Feeding 9 Billion: Innovations in Agricultural Modeling
Power and Electrical Engineering
The “Lark” Is Waiting For The Wind
Electric power is needed in remote regions difficult of access, settlements, expeditions and at timber-felling. Where can it be obtained from? Specially for such occasions, researchers from the Moscow Institute of Heating Engineering have invented a wind turbine, which can be delivered by car in a container or by helicopter, for example, MI-26 at external load. The developers promise that the device would supply energy without interruption. “What about dead calm weather?” – you would ask. In this case, the second part of the wind turbine will start working – Diesel generator.
The both devices ensure capacity of 30 kW each. When there is no wind, the Diesel is working, when the wind is gentle, both devices are operating. The LARK’s control algorithm is built in such a way that maximum of energy is collected by the wind turbine from the wind, and the missing part is added by the Diesel. The windwheel diameter is ten meters, it is able of whirling without interruption for twenty five years!
Moreover, the system is fully automated and does not require operations staff’s permanent presence. But the most interesting thing about it is that the device does not require building the foundation, in contrast to ordinary wind turbines. In the regions difficult of access, where stand-alone power sources are needed, construction of the foundation is comparable to the wind turbine itself in terms of cost.
It is only necessary to deliver the LARK wind turbine to the destination, to unload the device,and it will turn downwind with the help of horizon scanners. That is, the wind turbine is a factory-assembled device, which does not require foundation construction, assembly work and balancing and commissioning. Its price is about USD two hundred thousand.
“Two devices have already passed a complete trial cycle, received certificates of conformance, they have been patented, full-scale production is being prepared in Moscow. Buyers are already in place. By the way, the LARK wind turbine received diplomas at the International exhibitions in Brussels “Eureka–97” and in Geneva in 2000”, said operations manager Valery Kisilev.
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