Department of Electrical and Electronics engineering

TOPIC: ELECTROSTATIC WIND ENERGY CONVERTERS

Abstract:
Due to the increase in demand for the fossil fuels, that play a vital role for the survival of
mankind and because of their rate of depletion, there is a need for alternative energy sources. The
main alternate energy sources that are currently in practice are solar, wind, geothermal, OTEC,
etc. Improvements are being made in these regions to sustain the growing demand for energy.
This topic Ewicon (electrostatic wind energy converters) is one such, which deals with the
improvement in Wind energy. Conventional methods have many disadvantages like high cost of
installation, maintenance, large amount of area for installation. Ewicon. Electrostatic wind
energy converter can overcome many of these cons. (EWICON) is a method of directly
converting wind energy into electrical energy. The method is based on transporting electrically
charged particles against the direction of an electric field by the wind and accumulating them at a
collector. The electrospray-method is used to create the charged particles. Two implementations
of the EWICON and their properties are discussed, one with a separate collector and one with the
system itself as a collector. Based on practical considerations, a choice has been made for the
latter implementation. Most of the wind turbines generate electricity through mechanical energy,
the EWICON (short for Electrostatic wind energy convertor) creates potential energy with
charged particles in this case, water droplets. The current design consists of a steel frame
holding a series of insulated tubes arranged horizontally. Each tube contains several electrodes
and nozzles, which continually release positively-charged water particles into the air. As the
particles are blown away, the voltage of the device changes and creates an electric field, which
can be transferred to the grid for everyday use. Energy output would be dependent not only on
the wind speed, but also the number of droplets, the amount of charge placed on the droplets, and
the strength of the electric field. This system has been tested and this resulted in a conversion of
7% of the wind energy into electrical energy, whereas conventional wind turbine systems have an
efficiency of 45% at their rated speeds. Improvements are suggested that could lead to an
efficiency of the EWICON in the range of 25 - 30%. Ewicon is believed to utilize the wind
energy to full potential causing less pollution and contribute in solving the energy crisis.
Under the guidance of:
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Presented by:
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