Evolutionary Patented Design


Wind Power Cube is a viable alternative to existing wind energy products. There are several facets of the Company's product that are unique:

Shape

The first unique feature is the shape. We have, essentially, taken a windmill and put it in a square box.

Being square has a lot of advantages. Aesthetically, it looks nicer since buildings are square. It's much easier to transport and install a square box than it is to work with something round. Our square design allows multiple strong mounting combinations; bottom, top, sides or any combination. And, the square design is also perfectly suited to place on the top of commercial buildings and stack in grid format on a wind farm.

No Axle or Hub

Our turbine design does not utilize a center axle and generator. Our turbine is supported around the outer rim so there is no need for an axle. Eliminating the axle, hub or any central generator eliminates central air flow interference and contributes to a slimmer profile.

Maximum Winds

Traditional turbines have blades that radiate out from a central hub. Simple leverage dictates that the wind pressure on the blade tips puts tremendous stress on the hub. To prevent catastrophic blade damage, traditional turbines must limit operation in high winds.

We have placed a rim around the turbine. Having our turbine supported around the peripheral makes the unit much stronger. Our design supports the blades where support is needed most, at the tip, allowing continuous operation in very high winds.

Simple Blades

Traditional wind turbine blades are aerodynamically shaped like an airplane wing and must be positioned at the correct angle to create lift to rotate the blades. This can be a problem in turbulent winds. Turbines that adjust the blade orientation add a lot of complexity and moving parts, not to mention repair costs. In winter, ice build-up can create air separation resulting in loss of lift and possible stall of an aerodynamic blade.

Our blades (vanes) are like a farm windmill. The blades are displaced as wind deflects off the surface creating rotation. Even ice does not prevent the air displacement. Using air deflection allows the blades to perform in turbulent and indirect winds. Having our blades contained within an outer rim contributes to increased efficiency. Wind is not able to divert off the tip. Instead it is forced over the blade end producing rotation.

Wind Direction

The bi-directional simplicity of our blade design allows our product to work with wind coming from either the front or back. This bidirectional feature works well for fixed placement in coastal on-shore and off-shore winds or mountain region updraft and downdraft winds. It also makes it practical to install fixed units on commercial buildings aimed into the prevailing wind.

Since the turbine works with wind from either direction, there is no need to rotate more than 180 degrees. The module frame allows installation of optional center pivot bearings at the top and bottom, which allows for ~180 degree wind rotation. Only rotating halfway prevents power cable wrapping, common with typical tower style turbines.

Power

Our generator is built around the peripheral of the turbine where it does not interfere with central turbine airflow, which improves turbine efficiency. Power is produced by Neodymium magnets (rotor) passing by stationary coils (stator).

All wind turbines are constrained by the laws of physics. Our design generates the same power for the same diameter as traditional turbines. Wind power increases with the cube of the wind speed. Our design allows operation in higher winds, thereby generating greater maximum power than traditional turbines.

Micro-Generation

Need more power - add more Wind Power Cubes. That's the beauty of micro-generation. Instead of buying a single large wind turbine, micro-generation lets you start with one and add as needed.

Each Wind Power Cube generates multi-phase A/C power internally and converts (rectifies) the power into D/C. D/C power lets you connect multiple units in parallel to increase the total power output to your inverter system.

Turbulence

The bigger the wind turbine, the bigger and longer the turbulence created. Turbulence from a single wind turbine effects other turbines located downstream, requiring larger distances between turbines as they get bigger. The turbulence can effect localized micro-climates, nearby airports and even radar. The Air Force recently has stalled many planned wind farms due to concerns of radar interference.

Because there are more blades and the blades are closer together, turbulence generated from windmill style blades is shorter in length. This reduces the long range turbulence allowing for closer placement and less downwind impact. The smaller size of the wind power cube greatly reduces radar signature.

Wind Farm

Traditional wind turbines for wind farms are constantly getting bigger. While this sounds good for young sites, mechanical stresses on large turbines require frequent and expensive service and repairs. The shear size of the components make any repair very costly and even dangerous. Having a single wind turbine off-line for damage or repair represents a sizeable loss in power production and revenue.

We suggest replacing a single large turbine with a grid of smaller wind power cubes makes more sense. Should a wind power cube require repair, the rest of the units continue to produce power. This means a failure results in less impact and cost to a wind farm. Wind power cubes can be swapped out with minimal effort or danger allowing energy production to stay near peak performance.

Safety

The wind power cube is safer to install and work near, because our frame encases the spinning turbine. This feature allows safe installation on commercial roofs and towers, because workers know where the spinning turbine is. It's also easier to handle and hoist a pre-assembled square product instead of field assembly of multiple parts.

Environment

We have all seen the tremendous marvel of the big wind turbines. It takes an enormous amount of resources to make one. And resources to transport it. And resources to install it. And resources to maintain it.

Our wind turbine design is easier to build, transport, install and service, all resulting in less energy consumed. Our design utilizes industry standard components, sourced from regional suppliers wherever possible, reducing custom manufacturing requirements and shipping distances.

Bird Kills

It is estimated wind farms will kill at least 1 million birds a year in the U.S. by 2030, including endangered species, such as eagles. Traditional aerodynamic wind turbines present a danger to all types of birds in all types of areas. Unfortunately, there is no way to completely prevent strikes for this type of turbine.

Our windmill style blades are larger, flatter profile, making them more visible to birds with a frame that presents a defined shape to the obstruction. The blades are also closer together making a more visible reference and can be painted for a colorful reference. Having visible turbine blades is extremely important for off-shore wind farms, since birds have no expectation of obstacles.

Quiet

The acoustic noise of thumping downward blades has sleepless neighborhoods tearing down existing wind turbines and wind farms. Traditional wind turbine blades create both audible and low-frequency noise that is annoying and possibly harmful to humans. Just search the web for wind turbine noise and you will find this becoming a major problem.

Our blades work differently, using deflection rather than aerodynamic lift. We also use more blades, closer together, leaving less open areas that can have a large pressure differential. And our blades effectively have no tip because they are connected to an outer rim, so it's impossible to create any tip noise.

Built to Last

Our wind turbine is built for longevity, weatherability and serviceability. All structural components are heavy aluminum and stainless steel, coated to protect from salty air and inclement weather. All bolts and fasteners are stainless steel. We use NASA inspired bearings made of long lasting ceramic, allowing for absolute minimum friction that never needs lubrication. The outer skins are resilient UV protected automotive fiberglass reinforced plastic like that used in RV's. Our turbine blades can be constructed of aluminum, fiberglass or carbon fiber. All parts are accessible and field replaceable.

Competition

Competition is good. Multiple products and ideas provide flexibility. We applaud our competition for the innovation and dependable products they build. There are many good quality wind turbine products and approaches to producing renewable energy in the market. It would be foolish to presume we have a solution that could fit every requirement or guarantee a better result in every case.

Evolution

Our product is an EVOLUTION of the wind turbine. What we bring to the market is a newly patented approach to produce energy from the wind. We know our product is the only one of it's kind to support a rotating turbine without the use of an axle. This innovation allows us to create a product that delivers unique attributes that contribute to world energy.