Fort Myers, Fla.-based Golden Ratio Turbine Concepts LLC (GRTC), a wind and hydro
rotary device developer, has built a prototype cyclonic vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT) with a patented extended spiral leverage arm that can increase rotor torque force more than a traditional radial rotor blade turbine sweeping the same area, the company claims.
GRTC says its designs focus on the natural behavior of moving air and water. The new wind prototype incorporates a circular horizontal profile and an ellipse vertical profile that creates a low cross section with smooth air flow pressure over the rotor wings.
“The GRTC cyclonic VAWT begins to rotate in only a breath of wind and is virtually
silent when operating normally,” says James Walker, the inventor and founder of GRTC. “GRTC is designing wind and hydro energy devices with the patented concept in VAWT and [horizonal-axis wind turbine (HAWT)] types, and the cyclonic VAWT device supports an offshore wind industry.”
Walker explains, “Most offshore wind devices are tall HAWT devices that are costly to
install and maintain requiring delicate operations involving watercraft, helicopters and
cranes. However, the simple cyclonic VAWT is a sturdy machine which is closer to sea level and can be serviced easier. The relative inaccessibility of offshore wind farm locations creates challenges in protecting fragile large HAWT investments from hurricanes and gale-force storms, whereas a rugged cyclonic VAWT may have a place in the industry because it is much easier to protect and safer to work on.”
GRTC is also testing wind and hydro HAWT prototype models that incorporate the same patented extended leverage arm spiral feature.
