For the DualWingGenerator, our Bionic Learning Network was, once again, inspired by the flight of birds. In contrast to conventional small wind turbines, the technology test bed uses two pairs of counter-rotating wings instead of rotor blades to generate energy.
The principle of the system is the inversion of the natural flapping flight principle: Birds flap their wings to produce the necessary power to move forward in the air. A stationary system such as the DualWingGenerator, on the other hand, can take the kinetic energy from the air flow. The linear lifting movement of the blades is converted into a rotary movement. An integrated electric generator converts the energy generated into electricity.
The four wings are arranged on both sides of the central column. The two upper and two lower wings each sit on a common motor-driven rotary axis, which is mounted on a slide. When the wind is blowing in, the two slides move in opposite directions on the vertical guide: While the upper wings are moving up, the lower wings are moving down. The pair of wings on one side forms a functional unit whose flow-mechanical properties permit optimum energy generation. At the apex, a servo motor turns the wings and they move back towards each other.
Due to their active rotation, the wings are always positioned in such a way that they receive an optimum airflow. This permits the adaptive system to be used for an optimal energy yield with a very high, scientifically proven efficiency. We already had this so-called active torsion in 2011 with the SmartBird as a technical solution. During the development of the artificial herring gull, we investigated how birds actively rotate their wings to make the most energy-efficient use of wind conditions.
The DualWingGenerator is self-optimizing and can adapt to different wind conditions. It is in no way inferior to conventional small wind turbines in terms of efficiency and even has astonishing advantages at low wind speeds: In the range between 4 and 8 m/s, the turbine has a very high, scientifically proven efficiency.