http://www.enn.com/sustainability/article/45171
From: Nebil Zaghdoud, Science and Development Network
<http://www.scidev.net/>, More from this Affiliate
<http://www.enn.com/editorial_affiliates/29>
Published November 5, 2012 09:10 AM
New Design Creates More Efficient Wind Turbines
A Tunisian invention that harvests wind energy through a design inspired
by sailboats promises cheaper, more efficient wind energy.
The bladeless wind turbine, the Saphonian, named after the wind divinity
that was worshipped by the ancient Carthaginians, also promises to be
more environmentally friendly than existing wind turbines that produce
noise and kill birds through their blade rotation.
Instead of rotating blades, the Saphonian's sail-shaped body collects
the kinetic energy of the wind, Anis Aouini, the Saphonian's inventor,
told SciDev.Net.
He explained that the resulting mechanical energy moves pistons which
generate hydraulic pressure that can be stored in a hydraulic
accumulator or converted into electricity.
"This is not the first bladeless wind turbine, but we thought outside
the box: the initial idea came from sails --- the only human system that
can capture and convert the bulk of the wind's power into mechanical
energy," said Aouini.
An average wind turbine captures only 30 to 40 per cent of the wind's
kinetic energy, while the Saphonian can capture up to 80 per cent,
according to Aouini.
Hassine Labaied, chief executive of Saphon Energy, the start-up energy
company established to get the turbine to market, said the Saphonian
reduces the aerodynamic and mechanical energy losses associated with
rotating-blade turbines.
"Our second generation prototype is 2.3 times more efficient, and costs
nearly half the price of its predecessors [conventional wind turbines].
It discards the most expensive components in a traditional wind turbine,
which are the blades, hub and gearbox," said Labaied.
Aouini and Labaied patented the technology in Tunisia in September 2010,
and received an international patent in March 2012. Saphon Energy is now
looking for a partnership with a manufacturer to deploy the technology
worldwide.
"We are negotiating with a number of international companies that
produce renewable energy technology, and will finalise this by the end
of this year," said Labaied. He estimated that it would take up to two
years until the commercial product reaches the market.
Ali Kanzari, a renewable energy expert and director-general of Solar
Energy Systems, told SciDev.Net that the Saphonian "seems to be a
radical and economically viable alternative to bladed turbines".
However, he added that "the manufacturing step is important as it will
determine how the market will accept it".
Continue reading at Science and Development Network
<http://www.scidev.net/en/middle-east-and-north-africa/news/sail-inspired-turbine-promises-cheaper-wind-energy.html?utm_source=link&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=en_news>.
_______________________________________________
Futurework mailing list
[email protected]
https://lists.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework
