Is there a way to 'switch OR engage/disengage' power between two different rotating shafts depending on a set RPM (wind speed)?

Question

I'm a final year mechanical eng student, I'm working on designing a prototype of a 'Hybrid vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT)". This hybrid turbine consists of two types of VAWTs Savonius & Darrieus, one providing good 'starting torque' at 'low wind speed' another, needs 'high starting torque' and ' high wind speeds' but, can spin faster than Savonius turbine (no limiting drag). So I want to combine both of these to enjoy both of these turbines' advantages, thus trying to nullify each others' disadvantages. To do this I'll be needing a switching OR engage/disengage mechanism which can switch between both turbines' shafts... Savonius turbine shaft engaged with Darrieus's shaft until Savonius assists Darrieus in starting & speeding up and after reaching its drag-limiting speed, Savonius's shaft has to disengage from the Darrieus's thereby letting it spin independently with Savonius's shaft disengaged. Here the engaging & disengaging are going to happen at a wind speed of 7 m/s. Please suggest to me if there's a mechanism that can do this switching AND if there's a mechanism that doesn't use electrical power or servo motors for the switching actuation mechanism. Any suggestion is appreciated. Thanks in advance! :)

Answer 1

You are looking for a one-way clutch or freewheel. You will be familiar with these from a bicycle wheel chain-drive cassette. The chain drives the wheel until the wheel's rotational speed exceeds that of the driving sprocket.