Offshore wind energy
Single-blade wind turbines – new design promises more power at lower costs
The wing is on a floating arm
© TouchWind BV
TouchWind BV from the Netherlands has introduced a novel design for wind turbines that has several advantages compared to today’s models.
The most noticeable change is in the blades: Instead of three blades, the TouchWind model only has one, which sits in the middle of the hub. The real trick, however, is the way the turbine floats on the sea. Although it is anchored to the ground, it is not based on a vertical mast on which the wings are mounted. The whole system looks like a gigantic pendulum. Wings and mast on one side, a huge barrel in the middle and a counterweight on the other – there is also a buoy to balance the system.
What is it all about: Depending on the speed of the wind, the construction is aligned at different heights, which changes the angle between the wing and the wind. The wing does not need to be adjusted on the bracket, it is held differently into the wind by the mast. This has a decisive effect. There is a usable wind speed corridor for blades, if they are to produce even moderate wind, they must be switched off at high speeds because the load becomes too great.
This is how the position changes in the wind
© TouchWind BV
No complex control of the wings
The new design reduces this load because the wing faces the wind differently. This means that the model should also be able to work at wind speeds of up to 70 meters per second, i.e. around 250 kilometers per hour. A three-blade turbine is switched off with wind speeds above 90 km/h.
Construction, installation and maintenance should be significantly easier because the system can be towed with the mast lowered. Smaller work on the high seas can be carried out with the mast lowered. The 200 m long rotor blade is expected to generate 12 MW of electricity. To date, TouchWind BV has only built smaller systems. A smaller model of this design will initially be produced.