F6FLT It is an amazing effect but it does not recover more than a wind turbine can. In fact, years ago I ran the numbers, did the experiment and it does convert more wind energy. However like many other turbines the problem is not efficiency but practicality and cost. In my experimental setup I had a brushless motor and a prop connected to a shaft which rotated about a central shaft tied to a generator. Obviously the prop thrust acting against the wind can bring the wind to a complete stop in which case the air must give up all it's momentum, which is energy. The wind velocity is converted to pressure and this pressure acts on the prop causing the generator to turn. In fact the force produced is not comparable to a simple drag based device like a wind turbine blade because in this concept the wind gives up all it's momentum. In my simple experiment I proved the Betz limit is debatable because it only applies to "Drag" based devices and this design is not based solely on drag. A conventional wind turbine is based on outdated thinking relating to sail boats in my opinion, drag based devices whirling in circles. I used to design and test wind turbine designs and model them in Solid Works Fluid, CFD. Most wind turbines suffer the same fate and the moment we try to divert the wind with a drag based device like a turbine blade 90% of the energy in the wind simply moves around the blade, the path of least resistance. So what the Betz limit actually describes is how wind energy diverts around drag based devices and nothing more. While my tests did prove the concept is sound I have issues with it being impractical. It has too many moving parts, is overly complex and doesn't scale very well. However like most things my intent wasn't to prove it was practical but to show it works. It also proves what Viktor Schauberger was implying in that cyclic processes found in nature can extract more energy than simple drag based devices. It's actually kind of comical that were still using a simple variation of the same drag based technology used thousands of years ago in most of our flow based technologies. In any case, I find it strange that so many supposed experts can't seem to do much better than some guy a thousand years ago... doesn't instill a great deal of confidence they can think outside the box. Regards AC
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Comprehend and Copy Nature... Viktor Schauberger
“The first principle is that you must not fool yourself and you are the easiest person to fool.”― Richard P. Feynman
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