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Page added on September 1, 2011
Simple ‘Wind Lens’ Triples Output from Wind Turbines
Cryptogon has a pointer to a Discovery article on a new Japanese wind turbine design – Japan: Simple ‘Wind Lens’ Triples Output from Wind Turbines. Apparently a worker at Fukushima has died of “acute Leukaemia” as well – Japan: Nuclear Plant Worker Dies of Acute Leukemia.
The wheel in the sky keeps on turning — or at least it will if a Japanese renewable energy professor’s “Wind Lens” turbine design is realized. Resembling giant white rims, these offshore turbines have the potential to produce up to three times as much energy as a standard offshore one.
Yuji Oyha, a professor of renewable energy dynamics and applied mechanics at Kyushu University in Japan, and his team presented their wild vision for wind power recently at the Yokohama Renewable Energy International Exhibition. The “Wind Lens” design is essentially a hoop roughly 360 feet in diameter — a brimmed diffuser — that functions like a magnifying glass. Blades turn quickly within the diffuser, so quickly that they could increase the energy output two or threefold, according to CNN International. One of these “lenses” should be able to power a household.
4 Comments on "Simple ‘Wind Lens’ Triples Output from Wind Turbines"
Lee on Thu, 1st Sep 2011 9:20 pm
Been done, over 140 years ago:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89olienne_Boll%C3%A9e
And then improved upon using modern, jet turbine tech:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-9945005-54.html
Trouble is, our governments are completely besotted with the 3 blade model that they can’t see the light.
Kenz300 on Thu, 1st Sep 2011 11:52 pm
Amazing…. It is about time the Japanese use their engineering and manufacturing skills and help to advance the alternative energy market. The country recently has made a commitment to increase alternative energy use. They need to diversify their energy sources. The nuclear disaster at Fukishima continues with no end in sight.
Draco on Fri, 2nd Sep 2011 7:07 am
If only it were that easy to triple the efficiency… guess some Vestas engineers will be fired if they were so dumb for such a long time, sending for production some very, very inefficient designs!
Kenz300 on Sat, 3rd Sep 2011 5:02 pm
Retrofitting existing wind turbines should be possible. Especially in areas of low wind speeds.