Montreal: WindTronics announced the Canadian launch of the Honeywell Wind Turbine October 27. The turbine is sized for home and business owners and features Honeywell’s gearless Blade Tip Power System (BTPS). The company claims a higher performance output and lower installed cost per kilowatt than any other unit on the market today in its class and size. It has the ability to generate power at the tips of the blades, “effectively turning the turbine into a wind generator.”
The gearless turbine measures 6 feet in diameter, weighs 185 lbs (84kgs) and has a measured output of 2752 kWh/yr in Class 4 winds. The company says the device’s multi-stage blades allow the system to react quickly to changes in wind speed, ensuring that the maximum wind energy is captured, without the typical noise and vibration associated with traditional wind turbines. It is designed to be installed where power is consumed, allowing home and business owners to harness wind energy in a cost effective and efficient manner.
The Blade Tip Power System is the patented technology created by WindTronics, which houses the blades inside an outer ring that also houses the stators, instead of putting them at the hub. Power is generated as permanent magnets in the blade tips – again, instead of being located at the hub – spin past the stators. The company, in effect, turned the conventional design inside out in order to eliminate mechanical resistance from the traditional gearbox, which typically requires minimum wind speeds of 7.5 mph (12 km/h) to cut in and start generating power. Instead, the Honeywell Wind Turbine begins generating energy with winds as low as 2 mph (3 km/h) giving it a significantly increased operating span, even in moderate winds.
Windtronics says their turbine is rated for gusts of wind up to 140 mph. It is primarily made out of UV resistant nylon and anodized aluminum to withstand a variety of elements. The company also claims the radically different design will reduce noise, and being more visible to birds and bats, will reduce or eliminate accidental wildlife kills.