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5/20/2015
NewWindTurbineGeneratesElectricityWithoutRotatingBlades|IFLScience
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TECHNOLOGY
New Wind Turbine Generates Electricity WithoutRotating
BladesMay18,2015|byCarolineReid
photocredit:BladelesswindturbinebyVortex
Thisnewwindturbinewobbleselegantlyinthewind,generatingelectricitywithoutrotatingblades.Itlookslikeasparagus,saysDavidSuriol,oneofthefounders.
ASpanishcompanycalledVortexBladelesshasproducedawindturbinethattakesadvantageofthevorticesproducedwhenwindmovesaroundanobstacle.
Ifyouputanyobjectinthepathofthewind,itwillcreateanundulatingvortexbehindthebarrier.Thisisaproblemthathasplaguedengineersforyears:bridgeshavefallenduetowindeddies.
VortexBladelessengineershavedesignedtheirturbinetotakeadvantageofthisvortex.Thethin,coneshapedturbineismadeofcarbonfiberandfiberglasswiththemotoratthebottominsteadofthetop(liketraditionalturbines)toimprovesturdiness.Thedesignensuresthatthewind'svortexspinssynchronouslyalongtheentirecone.Theswirlshavetoworktogethertoachievegoodperformance,Villarrealexplains.Thereisalsoaringofmagnetsatthebaseoftheconethatgivetherotationsaboostregardlessofwindspeed.
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5/20/2015
NewWindTurbineGeneratesElectricityWithoutRotatingBlades|IFLScience
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TherearemanyadvantagestothenewVortexdesign:Itischeapertomanufacturethancurrentpinwheelturbines.Maintenancepricesarealsolowerbecausethereisnofrictionfrommechanicallymovingparts(e.g.,thebladesonatraditionalturbine),whichreducestheneedforoilingandboltreplacement.Itiscompletelysilentandbirdscanflyaroundthemsafely(thoughithasyettobeannouncedwhethertheturbineisnestproof.)
Newwindtechnology,however,alwaysreceivessomeskepticism:Mostwindharvestingtechnologiesonlyworkatafractionoftheirmostefficientoutput.Windturbinesneedsmooth,laminarairflowthekindyouonlyreallyfindatabout100meters(328feet)abovetheground.Thewindthatweknowandlovetohateisturbulent,messyandgenerallynogoodforwindturbines.Vortexclaimsthattheirwindturbinecanadapttoanywindspeedwiththeassistanceofthemagnetsinitscorehowever,thedetailsonhowthisactuallyworksarefrustratinglyhardtocomeby.
TheVortexdevicehasbeencomputationallymodeled,testedinawindtunnel,andthereareprototypesoutintheopen,butdetailsontestscarriedoutbythecompanyorindependentlabsarecurrentlyscant.Itisalsonotthefirstwindturbinetotakeadvantageofoscillatorytechnology.Researchersinthe'80sfoundthattheswirlingoscillationsweretoorandomforreliablepowergeneration,andthespeedofoscillationsputalotofstressonthestructureandcausedittobreakdownunexpectedly.
Theideahasn'tbeenterriblysuccessfulinthepast,soitwillbeinterestingtoseehowVortexBladelesstacklesthesechallenges.WhilethisinventionmightnotrevolutionizeEarth'srenewablepowersourcesjustyet,it'sstillexcitingtoseewhatdesignersarecreating.
Readthisnext:AntarcticIceShelfSetToCollapseWithinACentury
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5/20/2015
NewWindTurbineGeneratesElectricityWithoutRotatingBlades|IFLScience
http://www.iflscience.com/technology/newbladelesswindturbinelooksasparagus
3/10
byTaboolaPromotedLinks
tags bladeless,windturbine,vortex
Commentsforthisthreadarenowclosed.
67Comments IFLScience Login1
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Pepijn
17hoursago"Thereisalsoaringofmagnetsatthebaseoftheconethatgivetherotationsaboostregardlessofwindspeed."thisisringingalarmbellsforme.Soundslike
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NewWindTurbineGeneratesElectricityWithoutRotatingBlades|IFLScience
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4/10
boostregardlessofwindspeed."thisisringingalarmbellsforme.Soundslikepseudoscience.Couldyouelaborateonthis?Isthereactuallyagoodreasonforthesemagnets,forinstancereducingfrictionorsomethinglikethat?
9
TomaszSzewczyk
18hoursagoItscalledVOrtexSheddingMrOnlinedegreefakeroInigineeero
1
DavidEbert
adayagoDidyouknowthatanysecondhandelectricmotorturnedbackwardsisagenerator?Youcansetupyourowngenerationsystemwithsecondhandgearusinganykineticenergysource.Trydiggingamillraceonthatstreambyyourhouse,makeapaddletoharnessthewindinthattalltreeinyouryard,putageneratoronanexercisebiketorunaTV...useyourimagination.Iknowaguywhofiguredoutanelectricbikeforhimself,thatuseslittleelectricmotorstochargethebatterywhenhe'sgoingdownhillorpedaling.Heneverhastoseparatelychargethebattery,andalwayshasextrapowerwhenhegetstired.Hestartedoutbyusingtwooldfashionedheadlightgenerators,butfoundsomesmallmotorsthatworkedbetter.Thisisfunstuff.
6
backprop
18hoursago>DavidEbertWell,notjust'any'motor.AtypicalA/Cmotorwon't,forexample.So,don'tjustgooutandspinanyoldmotorandhopeelectricitycomesout!
2
GuyC
19hoursago>DavidEbertSoundsgreat.NowIjustneedtodivertawatercoursetorunnearenoughtowhereIlive...:D
2
1337
20hoursago>DavidEbertAskhimtoshareonaDIYtutorialwebsiteplease.
2
richardstarr
adayagoI'veseenthistypeofthingbefore.Itwillbeniceifitactuallyismoreefficientthistime.Efficiencymeaningpowergatheredusingthesameacreageontheground.Idon'tcareifyouuse5oftheminthespaceofonetraditionaldevice,especiallyifthemaintenancecostsreallyarethatlow.
2
GordBestwick
adayagoI'llbecuriousastotheefficiencyvscostvstraditionalwindmills.Ithinkthesewillonlytakeoffiftheyoffersomekindofefficiency.
1
mohawk16
adayagoWhenachieved,commerciallyviablenuclearfusionwillsolvetheworld'senergy&pollutionproblems.
3
CedrikS.Charette
adayagofindawaytocaptureLightningEnergyinabattery,thenthiswillbeuseless^_^
theonewhowilldothiswillbethenextBillGateslol1
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5/20/2015
NewWindTurbineGeneratesElectricityWithoutRotatingBlades|IFLScience
http://www.iflscience.com/technology/newbladelesswindturbinelooksasparagus
5/10
Grebysama
adayago>CedrikS.CharetteActuallythere's...Justthatalightingistooshorttochargealampforhalfahour...
3
iksnilol
20hoursago>GrebysamaEh,lightninghasmuchmoreenergythanthat.
2
WHL adayago>CedrikS.CharetteKeyword:inabattery.
lordofdarkness
adayago>WHLwhywouldyouwantabatterythatpowersalampforhalfanhour?
DesmondKenpachiKnowles adayago
>lordofdarkness
Areyoutellingmethatyouthinkalightningstormonlyhasonelightningstrike?Thinkmultiplestrikestofillthebatteryorseveralbatteriesperstorm.
Stacey
20hoursago>DesmondKenpachiKnowlesYoustillhavetofindawaytocatchallthoselightningbolts.Withhowrandomandirregularlightningcanbe,eveninareaswithtallbuildingswithlightningrods,it'sjustreallyhardtocatchthem.
EventheEmpireStateBuildingonlygetshitabout25timeseachyear.
Theproblemisthatit'dbehugelyexpensivetohaveanareaoflightningcapturingdevices,andyouwouldhavetocoverhugeamountsofarea.
It'djustbeanenormousinvestmentwithverylowreturn.2
lordofdarkness 21hoursago
>DesmondKenpachiKnowles
Soundsveryinefficient,andwasteful.Ihopeyourbatteriesarerechargeable.Ifoneboltisequaltohalfanhour,awholestormisn'tgoingtomakeadifference.Bettertoharnessthepowerofkid'slaughtfromthatMonstermovie.
2
ErlendshamarEriksen 20hoursago
>lordofdarkness
Oneboltisvastlysuperiortothat,butharnessingthefullenergyofitwillbeverydifficult,that'sall.Butagain,thebatterythingisaproblem.Ifyoufindadifferentwaytostoretheenergy,however,wemaybesingingadifferenttune.Ifyoufindakineticneareternitymachineanduselightningtopowerit,itcanstorevastamountsofenergywithonlyasmallenergyloss.Wehavehadmultiplesuchmachinesmadeinthepast,somerunningforyears,buttheywerealllowenergy,whichobviouslymakesiteasiertokeepup...Ifwecouldproperlyharnessthepoweroflightning,we'dhaveahugepowersourcerighttherehowever,it'shorribly
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5/20/2015
NewWindTurbineGeneratesElectricityWithoutRotatingBlades|IFLScience
http://www.iflscience.com/technology/newbladelesswindturbinelooksasparagus
6/10
difficult,andweneedbrilliantinnovationstodothat,notjustrethinksofcurrentideasandprinciples.
wl adayagoHow'sthataturbinewhenit'sobviouslyabaseballbat?
8
PsychoJedi
adayagoIfwecanhavejustonerenewablesourceofenergythatalsodoesn'tkillwildlife,thatwouldbeawesome.
PeterCollings
20hoursago>PsychoJediDomesticcatskillseveralhundredmillionbirdsperyearintheUSalone,tensofmillionsarekilledflyingintobuildings.Comparedtothat,therelativelyminisculenumberofbirdskilledinturbinestrikesisutterlyirrelevant.
4
ErlendshamarEriksen
19hoursago>PeterCollingsTheproblemlieswiththekindsofbirdsthatdon'tdietocatsandflyingintobuildings,andareataratherlowpopulationalready.Speciallyinotherwisewildareaswheredomesticcatsandbuildingsdon'texist,windmillsareadangerousfactor,when1windmillaloneiscapableofkilling10%ofthelocalpopulation,ifyourluckisbad.
1
RachelTerry adayago>PsychoJediGeothermal..
1
PsychoJedi
adayago>RachelTerryThisoneishardtosay,sofarallitdoesisincreasetheriskofearthquakes,butsayifsomeoneweretogetthebrightideaofsettingoneupinMontanatofeedoffthemassiveamountofenergyflowingfromthesupervolcanobeneathYellowstone,theycouldeitherpowertheentirecontinent,orblowuphalfthecountry.Formytake,I'dsaythejuryisout.
Rye adayago>PsychoJediSolarPower?
2
PsychoJedi
adayago>RyeSolarPowerbarbecuesbirdsintheair,sorrytosay:(
JohannesBecker
adayago>PsychoJediThatstatementishighlymisleading.RegularPVpanelsdonosuchthing.Whatyouarereferringtoareparabolicthermalbasedinstallationsintendedforlargescaleprojectsmaybeyoucouldemploysomekindof"scarecrow"method(annoyingsoundfrequencies,optical,...)tomakebirdsavoidthearea.It'snotageneralproblemofsolar,justofoneveryspecifictechnologywithinsolar.
6
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5/20/2015
NewWindTurbineGeneratesElectricityWithoutRotatingBlades|IFLScience
http://www.iflscience.com/technology/newbladelesswindturbinelooksasparagus
7/10
DesmondKenpachiKnowles
adayago>PsychoJediEveryonehassolarpanelsontheirroofs.NotGiantsolarthermalpowerplantswhichdoindeedkillbirds.
2
Dave adayago>PsychoJedihttp://www.worldcrunch.com/tec...
PretenderNX01
adayago>PsychoJediLargepanelsaren'ttheonlywaytogetsolarpower.Therewasakid,AidanDwyer,whocreateda"tree"usingsmallpanelssetinaparticularpatterncalledtheFibonaccisequence.
Nofryingwildlifesincethearesmallandatalldifferentanglesandnoneedtoturntheonegiantpanelyouhavesotheydon'tloseenergy.Infacttheyaremoreefficientoverall.
1
PsychoJedi
adayago>PretenderNX01Coolbeans,isitthesametreethatalsoactsasawaterpurifierandwifihotspot?Ivaguelyrememberreadinganarticleaboutthatafewmonthsback.
DarrinWoodard
adayago>PsychoJediICYMITheyhavesolarpowerforhomesthatdoesn'tfrybirds.Stopwaitingforsomebodyelsetosolveyourproblems.Visityourlocalhardwarestoreandstartproducinginsteadofbeingaleech.
2
PsychoJedi adayago>DarrinWoodardThanks,Dad.
2
DarrinWoodard
adayago>PsychoJediAhhthatmomentwhenyourproblemsaresolved,butyourimmatureattitudeonlyvocalizescriticism.Youarewhatwecallacurmudgeon.Dad
1
PsychoJedi
adayago>DarrinWoodardCurmudgeon,huh?IdobelieveyoujustleveleduptoaGrandpa.
5
JohnGreen
adayago>PsychoJediDependswhattypeofsolaryou'retalkingabout.Traditional,standalonesolarpanelsdon'tfrybirds,butthesolararraysthatdirectlighttoacentralpointtosuperheatwater,ofcourse,caneasilygenerateenoughheattokillbirds
PsychoJedi
adayago>JohnGreenIt'sanissuewe'llprobablysolveeventually,wejustneed
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NewWindTurbineGeneratesElectricityWithoutRotatingBlades|IFLScience
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8/10
It'sanissuewe'llprobablysolveeventually,wejustneedmoreefficientsolarpanelsthatcollectalltheenergythathitsthem,insteadofreflectingmostofitbackatourfeatheryfriends.Thatorputallsolarpanelsinspaceandbeamtheenergybacktoearthviamicrowaves.
EnioMoura
adayago>PsychoJediYouknow,onlylargesolarpowerplantscankillbirds,becausetheyusefocusedmirrors,notsolarpanels.Solarpanelsaremoreofapersonalusethingandtheycan'tkillbirdsanymorethanthesunitselfcan.
1
PsychoJedi
adayago>EnioMouraGotcha,butistherereallyaneedtonitpick?WereyouatallconfusedaboutwhatIwasgettingat?
EnioMoura
adayago>PsychoJediYes,youwastalkingaboutsolarpanelsandtalkingabouthowmuchtheyreflectsunlight,tothepointofkillingbirds.Teeechnicallytheydoreflectsunlight,butthat'slesssunlightthatmadeit'swaytotheminthefirstplace.
2
PsychoJedi
adayago>EnioMouraIsaidSolarPowerkillsbirds,Iusedthewordsolarpanelsinanotherpostinreferencetoaneedtobetterthetechnology,I'lljustusethephraseSolarCellsfromnowon,wouldthatmakeyouhappy?
EnioMoura
adayago>PsychoJediSolarpowerwasgoodandspotonhahaBytheway,microwavebeamedpoweriskindofadeadlyweapontoo,sothere'sthat.
PsychoJedi
adayago>EnioMouraYeah,it'slikelytocomewithitsownsetofissues,we'rescrewedprettymucheverywayweturn,here'shopingsomeonefiguresoutcoldfusion.
JustinCCorcoran
18hoursago>PsychoJediforcoldfusiontoreachnewhorizonsweneedtobeabletoformulateextremelyefficientcompositematerialsofroomtempsuperconductors.
MrJC22173
adayago>PsychoJediTheyarecalledphotovoltaiccells,andgenerateelectricityfromlightimpact,alsotherearemagnifyingones.
BartyLobethal adayago>PsychoJediBullshit.
PsychoJedi adayago>BartyLobethal
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5/20/2015
NewWindTurbineGeneratesElectricityWithoutRotatingBlades|IFLScience
http://www.iflscience.com/technology/newbladelesswindturbinelooksasparagus
9/10
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adayago>BartyLobethalGoogleit,you'llgetover2millionresults.
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adayago>PsychoJediDidyouactuallyopentheresults?SBSPIsjustaconceptyet,duetocost.
http://www.spaceenergy.com/SBS...
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adayago>BartyLobethalSadlyitstrue,whencaliforniaopeneduptheirgiantsolarfarm150birdsdiedfrombeingscorchedalive
DanielSchealler
adayago>RyeSolarPowerneedsbatteries.Batteriesarenottheenvironment'sfriend,regardlessofwhatElonMuskhastosayonthematter.
Whatweneedisanearzerofootprint,fullyrecyclablebattery,withenvironmentallyresponsibledisposalbuiltintothepurchaseprice,thatcanstoreenoughchargeviaSolarPowertopowerahome.
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