08 apr 2008
More Efficient Wind Turbines Inspired by Whales
Biomimicry is defined as 'a discipline that studies nature’s best ideas and then imitates these designs and processes to solve human problems'. This quickly growing field of study is catching on in both the design and technology communities.
A recent article in Technology Review describes a new project that uses inspiration from whales for high-tech wind turbines. Through the aerodynamic study of the ridges on a whale's flipper, known as tubercles, researchers found that they significantly helped prevent stall, a combination of drag and lost lift. In aviation terms, stall results in significant loses in altitude.
This discovery is know leading technology developers in the aviation and energy sectors to create new designs for wings and in the case of the energy sector, wind turbines. A Toronto, Canada based company named WhalePower has been testing this new idea on their turbines. Their whale-inspired prototypes have doubled the performance at speeds of 17 miles per hour, reducing drag and helping create more efficient turbines.
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