VAWT

[rl71459]

Hey Guy's

I drive by this turbine every day going to work... It is usually spinning very fast! One day I took some pictures.  This is at a county building of some sort.... They said it was a test to prove if it was a viable design for our area. I am impressed with how low a wind can produce what appears to me to be significant rpm.

Does this look familiar to anyone?

Rob

[Tom Reed]

The fundamental problem with all vertical wind generators is a lack of tower height. The wind is faster and less turbulent up high. So you gotta go where the good stuff is.

[sailawayrb]

Does this look familiar to anyone?

Rob

Yes, it is a vertical wind turbine of the Gorlov Helical Turbine (GHT) topology and it is extremely effective at harnessing energy from low velocity wind/water dynamics.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorlov_helical_turbine

http://www.gcktechnology.com/GCK/pg2.html

I considered the GHT for my hydro power application before selecting the Banki cross-flow turbine topology.  Practical wind power is a non-starter unless you live in a very high wind area and you also go VERY BIG.  Air is pretty low density so there's not much economical energy there unless you can harness a LOT OF IT...essentially the same problem you will encounter if you try to harness economical energy using hydrogen as a fuel (i.e., you expend much more energy/$$$ creating the hydrogen and compressing it into a pressure tank so you can use it than you can ever recover)...

http://www.shoppbs.org/product/index.jsp?productId=2139079

Bob B.

[mobile_bob]

horizontal axis machines are plagued with all sorts of issues, generally they just don't pan out as being cost effective

you need as BobB alluded to a high wind area, which if you have such an area a vertical machine will kick its butt with a far
smaller investment.

thats why you see the big boys building those big vertical prop machines all over the place, they learned long ago that these
horizontal machines while looking cool just don't make the power as reliably and cost effectively.

cool looking though!

bob g

[rcavictim]

Bob,

I believe you have the two wind turbine styles mixed up.  The large propeller type are Horizontal Axis turbines or HAWT since the turbine shaft is horizontal.  The one discussed above is the VAWT type.  i.e the turbine shaft is vertical.  IIRC that product is called the Windspire.  It got a failing grade in test results from Sandia National Laboratories IIRC.

If you may recall the machine I am building is a VAWT type, and yes for those unfamiliar with my project I am making it as big as this tired old fart possibly could and I also live in a location where the wind is good enough to have attracted a large commercial wind farm just immediately next door to me.  I am now into the 5th year of actual construction.  I'm finally making the four large 5' x 21' steel airfoils.  I hope to see this making power next summer. 

[mobile_bob]

thanks for setting me straight

i got my axis all messed up there, which is easy to do when yo are like me and a half a bubble off to start with.



bob g

[rcavictim]

Don't worry Bob, your secret is safe with us.    Vertical, horizontical, it's all a matter of perspective.  With my head on a pillow so much these daze my entire world has turned 90 degrees most of the time.

[mobile_bob]

also i for one am very anxious to see you mammoth machine start to crank out the kw/hours

one this for sure your project has been an inspiration to anyone that has any interest in wind power.

and i am no exception!

been a long time coming, and i bet you are more than ready to reap some of what you have sewn, sounds like you are getting close.

bob g

[rcavictim]

also i for one am very anxious to see you mammoth machine start to crank out the kw/hours

one this for sure your project has been an inspiration to anyone that has any interest in wind power.

and i am no exception!

been a long time coming, and i bet you are more than ready to reap some of what you have sewn, sounds like you are getting close.

bob g

Thanx Bob,

I do hope my effort can inspire others to rise to the challenge.  For mine it is hoped I'll survive to finish the blades this coming spring and then see what I have and begin the expected process of fine tuning the design and developing an automatic control system so that I'll be able to sleep and do more with my life than sit watching the turbine with my finger poised near the emergency stop button.