A HIGHLY EFFICIENT SMALL WIND TURBINE FOR DISTRIBUTIVE GENERATION

摘要

The recent blackout in Northeast United States demonstrated the need forrnindependence from the electrical grid. Wind farms are being developed at a rapid rate, and are located in areas of high wind power and low-value property. The power output from these farms is then fed to the electrical grid for transmission to the consumer,rnusually in an urban area. Just like electricity from coal or nuclear power plants, it is subject to the infrastructure of the electrical grid and the cost of transmission. A small wind turbine can be installed at the site of the consumer whether it is a commercial, industrial, residential or rural application. TurbodynamX, Inc. has developed a unique wind turbine design that generates over 45% more power for a given swept area than current small wind turbines on the market. This technology canrnbe employed for systems from 500 watts to 300 kilowatts, and can be installed on mastsrnor on roofs.rnStudents at the Illinois Institute of Technology, through the Interprofessional Projectrn(IPRO) Program, have been responsible for the technical and business development ofrnthis renewable energy system in Chicago. Wind assessments, impact statements,rnpermitting, and market research were all conducted during an eighteen-month period. Arnprototype wind turbine was successfully installed in downtown Chicago for the purposernof validating its superior performance. A description of this new technology and itsrnhighly efficient operation is presented. Applications where this new technology can be employed are also be described.