Russia’s AeroGlobe built a round wind generator which does not cause infrasonic vibrations adversely effecting people and nature. A prototype of the device was presented at Start up Village 2018 in Skilkovo Technopark.
Small but safe
According to Kontur.Focus service, AeroGlobe is owned by Maxim Korobov (90%) and Yuri Kriulin (10%). The prototype presented at Skolkovo, was produced with assistance of Innovax (part of X-Group Corporation from Nizhny Novgorod).
Rotor wheel of AeroGlobe’s wind generator has a diameter of 1 meter. At the 10 meter per second wind speed it generates 700 watt. It’s noteworthy the device was made at a 3D printer. Wind generators which are currently used worldwide have horizontal axis of rotation identical to that of ordinary windmills. They are fixed at towers and can have three, four or five blades. They are commonplace in Spain, Germany, the Netherlands and other countries promoting green energy. Russia has not yet become one of such countries since it has no market for selling energy from renewable sources. AeroGlobe has come up with a different design. The blades are located in parallel to the ground surface, while the axis of rotation is vertical. Horizontal wind generators are more powerful than AeroGlobe’s. Enercon E-126 wind turbine, made by Germany’s Enercon, can generate, for instance, up to 7.58 MW. But such turbines also generate infrasonic vibrations which have an adverse impact on human psychology, repel birds, and their installation in cities is not allowed. AeroGlobe’s wind generator is less powerful. Instead of blades, it has small vanes protected by a spherical structure. The generator does not make any noise, so it can be located next to residential premises.
Where winds are strong
“At the moment, we have developed a wind generator to be used in the Far East, since winds there are very strong, and regular wind turbines can not operate there as their blades get detached or stalled”, Vasily Davidenko, Development Director at AeroGlobe, notes.
In Kuril Islands, wind speed can reach 40 meters per second, yet AeroGlobe turbines can operate at wind speeds of up to 60 meters per second, which in fact is hurricane. Such strong winds can be seen really rarely though. An AeroGlobe wind turbine can replace a diesel power generator used by expeditions in the Far East and Far North. But to supply enough energy for a private house, AeroGlobe turbine is insufficiently powerful. With a wind speed of 3 meters per second a turbine can generate 200 watt which is enough to supply electricity to 20 LED bulbs of 10 watt each. That is sufficient for properly lighting a three-bedroom apartment. But if WATTS Battery’s lithium-ion batteries are used (they produce energy of 1.3 kW), that is enough to provide energy for a small private house equipped with various electric devices. AeroGlobe wind generator will keep charging the battery.
AeroGlobe’s wind turbines were ordered by the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk) which arranges expeditions to Kuril Islands and extracts rhenium concentrate and rare elements from volcanic gases. In the area, there is the largest deposit of rhenium which is necessary for aircraft and air rockets production. According to Kontur.Focus service, the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology was founded by Maxim Korobov (75%) and the Institute of Volcanology (25%). The Institute is headed by Heinrich Steinberg, Academician of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences. Therefore, the purchaser and developer of the AeroGlobe generators are controlled by one and the same individual.
Solar paneled wind turbine
AeroGlobe’s wind generator’s tests will be completed this summer. After that, the company will start expanding into the market. AeroGlobe’s wind turbine has a rather large surface, so the company plans to have it covered with elastic solar panels. That will add to turbine’s power. It is intended to increase the wind turbine’s power to 15 kW by the yearend and to 1 MW in the future. The price of the generator has not been set yet since the market prices for wind turbines are going down. Analogous turbines (of a few kW power) are priced at RUR 500K ($8K) or higher. AeroGlobe is currently aiming to offer a 2 kW generator at $10K-plus. The scope of investments is not disclosed.
Wind turbines with a vertical axis are unavailable in the Russian market. Some wind turbines similar to that of AeroGlobe were developed by Russia’s AeroGreen where chief designer is Yuri Kriulin, a co-founder of AeroGlobe. According to the website of the company, at the moment AeroGreen is looking for a strategic investor. Worldwide, powerful horizontal wind generators with three to five blades are mainly manufactured by German and Chinese companies.
“Prospect markets for our wind turbines are huge”, Vasily Davidenko says. “They include Africa, Far North and Far East of Russia, Europe and all countries which support green energy”.
By Natalia Kuznetsova
Thanks, it’s quite informative