The inspiration for the project: an exhibit at Denver International Airport that uses wind shear generated by passing trains to turn propellers

Deployable Windshear Array

As part of a graduate level Advanced Product Design course, our team proposed a method of capturing energy from wind shear. Potentially usable on the sides of high rise buildings or in high speed tunnels, we wanted the design to be unobtrusive, efficient at typical wind shear speeds, and scalable to fit a variety of applications.

While most wind energy devices use turbine based designs, we were inspired by an emerging technology called a wind belt. Using aerodynamic flutter, the design relies on harmonic resonance of a belt to push magnets through coils, inducing a usable current. With less moving parts and a scalable design, this technology is currently being developed by Humdinger LLC. It has several cost and aesthetics advantages over conventional designs, but because it relies on resonance, the tensioning of the vibrating belt must be precise. We proposed using shape memory alloys and simple circuitry to automatically tension the belt in accordance with wind speed, and refined the design for manufacturability and ease of assembly