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This unique concept unlocks the potential for electricity generation in low volume waterways such as a stream or a brook. Opening up a whole range of unexplored sources of sustainable energy in many areas of the world. The rolling fluid turbine is a viable alternative to conventional hydroelectric generators, which have been providing power from water since they were developed in the 1880s. Typically hydroelectric power requires a huge head of water to function, relying on blades submerged in high-velocity water streams. The rolling fluid turbine relies on physics to convert water's natural flow into upward pressure to generate electricity, this promises to change how water current is transformed into electrical power.
This is achieved by exploiting a unique hydrodynamic principle, the rolling fluid principle vortex dynamic, which can create a large amount of energy. This is achieved by using the naturally occurring suction of water by driving it through a specially shaped turbine casing, Sedlacek and his team have managed to generate power with an output of up to 10 kWh per day at 60% efficiency from a small turbine. This is enough power to meet the requirements of 5 European families or an entire African village.
The invention is a tubular canister that floats like a buoy on the surface of a small body of water. Beneath the surface, the natural flow of water is directed through a tube driving the water pressure upwards with increased suction as a result of the vortex principle. Inside the turbine shaft, the vortex energy rotates a cup mounted on a generator shaft that converts the rotation into electrical energy.
When installed in a slow moving stream, the turbine can generate energy for a small house at levels of up to 400 watts. Ideally, the bladeless turbine operates more effectively at flow levels of 22 to 250 litres per second, but it can produce results in flow rates as low as 2 L/sec.
The mechanism is unclear, but other designs exist that convert low-head flow into electricity.
(Score: 2) by weeds on Wednesday March 15 2017, @12:33PM (2 children)
Bad wording on my part... What is available is not 100% of the kinetic energy of the stream. In order to get 100% of the kinetic energy out of the stream, it would have to be stopped. Obviously that's a problem for any system. So, "more energy than there is to begin with" is a reference to that amount of energy.
Still, my biggest complaint is the stuff about somehow taking advantage of the "vortex dynamic" (aeros know a lot about vertices and the energy in them. It's one of the ways to calculate lift.) And this business of somehow creating a suction by diverting the flow through a special shape - therefore being able to get more energy out of the flow. When I see claims like that, it's a red flag for me. I can accept the fact that it's my ignorance in the way. We shall see, this is far from the first claim of this type.
Get money out of politics! [mayday.us]
(Score: 3, Informative) by FatPhil on Wednesday March 15 2017, @05:17PM (1 child)
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by weeds on Wednesday March 15 2017, @06:43PM
You have it exactly. Thank you for looking that up. I could not remember what it was called, just the concept.
Get money out of politics! [mayday.us]