Electricity is important, and wind turbines that generate electricity are proving to be dangerous to birds while also causing noise pollution. What if there are wind turbines without blades? This might be the wish of many people as it leads to less material consumption, no killing of birds and noise but yet electricity generated at lower cost and provided to more people. Fulfilling this wish is the Vortex Bladeless, the bladeless wind turbines.
On considering the current turbines used for generating wind power, they are technologically advanced with a very mature technology in fact. Everything of them –their airfoils shape to the generators they spin, all are engineered perfectly to deliver maximum efficiency. But this does not mean that an alternative concept is not required, as it can also be a development.
About Vortex Bladeless
Vortex Bladeless wind turbine is a wind generator that has no blades(safe for birds). Developed by Vortex Bladeless, a Spanish startup these Vortex Bladeless wind turbines appear more like an incredible tube-like wind turbines. The company by using an intelligent manipulation of physics makes its turbines generate electricity that needs no spinning of large blades. Initially it might sound vague but it is true and legit completely.
Working of Vortex Bladeless
Vortex structure is very simple with just 5 main parts:
- Foundation
- Rod
- Generation System
- Tuning System
- Mast
Vortex does not capture energy through turbine’s rotational motion but takes advantage of a physical phenomenon termed vorticity which is an aerodynamic effect occurring during the breaking of wind against a solid structure. So when the wind blows through the turbine, small whirlwinds get created which then become big enough to cause the structure to oscillate. The kinetic energy thus produced gets used up to power an alternator that multiplies the tower’s oscillation frequency and converts the action to consumable electricity. The company has been working on developing these turbines for past few couple of years and has also gone to the extent of building its own wind tunnel in order to prove its technology.
On denoting bladeless, it might sound surprising on thinking of how power could be generated. The answer to this is that in Vortex, blades are not just eliminated; the structure is so well designed to have parts that do not contact at all – meaning no linkages, gears and so on.
The oscillation radius in Vortex is the same as the diameter at its top end (its widest part).It is required for Vortex to be higher for it to sweep the area. About 40% of air’s wind power gets captured while theoretical calculation could be about 59%. More number of Vortex can be installed in the same area that involves low cost while generating more electricity.
Benefits in using VORTEX include:
- Low Cost
- Less Noise
- Safer for birds
- Easy to assemble and maintain
On the whole, the raw materials used for manufacturing the structure is reduced that goes in cutting down the production costs and the production time. Adding to this, the equipment has no parts in contact, meaning there is very less chance of breaks. This extends the maintenance interval time and allows the equipment to have decreased down time. All these put together makes it the equipment with low maintenance cost resulting in a significantly cheaper wind turbine.
According to Vortex, the design totally works towards reducing its manufacturing costs by some 53%. Maintenance costs get cut down by some 80%, and this happens because there is no need to replace any mechanical parts nor is the need to add oil to the equipment throughout its life. What more, there a 40% reduction in both in its generation costs and carbon footprint when compared with wind turbines that have blades. This is one of VORTEX‘s main advantages as power gets produced at a 40% lower cost.
The Vortex structure as a whole proves to be easy in assembling and maintaining, and the reason for this is the alternator being very close to the ground which makes it require very less foundation.
Vortex is silent while functioning and this is because the frequency at which it oscillates does not produce noise (the frequency is below 20 Hz). And birds can fly safe around it as there are no blades for them to collide with.
All these benefits of Vortex put together will have the technology run at a very low capital intensity range making it highly competitive not just against alternative generations or renewable energy but also with conventional technologies.
Yet Vortex has not started with the production of its intended full-size, 490-foot turbine that has 1 megawatt of power capacity but has done with its R&D. A few working prototypes smaller in size have been produced by the company. The company is almost near to launch a pilot program to get the world known of its turbines and to have them happen in reality. Recently a crowd funding campaign has been launched by the company on Indiegogo.
Vortex’s Indiegogo Campaign
The main aim of this Indiegogo Campaign is not about launching the turbine but to spread awareness. Already millions of dollars has been secured by the company through funds from private investors. So whether this campaign succeeds or not Vortex turbines are sure to become a reality, but still every cent is worth.
Obviously, if you pledge your support to this campaign you are not to get an equipment of your own but you are sure to get the satisfaction of supporting a brilliant invention. And on supporting the project now you get some cute Vortex Bladeless accessories (t-shirts, bottles, hoodies and so on.).
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