Renewable sources have soared across the Americas, although experts remain dissatisfied. We’ve seen solar panels that work at night (like Tesla’s), what’s left to see? A team of scientists has just launched the biggest innovation to date that puts an end to wind turbines. How would you describe it? Perhaps “eolic vibration” or something similar, as they’ve done away with the most recognizable part of generators. We explain what they look like and, surprisingly, how you can have them to generate free electricity at home.
This is the end of wind turbines in America: New invention to “vibrate” instead of rotating
Vortex Bladeless is another prospect for wind power generation that is not the same as other well-known turbines. With the help of two key concepts: vibration and resonance, this technology can be identified as an innovative approach to harnessing wind energy distinct from that carried out by blades.
Vortex Bladeless turbines function on a particular concept called as vortex shedding: Here wind again blows air around a cylindrical form, which has its own specific frequencies of vortex shedding. This structure oscillates due to the wind power and functional changes mechanical energy into electrical energy with the usage of electromagnetic induction.
Vortex Bladeless, to change the way we produce energy with wind: It’s the end of conventional turbines
While regular turbines are based on the principles of rotating blades, Vortex Bladeless turbines are based on a simple pole-shaped structure and oscillation in the wind.
- Design and Structure: The device is a turbine comprising a cylinder-like structure called a mast that is firmly planted on the ground and is free to sway. Lack of blades simplifies the structure, thus slashing the production costs down to approximately 53% of those of conventional wind turbines.
- Noise and Environmental Impact: Vortex Bladeless turbines work at frequencies below 20 Hz, which means the turbines do not produce any sound and hence can be installed in urban areas where the noise is considered a nuisance. And lastly, the design of theirs does not pose any threat to wildlife, for instance, there are no blades for the birds and bats to collide with.
- Energy Efficiency: Vortex Bladeless turbines do not require the structure to possess any blades and can start power generation even when wind velocity is as low as 3 m/s, which is suitable for winds in the urban zones. These types of turbines are capable of generating power at 45% the cost per kilowatt-hour of other turbines, most especially at low to medium wind speeds.
Other countries are also developing “wind vibrators”: These projects have been in the crosshairs of experts
Vortex Bladeless turbines are currently in various stages of development, with several prototypes already operational:
- Vortex Nano: A 10 cm tall model producing 3 watts of power, specifically created to be connected to solar panels.
- Vortex Tacoma: It’s two meters in height and 75 meters in one cycle, this model comes with a capacity of 100 watts and is being used in residential self-generation and in the agricultural business.
- Vortex Atlantis/Grand: This is a larger model, also still in the prototype stage, is from 9 to 13 meters tall, and is designed to produce about 1 kW electric power for homes and factories.
Vortex Bladeless’ approach has inspired equal interest in similar products across the globe, with references to the American cases made in the body of this paper. Several startups are exploring alternative methods for harnessing wind energy.
- Alpha 311: This is a UK based startup that is designing miniature wind turbines for buildings to be installed vertical that compliments infrastructural fixtures like lampposts. These turbines also employ used materials and have the objective of using energy from moving vehicles and feed them to local energy systems.
- SkySails: SkySails is a German start-up that aspired to use airborne wind energy systems, in the form of large kites that fly significantly high to harness wind energy. This concept aims at attaining the maximum generation of energy without compromising on the negative impacts on the environment.
The bladeless wind turbines are an option that has not yet reached the American market, but you have seen that there are other similar projects closer to us. The energy efficiency potential is very relevant, but that’s not what caught our attention the most. The best part? They are going to save lives, as thousands of birds crash into the blades and end up dying in numbers exceeding a thousand, according to WWF and other environmental organizations.
