Google Idea Contest Project 10^100 - Wind Power Breakthrough

Concept: What if you could convert wind into useable energy or even store it for later use with a device that has no moving parts and greater efficiency than a wind turbine? Overview: The Wind Snorkel is 30-ft tall column with an aerodynamically design air intake that diverts the prevailing wind into a tapered column which converts wind (i.e. kinetic energy) into compressed air (i.e. potential energy). By creating a column that gradually increases in size towards the ground the velocity of the airflow drops due to the increase in area. This decreased velocity in turn causes the pressure inside the column to increase (per Bernoullis Law). By the time the airflow reaches the bottom of the column, 90% or more of the kinetic energy has been converted into compressed air, compressed air that can then be used to displace or pump water, generate electricity, provide heating/cooling, or be stored for later use, etc. Using the same aerodynamic principles used in Formula 1 race cars and modern aircraft, the Wind Snorkel ensures quiet, safe, reliable operation and runs no matter how hard the wind is blowing. As well, the simple design allows it to fit easily into existing urban or rural environments with minimal impact to the surrounding environment (i.e. wildlife, noise, etc.). And because the Wind Snorkel has no moving parts, its virtually maintenance free, easy to construct and operates at any wind speed. Manufacture of the Wind Snorkel is similar to that of a flag or utility pole all thats needed is a tapered column made of lightweight, durable material such as steel, plastic, concrete, composites or even wood. And because theres no heavy machinery to mount atop a pole or large lateral forces to contend with, the Wind Snorkel requires a smaller foundation than a typical wind-turbine, dramatically reducing the cost of installation - making it an affordable option for households and developing communities looking to harness wind power for the first time. Problem to Be Solved: While wind power is one of the more cost effective sources of renewable energy available, power is generated only when the wind is blowing and storing the energy until it can be used is difficult. As well, turbine efficiency and reliability remain a problem - in practice, few wind turbines are able to achieve better than 40%-50% efficiency and wind power is very capital intensive. As a result, cost per kilowatt remains high. Location as well can be an issue, due to noise associated with rotating turbine blades. By developing a new class of wind generator that is affordable, quiet, reliable, safe and easy to install, you have the potential to enable distributed-generation of unprecedented scale (imagine, a wind Snorkel for every community or household) along with the tangible benefits that come with distributed energy production: lower prices, reduced transmission and distribution infrastructure, etc. Benefits: Given its affordability, ease of construction, virtually anyone would benefit from the development of the Wind Snorkel especially those in rural or developing communities that rely on renewable sources for power. Globally, we all benefit by having a greener environment and generating clean renewable power, especially if we can generate energy on an unprecedented scale in emerging and developing economies. Additional Notes: * Numerous configurations/implementations are possible (e.g. an array of wind snorkels, integration with home and building structures, narrow diameter downpipes, large bell intakes, horizontal orientation, irregular diffuser shapes, etc.). * Works for any fluid - flowing water for example (e.g. rivers, tides, etc.) - the same principles would apply to a horizontally oriented water diffusion column as they do a wind snorkel.

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YouTube | October 20, 2008

Tags:. .drops. .stored. .simple. .law. .contest