The silent wind turbine spinning in backyards may soon take the globe by storm, pushing traditional solar panels out of the way. The German startup siWING should be thanked for envisioning the future of wind power with its ROTOLUS series. This compact wind system can surprisingly generate about 25,000 kWh per year, making it able to power, on average, five homes. The German startup is surely making waves (and harnessing wind energy) with this residential wind turbine that is turning out to be much more than a simple green gadget. Featuring a cutting-edge design and operating rather silently, the ROTOLUS wind turbine can turn off photovoltaics completely.
Designed with homes in mind: ROTOLUS
The first perk of siWING’s ROTOLUS system is the mere fact that the brand has considered the noise problem that came along with other wind turbines. ROTOLUS has been created by keeping individuals and small businesses in mind. All turbines are sized between 6 to 24 meters and even the tiniest ROTOLUS model is capable of producing over 2,500 kWh per year. The system is thus the best complement to the rooftop solar system when used in homes and businesses.
According to siWING’s lead R&D engineer, Dr. Paul Köster, ROTOLUS goes further than just scaling down traditional turbines. He advocates that siWING had to start from scratch. All efforts from the German company to start from scratch has resulted in a turbine that is compact and silent while delivering unmatched energy.
Partnering with Ansys
To actually bring ROTOLUS to life, a focus on simulation was required. For this, siWING partnered with Ansys to rope in tools such as Ansys Mechanical, Ansys Fluent, and Ansys SpaceClaim so as to ensure maximum performance while keeping safety concerns and overall appearance in mind.
From the use of a basic blade theory to generate a power coefficient of 0,41, siWING slowly realized that the Ansys Fluent meant for detailed airflow analysis could be used to improve performance to a 0.49 power coefficient. Every aspect, including that of the rotor hub connecting the blades to the shaft, underwent a full improvement. Engineers had to rely on finite element analysis to maintain strength under stress. Topology optimization led to a 45% reduced hub weight, deemed a major achievement.
ROTOLUS– a game changer
The feature that sets ROTOLUS apart is its creative blade design. It looks good and is well-crafted through simulation to reduce noise, maximize energy capture even at lower wind speeds, and lower drag. ROTOLUS is successful in terms of being more effective than many other residential solar panels. Wind turbines with futuristic designs are surely changing the energy game and ROTOLUS seems to be in the lead of this energy game.
Wind turbines are even changing the solar game
While we may not exactly be saying goodbye to photovoltaics in the world, the interest in photovoltaic (PV) panels has already changed rooftops by allowing for harnessing wind energy over solar energy. Nevertheless, ROTOLUS presents a much smarter and more flexible solution for businesses and homeowners. While traditional rooftop solar panels focus on the sun, the ROTOLUS can still generate power day in and day out, irrespective of whether there is sunlight or not.
This wind turbine promises silent operation once installed meaning that one isn’t required to go knocking door to door to acquire a permit for having this wind turbine in residential areas. In areas where the wind patterns are more consistent, ROTOLUS can become the ideal solution to the energy problem. Energy independence is becoming the focus of most households and surely this wind turbine is a steppingstone to making this important shift.
The beautiful part is that the ROTOLUS wind turbine looks so good, and while not being an eyesore in the garden or the rooftop, this nifty wind turbine is able to generate up to 25,000 kWh of clean electricity annually. The future of energy is said to be well-engineered due to ROTOLUS.
