Wind Turbine Cellular Tower

Description of Figures

Figure 1 shows wind turbine cellular tower 100a in accordance with the invention. The wind turbine cellular tower is shown as including three turbine blades 102, where each turbine blade has incorporated within it a cellular antenna 104. While three turbine blades is industry-typical of wind towers, however is not so limited. Indeed, the invention may be implemented on towers that have two or more turbine blades. In all a cellular antenna is incorporated within each turbine blade.

Not shown in Figure 1, multiple antennae may be incorporated into each turbine blade. Multiple antennae would enable multiple carrier/operator support. For example, if each turbine blade incorporated two antennae, one antenna on each blade could be configured for the RF/cellular signals corresponding to a first cellular carrier, while the other antennae could be configured for the RF/cellular signals corresponding to a second cellular carrier.

The cellular antennae 104 are integrated with the turbine blades 102 typically between three and five meters from their connection to the nacelle 112, as indicated by circle 110, of course they may be located anywhere along the turbine blades. However, the further that the antennae are located from the nacelle, the more rapidly the antennae will be rotating which may require additional processing support (e.g., by the antenna radio) in order to supply reliable communication with cellular devices.

Cellular antennae 104 are omni-directional antennae, each able to transmit and receive cellular (RF) signals.

As shown in Figure 1 and due to the remoteness of wind turbines, the wind turbine cellular tower is equipped with a microwave antenna 108 to send and receive cellular data with remotely positioned a cellular network node (i.e., a remote cellular network node in relation to the wind turbine cellular tower). Microwave antenna 106 is located on tower 114 below the lowest extent 106 of the turbine blades 102 so that the turbine blades do not interfere with the microwave transmissions to and from microwave antenna 107 as they rotate.

Due to the wind turbine cellular tower’s typical remoteness from common infrastructure, the cellular features of the wind turbine cellular tower 100a operate on battery power of batteries (not shown) associated with the wind turbine cellular tower. Indeed, the charge supplied to the batteries is generated by and drawn from the power generating capabilities of the wind turbine cellular tower itself.

Figure 2 shows a pictorial diagram illustrating an alternative of a wind turbine cellular tower 100b formed in accordance with the disclosed invention. Indeed, in some circumstances there may be infrastructure suitably close to tower 100b such that microwave communications are not needed. Instead, the wind turbine cellular tower 100b may communicate with and utilize a base station 202. In some embodiments, the base station 202 may have a microwave antenna 204, though in alternative embodiments (not shown), tower 100b may communicate with a cellular network node via an optic fiber connection, a wired connection, or a combination of both optic and wired connections. As can be seen in comparison to tower 100a of Figure 1, the system surrounding tower 102b includes base station 202 that utilizes microwave frequencies to connect with a cellular network node via microwave antenna 204.

Figure 3 shows a pictorial diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of a nacelle 112 of a wind turbine cellular tower, such as either of wind turbine cellular towers 100a or 100b, formed in accordance with aspects of disclosed invention.

A configuration of a nacelle will include an alternator section 306 that includes rotating magnets and stationary coils. Indeed, through the rotation of the main shaft 310, power is generated through the alternator section. The typical nacelle further includes main bearings 308 that stabilize the main shaft as it rotates in response to the wind turning the wind turbine’s turbine blades.

Also included as part of the typical nacelle are power brushes and slip rings that enable power to pass through the nacelle and down tower 114. Also included in this typical nacelle configuration are yaw bearings that stabilize the nacelle as wind is turning the turbine blades, and as the nacelle rotates to face (with the turbine blades) the source direction of the wind.

In addition to the typical nacelle features and according to aspects of the disclosed inventive subject matter, wired connections 302 pass down each turbine from the omni-directional cellular antennae 104 to one of set of slip rings. Usage of the slip rings allows the transfer (both Tx and Rx) of cellular signals between the cellular antennae 104 and the antennae radio 314. Thus, while not shown, antennae radio 314 is connected via a wired connection to the slip rings 304 associated with the cellular antennae 104.

In addition to its connection to the slip rings 304, and because the nacelle can rotate, antennae radio 314 is maintains a communication connection to the cellular network (either via microwave communications as described in relation to Figure 1 or via wired connections are described in relation to Figure 2) via one of slip rings 316. Indeed, slip rings 316 communicate both power (as generated by the turning of the turbine blades) and cellular communications.

While the antennae radio 314 is illustrated in Figure 3 as being within the nacelle, the present invention is not so limited. In alternative options the radio could be located outside of the nacelle, such as in the tower’s base station 202 discussed in Figure 2. In either case, the wired connection between the antennae and the antennae radio is maintained via one or more slip rings.

Main shaft 310, post 320, and stub mast 322 are hollow or have a channel in which wired connections for at least, cellular communications and/or data, can pass.

Also shown as part of the overall nacelle assembly is tail boom 312 which assists in alignment of the turbine with the source direction of the wind.

Patent pending - 63/651,895

Based in Arizona USA, for more information contact via info@microcellularsystems.com