Posted on 05/20/2015 6:58:43 PM PDT by Jack Hydrazine
What do you get if you take the blades off a wind turbine? A better wind turbine.
That sounds like a joke, but that’s actually more or less the model of a new wind turbine prototype. Instead of blades that turn in the breeze, the turbine is just a hollow straw that sticks up 40 feet from the ground and vibrates like a guitar string when the wind thrums by.
The Spanish engineers who founded Vortex Bladeless in 2010 said they were inspired by the Tacoma Narrows Bridge disaster (maybe not the best pitch for clean energy to a disaster-wary public, but I’ll leave that to their marketing department). Here’s how it actually works, from Wired:
"Instead of capturing energy via the circular motion of a propeller, the Vortex takes advantage of what’s known as vorticity, an aerodynamic effect that produces a pattern of spinning vortices. Vorticity has long been considered the enemy of architects and engineers, who actively try to design their way around these whirlpools of wind. And for good reason: With enough wind, vorticity can lead to an oscillating motion in structures, which, in some cases, like the … Tacoma Narrows Bridge, can cause their eventual collapse."
"At the base of the cone are two rings of repelling magnets, which act as a sort of nonelectrical motor. When the cone oscillates one way, the repelling magnets pull it in the other direction, like a slight nudge to boost the mast’s movement regardless of wind speed. This kinetic energy is then converted into electricity via an alternator that multiplies the frequency of the mast’s oscillation to improve the energy-gathering efficiency."
The result is a turbine that’s 50 percent less expensive than a bladed one, nearly silent, and, as one of the turbine’s engineers put it, “looks like asparagus” (sorry, Quixote). And while each Vortex turbine is also 30 percent less efficient at capturing energy, wind farms can double the number of turbines that occupy a given area if they go bladeless. That’s a net energy gain of 40 percent for you non-mathletes out there.”
Plus, the turbine has no gears or moving parts; theoretically maintenance could be much easier than a traditional bells-and-whistles spinning one. No shade to my three-bladed friends, but I can’t complain about a cheaper, more accessible wind-powered future.
Plus it won’t slice and dice birds.
I note that the article does not mention if any FULL SIZE ones have been built. The “specs” for standard turbines are great .. its reality that gets in the way.
Sure about that.
Go back and look at the Tacoma Narrows Bridge disaster.
Think ‘rods whipping about in the air’.
It might be more like the Whomping Willow from Harry Potter.
I think the narrow base in a strong windstorm could be a problem.
Screwing with the wind will eventually affect earth’s rotation, or so the greens will be whining in 100 years...
With all of the magnetic forces at work, the birds may have a difficult time navigating.
The plus is that their are no minced birds. What kind of sound does it produce? If these “straws” are oscillating in the wind, it might create a subsonic humming that makes dental fillings drop out.
Burn gas and oil and coal!!!!!!
This thing might tickle earthworms with its vibrations.
That's awesome! I was hoping someone would invent a wind mill which sucked even more at capturing energy!
No moveable parts??
Much like CONGRE$$
You also may want to look for “Galloping Gertie”
At a certain level, with enough turbines, they will effect local weather. Wind turbines act as a sort of "air brake" reducing overall wind velocity. By definition they are syphoning energy out of the wind. Just as damming up a river for hydro power effects the river, damming up the wind would have to effect weather patterns.
We all need to make some sacrifices.
/s
“This thing might tickle earthworms with its vibrations.”
If it was invented by a French guy we could call them French ticklers!
Well since these devices could look like Asherah Poles, some sacrifices may indeed be made...
Well since these devices could look like Asherah Poles, some sacrifices may indeed be made.
Or...
They could be “Maypoles” and we could all sing;
Ring-a-round the rosie,
A pocket full of posies,
Ashes! Ashes!
We all fall down
How long is it going to take for these systems to pay for themselves, I wonder.
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