Bladeless Wind Generators

By:  Timothy Dennis

Vortex Bladeless is a vortex induced vibration resonant wind generator. It harnesses wind energy from a phenomenon of vorticity called Vortex Shedding. Basically, bladeless technology consists of a cylinder fixed vertically with an elastic rod. The cylinder oscillates on a wind range, which then generates electricity through an alternator system. In other words, it is a wind turbine which is not actually a turbine.

Vortex wind generators are more similar in features and cost-effectiveness over time to solar panels than to regular wind turbines.

The outer cylinder is designed to be largely rigid and has the ability to vibrate, remaining anchored to the bottom rod. The top of the cylinder is unconstrained and has the maximum amplitude of the oscillation. The structure is built using resins reinforced with carbon and/or glass fiber, materials used in conventional wind turbine blades.

The rod’s top supports the mast and it’s bottom is firmly anchored to the ground. It is built of carbon fiber reinforced polymer, which provides a great fatigue resistance and it has a minimal energy leak when oscillating.

Naturally, the design of such wind turbine is quite different from a traditional turbine. Instead of the usual tower, nacelle and blades, our device has only a mast made of lightweight materials over a base. This reduces the usage of raw materials and the need for a deeper foundation.

ENERGY CONVERSION

The bladeless wind turbine captures the energy from the wind by a resonance phenomenon produced by an aerodynamic effect called vortex shedding. In fluid mechanics, as the wind passes through a blunt body, the flow is modified and generates a cyclical pattern of vortices. Once the frequency of these forces is close enough to body’s structural frequency, the body starts to oscillate and enters into resonance with the wind. This is also known as Vortex Induced Vibration (VIV).

The disturbance of the downstream wind current is why regular turbines need to be installed far from each other. This doesn’t affect bladeless wind turbines, any limitation associated with the “wake effect” is avoided. Furthermore, we expect Vortex devices to work better together, feedbacking each other if they have the proper free space around them, which is estimated to be half of the total height of the device. For regular wind turbines, this free space is usually five times the total height of the device.