B
brian mitchell
- Jan 1, 1970
- 0
Hi,
from looking around at all the information on wind turbines I get the
sense that there's a certain scientific macho at work. Everything has to
be super-efficient, with rotor-blades as thin as knitting needles,
perfect pitch and razored lift, etc.
As I (unscientifically) understand it, this is because the power
generation is all predicated on wind *velocity*. This may be fine if you
live where Atlantic gales come screeching up the loch and you need heavy
stones on the roof to keep it in place, but not many of us do. I
actually live in Wales in the UK, which can be quite windy, but I am in
sight of a trio of large wind turbines and they never seem to be turning
--though they look impressive.
My question is whether, for people who don't live in ideal (regular,
strong, non-turbulent) wind conditions, it wouldn't be better to think
in terms of wind *pressure*? With this, the rotor-blade would be more a
sail than a wing and one would be wanting to maximise area rather than
lift. Being slow-turning, the alternator part would have to be geared.
Or, as I've been pondering, be arranged around the rim of the rotor so
as to utilise the tip speed.
Does anyone know if a) this makes any sense, b) anyone else is thinking
in this general direction? Are there plans available? I know there is
the Savonius rotor, which is a pressure device, but would seem to me to
suffer from only being driven for about a third of its rotation, the
rest being windage. But I could be very wrong, I know. Does anyone have
experience of these rotors?
Looking forward to hearing some thoughts on this...
brian mitchell
from looking around at all the information on wind turbines I get the
sense that there's a certain scientific macho at work. Everything has to
be super-efficient, with rotor-blades as thin as knitting needles,
perfect pitch and razored lift, etc.
As I (unscientifically) understand it, this is because the power
generation is all predicated on wind *velocity*. This may be fine if you
live where Atlantic gales come screeching up the loch and you need heavy
stones on the roof to keep it in place, but not many of us do. I
actually live in Wales in the UK, which can be quite windy, but I am in
sight of a trio of large wind turbines and they never seem to be turning
--though they look impressive.
My question is whether, for people who don't live in ideal (regular,
strong, non-turbulent) wind conditions, it wouldn't be better to think
in terms of wind *pressure*? With this, the rotor-blade would be more a
sail than a wing and one would be wanting to maximise area rather than
lift. Being slow-turning, the alternator part would have to be geared.
Or, as I've been pondering, be arranged around the rim of the rotor so
as to utilise the tip speed.
Does anyone know if a) this makes any sense, b) anyone else is thinking
in this general direction? Are there plans available? I know there is
the Savonius rotor, which is a pressure device, but would seem to me to
suffer from only being driven for about a third of its rotation, the
rest being windage. But I could be very wrong, I know. Does anyone have
experience of these rotors?
Looking forward to hearing some thoughts on this...
brian mitchell