Germany has many large wind mills. The gear boxes and generators
are expensive. The problem is there is no way of storing the
energy. When the wind blows there is not always a need for the
power.

Here is a relatively low cost way of storing the energy. The wind
turbines are used as water pumps similar to oil pumps. No gear
box. No generator. The generator is replaced by a simple large
water tank on top of the pylon to store the energy.

The ground level water tank can be a lake. The water is recycled.

Many turbines can feed the same generator.

Paul & Robin Lamar in Germany


Do you have any idea of how HUGE that water tank would have to be?

Ron Morrison

1000 wind mills x 1000 is a million gallons.

When the wind is blowing water is flowing out of the pylon tanks to
feed the generator. When the wind starts to die down the valve is
closed and the tank then stores the water.

232 cubic inches per gallon as I recall

232,000 cubic inches. 134 cubic feet 10 by 10 by 1.3'. So my guess
is it could be made as large as 8000 gallons.

In fact there are many towns in the US with large water tanks on
towers which are  the main water supply for the town.

These could be retrofitted a wind turbine and this system. Many
more wind mills than three could feed one generator.


Do you have some calculations on the optimum size of the water
tank?


Paul Lamar


Adding one more transfer of energy (water pumping system) to the
process would put the system out of the realm of feasibility,
wouldn't it? Assuming one of those turbines is 40% eff and a water
system is 60%(??) that drops the eff of the system to~24%. So a
turbine which develops 1Mw as it stands would drop to 600Kw due to
the added system.

Just thinking off the cuff.

Jarrett Johnson


Well you are doing away with a gear box and a generator. The simple water pump would
be highly efficient with Teflon seals. The gear box was problematic to say the least.
It took a lot of R&D and years to keep it from failing. Consequently  a simple crank
shaft is a major improvement. I am guessing the pump efficiency may be as high as 90%.

The power generation  turbine can get a lot larger as it is using energy from up to a dozen
wind turbines. Efficiency data is probably available for hydro turbines.

Paul Lamar

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