Three blade Flex-Rotor R&D

A 1983-vintage Storm Master turbine being used to test an optimized Flex Rotor that was developed under a Dept. of Energy contract in 2004. The turbine is installed running at a site in North Palm Springs, California, that is well-known for its extreme winds. The combined specific mass of the three blades is an extraordinarily low 0.66 kg per square meter of disk area. This number is typically over 5.0 for large wind turbines

Article in "Composites World", 2-2005

Three blade, Flex-Rotor technology

This is a very different and vastly superior approach compared to what is commonly used today, and is the cornerstone of our "Next Generation" architecture. It was originally developed by Ed Salter in 1976 while he was at WInd Power Systems, Inc., and the prototype is still operating today. The pre-cone angle combined with variable speed operation creates an ideal balance between wind thrust forces and centrifugal forces acting on the blade, greatly reducing the flapwise bending stress in the blade, and reducing the imposed load set to an absolute minimum, thereby creating a cascade of cost and reliability benefits.

"Falcon III " Rotor Blade Technology

This technology derives its name from the shape of the outer 35% of the blades. It addresses and solves the noise problems that have become associated with horizontal axis wind turbines, and will stabilize the rotor aeroelastically without the use of expensive leading edge weighting.

Variable speed operation and variable pitch rotors

These are essential supporting technologies for proper implementation of the three blade Flex-Rotor, and it also maximizes operating efficiency and minimizes loads and wear on all components in the load path. The proven variable pitch rotor controls power output and rotor speed and all operating wind speeds.

Direct Drive

Eliminates troublesome, expensive, heavy, and noisy gearing systems. Improves life cycle cost-of-energy by a major reduction in O&M costs.

Scalable and Expandable Arrays (patent pending)

This feature provides for growing the energy supply in dedicated applications, such as water pumping, community-based energy cooperatives, electrical vehicle charging stations, communications systems, etc., where demand is expected to grow over time. We have developed a mobile test system that permits us to study the dynamics of twin and quad arrays under controlled velocity conditions.

Scalable "Transverse Flux" generator technology (patent pending)

This innovation permits us to meet our objectives for manufacturing cost, weight, efficiency, and 40 year service life that could not be met using conventional radial flux architecture. It will also effectively eliminate the annoying hum that is characteristic of AC machines.

Counter-rotating modular turbines

Counter rotation cancels out rotor loads associated with torque transmission and gyrodynamic effects for multi-rotor systems, and may provide substantial benefits in terms of wake dynamics.More on this ->