Jan 22 2010
The S322 vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) of Helix Wind operated without problem through a major storm in December 2009 at the company’s test site on the Campo Indian Reservation near San Diego, California.
A feature story published in San Diego Union-Turbine’s webzine “Sign On San Diego” on January 13 reported that turbines in a nearby Kumeyaay Wind farm were damaged by the storm. All the blades from 25 of the 20-story high horizontal axis wind turbines have been removed for repair and investigation as a result of the damages caused by the storm.
Ian Gardner, CEO of Helix Wind, remarked that the company was aware of the approaching storm and was monitoring its turbines from the Helix Wind’s corporate office that is located several miles away. Helix Wind’s S series of turbines have been designed to withstand a lot of punishment. The facility’s performance during the December storm proves the capability of its turbines to withstand harsh environmental conditions without any damage or downtime.
Helix Wind’s S322 turbine is remotely monitored by its Wind Turbine Monitoring System, a proprietary unit of Helix Wind. Helix Wind’s S322 turbine is located directly across the freeway and approximately three-quarters of a mile south of the Kumeyaay wind farm. The turbines, as reported by the Wind Turbine Monitoring System, were able to resist strong winds up to 62 mph during the storm and were also able to continue with their generation of electricity. Helix Wind through its internet-based system is capable of monitoring its turbines in real time anywhere in the world.
Gardner further added that the continuous segmentation taking place in the wind market is accompanied with growth in technologies that are used for particular market niches. Gardner highlighted that the small wind turbines, especially the vertical axis wind turbines, are establishing their excellence through a variety of applications.
Helix Wind’s patent-pending Savonious rotor-based S322 (2kW) is an excellent example of a vertical axis wind turbine that has been designed to withstand most punishable conditions (up to 100 mph). The turbines are available with attractive aesthetic features for agricultural and urban applications.
Source: http://www.helixwind.com/en/