The 18-foot-wide helix turbine, which will be mounted atop of the Indians ballpark March 2012, will generate about 40,000 kWh per year
Several years ago Dr. Majid Rashidi, a mechanical engineering professor at Cleveland State University, designed a wind tower to bring the benefits of wind energy to urban areas. Today, Rashidi is designing an improved version of the wind turbine for the Cleveland Indians baseball stadium.
“The 18-foot-wide helix turbine, which will be mounted atop of the Indians ballpark March 2012, will generate about 40,000 kWh per year,” says Rahidi. An early version of the turbine first appeared in these pages in late 2009. Since then, Rachidi has patented the turbine.
Believing there was a better way to harness the power of wind, the CSU prof received a $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy in 2008 to develop a wind-amplification turbine system that would be cost-effective and commercially viable. Unlike traditional wind turbines that need vast open space on land or on water, Rashidi’s design features a spiral wind deflector that could be mounted atop of buildings in urban areas. The grants will cover the cost of the turbine and installation at the Stadium.
The flexible turbine design can be retrofitted on existing structures such as farm silos and former water towers (like those on many New York City rooftops), making it possible for commercial use in rural and urban areas. The ability to transform existing structures would greatly reduce costs and generate enough power for individual buildings during peak energy hours, power outages, and other emergencies.
Cleveland State University
www.csuohio.edu
Filed Under: News, Towers, Turbines
