May 26, 2009 -- Today's wind turbines are like race cars with one gear. Slow off the line and crippled at high speeds, the turbines are effective at generating electricity only within a sweet spot of moderate wind speeds. Scientists from Purdue University want to change this by creating intelligent wind turbines that shape-shift with the wind. These smart wind turbines would help maximize the amount of electricity generated by wind power while ensuring longer life spans for wind turbines. "We eventually want to put aerolons or actuators on the blades to quickly adapt how the blade flies through the air," said Jon White of Purdue University, an engineer working on the project. "One second you will have one kind of blade, and then the next second it will change into another shape, depending on the wind speed," said White. Related Content:
White and his colleagues recently installed accelerometers along three 30- foot-long blades of a research turbine near Amarillo, Tx. Made of balsa wood and fiber glass, the blades are right on the border between personal and commercial-sized wind turbines, said White. The accelerometers measure how the blades subtly twist and turn as they cut through the air. In the first stage of their research, the Purdue scientists are measuring for blade fatigue and efficiency in an effort to design future turbine blades that last beyond the usual 20 years. Once they have gathered enough data, the team plans to link the data from the accelerometers to mechanical actuators or aerelons, the flat panels on airplanes that help direct airflow, on the ends of the blades and to a control panel. Traditionally, wind turbine blades are fixed. They have one fixed shape optimized to perform during moderate wind speeds. During low wind speeds the blade is too narrow for the wind to push the blade around efficiently. High wind speeds, which could generate the most power, push the blades too quickly, threatening to break the blade and can force operators to limit the speed and energy production. Get More NewsMouse Cloned From Long-Frozen CellResearchers create a mouse from a long-frozen cell. Will the mammoth be next?'Bubble' Could Protect AstronautsScientists say a "bubble" around a Mars-bound spaceship could protect astronauts.Big Reduction of Snowmobiles in Yellowstone ProposedA new plan would cut snowmobile use by 40 percent in Yellowstone.Microbes: Fuel of the Future?A reddish South American microbe is literally breathing fuel, say scientists.DNA Links Remains to Steve FossetDNA tests on two bones found in California confirm they are those of Steve Fossett.Women Carry More Bacteria Than MenSome bacteria prefer women, suggests a new study. But why?Ancient 'Water Monster' Facing ExtinctionA foot-long salamander that was a key part of Aztec legend is threatened by extinction.Grand Canyon's Youth ConfirmedThe Grand Canyon is millions of years younger than previously thought, argue geologists.My Take: E-Voting Not User FriendlyOpinion: Electronic voting machines don't always capture the intent of voters.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.At 40, Brain and Body SlowThe part of the brain in charge of motion starts a gradual slide in middle age.Spiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates. |
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