Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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Billow Power

Harness the power of the flag
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To create an attractive form of wind power, attach a sheet along the top and bottom to a series of push rods that rotate a crank shaft as the sheet oscillates in the wind.

This is clearly not the most efficient method, but pretty. I've spent ages watching the world's largest flag slowly billowing (and tearing itself apart).

marklar, Aug 24 2011

Windbelt http://www.popularm.../solar-wind/4224763
a taut membrane fitted with a pair of magnets that oscillate between metal coils. [baconbrain, Aug 25 2011]

Not flags... sails. Electric_20Galleon
[2 fries shy of a happy meal, Aug 25 2011]


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Annotation:







       I actually worked on such a contraption, with a fellow inventor. We used strings to pull a small oscillating magnets device (straw with small magnets inside and windings around it).   

       It gave too little power so we abandoned the idea. And moved on to a similar but better idea. (Similar to my ground sail idea).   

       I have videos of giant flags constantly billowing day and night winter and summer, for the presentation we were preparing.
pashute, Aug 25 2011
  

       Some fellow made a small wind-power generator out of an oscillating taut ribbon and magnets (how do they work?) and coils.
baconbrain, Aug 25 2011
  

       HA! I knew it would work. [link] Thanks [baconbrain].   


 

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