The Onipko rotor is a wind generator that operates on the principle of a horizontal-axis wind turbine under the pressure of wind power. Despite the fact that these units are positioned as a full-fledged replacement of standard devices, their efficiency is only 20 percent. At the same time, the costs of installation and operation are very substantial. Consider the features of these devices and their capabilities.
Presentation
The Onipko rotor is a wind generator that includes parts of vertical installations, while it works with an axial horizontal load. How much energy this unit produces is not reliably known. By and large, this device is advertised as an economical option for generating energy. However, its cost and compliance with performance indicators are still a big question.
The manufacturer presents the Onipko wind generator as one of the best alternatives in the production of analog electricity. Nevertheless, specific facts indicate that the device is not in special demand so far. This is largely due to the considerable cost, complexity of installation and not very high efficiency.
Functionality
The operation of the unit under consideration consists in the rotation of the blades of the installation under the influence of wind. The average electricity generation rate is up to 3 m / s. This Onipko rotor parameter is determined by the presence of a properly similar generator and a wind power of at least 0.3 m / s. The rotation of the unit will be insignificant, it is quite possible to stop it by hand. Such a traction may be enough for a light bulb with minimal consumer characteristics.
Drawings of the Onipko rotor and its photo clearly show that the unit has a diameter of about one hundred centimeters. With a wind flow of 2 meters per second, the efficiency of the device is not more than 20 percent. The result is a power of about 50 watts. The rotor mechanism converts mechanical energy into a working analogue, which can be up to 8-10 watts from one generator.
Features
The Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, in which the unit under consideration was created, presents the device as an innovative model in the market. However, a wind generator is not a special innovation. Its only feature is the original design and the principle of double action. Nevertheless, it will not be difficult to remodel similar windmills in such a way that there is the possibility of effective work not only with a strong gust, but also with a weak wind.
The manufacturer claims that the Onipko rotor is completely silent. But there is a share of the marketing move. The fact is that all household wind generators do not create loud sounds during operation. A certain noise is observed only at high speeds, and then it does not exceed the noise of trees in windy weather. Slow-moving windmills are not heard during operation, but they also generate less energy with the same dimensions.
Design
Since the product in question is a wind generator with rigid sails that do not change the angle of inclination depending on the strength of the wind, maximum efficiency is possible only with a certain force of the wind flow. The efficiency also depends on the aerodynamics of the object and throughput. The Onipko wind generator rotor is a dense spiral disk, therefore, the increasing flow abuts against a peculiar “pillow”, and part of the wind just goes sideways.
The efficiency of the unit under consideration is not more than 0.25%. It works due to wind pressure and lift. For example, with a wind of 6 meters per second, the speed of rotation of the meter rotor will be about 80 revolutions per minute. It is worth noting that modern analogues are capable of producing up to 500 rotations per minute. This means that the Onipko wind generator should be 8-9 times larger and more expensive to be able to produce the same amount of energy.
Power
This equipment has low power per unit weight. A rotor with a diameter of 1000 millimeters has a mass of about 50 kilograms, while the weight of a three-blade classic wind generator does not exceed 6 kg. It is easy to calculate that the price of the Onipko rotor will be an order of magnitude higher. The estimated cost of the unit will be about one thousand dollars, not counting the accompanying elements.
The developer claims that the power range of the device varies between 50-10000 watts. This indicator depends on the size of the working part. Consider a wind generator during installation does not require a high mast. However, it is not required when installing other windmills. Just at low altitude, the production rate of equipment is deteriorating due to weak turbulence and a slight wind flow. The higher the mast, the more stable and evenly the air masses act on the blades.
Turbine
The developer claims that the turbine’s operating area significantly exceeds the surface of a classic analogue of identical dimensions in terms of efficiency, since the wind flow pressure energy is additionally involved in the work.
This is not entirely true, since the bulk of the wind falls from the impeller. This is due to the fact that the rotor does not pass a stream through itself, forming an air cap. You can verify this if you apply pressure to the wind wheel with illuminated smoke in the wind tunnel. Given the low revolutions of the wind wheel, the Onipko rotor aggregates with a small amount of wind for a certain period of time. For example, a standard three-bladed propeller with the same air pressure has a speed of 4-5 times higher than wind speed. Therefore, for a unit of time, it processes a large number of air masses. In this case, the wind passes through the wheel without braking new flows.
Production material
The production of wind generators of this type involves the manufacture of a wind wheel from metal, composite fiber or plastic. Low noise allows you to install the unit in close proximity to housing. However, all this can be said about classic windmills.
Only industrial analogs that create significant low-frequency vibration are mounted at a distance. Equipment with a capacity of up to 1000 kW can be mounted near houses.
Specifications
Below are the main parameters of the considered wind generator:
- The practical power range is from 50 to 10,000 watts.
- The device is designed to operate in the event of a sharp change in wind speed and direction.
- The windmill does not create noise, can be mounted directly near the home.
- The working speed of the air flow is 0.3-20 m / s.
- The turbine can be made of different materials.
About the developer
The unit under consideration was developed by Aleksey Onipko, Doctor of Technical Sciences. The wind generator is notable for its unusual shape and silent operation. The scientist spent ten years on the development of his brainchild. He began to design a new windmill in the company of grandchildren and enthusiasts. The manufacturing process of the rotor itself is not complicated, but it requires special accuracy in observing the dimensions. The designer claims that even with a slight deviation, up to 5 mm, the efficiency of the device is reduced to 30 percent. A member of the Academy of Sciences for his invention received many awards, including the Leonardo da Vinci medal, the Green Oscar.
Aleksey Onipko notes that his know-how has interested foreign colleagues from Estonia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Europe. And the scientist concluded a contract with the Germans, which indicated that for the use of the rotor in Europe, a plant for its production should be built in Ukraine. The engineer notes that in his homeland nobody is interested in his invention. However, the scientist does not lose optimism and hopes to wait for mass production.
Testing
For a visual presentation of the capabilities of the new wind turbine, the designer installed a classic wind turbine next to his brainchild. He claims that during the operation of both versions with a strong wind stream, the traditional model made more noise and completely stopped when the air speed was approaching a minimum. Onipko rotor in similar conditions continued to work and did not create noise.
To conduct tests, the scientist adapted a wind tunnel in the workshop, in which the wind flow accelerates to 15 meters per second. For clarity, it uses transparent modifications of the windmill. After long doubts, the European colleagues were able to verify the safety of the bird equipment and its silent operation, which makes it possible to mount the equipment on balconies and roofs of houses.
In conclusion
By and large, the wind generator created by A. Onipko is an installation that combines elements of vertical windmills, but it works on the principle of horizontal axis equipment. Since there is no mass production of this device, it is difficult to verify in practice the amount of energy generated depending on the wind speed. I would like to hope that this invention is really practical and economical. However, you can find out exactly this after objective testing and calculating accurate technical indicators.