Flow-generated power for autonomous instruments

A small vertical axis wind turbine was tested in highly variable winds at various locations of the Antarctic. The turbine system was designed to stand close to an ice surface (0.5m, within the boundary layer, and in a turbulent regime), to survive the harsh conditions of deep field Antarctica, to function independent of wind direction, and to provide data on wind speed and power generation. The goal of the experiment was to evaluate the potential of using fluid flow, in this case wind, to charge batteries and/or to generate power for small autonomous instruments. Similar systems can be design to convert the energy in ocean currents into useful electrical power to support underwater instrumentation. Preliminary results indicate a promising technology for future underwater systems.