General Introduction on the towers vortex by François MAUGIS, Energy Environment Association..
NB: Do not confuse these two types of solar towers: tower vortex Nazare or Michaud (rotational flow Wirling system) with simple solar chimney kind Schlaich Bergermann (Upwind single flow system), focus here.
The idea of exploiting a "vertical wind" would have been developed in 1926 by the French physicist Bernard DUBOS. To exploit the hot air of the desert, he was planning to install a large mountainside tube (Note: idea echoed by solar mountains). Also around that time, the Institute of Aerodynamics St. Cyr (France) have proposed to build a metal chimney for the same purpose.
In the years 1940 - 1960, an extraordinary man, Edgard Nazare, Conceived a particularly original project drawing on the sand whirls (dust devil) observed in southern Tunisian, and he could measure the dimensions thanks to its pocket-declinometer alidade. Measuring quickly the interest of these vortices on the energy level, he was the first to propose an ignition device of this type of phenomenon: the tower vortex, which at equal height generates a phenomenon much more powerful than simple solar chimney. The first patent was filed in Algiers in 1956.
Easier to understand and to design than the vortex tower, it is however the solar chimney - without vortex - which was first built in Manzanares in 1981 with funds from the German Ministry of Research and Technology. The first prototype vortex tower was not built until 1997, barely a year before Nazare died.
In 1975 the Canadian engineer Louis M. MICHAUD published his project for "VORTEX POWER STATION" in the bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. It was also a question of generating a swirling atmospheric lift, but in a cylindrical tower.
Finally, it was on October 8, 1985 that the Russian George MAMULASHVILI filed his patent No. 1.319.654 for a comparable project called: “VERTICAL AEROTHERMAL POWER STATION”. According to the sites [1] et [2]We know that this researcher has studied the two assumptions that pronounces favorably for the vortex solution (vortex tower) process which, according to him, greatly increases the efficiency of the solar tower.
Economically, the scale also favors the Vortex Tour, four times less expensive to equal power, a simple solar chimney. This report to 1 4 was calculated on the basis of statements of the two main project leaders: The Australian company EnviroMission announced in effect a 700 million construction cost for its solar chimney 1000 m. (Maximum power: 200 Megawatts)
For comparable power, the French company announced SUMATEL a cost of about 175 million. The height of this tower vortex is only 300 m. (Peak power: 250 350 to Megawatts).
More:
- solar tower Nazare
- Download reports and files on solar towers
- Principle and operation of a solar tower
- Wikipedia Article