A wingless wind turbine developed by a Spanish startup is swaying in the wind. Vortex Bladeless
The three-meter-high cylinder continues to sway in the wind. The congestion of this cylinder is a wind turbine developed by a Spanish start-up, and is attracting attention as an alternative to overcome the noise and bird collision problems of existing wind power generation.
According to foreign media such as the British Guardian, technology startup’Vortex Bladeless’ developed a wind turbine that generates energy using the power of wind without wings, a symbol of wind power generation, and started testing a prototype.
A wingless wind turbine developed by a Spanish startup. Vortex Bladeless
The start-up that developed the wingless wind turbine design was named on the list of’Top 10 Most Interesting Startups in Energy’ by Norwegian state-owned energy company Equinor. Equinor decided to provide Vortex Bladeless with support for technology development.
Electricity is made by vibration… No worry about bird collision or noise
A test that turns on a light is conducted to produce electricity using the principle of vibration. Vortex Bladeless
Other wind power generations generate electricity by turning their wings with the power of the wind. However, this cylindrical wind turbine generates electricity by vibrating when the wind blows.
Inside the cylinder, a rod-shaped cylinder with elasticity is vertically fixed, and when the wind blows, the cylinder vibrates to generate electricity. It is a technology that applies a vortex phenomenon called’Vortex Shedding’ to wind energy.
Wind power generation, one of the representative eco-friendly energy sources, has repeatedly generated low-frequency noise during the rotation of its wings, causing conflicts with nearby residents. It is also pointed out that it affects the ecosystem by interfering with the migration path of migratory birds and causing bird collisions.
In contrast, the wingless wind turbine does not pose a significant risk to bird migration or wildlife, and the noise level is known to be undetectable by humans. This is why wind turbines without wings are drawing attention.
“Filling existing wind power generation gaps such as city center installations”
A prototype of a small wingless wind turbine installed on the roof of a university in Avila City, Spain. Vortex Bladeless
However, wind turbines without wings are still less energy efficient than conventional wind turbines, so there is a long way to commercialize them. “We are not competing with the traditional wind industry,” David Yanez, the founder of the startup, also told Guardian. I have it,” he explained.
In fact, startups are conducting tests for commercialization, such as installing miniaturized prototypes in urban areas in Spain. “Solar panels generate electricity during the day and tend to have higher wind speeds at night, so they can complement each other well,” said Yanez.
Reporter Chun Kwon-pil [email protected]
