Rotation of stock: the support of the sea

Wind - a precarious thing. This means that wind power is unreliable and receiving energy from it. Winds may be absent, and in moments of maximum load, when the rotor blades spinning wildly, all the electricity should be given to the network. Of course, it can store in batteries, but it is expensive and fraught with the inevitable loss of energy. A new experimental system SeaTwirl, which is being developed in Sweden, this drawback is devoid of. Excess energy is stored in it on a ...

The top of the system of the turbine, rotating around a vertical axis between a pair of hollow circular tubes that connect it with the lower part, which is located below the water surface. The rotating shaft passes through the hollow cylinder, which provides buoyancy, and reaches a hard rocker, where the generator.

In whichever direction the wind was blowing, the turbine rotates always in one direction, and rotating the shaft, and the low friction of the water makes this rotation even at low wind. The resulting electricity is transmitted to shore via cable. Everything seems to be quite common. But - just in general and in detail, we find much of interest.

Fairly strong winds and rapid rotation drags the ring pipe, driving them through holes in the water and increasing the weight of all rotating parts. Tyazheleya, rings provide additional centrifugal force and inertia of rotation. Conversely, when the wind weakens, the water leaves the pipe, making the system easier and easier to work it. The essence of what is happening is familiar to anyone who saw the skaters to skate: throwing away arms, athlete slows down the rotation, and pressing them to her breast, - accelerates.

Back in August, the sponsors have completed assembly of the first working prototype of reduced SeaTwirl and began testing it in the sea. The full amount of the same wind turbine, according to the plans must be simply enormous, going to a depth of 280 m and rising to 210 m above sea level, with a rotor diameter of 430 m. Calculations show that each such annual wind turbine can produce 39 thousand. MW * hour energy, weighted in the rotation of the upper part would be reserved up to 25 thousand. KWh, enough to supply electricity for one hour about 8 thousand. households.