With demand for energy continuing to increase, there is a need for more efficient electricity production. Within the wind energy field, vertical axis wind turbines, which rotate about a vertical axis as opposed to horizontal, have gained interest. Unlike horizontal axis wind turbines, vertical axis wind turbines can generate power from wind coming from any direction.
Darrieus wind turbines are a type of vertical axis wind turbine, typically designed with straight or curved airfoil blades as shown above. While they can make use of wind from any direction, they are not self-starting. Since their rotation cannot be initiated by the wind alone, they require an external power source.
Dr. Shaaban Abdallah at University of Cincinnati has designed a new Darrieus wind turbine that overcomes the current selfstarting issue. It features newly designed blades which generate torque at rest, thereby allowing the turbine to start without an external power source. Thus, a more efficient Darrieus type vertical axis wind turbine, capable of both self-starting and generating power from wind at any angle, is made possible.