Wind Towers

a0128958 · February 2010

I'm looking at a potential project for a university that's considering new (to me) wind tower technology as offered by MidWest Advanced Power.

What this company is saying is that the wind can be 'amplified' by 1.5 to 1.8X that of what a HAWT experiences, using their wind tower.

As a result, a summary of published advantages includes a 3 MPH blade start turning, up to 60 MPH wind usage, and capacity up to 2500 MWh/yr.

My questions are:

Does anyone have familiarity with this technology, and if so, have comment, or can offer direction to where I can learn more?

Does anyone have familiarity with the company, MidWest Advanced Power (out of Akron, OH)?

Many thanks!

Best regards,

Bill

Windsun · February 2010

Re: Wind Towers

"Amplified wind"?

That sounds a bit iffy unless they are just talking about some wind tunneling effect.

a0128958 · February 2010

Re: Wind Towers

Windsun wrote: »

"Amplified wind"?

... talking about some wind tunneling effect.

Indeed it is. Here's a picture:

Best regards,

Bill

BB. · February 2010

Re: Wind Towers

A normal HAWT with equivalent sq.ft as the "tower" would probably be, at the very least, at least as efficient as that "wind tower"--if not less complex and cheaper to install/maintain.

For the most part, augmented wind collection has been associated with scammers:

From NAWS Link to a Pro Wind site Wind-Works:

Shrouded & Ducted Wind Turbines
Fantasy Wind Turbines (Read this first.)

FloDesign and Commentary on Ducted Wind Turbines by Ben Polito--I really had to scratch my head at the selection of FloDesign to receive $8.3M in ARPA-E funding. . .

Windtamer Hype Needs Trimmed: Betz Beaten Yet Again Raises Questions--Poor Albert Betz, the German physicist must be turning over in his grave. He's been beaten yet again. . .

Wind Cube Squarely Over the Top--What with the flood of new "internet wonders" overwhelming me, I've decided to stop trying to debunk them all. Wind Cube is one I've ignored--until now. . .

Ducted or Augmented Turbines--Ducted or shrouded wind turbines have been invented and reinvented throughout the 20th century. . .

Comments on the Vortec Diffuser Augmented Turbine

-Bill

a0128958 · February 2010

Re: Wind Towers

BB. wrote: »

A normal HAWT with equivalent sq.ft as the "tower" would probably be, at the very least, at least as efficient as that "wind tower"--if not less complex and cheaper to install/maintain.

For the most part, augmented wind collection has been associated with scammers:

From NAWS Link to a Pro Wind site Wind-Works:

-Bill

Read them all - many thanks!

Best regards,

Bill

a0128958 · February 2010

Re: Wind Towers

Strangly, I didn't find any Paul Gipe references on wind-works.org to what I'm learning are called Aerocap systems. Perhaps they're not in the U.S. yet.

I'm also learning that it's a French Company, Windcap Energy, that is producing (or is advertising to produce) a proprietary system called Aerocap Towers (should have been the title of the thread I started here).

And I'm further learning that perhaps this is just concept, and not actual product, as most recent as May of last year ('09) the French company advertising for investors.

Interesting concept, but I don't think it's gotten past the R&D stage yet.

Best regards,

Bill

mike95490 · February 2010

Re: Wind Towers

Ducted Fan props are used on some small planes, but I don't know if it's usefull for generators. At the most, only a couple % gain, certainly less than 10%.

russ · February 2010

Re: Wind Towers

For comments on the ducted type on Paul Gipe's site look under Shrouded and Ducted Wind turbines and even more specifically - fantasy wind turbines.

a0128958 · February 2010

Re: Wind Towers

Thanks.

Best regards,

Bill

Wind Towers

Comments

Categories