June 2, 2008
1.Who developed the "Wind Belt" Device?
Shawn Frayne, an inventor from Mounatain View, CA. The "Wind Belt" prototype (Video) has been used so far to generate up to 40 milliwatts of electricity. The following shows more information:
The diagram above how to construct a "wind belt" prototype. Basically, there is a thin strip of material stretched into slight tension between two arched structures. A rare-earth magnet embedded in one end of the strip, and oscillates between two coils of copper wire, inducing a small electric current.
2. What Material is used for the black belt of the wind belt? What other components make up this device?
The material that is used for the membrane is Mylar coated Taffeta, the same material used to make kites. The thin strip of material
is stretched into slight tension between two arched structures. A
rare-earth magnet embedded in one end of the strip, and oscillates
between two coils of copper wire.
3. What is "aeroelastic flutter" and how is it related to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse? Is it just wind generated resonance?
Aeroelastic flutter is an effect on a surface membrane brought on by aerodynamic load.(1) An object moving through a fluid or a fluid flowing around an object (in most cases air), can be deflected (or bent) by the stresses of the fluid on the membrane (aerodynamic load). If there is a change in the aerodynamic load (change in fluid pressure on the surface membrane), then the membrane returns to its original, undeformed state. This effect, used exclusively in the "wind Belt" prototype, can be demonstrated by simply blowing on a kazoo or harmonica. However, in cases of heavy aerodynamic load, the surface membrane begins to oscillate in a manner that creates a resonance waveform. Once an object begins to have resonate oscillations, the amplitude of the wave of the vibrating object continuously increases, until the object begins to oscillate at its natural frequency, and in the case of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge(2), collapses. Other examples of flutter can be seen here: