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Wingmill
a wind turbine with blades that flap | |
This wind turbine would not generate power from a rotor but from two blades that move smoothly up and down. Each blade is hinged at the base and balanced with counter weights. By changing pitch, the rigid, 20 meter blade captures the wind while traveling in either direction, with even transitions at
the outermost points.
Though less efficient than a rotary wind turbine, the flapping wingmill would be more pleasing to the eye. A V-shaped wind farm would look like a flock of giant, white geese flying south.
(?) Wind power info
http://www.windpower.org/tour/index.htm
[FarmerJohn, Oct 21 2002, last modified Oct 21 2004]
(?) oscillating hydroplane
http://www.engb.com/Pages/demo.htm
[FarmerJohn, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]
Great Horned Owl, on a stick.
http://www.safehome...ces.asp#Prowler_Owl
[Amos Kito, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]
[link]
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Why ? It's probably practical to build. And it could be built lower to the ground than conventional rotary windmills. |
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I know someone who has a phobia of flapping birds. This would give her the willies. |
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phobia of willies as well? |
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[FarmerJohn] This is lovely! It sounds Utopian. |
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Your wingsmill's airfoils aren't constrained to a hub so you won't have the same drag force impeding rotation of the rotor. You get to take advantage of a higher "lift" ratio for starters and then perhaps a little gravity... |
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I think you might just give the old wind turbine a run for its money FarmerJohn! |
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Is that that mind of yours sinking towards the gutter again General Washington? |
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This is roughly the format of wave-power generators, so the mechanical conversion is obviously possible. |
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One advantage that springs to mind is that the flapping blades will present a much smaller hazard to migrating birds than the whirring propellers of a regular modern windmill. |
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I see bliss's migrating geese, struggling to remain stationary, flying in formation behind one of these things. |
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[bliss] has her own geese? |
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Didn't you know that about her? She's a long time goose disciple; an old geeser. |
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Get the timing of the pitch changes wrong, and see the geese crashing into the ground. |
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I actually build some of these when I
was in art school, more as a artwork
than a powergenerator. They were
beautiful. |
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The downside is that the wind is much
less strong and steady as you get closer
to the ground. |
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I was wandering the internet hoping no-one had invented the oscillating-wing windmill, and found this. It always surprises me when HB ideas come up in "serious" searches. |
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This would be beautiful. And useful for pumping water and compressing air. A somewhat stale, but well-deserved, croissant and an churn of the windmill to [FarmerJohn]. |
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No-one could complain that a wind farm made of these was ugly. |
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