A novel design for a High Altitude Wind Turbine
This is currently a concept, a working model is yet to be built.
Description and operation
The KW-HAWT is a new take on launching wind turbines to reach higher wind speeds at greater altitudes. Wind energy is harvested from wind turbines. Turbine units can also be made up of a funnel, tunnel and diffuser applying the Venturi effect to maximise wind flow and efficiency. Getting these turbines up there is the problem and is where the kite-wing aspect comes in. The Kite provides the majority of lift force required to keep the structure in the air but lift is also provided by the airfoil shaped wing which generates a force from the pressure difference from the flow of wind against it. Tubes mounted on the top of the wing mechanically turned by wind turbines on its side provides additional lift from the Magnus effect. The number and size of turbines that can be mounted on the structure depends on the total lift force generated, basically if it is greater than the total weight of the structure.
The turbines will be placed on the wing such that the centre of gravity will be manitained at its centre, where one tether connects it to ground and another connects the kite to it. This is to maintain the stucture's position parallel to ground. The turbines are mounted on the wing with a 2-axis hinge and so are the tethers and the cables of the direction chutes ( discussed in next section ). The turbines and wing therefore move independently against the wind ( discussed in next section ) and can maintain a position parallel to the ground despite free movement of the kite against the wind.
The wing sturcture and combined turbines have tails that allow them to move independently to face the wind direction. Direction chutes are mounted on the tips of the wing structure, these chutes are pulled by the wind and they in turn pull the sturcture towards the wind. The kite also pulls itself towards the wind direction.
These are measures taken to ensure an optimum, smooth, linear, non-turbulent windflow through the turbine units for maximum efficiency.
The KW-HAWT however will not be able to attain significant lift to launch itself from the ground due to limited wind speed, it will need to be carried and deployed to a high altitude with the use of an aircraft. A UAV would be useful for this purpose as deployement missions would be quicker, cheaper and safer.
The Kite Wing High Altitude Wind Turbine is licensed under the TAPR Open Hardware License (www.tapr.org/OHL).
In support of open source innovation in strengthening renewables and combating climate change.