Wind Lens

Who would have thought that a simple rotating mechanism would be capable of converting kinetic energy into mechanical energy in order to produce electricity? Moreover, who would have imagined that a new design of the wind turbine technology will help tripling the electricity generation?

 

Well, this is exactly what was showcased at the Yokohama Renewable Energy International Exhibition conducted mid 2010. Called the Wind Lens, the design by Yuji Ohya, a Kyushu University professor, this technology is mega resourceful. Alternative energies have always brought about considerable economic changes especially when basic energy sources started becoming irregular and ended in price rises. Thus, when Charles Brush in Ohio blessed the world by building the first windmill in 1888, the usage of the same only increased and by 1900s it became all the more common to spot the three blade turbines towering on large landscapes.

Yuji Ohya believes that this will provide a tremendous improvement in the field of energy generation, if the Wind Lens goes into production. Besides increasing the energy production by three fold compared to offshore wind turbines, it will also help in reducing noise coming from the traditional turbines and added to that will perk up the protection while installing too. The Wind Lens is designed to be structured in the form of a honeycomb made from interlocking hoops with the turbines placed on all edges. The wind will be concentrated to the center of every hoop, thus increasing the amount of electricity produced with the entire Wind Lens afloat on the ocean. Wind farms that float are nothing very different from those on land except that they float in the center of the sea.

The mechanism on which Wind Lens works on is similar to that of a magnifying glass heaping on the light from the sun’s rays. The wind power is focused into the center of every hoop and this brimmed diffuser amplifies the same power. This increased power helps the turbines in rotating and each of these lenses have a diameter measure of 112 meters which is more than sufficient to meet an average household’s energy requirements. Moreover, this simple system and design results in the Wind Lens having less number of moving parts.

Reference and Image Credits

http://www.cnngo.com/

http://inhabitat.com/

Hybrid Buoy Concept

Navigating through heavy sea traffic at ports just got easier with designers, Tae Hoon Lee and Sung Yong Kim having introduced the Hybrid Energy Buoy. Emergence of rising maritime trade demands support from reliable means of navigation. Though this lead to the existence of the the lighthouses, beacons, buoys and such other guides, which aids the navigator to a safe anchorage, a need for something better has always been felt.

 

Benefits of the Hybrid Buoys

Promising to benefit the navigators in more than one way, the Hybrid Energy Buoy runs with the backup of avant-garde technology. Maintaining it at sea is not going to be any difficult, since it is self sufficient, unlike the buoys of earlier times which were by and large hollow barrel like structures, made out of wood. The earlier buoys were fastened with bands of iron and anchored with a huge boulder and a chain. But these buoys might change the whole conventional outlook towards buoys.

The Hybrid Energy Buoy is self sufficient, and hence, the port authorities or crew do not need to worry about reinstating batteries and other miscellaneous errands. Electricity is directly generated on the face of the objects, when light confronts the top portion of the buoy.  This allows solar cell energy to be produced and then utilized. The buoy also employs energy created from the movements of the ocean water, the technology that has been referred to as the EPAM (Electoactive polymer artificial muscle), which inducts about 5w of electricity each second.

Working

The sun light would reflect on the bright orange outer surface of the buoy and the dark skies of the night would be lit up by the LED lights with high intensity. This would avoid collision of ships and will act as a dependable guide to the sea-farers. A GPS system is installed into the buoy and the contraption will move self-directed, in case of difficulties like red tide etc, with the help of automatic steering equipment and rudder.

The Hybrid Buoy device can also be radio controlled which only adds up to the convenience. RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) technology is used to trace the location of the buoy and control it.

Thus the hybrid buoy concept is a total eco-friendly buoy with some great features such as solar energy generation, automatic steering equipment, EPAM device utilizing the wave motion, and an integrated anchor.

References and Image Credit

http://yankodesign.com

Seaplane Concept

Maritime technology has indeed come a long way. From wooden boats to massive multi-storey ships, design and technology in shipping has consistently evolved. However, now the industry seems to have taken a different course of evolution with vessels that can satisfy multiple purposes.

The flying trimaran sailing yacht concept by the designer Yelken Octuri is a design to drool over. It is a luxurious sailing yacht concept that can be transferred into a plane with the help of its four mobile masts, which can be retracted and lowered to become wings.

It was designed for the princes Aziz, Dawood & Hashim, corporate executives of the "Masqat Airways" air transport company, and allows them to enjoy sailing along the Omani coastline with its 600-km range in the plane version.


Four dual propellers "Nissen & Brasseur" powerhead engines are taking care of the propulsion in Plane mode.
 
The propulsion is provided by the sails of the four masts in Boat mode. The surface of the sails is 1,302 sq. m. Each mast can be individually oriented through a double-jack system that ensures an optimal positioning regardless of the wind direction.

In order to transform into wings, the masts must be lowered in horizontal position. The sails will then go to storage compartments located inside each mast. The four masts are lifted and lowered by a set of four shrouds set up on two central masts.

Spesification

Air transport company: Masqat Airways
Aircraft type: Seaplane-convertible sailing yacht 8P-sail-4M
Engines: Four dual propellers “Nissen & Brasseur” powerhead engines
Manufacturer: Aerocoché

Designer: Yelken Octuri

 

Boat Mode:

• Length: 46,2 metres
• Width: 27 metres
• Rigging: 4 masts
• Height: 50,7 metres
• Height of masts: 40,6 metres
• Surface of the sails: 1302 m² (sails + masts surface) 

Plane mode:

• Wingspan: 90,4 metres
• Height: 27,6 metres
• Engines: "Nissen & Brasseur"
• Engine power: 4 x 5400 ch
• Maximum speed: 390 km/h

Reference and Credit Images

www.octuri.com

www.beautifullife.info

Bali Marine Research Centre

Marine Research Centre Bali Indonesia is a unique 2,500 square metre construction built right in the middle of the sea-water in order to understand and facilitate a better program to study and delve more into the underwater earthquakes that cause tsunamis in the Indonesian island. 

Location

The Marine Research Centre Bali Indonesia is located around 100 km away from the Kuta Beach and on a first glance resembles a gigantic shoe. GH However, the architecture and the construction of the Marine Research Centre Bali Indonesia are quite admirable as they not only cover ample area above the surface of the water but also contain labs and rooms which are located underwater.

The construction and the brain behind the innovation of such a one-of-its-kind research centre is a company called SOLUS4 which provided the know-how and the graphics to make the concept of the Marine Research Centre Bali Indonesia into a physical reality. The Marine Research Centre Bali Indonesia contains three bifurcations namely – Public, Private and Semi-Public and as the titles suggest, they are open to the visitors appropriately. Additionally, the construction of the research centre has been done so effectively that the research centre blends in smoothly not only with the marine environment but also with the on-land individuals as well.

  

Purpose

The main purpose behind the conception and the construction of the Marine Research Centre Bali Indonesia is to study the tsunami causing waves in depth, delve into their approach through the water and thus chart out ways and means to prevent a tsunami from causing major damage to the lives of the individuals residing in the coastal areas.

The Idea

The Marine Research Centre Bali Indonesia uses renewable sources of energy like solar panels for its electricity generation and collected rainwater for water consumption by the scientists who live in the centre for the purpose of research and exploration. It has been designed to make things feasible not just for the people who are based with the research centre but also for the plants and animals who might find the construction of the structure a bit hindering to their growth, movement and survival.
 

With the core purpose quite clear and the simplicity of the construction helping the research centre to come closer and closer to achieve its purpose, the Marine Research Centre Bali Indonesia has become a great hit not only among the people in the country but also among people across the world. In its own way, the Marine Research Centre Bali Indonesia has become an icon structure helping to study and at the same time add a bit of dynamism to the field of architecture.

And considering the objective and scope of the nature of the research study undertaken, it is quite apparent that the Marine Research Centre Bali Indonesia has got a lot of potential in the international arena for being a revolutionary structure not just in terms of its architectural beauty but also in terms of the research and expertise provided.

And who knows, a few years down the line, while choosing the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Marine Research Centre Bali Indonesia, might be nominated and win an award fitting to its disposition – being unique in every way that matters, in terms of looks and identity and most importantly, in terms of its vast contribution to the field of marine meteorology.

Image Credit

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