Wells turbine
The Wells turbine is a special air turbine that is used in wave power plants with a vibrating water column.
It works without valve flaps with a constant direction of rotation, regardless of the respective flow direction of the air moving through the water column in a chamber . Their fixed blades have a symmetrical wing profile and are perpendicular to the direction of flow. The angle of attack to the flow results from the air flow speed and the peripheral speed of the turbine wheel.
Its efficiency of 0.4 to 0.7 is lower than that of a turbine with a constant flow direction and asymmetrical blade profiles. A possible disadvantage is the lack of self-start capability. The generator must also be used as a motor for starting and regulating. This type of turbine was developed by Alan Wells in Belfast in the late 1980s .
literature
- Voith: Wave power
- Manabu Takao and Toshiaki Setoguchi: Air Turbines for Wave Energy Conversion
