The new modern windmills do not have wings and are a Spanish invention.

According to Jorge Piñero from the marketing department of Vortex, the brand that signed the new work, the wind turbines they produce, which do not have characteristic blades, an option that attracts the attention of research centers as well as companies (public and private), as it may be an option for micro-production of energy and completes the installation of solar panels in any type of building for self consumption.

In fact, they are already being installed in some buildings and centers, like the SEO/BirdLife headquarters in Madrid and other properties in Ávila, which shows how much their potential is.

Vortex wind turbines harness the energy of the wind, but with a completely different approach than windmills. Instead of blades moved by the wind, it is its mast that oscillates slightly to generate energy.

According to Piñero, wind often creates waves in the air (which is why we see flags waving and ‘drawing’ shapes in the air). “When air or water passes through a circular structure (as in Vortex ‘poles’), eddies form along the way. When the frequency of their appearance coincides with the resonant frequency of the structure, they begin to absorb energy,” he elaborates.

Through a series of more complex physical processes, Vortex achieved very high air kinetic energy conversion efficiency. At this point, it should be noted that the eddy limit is 40%. From that moment on, the wind turbines stop.

By comparison, conventional mills reach 49%. “We’re still a long way from achieving such excellent efficiency, and it’s a result of traditional wind power perfecting 60-80 years where we’ve been for 10 years,” they say of the company.

By applying these already mature technologies on the market and other physical principles of fluid dynamics, the geometry of the mast and the materials from which it is made are maximized so that the wind can pass through and create these eddies. “The structure begins to absorb energy by elastic resonance. It starts to oscillate perpendicular to the wind direction and can be converted into electrical energy by moving,” adds Piñero.

For small installations

These wind turbines are much smaller than conventional windmills. This, together with the fact that they do not have wings, allows them to be installed in smaller sized spaces.

According to the company, the motion these wind turbines produce is harmless (the larger the device, the slower they oscillate). Additionally, they detail that they are hollow and the noise they produce is practically the same as the threshold of the wind.

These features allow them to be placed in urban and even protected areas. They also interfere with radio signals less than other renewable energy alternatives, so they can be deployed at airports or military sites, according to the company.

Another of its strengths is they do not need gears to operate and do not suffer from the wear and tear of conventional mills.. “It has a carbon fiber rod that can swing for years without replacement. And since there are no moving parts, you don’t need oil or changing gears or gearboxes,” explains Piñero.

100 watts smaller models

Regarding the production capacity of these devices, Vortex, the smallest, about 3 meters high, can provide up to 100 watts of powerthe second depends on the current weather conditions, the environment etc. may vary depending on

The company is working, first of all, on the development of other options for road signs or systems that consume a lot of energy, but in smaller sizes (about 60 centimeters), designed to be placed in a very timely manner or vice versa. , They consume very little, but many times.

Meanwhile, the medium size ones are mostly designed for the roofs of houses and buildings. According to the statements made, these wind turbines can maintain less distance from each other than the wind turbines should keep so that the operation of the blades does not interfere with other mills.

Larger models will be more designed for rural or industrial environments.

Jorge Piñero also explains itThere are still several years before this option becomes commercially viable.. “We’ve been around for more than nine years, but these projects usually take around 15 or 20 until they reach commercial viability,” he details.

“We are considering the possibility of launching a campaign” beta testing to get feedback on different environments and conditions. Participants will be able to have the Vortex Nano, a small functional technological demonstrator that will not be a commercial product, but ideal for performing these tests,” the company states.

Vortex website: https://vortexbladeless.com/en/

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Environment department contact address:crisclimatica@prensaiberica.es