Disaster-resistant Wind Turbine Generator That Also Function as an Independent Power Source for Emergencies
Tornado Japan Co., Ltd.
| Publication date | July 19, 2021 (Posted on May 25, 2022) |
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| Sector | Life of Citizenry and Urban Life / Natural Disasters / Coastal Areas |
Company Overview
Tornado Japan Co., Ltd. develops and sells small wind turbines with an international patent. We have been proposing the usage of small-sized wind turbines for use in power grids and as an independent power source for 5G, the next generation communication technology, within Japan and overseas.
Climate Change Impacts
There is a concern that typhoons will become stronger and the weather-related disasters will become more frequent due to the effects of climate change caused by the increase in greenhouse gases. However, conventional wind power generators have drawbacks in terms of: durability against strong winds, lightning strikes, and power supply during disasters.
Adaptation Initiatives
Conventional wind power generators could not generate power well in high wind areas, resulting in unstable power supply. Our tornado wind turbine has a robust triangular frame structure that prevents damage, such as the posts breaking from strong winds, and are equipped with wind-resistant blades (Fig. 1). The gyroscopic effect of the dual direction rotation of the blades increases the stability as the rotation speed increases. In this way, the system is controlled by the laws of nature, rather than being dependent on machinery, making it extremely robust against natural forces.
Each of the three pillars of the triangular casing has a lightning rod so that the induced lightning is conducted to the ground vertically to minimize damage. The structure is well protected against lightning strikes, which are the greatest natural enemy of wind power generators. In the worst case scenario, even if it is directly stuck by a lightning, the triangular case and the blades attached with two axes have an extremely low risk of falling.
When a major disaster occurs, it will take many days to restore power to the entire region, and the greatest concern is the disconnection of the communication network (such as cell phones) during that time. However, by using our wind turbine as an independent power source (Figs. 2 and 3) to supply power to the mobile (wireless) base station, the base station can operate stably and the communication network can be secured even in times of a disaster. The generator can also be used as an emergency power source for recharging mobile devices. We have also developed a 20KW tornado wind turbine (Fig. 4) for emergency power supply.
Effects / Expected Benefits
Our wind turbines are resistant to gusts, typhoons, and lightning strikes, making them less susceptible to the effects of weather-related disasters, and they are expected to provide stable power generation in the occurrence of a disaster. In addition, by using our tornado wind turbine as an emergency power source for the mobile network base station, we can secure the communication network when a disaster occurs and they are expected to contribute to the quick recovery after the disaster.
