The coefficient of wind to ground makes this hard for practical use. Where I live we gent a pretty constant wind at night, but not enough to blow leafs in trees, but enough to make candles blow out (I like this measurement system, since you can test it anywhere).
However, at about 10-15m up, it is quite a bit stronger.
I have often thought it would be cool to build a "windmill" (Dutch style) system using 4 folder standard tarps and enforced 1/2 EMT (same stuff you see for tents at burning man).
It would break under strong winds, but I think even a small diameter (5m across) would turn at even under 1 knott of wind (and with pretty good force). At 5 knotts (about the most I think we get here on average) it would be cranking.
The trick is, how to bring it down or protect it if the wind gets higher.
My thought was to have a small win meter that if pushed to hard would release some level and the whole thing would fall basically to the ground, or fall "behind" a barn or house.
This would be a very cheap source of power. One could build the blades for about $100, and now you just need to work out the generator.
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archerships
no subject
Date: 2008-11-01 05:13 pm (UTC)The coefficient of wind to ground makes this hard for practical use.
Where I live we gent a pretty constant wind at night, but not enough to blow leafs in trees, but enough to make candles blow out (I like this measurement system, since you can test it anywhere).
However, at about 10-15m up, it is quite a bit stronger.
I have often thought it would be cool to build a "windmill" (Dutch style) system using 4 folder standard tarps and enforced 1/2 EMT (same stuff you see for tents at burning man).
It would break under strong winds, but I think even a small diameter (5m across) would turn at even under 1 knott of wind (and with pretty good force). At 5 knotts (about the most I think we get here on average) it would be cranking.
The trick is, how to bring it down or protect it if the wind gets higher.
My thought was to have a small win meter that if pushed to hard would release some level and the whole thing would fall basically to the ground, or fall "behind" a barn or house.
This would be a very cheap source of power. One could build the blades for about $100, and now you just need to work out the generator.