Conceptual Design and Initial Analysis of an Oscillating Wind Turbine

Bladeless wind turbines have been introduced as a possible candidate for future wind energy plants. Generally, rotating wind turbines occupy a large working space, while they can absorb only a small share of the wind energy. The motion of big machinery in such large working areas results in maintenance difficulties, more costs, and more risk for natural life. On the other hand, windless and oscillating turbines can offer a replacement for the conventional rotating wind turbine, which does not require large workspaces and risky motions. In this paper, the initial design of an oscillating wind turbine is presented. Besides that, the system aerodynamics is modeled in Comsol, to investigate the potentials of the proposed design.