[LaurieAG]

Originally Posted by Turtle

As with my camera work, I think any equipment is best suspended on the flying line far enough below the kite to not dirty its air. A turbine generator mounted to head into the wind like a regular wind vane seems doable.

Hi Turtle,

I've been giving things a bit of deep thought, especially about simplicity and autonomy, and I think I may have an idea that puts everything together.

The means of providing the lift doesn't have to be that exotic, anything that generates lift will do (even a flying slab of foam) and the simpler generator the better.

So by combining the two, lift and power generation, into one, with the 'kite' something more like Leonardo's continuous (tapered) screw helicopter spinning on an axis (the two combined to form the generator, i.e. the screw spins on the axis, upside down?).

I'll draw some rough plans, make a working model and see how it goes.

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by LaurieAG

Hi Turtle,

I've been giving things a bit of deep thought, especially about simplicity and autonomy, and I think I may have an idea that puts everything together.

The means of providing the lift doesn't have to be that exotic, anything that generates lift will do (even a flying slab of foam) and the simpler generator the better.

So by combining the two, lift and power generation, into one, with the 'kite' something more like Leonardo's continuous (tapered) screw helicopter spinning on an axis (the two combined to form the generator, i.e. the screw spins on the axis, upside down?).

I'll draw some rough plans, make a working model and see how it goes.

Sweet! I did some searching as I have seen large spinners at kite festivals. I couldn't remember what they called them, and now think the term in favor is "spin tubes". Anyway, I ran across this site in the hunt & it is a cornucopia of kite supplies, lore, and downright crapulence & BS. Looking forward to your design.


Gomberg Kites:Line Laundry -- Rotating Line Laundry

Gomberg Kites:Line Laundry -- Rotating Line Laundry

Originally Posted by BombergKites

We have a 13 by 80 foot model for $1749.

Main Page for Gomberg: >> Gomberg Kite Store: Giant kites, parafoils, flowforms, line art, windsocks, Peter Lynn, Windfeather banners.

[LaurieAG]

Originally Posted by Turtle

I did some searching as I have seen large spinners at kite festivals. I couldn't remember what they called them, and now think the term in favor is "spin tubes". Anyway, I ran across this site in the hunt & it is a cornucopia of kite supplies, lore, and downright crapulence & BS. Looking forward to your design.

Thanks Turtle, great site,

I was impressive by these kites so much that they pushed me onto another lateral branch of the solution, swivel dynamo's (which don't really exist yet).

There are quite a few 6V dynamo's around that could be adapted to operate as a swivel for a rotating kite. The physical resistence of the swivel would have to be such that it wouldn't cause the string to twist but should only cause the kite to spin.

The swivel generator could actually be imbedded in the kite (like an axel) or attached securely to the kite. 6V seems a bit low (?) so a slim custom swivel dynamo (12 V min) could be integrated completely into the kite (or Vs a Vs) although pushing a replaceable/discardable moulded foam spinner onto the swivel dynamo axis assembly would produce an easier to maintain/repair system.

The spinner kite could be moulded and include lights so that it looks like a flying saucer, although this would be intended mainly as a beacon for other flying things. The shape of the moulded spinner kite would have to prevent undue noise during operation as you certainly wouldn't have something like a Bullroarer (music) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia anywhere near you unless you actually wanted to drive birds (and people) away.

BTW, I googled for kite generators and saw a few systems, some scams, some interesting, but nothing like what I have been thinking about. The scam (I hope it really wasn't a serious project) was a carousel with kites attached around its diameter and a hub generator at the center, that couldn't turn around 360 degrees unless the wind direction turns around 360 degrees.

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by LaurieAG

Thanks Turtle, great site,

...as you certainly wouldn't have something like a Bullroarer (music) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia anywhere near you unless you actually wanted to drive birds (and people) away. ...

Some creatures may find the bullroarer sound attractive rather than repulsive, but in the case of a certain rotten pumkin, my bullroarer meant the coup de gras.

YouTube - bullroarer vs. watermelon

[LaurieAG]

Originally Posted by Turtle

Some creatures may find the bullroarer sound attractive rather than repulsive, but in the case of a certain rotten pumkin, my bullroarer meant the coup de gras.

Good one Turtle,

And all of the rotten pumpkins sitting on top of poles the world over quiver in fear everywhere when they hear the sound of 'bink' as the dreaded bullroarer knocks away their support.

Their main purpose, apart from ceremonial initiations, was to drive birds out of an area into an ambush of sticks (and boomerangs). I don't think that a bird would hang around long enough to get hit, I know I wouldn't.

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by LaurieAG

Good one Turtle,

And all of the rotten pumpkins sitting on top of poles the world over quiver in fear everywhere when they hear the sound of 'bink' as the dreaded bullroarer knocks away their support.

Their main purpose, apart from ceremonial initiations, was to drive birds out of an area into an ambush of sticks (and boomerangs). I don't think that a bird would hang around long enough to get hit, I know I wouldn't.

The 'bink' is the bullroarer hitting the axe support after it sliced through the base of the fruit. Someone commented on the video at YouTube saying, "Disrespectful to the instrument, waste of food." I replied, "I brought a new degree of freedom to the instrument, thus honoring it, and I prepared the rotten melon for composting, thus honoring it."

Now this is a fascinating topic of sticks & string, and one that I have covered in some depth in another thread. As it is, the bullroarer is not unique to Austrailia, and neither is the boomerang or hunting sticks. By all means follow me over here to discuss this further: >> http://hypography.com/forums/physics...on-string.html

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by LaurieAG

...
BTW, I googled for kite generators and saw a few systems, some scams, some interesting, but nothing like what I have been thinking about. The scam (I hope it really wasn't a serious project) was a carousel with kites attached around its diameter and a hub generator at the center, that couldn't turn around 360 degrees unless the wind direction turns around 360 degrees.

Hi Laurie. Today I searched the phrase "generating electricity by kite", and found some pages with several interesting kite power designs.

Electrical power generation using kites has been given a preliminary study by David D. Lang Associates, Seattle, on behalf of the Drachen Foundation. As its mandate, the Foundation seeks to increase and diffuse knowledge about kites worldwide. The study spans power levels from municipal to small domestic applications. Five schemes for power generation were identified and examined.
They were evaluated with 12 criteria: maximum power potential, scalability (ability to accommodate a range of power), practicality, potential for autonomous operation, manufacturing cost relative to return on investment,
prototyping cost, complexity, safety relative to design intent, environmental impact, accommodating wind variability, probability of success when demonstrated, and probability of operational success.
For convenience, the schemes were dubbed Ladder Mill, Reel, Fly Gen, Buggy, and Sail.

http://www.drachen.org/journals/a16/...lectricity.pdf

And:

The Economist has an interesting article about different proposals to harvest wind energy from the jet stream (elevation: 10km). A San Diego, CA company called Sky WindPower wants to send giant kite-turbines into the jet stream to generate power.
Mr Shepard’s flying generator looks like a cross between a kite and a helicopter. It has four rotors at the points of an H-shaped frame that is tethered to the ground by a long cable. The rotors act like the surface of a kite, providing the lift needed to keep the platform in the air. As they do so, they also turn dynamos that generate electricity. This power is transmitted to the ground through aluminium cables. Should there be a lull in the wind, the dynamos can be used in reverse as electric motors, to keep the generator airborne. ...

Kites fly in jet stream to generate electricity - Boing Boing

And:

Researchers in Italy have high hopes for a new wind-power generator that resembles a backyard drying rack on steroids. Despite its appearance, the Kite Wind Generator, or KiteGen for short, could produce as much energy as a nuclear power plant.

Here's how it works: When wind hits the KiteGen, kites spring from funnels at the ends of poles. For each kite, winches release a pair of high-resistance cables to control direction and angle. The kites are not your Saturday-afternoon park variety but similar to those used for kite surfing -- light and ultra-resistant, capable of reaching an altitude of 2,000 meters.

KiteGen's core is set in motion by the twirl of the kites; the rotation activates large alternators producing current. A control system on autopilot optimizes the flight pattern to maximize the juice produced as it sails on night and day. A radar system can redirect kites within seconds in case of any interference: oncoming helicopters, for example. Or small planes or even single birds. ...

Generating Power From Kites

There's more of course, (Results 1 - 10 of about 261,000 for generating electricity by kite), but that's enough to tug our lines for a while.

[LaurieAG]

Thanks Turtle,

Originally Posted by Turtle

http://www.drachen.org/journals/a16/...lectricity.pdf

None of these different designs have the generator in the actual kite being flown, they all use the action of the kite to produce a rotating motion on a reel or other object.

Originally Posted by Turtle

Kites fly in jet stream to generate electricity - Boing Boing

This is more like the flying kite generator but the length of the lines will cause problems.

Originally Posted by Turtle

Generating Power From Kites

This is interesting but it just uses the kites to spin a central hub. Manipulating the different kites in all kinds of winds would be interesting but would probably have to integrate some sort of breakability/redundancy in operational situations. i.e. you should only have to shut it down when you don't have enough kites to spin the hub.

"It's been called revolutionary, but I see it as part of a new energy future," said Ippolito,."

What else could you call something that spins on a central hub

[Turtle]

The unique configuration of the Columia River Gorge makes for high & steady winds. Sometimes East, sometimes West, they're some kind of rippers! Going on right now upstream of me is the Gorge Games and here is someone's YouTube clip of some big air kite-boarding.

I'm not up to that, but I am headed out tonight to an open field where I hope to catch some of this West wind and fly my golden-rhombus kite for the first time. Off I go then, like a kite in the wind. .......

YouTube - Big Air, Big Splash

channel: >> YouTube - kittyprozac's Channel

[Turtle]

We had a go at it and not enough wind for my kite. My buddy got his stunters up though, and here's a short vid. >>

Erhm...here's a vid shortly? technical difficulties...BRB