Vertical-axis Wind Turbine-Breakthrough in Offshore Wind Energy
Project Nova (Novel Offshore Vertical-Axis), to which Qinetiq is a key technology supplier, was given the go ahead on 13 January 2009 by Lord Hunt, the UK Minister for Sustainable Development and Energy Innovation, as part of a potential £1.1billion fund.
Project Nova's innovative aerogenerator wind turbine is based on a pair of giant V-shaped composite wings that will be scaled up to 120m high and rotate around the central axis to create power. Invented by David Sharpe and developed by Wind Power Limited, the aim is for a large-scale demonstrator to be installed offshore within six years and for offshore vertical-axis turbines to provide 1GW of power by 2020.
Offshore vertical-axis wind turbines are claimed to offer the potential for a breakthrough in offshore wind energy availability and reduced life-cycle costs due to their inherent design characteristics of few moving parts, insensitivity to wind direction, and the siting of the generator at base level potentially allowing large-scale direct drive. Their relatively low centre of gravity and overturning moments (in the case of Nova's aerogenerator) make the turbines highly suitable for offshore installation. In addition, they are potentially 'radar friendly' compared to existing horizontal-axis wind turbines.
Project Nova's innovative aerogenerator wind turbine is based on a pair of giant V-shaped composite wings that will be scaled up to 120m high and rotate around the central axis to create power. Invented by David Sharpe and developed by Wind Power Limited, the aim is for a large-scale demonstrator to be installed offshore within six years and for offshore vertical-axis turbines to provide 1GW of power by 2020.
Offshore vertical-axis wind turbines are claimed to offer the potential for a breakthrough in offshore wind energy availability and reduced life-cycle costs due to their inherent design characteristics of few moving parts, insensitivity to wind direction, and the siting of the generator at base level potentially allowing large-scale direct drive. Their relatively low centre of gravity and overturning moments (in the case of Nova's aerogenerator) make the turbines highly suitable for offshore installation. In addition, they are potentially 'radar friendly' compared to existing horizontal-axis wind turbines.
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A windmill is a machine that converts kinetic wind energy into mechanical energy. A turbine is a machine that further converts that mechanical energy into electrical energy. A turbine is also referred to as a wind energy converter.
Wind turbines are of two types; a Horizontal wind turbines, which has its rotor shaft placed at the top of its body and must be pointed at the wind, and a vertical wind turbine which has its rotor placed vertically and at a lower point.
Wind turbines are of two types; a Horizontal wind turbines, which has its rotor shaft placed at the top of its body and must be pointed at the wind, and a vertical wind turbine which has its rotor placed vertically and at a lower point.
Horizontal axis wind turbines(HAWTs) are the most common wind turbines used. Consisting of one to three blades that spin around a rotor, these turbines look like giant propellers jutting from the landscape atop an aerodynamic tower on a hillside. Wind passes through the blades, affecting the pressure on either side. This pressure creates a lift force that causes the blades to rotate around the rotor. The rotor converts the power of the wind into usable energy. Both cost effective and efficient, these turbines harness the power of the winds that blow several meters above the ground. vertical axis wind turbine
I understand that VAWTs are less efficient than HAWTs, but the advantage offshore is better reliability and lower installed cost cost.
A question though, has anyone designed a VAWT where the vanes change angle as they rotate so that they get max force when moving downwind, and min force when moving back against the wind?
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A question though, has anyone designed a VAWT where the vanes change angle as they rotate so that they get max force when moving downwind, and min force when moving back against the wind?
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