Free Wind, LLC               

The stationary version of our vertical-axis, vortex-driven wind energy conversion system is known as WinDynamo(tm). It includes a stationary exterior cowling which, using baffles and louvers creates two internal vortices.

The lower (drive) whirlwind is accelerated and trapped by curved baffles and hinged louvers to create a powertful, high-velocity air-flow, which drives a specially-designed turbine located at the top of the lower whirlwind chamber.

The upper (extraction) vortex creates a very low pressure area above the turbine to increase the power and velocity of the air-flow through the turbine. The used air exits through an opening at the top of the cowling.

The turbine turns a shaft which spins a patented low-inertia EZ-Tach(tm) flywheel located in the lower part of the machine. The flywheel allows the drive train to spin-up easily, but keeps it spinning between wind gusts to reduce the amplitude of the oscillations in electrical output.

The flywheel also serves as the dynamo for the generating device and as a cooling fan for the electric coils and the computer, which controls a transformer, adjusting the current flow to stabilize the drive-train's RPM.

Below the flywheel on the drive-shaft is a compressed-air turbine, which can utilize energy stored in compressed air to keep the machine generating during low-wind or high-demand periods. The valve which regulates the flow of compressed air is also controlled by the onboard computer.

The biggest advantages WinDynamo has over existing wind energy conversion equipment are:

1) It will be able to produce geometrically-increasing amounts of electricity from much higher winds than propeller-style units can tolerate. They must "feather-out" at winds as low as 40 MPH. WinDynamo should be able to produce at much higher velocities, and store any excess as compressed air for later use. (The energy in wind increases 8-fold with a doubling of velocity.)

2) The entire wind-catching area of the WinDynamo(tm) will be above the top of the support structure. The higher you go, the more wind there is.

3) Being vertical-axis, WinDynamo is silent, vibration-free, and puts very little lateral stress on its support structure, greatly increasing the life of the support structure.

4) Because it has a stationary exterior cowling, a protective mesh can be installed around the intakes to prevent birds, bats or debris from coming in contact with the turbine, and lightning rods can be installed on top to prevent storm damage.

5) WinDynamo can be located in cities and suburbs, where the electricity it makes will be used. Because it can accept wind from any direction without reorientation, it is tolerant of turbulent, shifting, non-laminar air flows such as are caused by vertical obstacles, such as buildings. The cowling will contain any mechanical failure without damage to surrounding infrastructure.