]
FIG. 3 shows the
section of material of FIG. 2 after the blades have been bent to the
attitude shown in FIG. 1 and with the blade ends connected at equal
intervals around a forward disk that is shown as having a center hole
formed therethrough;
[0022]
FIG. 4 shows a front
elevation view of a preferred embodiment of an eight-blade wind sail
receptor assembly of the invention that consists of two sections of
wind sail receptor blade sections that, in their flat state of FIG. 2,
have been overlaid and joined together at their rear hubs and have had
their individual blades bent into the blade curve of FIG. 1 and secured
at equal spaced radial intervals around a single forward disk;
[0023]
FIG. 5 is a side
elevation view of the wind sail receptor of FIG. 4 showing an axle
extending at a right angle outwardly from the joined rear hubs;
[0024]
FIG. 6 is a front
perspective view of the wind sail receptor of FIGS. 4 and 5 axially
mounted between vertical supports of a half hoop shaped housing that is
fitted to a yoke that is, in turn, mounted through a pivot collar to
turn on a support pole, and showing a generator connected through
braces to the half hoop shaped housing, with the generator axially
connected at its rotor to a drive axle that is connected to and turned
by the wind sail receptor, and showing a rudder attached by rudder
braces to the half hoop shaped housing, rearwardly of the wind sail
receptor to act as a weather vane to turn the pivot mounted yoke and
connected half hoop shaped housing, with the wind sail receptor mounted
to turn freely therein and weathervane into a wind; and
[0025]
FIG. 7 shows a side
elevation view of the assembly of FIG. 6 and showing wires from the
generator for transmitting electrical energy generated by turning the
wind sail receptor.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] The invention is in a wind sail receptor for turning, responsive
to a flow of air therethrough, for producing usable power. FIG. 1 shows
a single four blade section 111 of a wind sail receptor 10, as shown in
FIGS. 4 through 6. Though, it should be understood, such single section
11 can consist of three to five blades, within the scope of this
disclosure. In FIG. 1 arrows A are included to illustrate the flow of
air around a curved portion of each of the identical blades 12, and
which curve is illustrated by arrows B in FIG. 2, and is produced by
bending each blade 12 between the rear hub 14 and end hole 13 in dog
leg 16, shown as broken line D in FIG. 1, The bending to produce a
curve or arc that is determined by a ratio of the distance between a
rear hub 14 and forward disk 18, shown as broken line E in FIG. 5,
referred to as axial distance, to the forward disk 18, forming the
blade 12, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. Which axial distance from the
rear hub 14 to forward disk 18 ratio is from point seventy-five (0.75)
to point eighty-five (0.85) of the blade length, taken from the rear
hub 14 to a connection hole 13, shown in FIG. 2, that is on the end of
a dog leg 16 and receives a fastener to connect the blade end to the
forward disk at one of spaced radial holes by a screw 19, or like
fastener, passed through holes 13 and turned into one of the forward
disk holes. Which holes are each spaced equally apart and are
equidistant from the center of which forward disk. The blade 12 curved
portion is formed by bending each blade 12, as indicated by arrow C.
The blade 12, to provide for which bending, includes the dog leg 16,
that extends from a rear hub section 15 wherethrough a center hole 14
is formed. The blade dog leg 16 has the hole 13 formed therethrough,
and the blade dog leg is bent, shown as arrows C, to where the hole 13
aligns over one of from three to ten equal spaced radial holes, with
four spaced holes shown in FIG. 3, formed through forward disk 18, as
shown in FIG. 1, to receive a fastener, like a screw 19, coupling the
blade dog leg end 16 at hole 13 onto the forward disk 18, at the center
of a forward end of the four blade section 11 of the wind sail receptor
10. The forward disk 18 and rear hub 15 are thereby spaced apart the
selected distance for the length of blade 12 to produce the desired
smooth curved surface therein. An axle 20 is rigidly mounted to the
extend across the forward disk 18 to the rear hub, spanning the
distance therebetween, and extending, at a right angle from the rear
hub 15 center, and which axle can extend beyond the rear hub 14, as
shown in FIG. 5, or out from the forward disk 18, for mounting through
bearings to turn in a frame or housing, like the frame 30, shown in
FIG. 6, and to connect to a power generating device, as discussed
herein below with respect to FIGS. 6 and 7. Further, the wind sail
receptor blade 10, it should be understood, can be arranged to be
turned in water at axle 20 by a power source, such as a motor, not
shown, to provide an output thrust, within the scope of this
disclosure. Also, where the wind sail receptor 19 is shown in the
drawings as being turned by wind, it should be understood that it can
positioned in, to be turned by a liquid, such as water, within the
scope of this disclosure.
[0027] FIG. 2 shows the single section 11 of wind sail receptor 10 as a
flat section that has been cut out of a flat piece of a flat stiff
material. As shown, like sections of material are removed at spaced
radial intervals from around the center of the section, leaving blades
12 forward or leading edges 12a, dog leg bend sides 16 with end holes
13 formed through the ends, rounded rear or trailing edges 12a, and
with flat ends 12c. Which blades 12 are shown identically bent through
smooth curves or arcs as shown in FIG. 2, and are connected, at radial
points around, to a forward disk 18. Which connection can be made with
fasteners 19 that are fitted through holes 13 formed at the ends of dog
leg sections 16, producing the blade section 11 of FIGS. 1 and 3, as
shown in FIG. 3. The blade single section 11 can be stamped out of a
sheet of an appropriate material, such as a thin gauge steel, plastic
or an elastomeric material, such as a polyurethane, or can be formed by
casting, molding or other appropriate methods, within the scope of this
disclosure.
[0028] As set out above, the invention involves the combination of the
two single sections 11 that are fitted together at their rear hubs and
with their blades 12 bent to and connected to the forward disk, forming
the wind sail receptor 10, as shown in FIGS. 4 through 7. Which wind
sail receptor 10, if three, four of five blade sections 11, are used
would have six, eight or ten blades respectively. The invention,
provides, in practice, approximately a ninety (90) percent and greater
efficiency in a utilization of an air flow passing into and through the
assembly. While an eight-blade 12 assembly is shown, it should be
understood that an assembly of two sections to form an assembly of six,
eight or twelve blades 12, is within the scope of this disclosure and
will produce a much more efficient wind conversion device than any
early wind mill assembly. Such wind sail receptor 10 provides for
efficiently converting wind energy into rotational energy by turning a
power generation device, such as a generator 45, shown in FIGS. 6 and
7. Though, it should be understood, a wind sail receptor 10 that
includes a single section 11 only of three, four or five blades, can be
used to convert wind energy into rotation of an axle 20 for turning a
power generation device, within the scope of this disclosure.
[0029] FIG. 4 shows a top plan view of the wind sail receptor 10 of the
invention, illustrating that, prior to bending of the blades 12, two of
the single sections 11 are fitted together, one over the other, and
with the rear hubs 15 of each secured together. So arranged, the blades
12 are equidistant from one another. Thereafter, the blades 12 are
individually bent to a selected arc or curve, as set out above, and are
each blade is connected to one of spaced radial holes formed in the
forward disk 18 as with fasteners 19. The forward disk holes are
equally spaced apart and are equidistant from the forward disk 18
center. The individual blades 12 dog leg sections 16 holes 13 are
aligned with the forward disk 18 holes and screws 19, or like
fasteners, are turned therein, securing the blades dog leg sections 16
to the forward disk 18. For the two four-blade sections 11, a spacing
distance of approximately forty-five (45) degrees, is thereby provided
between each of the eight blades 12 forward edges 12a, and the
direction of that air flow through the blades is like that shown in
FIG. 1 for the single section 11. Which air flow is directed around
each blade 12, traveling across the blades, as shown by arrows A in
FIG. 1, and off of the blades at trailing edge 12b. Air passage travels
along and follows the blade arc or curve, with the blades functioning
like a head or jib sail, converting approximately ninety (90) percent
of the wind energy of an eight to ten mile per hour wind passed into
blades 12. An axle 20, is shown in FIG. 5, that is secured to extend at
a right angle from the center of the joined rear hubs 15, within the
wind sail receptor 10, and connects through the center of the forward
disk 18. The axle 20 provides for a spacing distance between which
forward disk 18 and rear hubs 15 as relating to the blade length across
the dog leg section 16 for determining blade curve or arc, as set out
above, and may extend out from either, or both the forward disk 118 and
rear hub 14 for mounting in bearings in a frame 30, shown in FIGS. 6
and 7 as a half hoop, and for turning a power generation assembly, like
generator shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, for converting wind sail receptor 10
turning into a power output, as set out below.
[0030] FIGS. 6 and 7 show the wind sail receptor 10 axle 20 connected
to the forward disk 18 and rear hubs 15, and journaled through bearings
35, shown best in FIG. 7 that are mounted through forward and rear
horizontal members 31 and 32, respectively, of a frame 30. Which frame
30 is shown as having a half hoop shape. As shown, the frame 30 forward
horizontal member 31 is a bar that connects on its opposite ends to the
tops of the half frame 30 forward edge 30a, and the rear horizontal
member 32, is also a bar like the horizontal member 31 and connects at
its opposite ends to opposite ends of the half frame 30 at a rear edge
33. To mount the frame 30 wherein the wind sail receptor 10 is
journaled at bearings 35 to turn, the frame 30 includes a yoke 36 that
is rigidly secured at its ends 36a to bottom or undersurfaces of
brackets 37 that are secured, in horizontal alignment, to opposite
sides of the outer surface 30b of frame 30, proximate to the frame
ends. The yoke 36 further includes a straight male pole mount 38 that
is secured at a top end 38a to the frame undersurface, extending at a
right angle downwardly therefrom, and equidistant from the brackets 37.
Which straight male pole mount 38 is for fitting into, to turn freely
in, a head end of a pole, not shown, whose opposite end is mounted to
support the pole in a vertical attitude, with the forward end of the
wind sail receptor 10 facing into a wind.
[0031] To provide for wind sail receptor 10 positioning to face into a
wind, the pivot mounting of the yoke male pole mount 38 to the pole
head end is arranged to allow the wind sail receptor 10 and frame 30 to
turn through three hundred sixty (360) degrees. Shown in FIGS. 6 and 7,
to provide for which wind sail receptor 10 and frame 30 turning into a
wind, the frame 30 includes braces 40 that are each connected on a
forward end 40a to one of the brackets 37 and extend rearwardly to
connect, on rear ends 40b, to opposite sides of a tail or rudder 41.
The rudder 41, when acted upon by a wind, tends to weather vane into
the wind, turning the frame 30 and wind sail receptor 10 into, to face
into, that wind.
[0032] The wind sail receptor 10, facing into a wind, will be turned by
that wind, turning also the axially connected axle 20 that, in turn, is
connected to turn also a power generation device, converting wind
energy into usable energy. While the wind sail receptor 10, can be
connected to turn a number of power generation devices, for the purpose
of this disclosure, FIGS. 6 and 7 show an electrical generator 45
mounted to ends 46a of struts 46 that, in turn, are secured to the rear
surfaces of brackets 37, suspending the generator behind the wind sail
receptor 10, and ahead of the rudder 41. So arranged, the generator 45
rotor, not shown, connects to, and is turned by, the wind sail receptor
10 axle 20. That rotor is turned in an armature winding or stator
creating electrical current that is transferred through wires 45a to
transfer a flow of electricity from the generator 45 to an electrical
energy-operated device, not shown, to batteries, not shown, or into a
power grid, not shown. While an electrical generator 45 is shown herein
as a device that the wind sail receptor 10 of the invention can be
connected to so as to produce a power output, it should be understood
that other devices that are turned to produce an energy output could be
used within the scope of this disclosure, and that the wind sail
receptor is suitable for turning in a liquid flow, such as water, and
for turning in a liquid, such as water, to generate thrust.
[0033] Where the wind sail receptor 10 preferably includes the pair of
wind sail receptor sections 11 that are axially connected together, it
should be understood that a single wind sail receptor section 11 can be
utilized to produce wind power, within the scope of this disclosure.
Such single section 11, would not, however, be as efficient in
operation as is the pair of sections 11 arranged as the wind sail
receptor 10.
[0034] A preferred embodiment of the wind sail receptor of the
invention has been shown and described above. It will, however, be
apparent to one knowledgeable or skilled in the art that the above
described embodiment may incorporate changes and modifications without
departing from the general scope of this invention. Which invention is
therefore intended to include all such modifications and
alterations in so far as they come within the scope of the appended
claims and/or a reasonable equivalence thereof.
http://www.windsailreceptor.com
Richard A. Steinke graduated
from the University of Arizona in 1967,
majoring in Economics and Political Science. Since then he has
been
involved in many different business ventures. Following his
graduation, he was in oil and gas exploration and in the mining of
precious minerals throughout the Southwestern United States. He
also
owned his own real estate company and did custom homes and commercial
construction projects.
From 1985 - 1992, Mr. Steinke was Chairman and CEO of UTI Chemicals,
Inc., a developer and manufacturer of urethane chemical systems in
Irvine, California. He has several patents in the processing of
urethane systems and manufacturing techniques.
From 1992 - 1995, he served as Chairman and CEO of Alanco Environmental
Resources, Inc., a manufacturer of environmental/pollution control
equipment in Scottsdale, Arizona. At Alanco, Mr. Steinke received
five
patents in the air pollution industry using a dry scrubber system for
removing gases from a gas stream. Since then he has received
another
patent which simplifies all of the above procedures.
From 1995 - 2007, Mr. Steinke served as Chairman and CEO of Amerityre
Corporation. He has received several patents in tire design,
equipment, and manufacturing processes. Along with another
person, he
invented a polyurethane chemical system for the replacement of rubber
tires. This is the only urethane system to pass Department of
Transportation tests. He also invented a polyurethane foam that
contains a closed cell system which is used for low-duty cycle tires
such as bicycles and lawn and garden
tires.
Currently Mr. Steinke serves as President and CEO of Wind Sail
Receptor, Inc. He has invented a new windmill technology using
polyurethane blades and has received the patent on the Wind Sail
Receptor design for wind and water turbines. He is now building a
1-Megawatt unit in Boulder City, Nevada.