A Darrieus turbine is one of the two main types of vertical-axis wind turbine; the other is the Savonius turbine. The Darrieus turbine has long, thin blades in the shape of loops connected to the top and bottom of the axle; it is often called an "eggbeater windmill." It is named after the French engineer Georges Darrieus who patented the design in 1931. (It was manufactured by the US company FloWind which went bankrupt in 1997). The Darrieus turbine is characterized by its C-shaped rotor blades which give it its eggbeater appearance. It is normally built with two or three blades.