Tunnel Windmill

A new concept in wind power harnessing is described which significantly outperforms traditional wind turbines of the same diameter and aerodynamic characteristics under the same wind conditions and it delivers significantly higher output, at reduced cost. Its first innovative feature is the elimination of tower-mounted turbines. These large, mechanically complex turbines, and the enormous towers used to hoist them into the sky, are the hallmark of today's wind power industry. They are also expensive, unwieldy, inefficient, and hazardous to people and wildlife. The second innovative feature of tunnel windmill is that it captures wind flow through an omnidirectional intake and thereby there is no need for a passive or active yaw control. Third, it accelerates the flow within a shrouded Venturi section which subsequently expanded and released into the ambient environment through a diffuser. Simulating the performance of this wind delivery system is quite challenging because of the complexity of the wind delivery system and its interaction with wind at the front end and with a turbine at the back end. The objectives of the present work are to model and understand the flow field.