Introduction to Modern Wind Turbines - Wind Turbine Technology: Fundamental Concepts of Wind Turbine Engineering - page 62

General Coniguration of a Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine
There are several types of vertical-axis wind turbines, each with its own distinctive fea-
tures. Figure 2-11 presents the general coniguration of a modern VAWT of the Darrieus
type, named after the inventor of this distinctive curved-blade rotor. Its principal subsystems
are (1) the rotor, (2) the power train, (3) the support structure, (4) the foundations, and (5)
the ground equipment station. While some of the subsystem and component names are com-
mon to both VAWTs and HAWTs, their conigurations are often quite different. Symmetry
about its vertical axis allows a VAWT to accept winds from any direction, so no yaw drive
mechanism is needed. This is one of its primary advantages.
Figure 2-11. Schematic views of the principal components of a modern VAWT. (a)
General coniguration