600-kilowatt kite Google Makani launch in April

Yesterday, at the close of the conference South by Southwest Interactive made Astro Teller, permanent head of the research laboratory Google X ( full transcript < / a>).

Among other things, he told the latest news of the unique project kites Google Makani . Computer kite-flying airplane rapidly in a circle at high altitude and generates a flow of electricity from eight turbines. Wind top much stronger abbr>, so that the serpent, in theory, much more efficient wind turbine design standard.

In many ways preferable to conventional kites wind turbines: they are mobile, and are not required to start the construction of buildings in the 200-400 tons, like wind turbines, there are no problems of vibration and others.

Surprisingly, the engines of this type are described in a scientific paper of a Lloyd Miles (Miles Loyd) back in the 70s, but now someone has implemented this concept.



Illustration from the article Miles Loyd in the journal Journal of Energy i>

The principle of operation of such generators explained one of the founders of the company Makani Saul Griffith in his коротком speech at the conference TED in 2009.

Google invested money in startup Makani since its inception in 2006, and in 2013 and did bought this company .

Two years ago, has been successfully tested an experimental model of a flying windmill M30, with a capacity of 30 kilowatts at a wing span of 8 meters.



Now it's time for new challenges. In April 2015, will launch a new model M600 - capacity of 600 kilowatts, with a wingspan of 25, 6 m altitude of 250 meters (the center of the circle described by the air), cable length of 450 m.

One such snakes fully provide energy to the small village of 60 houses and one apartment building in the city.

About the old 8-meter version of Astro Teller said that after two years of rigorous tests did not happen no accidents, although the tests chosen wildest places where speed reaches 35 m / c, and the wind direction changes by 90 ° C for several seconds . But it was not possible to achieve the desired failure. Why do you ask for? Because Larry Page has set a target to wait five accidents and eliminate their causes before moving on to the next phase, so that the bad guys have completed the task.

Source: geektimes.ru/post/247482/