Windpower Exchange

Comment

Comment by Douglas DeCandia on March 8, 2010 at 12:11pm

Hey Willian Ashe,
One of the wind-modifying techniques I have seen is a big-*ss funnel that was mounted in a natural, high-velocity, wind channel.
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2007/11/wind_dam_in_situ_ready_sq.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.dezeen.com/2007/11/06/wind-dam-by-chetwood-associates/&h=450&w=450&sz=75&tbnid=kcy_mkyb9EeXiM:&tbnh=127&tbnw=127&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dwind%2Bfunnel&hl=en&usg=__LIufgwl3hmFbtJ9CiNx975mzsAY=&ei=DleVS6bTL4vgtgOOiKH8Aw&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=2&ct=image&ved=0CA4Q9QEwAQ
This is not a new idea, though, and I am curious if this is the concept you are planning to build on. If not, could you tell me more about your idea of airflow modification? What kind of scale are we talking about? Materials?
I mean... a possible concept would be to double-duty a hydro dam. To mod the face of a hydro-electric dam to produce hydro electricity as well as wind generation. The dam valley is generally well sutited as an effective wind duct while the flat faces of the dam could serve as a wind-catcher. Slap a few v-gens on the surface of the dam, set a bunch of turbines facing downward... wind power. An unsophisticated suggestion, but is something of this scale what you are considering?

Comment by S Raghavan on March 4, 2010 at 7:25pm

I am working on a idea of small wind turbines (1Kw to 15Kw)- which can be installed on rooftops of multistory buildings. I am also working on design of wind turbine system which can work in wind speeds ranging from 5 KM/h to 10 KW/h. As soon as possible, I will upload pictures of my design.

Comment by doug cooley on March 2, 2010 at 12:59pm

I have a new product coming to market by july 2010 that will feed clean dry air to wind turbine gear boxes as well as generator housings and other enclosures requiring moisture protection. It will be especially useful in offshore installations where maintenance issues are exponentially costly. This device has a relatively small energy consumption and operates only a few cycles per hour with cycle life over 100,000 cycles or nearly 5 years operation before maintenance. It will sell for between $7000.00 and $12,000.00 depending on size and environment. This device could potentially reduce operation and maintenance costs over a 30 year life by between 20 to 50 times its cost.

Comment by Allen Williston on March 2, 2010 at 6:43am

It is very interesting reading our comments and ideas! I am in the process of testing a 'non-traditional' type of wind turbine and as soon as we are allowed to publicize pictures, etc. I'll put them here (if possible). Our project is trying to develop kW size turbines (from 10kW up to 250kW) with a focus on "standard" technology - i.e. components may be manufactured close to the wind farm site. The technology comes in the wind capture method and the controls necessary to allow operation in winds as low as 7 mph and as high as 70 mph. I'll keep you posted!

Comment by James B on February 26, 2010 at 7:27am

Blade profile optimisation is big business and all commercial wind turbine blade profiles are closely guarded.
There is a large amount of activity as you progress along the blade and the amount of twist on the blade along the changing airfoil profiles make them very complex pieces of kit.
Most of the optimisation is done using CFD and infact have done some myself and can take a lot of analysis even though in essence the geometry is simple.
There are also a few companies looking in to using winglets on their blades in order to increase the effective wing span.
I have heard that on the new seimens offshore turbine blade that inside the blade you need to have a scaffolding to reach the top of it!!! They are absolutely massive!!!!

Comment by H. Geiser on February 26, 2010 at 6:41am

The only "wind-influencing" I have seen so far, was removing some (small) terrain "bumps" on a hillside to remove turbulence. Other than that, Leviatan Energy has come up with some contraption (they call it wind-energizer): http://www.leviathanenergyinc.com/wind-energizer.html to optimize flow, but I can't tell the effectiveness of such contraption.
Regarding the blade profiles there is a lot of activity to find more efficient ones, and of different types, but so far it seems that the industry is still going with the proven (more or less conventional) type.
I can immagine, that innovation in blade design would first come to small and medium size turbines, before the "big" ones change, because of the risk to invest in this large models with the inherent structural callenges, as James B mentioned before.

Comment by James B on February 26, 2010 at 1:25am

The reason wind turbines are designed the way they are is because having tried many iterations this design is the most effiecient vs cost effective. Companies have not invested billions into the industry just to try and come up with the worst solution!
As to artificially influencing the wind, on the large scale it is impractical. Best that can be done is an in depth examination of the local wind effects and terrain cfd to look for the be quality wind and areas to place turbines.
But have seen some cfd models looking at the effectiveness of a shroud to improve turbine efficiency and in some tidal prototypes a venturi tube has been employed to improve efficiency. Btu for a 100m diameter rotor this is structurally a nightmare and currently impractical.

Comment by Jerome Silverman on February 25, 2010 at 11:32am

Ask anybody who sails boats on a lake or near a shore. The geography creates wind channels that the sailers exploit.

Comment by Djordje Dragojlovic on February 25, 2010 at 11:07am

I have heared many different opinions on how to optimize energy generation but it seems that, when it comes to wind turbines, so far the conventional solution with the generator in the air is the most optimal one. Also bigger wind turbines are more efficient than the smaller ones (up to a certain limit). However i have never heard nor read anything about attempts to artificialy create stronger wind currents or make them more stable. There are some areas where wind is strong but unstable, blowing in such a manner that is not adequate for maximal efficiency of wind turbine. When powerful wind such as tornado is created it keeps fueling itself to a certain point, just like when you light a fire it burns on its own while there is fuel. Has anyone heard of an attempt to influence wind currents by creating artificial conditions. Basically it would mean to engage some power to create artificial conditions that will enable to produce more energy than in normal conditions. This may sound a little like SF, but i think i am not the only one with this idea. Maybe it is something to consider in the future.

Comment by william ashe on February 25, 2010 at 3:05am

I was thinking on the drive shaft method mentioned earlier , could you use a hydrolic fluid instead of the long drive staft, by moveing the generator to the ground level, place a pump on the turbine, run hoses to turbine and from the generator. turning from the top could spin the generator at the bottom no drive shaft.

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