Giant Aerogenerator X Wind Turbine

The giant revolutionary Aerogenerator X wind turbine design mimics the spiralling motion of a sycamore seed and is a collaborative project between engineering firm Wind Power, architects Grimshaw, Cranfield University academics and Rolls Royce, Arup, BP and Shell.

The Aerogenerator is a 900ft (274.3m) tip-to-tip vertical-axis wind turbine that generates 10MW of electrical power and possibly 20MW. Conventional wind turbine generator more power as the blade diameter increases but they become extremely heavy and experience high fatigue loads on each rotation cycle, rotating at 20 revolutions per minute (rpm).

The Aerogenerator has the turbine mounted at the base that means smaller towers and lower loads, with arms forming a V-shape and rigid aerofoils 'sails' mounted at the arm tips generating lift that rotates the arms at around 3 rpm. It is approximately half the weight of an equivalent conventional wind turbine design.

UK Energy Secretary Chris Huhne has said onshore and offshore wind turbines are needed to generate 15% of UK energy demand from renewable sources by 2020, and that there is ‘no money’ for the state to subsidize new nuclear power. Britain currently has 253 onshore wind farms and 12 offshore developments.

Visit: Wind Power Limited

Via: DailyMail

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