Airborne wind energy generation using kites

Published on 19 May 2022. Written by Dineshkumar E

Generating power from winds is the purest form of energy generation method when compared to other energy generation methods like thermal powerplant, nuclear power plant, etc. It also doesn’t affect the atmosphere by releasing harmful gases like Carbon dioxide or Carbon monoxide. But for generating electricity from the wind needs a huge setup such as blades, pillars, generators, etc. It also requires a lot of maintenance after the implementation. The cost of setting up the wind turbine is also very high.

In this aeronautical project idea, we will propose an innovative solution to generate electricity from the wind. We are going to develop an Airborne wind energy system to replace the traditional windmills.

Drones are the major innovation of this century which is widely used for various applications. They already proved their ability in various fields. Here we are going to use tethered drones to generate power from the wind. Here the drones are launched in the air and positioned at an altitude of 600-1000 feet. At this altitude, the turbulence of the wind will be less compared to the altitude where the conventional wind turbine is positioned.

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SLNOTE
Types of Airborne wind energy generation:

• Ground-based power generation - In this method, the generator is placed on the ground the power is generated by rotating the generator with the help of kite or powered aircraft. The generator is rotated due to the traction force created by the movement of the aerial vehicle.
• Onboard power generation - In this method, the generator is placed on the aerial vehicle itself, where the generated power is transmitted to the ground through conductive cables.
• Multi wing system - Here multiple kites are tied to a single tether to make the power generation more efficient.
• Lighter than air system - This method uses aerostats attached with a turbine which rotates generators thus generating the power onboard.

SLLATEST
Advantages of airborne wind generation:

• The powerplant can be placed anywhere based on the requirement
• Less complex compared to conventional wind turbine
• Easily moved to different locations
• Can be operated in different heights without building an expensive tower.

Project Implementation:

We are going to develop an on-board power generation model, which is developed similar to a fixed-wing aircraft. 8 motors are placed on the wing which is used to position the kite at the required height. Initially, the kite is launched from the ground vertically like a helicopter with the help of rotors. After reaching the optimum height the kite starts looping in the air without consuming any energy.

The looping is due to the crosswind which will occur during heavy wind. You might have observed this in normal kites as well on a windy day. The air moving over the rotors makes them rotate which in turn rotates the generator. The generated power is transmitted to the ground through a special tether cable. The airflow over a moving object is more powerful than the airflow over a stationary object.

The path of the kite is managed by an on-board flight-controller which guides the kite during turbulence winds and lands it safely to the ground.

SLDYK
Kit required to develop Airborne wind energy generation using kites:

• bldc motor
• ESC
• Propeller
• Generator

Technologies you will learn by working on Airborne wind energy generation using kites:

• Aeronautical
• Aerodynamics
• Drone
• Mechanical
• Electronic
• Embedded systems

Any Questions?