Fabric
Wind Diffuser/Augmenter
Click to see a bigger image
Fabric
Wind Diffuser/Augmenter
This funnellike device creates a suction behind the wind turbine to increase
the power output while still using a small turbine.This technique was
used with limited sucess by Vortec Energy of New Zealand, but was abandoned
because the costs of building the concrete diffuser/augmentor were too
high to be worth the 2.5 times augmentation that the structure provided.
They had hoped to get augmentation of close to 4x (the theoretical maximum),
but the huge heavy unit at best could do 2.5x and also had to be be made
to track the wind.
By creating the wind directing structure out of fabric and spars the costs will be much lower and the structure can easily weathervane to adjust for maximum output.
The turbine generator can be located near the ground where it is easily serviced.
The structure is also easily reefed or even collapsed in the event of catastrophic weather or for maintnance. This also means that this windmill could be easily moved to a new location, as it only needs the one attachment point at the pivot, and a relatively smooth area for the wheels to roll when the structure is weathervaning.
Here are some pix of the design
of the Ill fated Vortec Energy Diffuser.
Click on the thumbnails to see larger versions.
