Lightweight structures are the most common applications for continuous-fibre reinforced composite materials because the materials they use often involve a thickness of no more than a few millimetres. However producing Continuous-Fibre Reinforced Composite (CFRC) laminate materials that are several centimetres thick, presents various structural modelling problems, which need to be overcome prior to industrial implementation.
The increasing complexity of wind farms and their turbines has warranted the establishment of a comprehensive tool for their performance analysis. To determine manufacture type, turbine performance and statistical production levels, a data acquisition system needs to incorporate a vast amount of data. New IT technologies, using TCP/IP networks, offers remote control of wind farm functions as well as the collection of performance data.
A German company has designed and developed an innovative hub for wind turbines, made entirely from composite structures and is approximately 50 percent lighter than comparative steel components. This particular composite hub is capable of withstanding external wind loadings in addition to the forces enacted upon it during wind turbine operation.
Using laser technology, a Danish research institute has developed a laser anemometer for the control and performance testing of wind turbines. Its principal objectives were to optimize energy extraction/efficiency for high and low wind speeds, improve accuracy and reduce power performance assessment costs.
The advent of energy production with the use of wind turbines has resulted in a great many of these giant sized rotary devices strewing the country-side. Whilst their contribution to energy production is both green and renewable, there has been some concern about the impact their physical presence has made on the aesthetics of the environment. As a result, an EC funded project has investigated alternative locations for wind turbines., , Image Copyright; © Project WEB Institut für Baukonstruktion und Entwerfen, L2, Universität Stuttgart
Wind energy is a completely environmentally friendly, renewable source of energy Considering the strain that traditional forms of electricity generation technologies have placed on the environment, a company from the UK has designed wind turbines that can be placed in homes, gardens, offices and schools in order to efficiently generate eco-friendly electricity while adhering to aesthetically pleasing principles.
March 20, 2008 — mjabdul | Edit
The Cutcher Wind Turbine Generator is a cost effective tool that provides low and no cost power by utilizing tall structures such as rural and urban homes, as well as businesses and buildings. Unlike traditional wind-power generators, the Cutcher Wind Turbine Generator utilizes the wind current that is channeled around buildings and tall structures. This innovative wind powered device eliminates the building of an additional tower for a platform. How it Works: This wind turbine generator utilizes wind driven blades arranged around a hub. As the wind blows the blades and hub begin to turn, the mechanical drive is activated and initiates the electric generator. Construction: The Cutcher Wind Turbine Generator can be constructed from high-grade aluminum. It is scalable to fit the specification for use in both industrial and consumer applications. Engineered and designed with a boxlike frame, that employs wind blocking walls that prevent the wind currents from blowing the blades in the reverse direction. The Cutcher Wind Turbine Generator can be installed on existing buildings and structures such as homes, barns, grain elevators, office buildings, and oil tanks. Advantages: This innovative technology eliminates the steep costs of maintenance and repairs associated with wind turbine devices that are mounted atop towers and elevated locations. This new innovation promotes the use of green technology and reduces the dependence on fossil fuels.
iVoice, Inc. announced today it has filed an additional patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The application is titled: Methodology for Wirelessly Loading Speaking Medicine Containers, with an internal clock.The invention relates to speaking instruction medicine containers. The new feature includes a compliant warning having an internal clock, medicine container starting table count, required consumption data, and programming. The internal clock is started when a patient activates the audio playback start means for a first time. When a user subsequently activates the audio playback start means at a later time, the microprocessor plays back a regimen message advising the user that a predetermined number of tablets should be remaining in the medicine container at this time, and if that predetermined number of tables remaining is in excess by a predetermined amount, the patient is advised to contact a doctor or pharmacist. The microprocessor calculates current tablet count based upon the first activation, the total starting tablet count, and the tablet consumption rate data.
A new type of hologram was developed by Chris Lowe and Cynthia Larbey form a company called Smart Holograms. Smart Holograms is a spin-off company from the Institute of Biotechnology at Cambridge University.
Smart Holograms’ first invention based on its technology is a syringe used to measure water content in aviation fuels. The syringe uses one of the company’s smart holograms that are built using hydrogels that shrink or swell in response to conditions of the environment.
Smart Holograms sees many other uses for its hologram technology from easier methods for diabetics to measure their blood sugar to detecting chemicals like anthrax giving security forces an easy to understand test result.
