Windbelt Turbine, easy to make. Has anyone else build one?

[mramos]

http://www.hackszine.com/blog/archive/2007/10/windbelt_elegant_nonturbine_wi.html

I built one, the output was not very strong with my Neo magnets and coils.  I guess it has a place.  I found it takes a fair amount of wind as well.  Repair cost would be low when the Suns UV kills the plastic.

I must admit I only tried two coil sizes for my output.  Making it was very simple.  I hooked my small DC motor/generator up and drove a lot more LEDs with the same fan though (6 times more)..

Just checking to see if anyone else has made one.

[Pirate88179]

mramos:

I just read the information on the link you provided.  The main thing that comes to my mind is this: having something moving up and down, or back and forth, is not as efficient as something spinning.  Am I wrong on this?  The reason I say that is when something is moving back and forth, it has to stop as it reverses direction, therefore not producing anything twice in one cycle.  In rotation, it can happen for all 360 degrees.  What are you thoughts on this?

Bill

[ken_nyus]

I think the main benefit of this design is not efficiency but simplicity, easy to build and easy to fix.

[shruggedatlas]

mramos:

I just read the information on the link you provided.  The main thing that comes to my mind is this: having something moving up and down, or back and forth, is not as efficient as something spinning.  Am I wrong on this?  The reason I say that is when something is moving back and forth, it has to stop as it reverses direction, therefore not producing anything twice in one cycle.  In rotation, it can happen for all 360 degrees.  What are you thoughts on this?

Bill

The article states that at smaller scales, the wind turbine is not efficient, so it seems that this device would in fact beat a wind turbine of similar dimensions.  With regard to reversing direction, I do not think this hurts efficiency.  Think of a pendulum.  A proper, low friction one can oscillate for a long time, comparable to a wheel on great bearings.

Anyway, I think this thing is great.

[Pirate88179]

@ Shrugged:

Good point.


Bill