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Abstract

The invention discloses versions of a horizontal axis wind turbine and methodologies for the design of wind turbines, which are capable of extracting both kinetic and thermal energy from the wind. The wind turbines disclosed use a large diameter forward inlet fairing to accelerate the airflow to the more effective outer radii of the turbine rotor where the airflow is constrained by an airfoil-shaped flow control ring. This serves to prevent rotor tip losses, to inhibit wake expansion, and to accelerate the airflow through the turbine. A similarly large diameter aft pressure recovery fairing promotes rotation and contraction of the wake downstream of the turbine. Further methodologies for optimization and detail design are disclosed.

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First Claim