High Torque Vertical axis wind turbine

Like this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savonius_wind_turbine

That is the Wiki link, if you do a search on CR4 for "Savonius" you will find plenty more: e.g. http://cr4.globalspec.com/thread/17270

Check out the helix design that Helix Twin uses. It is independent of wind direction and small.

I have playing around with design myself some to run an air compressor, and one of my mistakes is turning out to be very helpful in producing more torque. We used a dome top for vertical axis turbine,and on the bottom plate we came out 1 1/2 inches along the outside curve and than made a cut to zero in the center than flared this to the half curve vertical downward. the domed top sticks out 2 inches past the sides of the turbine? we were using parts on hand and this seemingly has more torque and also runs at a little slower wind speed's! there is one not 50 feet away the same size that dose not have the dome on top and doesn't have a flare at the bottom, and it produces about 9% less so sometimes mistakes in building something Leeds to better things.These might help in getting more torque!

Can you make a drawing for us, I cannot quite picture what you are saying (sorry!).

A turbine of about the right capacity (depending on wind strengths available etc) can be made by cutting a 200L drum in half lengthwise and using these as the halves of a Savonius turbine.

ANDY WILL GET A SKETCH FOR YOU MONDAY MY SCANNER IS DOWN RIGHT NOW!!

No hurry, but I bet I am not alone in needing a sketch.

Maybe you should think of using this knowledge in some good financial manner.....!

Sorry for the delay having some issues with the CAD on my pc and the scanner, isn't new software fun!! well here is a crude drawing of what i was talking about. when we put a bee keepers smudge pot up to this the dome on top seemed to transfer the air to the other side much better, and the bottom plate having the slots cut out with the fins tipping down through seems to catch the wind at a slower speed,and puts out more torque. Like i said we built this one with what we had on hand. The top is the end of a water heater tank, we also carried the fins up into this.Like i said there is on 50ft away and built like a regular vertical turbine and it doesn't start up in the slower wind speed's. and this one has more torque! cant explain why? It is a pretty good mistake I'm looking into further!

Great drawing, easily understood. Many thanks.

If I understand you correctly your saying that by adding dome on top the turbine producesses more energy. This is probably because the dome blocks the air flow, so the air flows around it and some of it goes into the turbine. Having anything that blocks the air around a turbine will increase the air speed through the turbine, as long as it doesn't block the turbine itself.

Yes i believe this to be correct,the dome I also feels helps transfer the air from one side of the turbine to the other, and the fin's down through the bottom plate help with the initial start up at a lower speed.

If you are experimenting and building, try this one

Chris

I've modelled up my Horizontal Axis design in more of a construction oriented way.. just to figure out more about how it would work.. look here

Chris

Man, Chris. Thats the first chance I had to look at your design drawings. That is some pretty design work. I hope it bears out, because, even though its somewhat complex for the average Joe-Handyman to build, the drawings are so clear, I don't see any difficulty doing it. And its definitely in a size that would be useful for the Harry Homeowner types, like me.

Good stuff.

Micah

Thank you.

I did tend to add a lot of strength.. not much fun to have your designs go limp in the first strong wind lol

Its just a preliminary design... to actually help work out the best ratios, heights, etc. (more discussion here)

Chris

Hey Cris very nice might talk with you about building a small version?