Research results for the Tornado Wind-Energy system: analysis and conclusions

Technical Report · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1983

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6549587· OSTI ID:6549587

Jacobs, E

The Tornado Wind Energy System (TWES) concept utilizes a wind driven vortex confined by a hollow tower to create a low pressure core intended to serve as a turbine exhaust reservoir. The turbine inlet flow is provided by a separate ram air supply. Numerous experimental and analytical research efforts have investigated the potential of the TWES as a wind energy conversion system (WECS). The present paper summarizes and analyzes much of theresearch to date on the TWES. A simplified cost analysis incorporating these research results is also included. Based on these analyses, the TWES does not show significant promise of improving on either the performance or the cost of energy attainable by conventional WECS. The prospects for achieving either a system power coefficient above 0.20 or a cost of energy less than $0.50/kWh (1979 dollars) appear to be poor.

• Research Organization: Solar Energy Research Inst. (SERI), Golden, CO (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-77CH00178
• OSTI ID: 6549587
• Report Number(s): SERI/TP-211-1889; ON: DE83006091
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products. Original copy available until stock is exhausted
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

17 WIND ENERGY
TORNADO TURBINES
COST
TESTING
AIR FLOW
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
PERFORMANCE
SIZE
VORTICES
ECONOMICS
FLUID FLOW
GAS FLOW
MACHINERY
TURBINES
TURBOMACHINERY
VERTICAL AXIS TURBINES
WIND TURBINES
TORNADO WIND ENERGY SYSTEM
TURBINE EXHAUST
VORTEX
170602* - Wind Energy Engineering- Turbine Design & Operation