Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Non-Tech : Alternative energy -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Cogito Ergo Sum who wrote (5559)	11/15/2008 11:42:47 PM
From: Eric	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 16955

TBS The speed of sound at sea level is roughly 1100 feet per second. If you add the fact that the airstream is moving through the turbine actual tip speeds are higher in absolute terms. The really big factor is that the forces on the turbine goes up as a cube of the wind velocity. For example.. if the wind increases from 10 mph to 20 mph the turbine will actually generate about 8 times more energy than it could while in a ten mph wind! So as wind speed goes up we can very quickly start to get beyond the ultimate design loads that the turbine can withstand, especially the gearbox and generator! I don't believe most of these things could withstand hurricane force winds, especially above 100 mph. That's why most of them are braked and stopped when winds get above about 40 mph. Granted there is a tremendous amount of energy that could be harvested the turbine simply couldn't withstand the torque forces put upon it. These things are designed and optimized to harvest the energy of "average wind speeds". regards