Google acquired the manufacturer of flying wind turbines
Startup Makani Power makes, probably, the most spectacular and unusual wind power plants in the world. Makani wind turbine is a glider with a cable fixed on the ground that holds it in place. The glider moves along a ring trajectory perpendicular to the wind, like a mad kite. But, unlike the snake, the flight is controlled by the onboard computer. On the wing there are several small propellers that rotate the generators. The take-off and landing of the airframe take place in a helicopter mode, the generators work as engines.
What are the advantages of this design? In conventional windmills, the end of the blade works most intensively - the last 25% of its length can generate 75% of the power of the entire screw. A wing flying in a circle is equivalent to the end of the blade of a very large windmill, and instead of the rest of the design - a thin and light cable. The material intensity of such a flying wind turbine is 90% lower than the traditional one. Increasing the length of the cable, the wing can easily be raised to a greater height, where the wind is stronger and more stable, whereas for traditional windmills, every extra meter up increases and increases the cost of construction. The flying wing is effective at lower wind speeds, and it also withstands stormy weather. If the wind threatens to reach hurricane force, the wing just lands.
One more thing - small screws rotate at a very high speed, which allows you to install them directly on the generator shaft, without a gearbox. The total cost of electricity generated by the flying wing is twice as low as that of traditional wind turbines. Plus, the ability to quickly deploy such a power plant anywhere in a matter of hours, or install it above the sea surface.
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An experimental model of a flying windmill M30, with a capacity of 30 kilowatts with a wing span of only 8 meters, recently successfully passed flight tests in a fully autonomous mode. In the future, it is planned to produce windmills M600 - with a capacity of 600 kilowatts, with a wingspan of 28 meters and a flight height of up to 300 meters, and five MW giants M5 with a wing span of 70 meters and a flight height of 600 meters designed to work in the open sea.
Google has invested in Makani since 2006, when a startup was founded. Now Makani Power will be part of Google X, which specializes in innovative breakthrough projects such as the autonomous car and Google Glass.
What are the advantages of this design? In conventional windmills, the end of the blade works most intensively - the last 25% of its length can generate 75% of the power of the entire screw. A wing flying in a circle is equivalent to the end of the blade of a very large windmill, and instead of the rest of the design - a thin and light cable. The material intensity of such a flying wind turbine is 90% lower than the traditional one. Increasing the length of the cable, the wing can easily be raised to a greater height, where the wind is stronger and more stable, whereas for traditional windmills, every extra meter up increases and increases the cost of construction. The flying wing is effective at lower wind speeds, and it also withstands stormy weather. If the wind threatens to reach hurricane force, the wing just lands.
One more thing - small screws rotate at a very high speed, which allows you to install them directly on the generator shaft, without a gearbox. The total cost of electricity generated by the flying wing is twice as low as that of traditional wind turbines. Plus, the ability to quickly deploy such a power plant anywhere in a matter of hours, or install it above the sea surface.
')
An experimental model of a flying windmill M30, with a capacity of 30 kilowatts with a wing span of only 8 meters, recently successfully passed flight tests in a fully autonomous mode. In the future, it is planned to produce windmills M600 - with a capacity of 600 kilowatts, with a wingspan of 28 meters and a flight height of up to 300 meters, and five MW giants M5 with a wing span of 70 meters and a flight height of 600 meters designed to work in the open sea.
Google has invested in Makani since 2006, when a startup was founded. Now Makani Power will be part of Google X, which specializes in innovative breakthrough projects such as the autonomous car and Google Glass.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/180715/
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