A new direction in wind energy | Dawn White | TEDxDetroit

Dawn returns to TEDxDetroit 2016 to update her talk originally presented at TEDxDetroit 2009 on the science, research and field tests of Accio Energy’s EHD (electrohydrodynamic) wind power technology. This silent, stationary and wildlife friendly source of wind energy is ready to change the world.

Dr. White is a co-founder, President/CTO, and a board member of Accio Energy where she leads the technical team developing Accio’s EHD wind energy technology.

Dr. White previously founded Solidica, Inc. where she invented and commercialized the Ultrasonic Consolidation rapid prototyping process as the Form-ation rapid prototyping machine. Prior to founding Solidica, Dr. White was a serial intrapreneur, commercializing technologies to create new business opportunities in multiple industries.

Dr. White earned a BS and MS in Materials Science and Engineering, and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, from the University of Illinois. She has a continuous record of commercial innovation in a range of materials processing fields, including welding and joining science, metal spray forming, intelligent processing of materials and rapid prototyping and tooling. She has published dozens of technical papers, and is a productive inventor, having been awarded 27 US Patents.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx
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Basic Physics of Wind Turbines. Good Turbines, Bad Turbines, How to tell what is a good turbine or bad turbine usually comes down to basic physics.

22 thoughts on “A new direction in wind energy | Dawn White | TEDxDetroit”

  1. Has Dawn White ever considered visiting SnowMakers International in Michigan for potential inspiration and collaboration?    What you are doing will be a very effective nucleation method for making not only water droplets but also snow.  It begs the question whether this technology could have an immediate payoff for companies that make snow.  This technology might also be applicable to making a nitrogen and oxygen rich fog useful for big agriculture and be another way to make money on the adjoining fields or large enclosed spaces like the large greenhouse structures located in southern Ontario near Hamilton.  Think about it.

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  2. if the maximum efficiency of a windmill is 59.3% , why not use that 59.3% to create wind by compressing it like with a jet-engine, and use 99% of that wind to create energy ?
    Or more exactly, use the torque of the big blades, to spin a compressor and create faster winds to spin a pelton wheel or even tesla turbine ? One revolution is converted into 70 – 75 revolutions in a wind turbine anyway, but that's a ton of metal, copper, magnets, …. a compressor is just 70 kilo's or something, so we can go a lot faster in revolutions. Or maybe even a series of centrifugal wheels, creating a lot of wind in the end, more windpower, more energy, right? Maybe that claim is correct of that 59.3%, but that is for DIRECT conversion to electricity, my idea here is indirect. So with a little windpower, I can make a lot of windpower, but contained, without the risk of the wind spreading out, like it is in open air.
    What do you think, am I on to something here?

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  3. 75% of wind is the direct result of flatulence. Harnessing this resource would require nose plugs for every man, woman and child in the world. That is why Russia rigged the election, to corner the market on nose plugs and also those furry Russian hats that cover one's ears popular at upscale ski resorts as well as north of the 603rd parallel, beyond the northern lights up where the little dipper dips into a nice, hot, drippy, bowl of maple syrup. So, don't try to fool me with any of this pseudo-science. Math is a conspiracy perpetrated by Khazhakstan to promote the sale of those little bitty donut holes that they sometimes give you for free when you buy a few donuts and it is close to closing at the donuts shop. Long live the prime numbers!!!

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  4. why is efficiency even an obstacle when it comes to wind, solar or even hydro electricity? All three come from FREE, ABUNDANT sources, let it be inefficient, make them more efficient over the years. Better coils, Better blades, different rotor design…
    I'm making my first VAWT now, and I really don't care the efficiency, it will be free energy for me when it's finished.

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  5. How about cluster of smaller turbines (for ex. 500w), will they work for let say 2-5kW use? Probably again same problem of turbulence and all that right? Is turbulence same from vertical or horizontal turbine? And some additional question, if somebody knows: is there some use of wind and solar together for more efficient energy use for home (maybe even with on-grid system)?

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  6. to maxmize betz law, is simple, A×V=taetdw. todays windmills,are only like .04% efficient based on the current world record 8 mw Vesstass Vv-164 . 🙂

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  7. bahrain world trade center twin tower has wind turbines on their building and produces 10-15% of the entire twin tower electricity

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  8. So all those small turbines they are trying to sell, doesn't do much. The cost to install it with its own AC generator and inverter , and a battery for storage, isn't justifiable.

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  9. wow, it was a pleasure listening to your lecture. lots of common sense reasoning . steering people to solutions that actually work. Question , is the air pressure inside of a hollow blade increased with centrifugal force ? has this ever caused structural issues? what sort of pressure are we looking at ? are any math formulas like rpmxL(x)= pressure ?

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  10. Betz limits ? based on wind/hydro energy losses between the blades A Phyics Law.set in in the oil promotion era 1919. Claiming all windmills are the same.! even My1986 patented Lonien windmill that has 0 gaps . Instead it pivots the flat blades to oppose its own infinately thin Blades( Infinatly Horrizontal) the facts remain uninvestigated. does this Equa and opposite design disprove Betz Limits ?.and mimic Einestines equal and Opposite reactions capable of .infinate energy values.?

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