Also, the longer tube you build the less effective the system becomes because the pressure at the top has to move the entire column of [viscous, turbulent] air down the pipe. I haven't done any math on this but I'd imagine it would not take that much height to hit a point at which point piping losses become overwhelmingly large in proportion to the energy you're producing. The turbine and the inlet need to be close together.
Re:Sheerwind
by Gurkenglas on Wednesday December 04, 2013 @04:20AM
(#6845866)
Maybe by "the same turbine" they mean the generator at the center, having swapped out the short blades shown on their site for a traditional set.
If you want to use this technology to boost the output of a modern 100m diameter turbine by 300%, you'd need to build a funnel tower that's over 1km high. I kinda doubt that's cheapter than building three of those turbines.