Wind power without stroboscopic effect
A box was developed in Texas that captures the wind, amplifies it, and then generates electricity inside. Without noise and without spoiling the landscape. One box has an output of 5000 watts and supplies electricity even at night and in the dark season.
Until now, anyone who wanted to generate their own electricity at home had to rely on solar. The construction of your own small wind power plant is subject to strict requirements as soon as the device exceeds the size of a better toy. This is partly due to the emissions from the devices – the running noise and the stroboscopic effect of the leaves in the sunlight. Aeromine Technologies – a spin-off from the University of Houston – has now presented a new generation of wind turbines that remain completely motionless and silent in the landscape or on the roof.
The system should also be far cheaper than a solar system. “Aeromine Technologies’ patented motionless wind energy system produces up to 50 percent more energy at the same cost as a rooftop solar array,” the company said.
Seen from the outside motionless
How does the device work? In fact, the plant is motionless only when viewed from the outside. There you only see one kind of wind catcher. Its shape catches the wind and directs it into the actual turbine inside. Then, of course, something moves there. The turbine is oriented vertically and rotates within the device, generating electricity. The whole box is three to four meters high, the previous test systems stand on a kind of base, into which the supply lines presumably run. Properly installed, these could be roof or underground.
Small wind power plants are not new. When it comes to scaled-down versions of the large systems, they can hardly be set up in residential areas. There are also smaller vertical turbines. The special thing about the Aeromine system is the aerodynamic wind catcher, which increases efficiency. It amplifies a gentle breeze into a stiff breeze and optimizes the wind flow, even if it doesn’t hit the device directly. The catcher has a larger area than the opening of the turbine. Basically, these catchers are based on the well-known Venturi effect, by cleverly narrowing the air flow, the flow rate is increased.
High flat roofs preferred
The devices are initially intended for commercial buildings. 20 to 40 pieces can be placed on a roof. The wind usually blows stronger on a roof and is not deflected by elevations on the ground. The boxes require significantly less space than a solar panel. It is assumed that one box delivers 5000 watts – this corresponds to about 12 solar panels of 400 watts each, which together require about 50 square meters of space. Of course, the wind boxes on a roof can also be combined with solar panels. This, too, is different than with windmill-shaped devices, whose rotors would shade neighboring solar panels.
In principle, such devices can only be set up in places where it is not windless. A reasonably constant wind direction is also important, as the boxes cannot currently be turned into the wind. That would be easy to do as it would only require the plastic catcher to rotate around the turbine. Due to the reinforcement effect, however, there does not have to be a storm.
Supply electricity 24/7
The advantage of such a system is obvious: As long as the wind is blowing, it supplies electricity around the clock and all year round. The longer operating times also explain the cost advantage over a photovoltaic system. The annual watt hour harvest of a 5000 watt box is far higher than that of panels of the same capacity.
Since the boxes are absolutely inconspicuous and do not pose any dangers such as bird strikes, they can also be a useful addition for private households – provided they are in a suitable location. The device will not work in a mini garden surrounded by hedges and buildings on all sides. Quite different but in open countryside near the coast.