Saphonian Wind Generator

[tbodine88]

This saphonian wind generator is supposed to save birds, make it easier to store power, I wonder if its quieter?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2IeCJiddQg

[Canibul]

WAY too many moving parts for me.

[denverd0n]

I don't see why it would have that many more moving parts than any other wind turbine.

[Canibul]

I do.

And they're out of balance.

If it shakes that much on a stable base, what's it going to do when it's swinging through an arc while going up and down on a boat?

[Vasco]

Have had wind generators since 1990. Have yet to kill a bird. I usually only let the generator run when I'm aboard, not to save birds - mine are unregulated so I keep an eye on them.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by Canibul

And they're out of balance.

It's not out of balance. It is SUPPOSED to wobble like that. The wind doesn't spin traditional blades, rather it causes that wobbling, and that wobbling is then converted into electrical energy. In fact, the additional movement from mounting this on a boat would probably INCREASE the amount of electricity that you could get from it.

Now, frankly, I doubt their claims that this is more efficient than traditional wind turbines. Just on first glance it looks to me like it would probably be a lot less efficient. But it is definitely an interesting idea, addresses a concern that some people have about birds, and would almost certainly not have the noise issues that ordinary turbines do.

I'm not going to rush out and buy one, but I will be interested to see what the results are when some real-world experience with them has been accumulated.

[Stumble]

Denver,

No one with any engineering skill or knowledge will touch this. The company is claiming over-unity perpetual motion like numbers. The reality is these are a bunch of scam artists.

All I need to know is they:
1) claim to beat the Betz number (the theoretical maximum amount of energy extract able from wind)
2) are based in Tunisia
3) they have no published data verified by anyone
4) the claims are not just good, but extraordinary, with no outside testing allowed to date.


All in all it looks like a perpetual motion scam until proven otherwise.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Stumble

Denver,

No one with any engineering skill or knowledge will touch this. The company is claiming over-unity perpetual motion like numbers. The reality is these are a bunch of scam artists.

All I need to know is they:
1) claim to beat the Betz number (the theoretical maximum amount of energy extract able from wind)
2) are based in Tunisia
3) they have no published data verified by anyone
4) the claims are not just good, but extraordinary, with no outside testing allowed to date.


All in all it looks like a perpetual motion scam until proven otherwise.

Greg, I think the reason that they are based in Tunisia is that they were chased out of Nigeria where they had a lot of rich but compromised relatives.

Cheers,

Jim

[FlyingCloud1937]

Before I played the video, i thought it a merry go round- fly wheel generator.

Which can have some exorbitant bearing loads.

No, after watching the video, I see it's a diphram generator, that will have 6 squared the bearing loads for every inch it exceeds the no load speed.

Wow.

Electricity must costs a lot in their neighborhood.

lloyd

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by Stumble

All in all it looks like a perpetual motion scam until proven otherwise.

I don't think I would call it a perpetual motion scam. Obviously it would be possible to generate some electricity this way. Exceed Betz? Well, that's why I said in the first place that I didn't believe their efficiency claims. I have no doubt that, not only are they not exceeding Betz, they are not even getting the efficiency of a "normal" wind turbine.

Still, it is an interesting design with a different approach to getting energy from the wind. I applaud their ingenuity, even if I do think that they are trying to con the gullible with their exaggerated claims.

[GordMay]

Interesting analysis ➥ The Saphonian – neat idea but bogus numbers | Sketchy Power Devices

[glenn.225]

Talk about a complex drive system, wind to wobble a disc to drive hydraulic piston pump (swash plate), to a hydraulic motor to turn a generator!!! And it suppose to be efficient. All those losses no way could that produce the power of a wind turbine. But I give them credit it may not kill birds and has a nice sunflower painted on.

[Opie91]

I bet that is pleasant to sit next to.

[DeepFrz]

I just watched that thing wobble around and I immediately thought it was a joke. I bet its a bunch of university kids scamming us.

[bobconnie]

Thats got to be the darnest looking thing Ive ever seen ! It may be ,semi-silent but that action would drive me nuts(don't have far to go I will admit) Ya mean this thing converts that funny action to hydralic ?? Wow what a bunch of stuff to do a simple job !! Never had a wind genny, all of them Ive anchored near made almost as much noise as a genny!! LOL I would hate to have to be on deck with this thing working, it would be a big distraction to me !!