Inventor Patents "Tree-Hugging" Hollow Wind Turbine For Urban Areas

January 14th, 2009 by Ariel Schwartz

Finding the space for wind turbines in urban areas is difficult—even for vertical turbines like Mariah Power’s Windspire. But a new design from Sridhar Condoor could drastically reduce the space requirements for wind turbines. Condoor’s turbine is hollow, cylindrical, and lacks a central hub. Its hollowness allows it to be placed around existing objects— so you could literally have a tree-hugging turbine.

The outside of Condoor’s turbine is fitted with inlets that catch the wind from all directions. The inlets are toothed on the inside to drive a gear that powers an internal generator.

An inner frame on the turbine lets the main cylinder rotate freely, and also provides the option for the turbine to be mounted around other objects either vertically or horizontally. In addition to minimizing space requirements, this feature could also help hide some of the turbine’s “uglier” features.

Condoor filed for a patent on December 9, 2008, so chances are that he has a long way to go before his turbine is ready for commercialization. Still, his design is something to keep an eye on.

Photo Credit: WIPO









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About the Author Ariel Schwartz was formerly the editor of CleanTechnica and is a senior editor at Co.Exist. She has contributed to SF Weekly, Popular Science, Inhabitat, Greenbiz, NBC Bay Area, GOOD Magazine, and more. A graduate of Vassar College, she has previously worked in publishing, organic farming, documentary film, and newspaper journalism. Her interests include permaculture, hiking, skiing, music, relocalization, and cob (the building material). She currently resides in San Francisco, CA.