More efficient wind turbine.

[Pommie]

A simple shroud can double or treble the output of a turbine. See https://nextbigfuture.com/2011/08/japan-has-wind-lens-turbine-design-that.html for details.

Mike.

 

[mvs sarma]

WOW, Lovely concept, Pommie
Nice that you digg it for us. thanks.

 

[killivolt]

I think the centers of the Hexagonal could have "Fish Farms" it could make them more cost effective, blending the 2 industries together.

To bad you can't double the output power when the wind isn't "wind" isn't blowing not going now that would stop "Nuclear Power"

 

[atferrari]

Why is that it smells to an overunity claim to me?

 

[strantor]

all of the comments on the link seem to be bashing the claim, along with atferrari that it's implausible/impossible.

I read one comment there that seems to make sense, that the "lense" around it creates an artificial low pressure zone behind the turbine. that would make it spin faster for a given wind I guess.

 

[tcmtech]

So how are they overcoming the Betz limit that keeps wind generators below a 60% maximum efficiency or are they making generators that are only a dismal 20% or less efficient as is two to three times more efficient?

Seems like a suspicious claim to me without considerably more numbers to back up their claims otherwise I say crap science and math seems to be most likely the real issue here.

Most likely the new ring is boosting a typically 45% or less efficient turbine design into the low 50's% range cutting the losses by 1/2 or 1/3. Technically mathematically that could be seen a a 200 - 300% change but at the end power output its likely only a few percent actual end point power production gain that occurred sort of like going from 96% to 98% efficient is a 50% reduction in losses but in real measured gains its actually only a 2% gain in usable output which is what and where it matters most.

 

[strantor]

I looked up betz's law after reading your post. It makes sense to me, power coefficient = Cp =( power output from wind machine) / (power available in wind ) but I think that by creating a low pressure zone behind the turbine (if that's even how the thing works, I'm still just assuming) the turbine may draw air through it's blades faster than the wind speed surrounding it. So, betz's coefficient remains; the turbine does not defeat it, but if you were to put an identical turbine without the ring next to it, in the same wind, it would not generate as much power because the air flowing over it's blades is slower (because no low pressure zone behind it)

 

[tytower]

I was wondering if anyone has tried this yet?
It seems fairly easy to make the shroud from fiberglass and install it around an existing home installation
I figure the Japanese design incorporates fish pens underneath perhaps for whale farming next huh?

 

[strantor]

They use shrouds around ducted fans because it gives more lift like in a VTOL aircraft. If it gives more lift per hp when used as a motor, then it should give more hp per wind speed as a generator.

 

[Warpspeed]

Just remember, that the power output from any wind turbine is proportional to the CUBE of wind velocity.
http://www.reuk.co.uk/Calculation-of-Wind-Power.htm

I have no idea if treble the output is possible, but to do that you only need to increase the velocity by about 45% through the turbine, which may be realistic ??

1.45 x 1.45 x 1.45 = 3.05

 

[strantor]

Yeah good point. do you think that by creating a low pressure zone behind the turbines could increase the wind speed through the turbine by 45%? I'm not sure, but I suspect that the low pressure zone is the key.

 

[Warpspeed]

I really have no idea, but a duct, shroud, or venturi certainly has the ability to accelerate air velocity as Bernoulli discovered a very long time ago.

 

[SABorn]

I can only see this a practical method for downwind turbines as for up wind turbines the supporting structure for the shroud would be massive and not practical to mount.

As most smaller home mills are up wind then its not very practical to test the theory.

The extra loading on the tower the wind force against the shroud would be high and extra tower support would also be needed.

I could see it working on the ocean if the pontoons was permitted to rotate on floatation and not the mill nacelle needing to turn to track wind direction as then large support could be added to the shroud.

 

[Tinker Unique]

Ocean-going ?

Saborn - The "pontoons" in the ocean is a good concept with a small hitch. There are generators under water using the currents and wave action now, The "hitch" is the pontoons need to be turned into the wave action and the generator/array needs to be rotated on-deck. Feasable. Many research ships have a double hull with most of it below the surface to compensate for wave action / very stable ride. ( Kind-of like a catamaran with the hull under water = not the fastest but very solid/steady ride )