Wind Project inquiries. (Vibration analysis on a turbine and blades.)

Re: Wind Project inquiries. (Vibration analysis on a turbine and blades.)

We have found that the practical key to consistent production on-board is to start with a moderate-sized swept area, and then to apply leading-edge technology to the blade set to extract the maximum amount of energy. By first focusing on the airfoils, we get a super-efficient, super-quiet Aero'coustic blade that gives exceptional power while maintaining low-speed start-up capability. This way the turbine can take advantage of all-day energy production, but also can generate more serious power when the winds pick up. It doesn't do much good to have great potential generating capacity if the blades never turn in the real world. Compare our start-up and output to the competition, and you will see the distinct advantage.

Details of the Design:

The blade and tail design focuses on several key strategies:


•Low Start-up Speeds
•Low Rotational Inertia
•Low Noise at Optimum Tip Speeds (15- 20 knots)
•Low Yaw Error


While our carbon-fiber Reinforced blade set has an extremely low rotational inertia, a strong and lightweight blade is only part of the story. The starting torque on a wind turbine is generated in the blade area closest to the hub, while the power producing torque is produced in the blade area closer to the tips. By use of computer modeling and simulation, a variable blade profile was produced that can react quickly in low wind speeds, yet produce high torque and optimal tip speed ratios at high speeds. The blades are produced in a solid-model patterned injection-molding tool, so that each blade is identical in weight and profile. Using a 20% carbon-fiber filled polymer make the blade very light, durable, and repeatable.

Lightweight blades have a low rotational inertia, which is critical in wind-energy production. Low rotational inertia allows the blades to accelerate more quickly, which means they can spin faster in lower wind speeds, therefore keeping the tip-speed-ratio (the speed of the tips vs. the speed of the wind) more constant. Operating closer to the optimum tip-speed-ratio during gusts also allows the turbine to improve energy capture from these sudden gusts.

Another way to increase aerodynamic efficiency --and to reduce noise on an airfoil blade-- is to manipulate and control the lateral airflow over the foil. Of course, some of the best engineering solutions often come from mimicing what is already found in nature. Whales and certain fish have amazing hydrodynamic efficiency and stealth through the use of tubercles, or raised and slotted sections on the leading edges of their fins. Our blades likewise use biomimicry-inspired riblets along the leading edge of the blades, which help the airfoil to create more power at lower speeds, and to operate more efficiency in turbulent air streams. These Aero'coustic riblets, also prevent the air from traveling down the blade edge and "vortexing" off the blade tip contributing to tip noise.

Yaw error is the difference between the direction the wind turbine is facing and the actual direction of the wind itself. As this yaw error increases, power decreases geometrically. Tail design, and the reduction or elimination of yaw error, is another very important element in the WhisperTorq's design. Our upward facing fin (not blocked by mounting pole) and vented self-tracking tail is wind-tunnel designed for minimal yaw error and maximum tracking efficiency. Compare our wind-tracking to the tracking of the mass-produced units sold by the "big box" marine stores and you can see the difference.