Plourde B.D., Abraham J.P., Mowry G.S.
University of St. Thomas, US
Keywords: communication towers, microscale wind power, vertical-axis turbine
A vertical-axis turbine has been designed to power cellular communication towers. The turbine’s design is specifically focused on providing continuous power to manage the tower’s electronics without interfering with the tower structure. The design of the blade was aided by computational fluid dynamic software which allowed the introduction of novel aerodynamic features. A full scale prototype has been testing in a wind tunnel and has been shown to be a viable source of power for towers in off-grid locations or where continuous grid power is not reliable. The developing-world market for these turbines is expected to be very large.
Journal: TechConnect Briefs
Volume: 3, Nanotechnology 2011: Bio Sensors, Instruments, Medical, Environment and Energy
Published: June 13, 2011
Pages: 750 - 753
Industry sector: Energy & Sustainability
Topic: Solar Technologies
ISBN: 978-1-4398-7138-6