An Alternative to Rotary Wind Systems
‘Vibro-wind’ denotes the harvesting of energy from the wind as it flows around vibrating structures and is an emerging alternative to conventional rotary wind turbines. The basic science involves wind-induced vibration due to the non-linear fluid flow and vortices around flexible bodies and structures. Two key problems in this technology are: (1) how to convert wind energy into vibratory mechanical energy and (2) how to maximise mechanical energy conversion into electrical energy and storage from the vibration of a large array of hundreds of oscillators. A target application is for architectural facades in buildings, similar to, and as a complement to, solar energy panels.
By Francis C. Moon, Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, USA
‘Vibro-wind’ denotes the harvesting of energy from the wind as it flows around vibrating structures and is an emerging alternative to conventional rotary wind turbines. The basic science involves wind-induced vibration due to the non-linear fluid flow and vortices around flexible bodies and structures. Two key problems in this technology are: (1) how to convert wind energy into vibratory mechanical energy and (2) how to maximise mechanical energy conversion into electrical energy and storage from the vibration of a large array of hundreds of oscillators. A target application is for architectural facades in buildings, similar to, and as a complement to, solar energy panels.By Francis C. Moon, Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, USA
