An airborne air intake capable of being taken by stages to 160 metres high to collect a moving air mass and then determining if it will self compress by factors up to 4:1 while being passed firstly through a funnel then two right angle slow turns after the constriction. The apparatus might usefully perform as an anchored kite. The measurements to be taken by anemometers and any other desired instruments sending VHF/UHF/or Mobile Phone radio signals to a base station. A secondary, but equally important aim should be to reverse the air intake into the wind and measure the upward airflow into it to get some indication of the vacuum that may be presented at the rear of the turbine blades.

To determine the form characteristics of the turbine blades as described for this project. They will stand vertically, may be fabricated from any chosen material, will be meeting a radially moving wind while themselves moving circumferentially in rows for use at delivered wind speeds in the range five to fifty metres per second. The blades may transfer their thrust at their ends or they maybe divided vertically by horizontal webs in which case the thrust maybe transferred at intermediate levels but including the top and bottom. The matrix of blades, webs, top and bottom plates to be a complete structure so that the need to have strong deep section cantilevers is removed and high performance blades of even cross section aimed for. All the forces generated at the blades will be either be totally transferred to the undercarriages or partly that way and partly at the top of the blades as well such as into and out from the thrust wheel ring system.

To prepare the design of an undercarriage to run on concentric rails as for a railway line for the purpose of carrying sets of the above blades on a working deck and bringing the forces from the blades into use to move the vehicle. Then set up one carriage with a complete set of blades on a short length of track to use any normally available wind for test purposes. See the next item.

Consider all the forces at play. Obviously the purpose of the work is to turn the rotor and take power from it and this will not be possible until the ring is complete when it will be in its safest state. However there will be forces trying to expand the ring radially. Tension will develop on the inner face of the ring and overturning moments will be met by the thrust ring. It may follow that inter vehicle connections cannot be allowed any sloppiness but may be likened to links in a chain.

To determine how the momentum of the vehicle can be taken out of the system as an alternating current, as a direct current or as pumped oil.

To design a small generator with a rotor about three metres overall diameter and blades up to one metre tall as a research tool that incorporates all the main points of a large machine but because of the smallish size consider a vertical axle rotor, a thin walled tower to act as a support to a rotating air intake carried on a ring bearing as in some cranes, feeding a central light skinned tube concentric to the wall where the space between is held at less than ambient pressure and loosely connected to a rear facing baffle. There will be a need for some simple lip seals to join the upper moving faces to the static ones. Have a clear space under the rotor of about two metres to house a standard belt coupled A/C generator, its ancillary gear and people moving around.

To make a scale model of the large machine as a design aid especially with regard to the design of the flow control mechanisms. Consider using 1/72 scale railway modeling materials for this. The front height of the air intake is low compared to the overall width of the concept. Consider how best to guide the wind to the blades. E.g. the roof might be in two or more parts. One solution offered is a fixed outer part with switchable sections that meets the wind and a centre part with multiple supporting external ribs which by tipping will open a half face to the incoming wind like opening an oyster. There will need to be a shutter system to close off the downwind faces. This might take the form of a shallow cylinder cut obliquely rotating on its lower end while supporting a shallow domed roof. The circular roof could be centrally supported internally by a column and externally by cables to the rim. The skin of the dome is visualized as a lightweight cover. A model will help engineers to comprehend the whole. In a wind the roof will gain support from the wind. Without wind the roof will need to be as light as possible but could have a short useful life while being not too costly to renew say every five years or so like replacing ship’s sails.

With the aim of using liquid hydrogen as the fuel eventually but initially using existing standard gas turbines determine the airflow distribution behind a static engine to ascertain if the exhaust from a gas turbine engine could be used to power a wind generator of the kind these papers describe if placed up wind of one, thereby using two functions of the engine to generate power. Firstly, by direct coupling to a generator and secondly by using the exhaust gases and the residual heat from them. Consider the use of aircraft for this purpose because they can be moved around to get the best result.

Decide a sensible pragmatic size for the first prototype machine.

Make a search for suitable sites within the UK as set out in the supporting web pages.

Seek funding for a five year research project to limit of say £M35. This is made up of 100 people average salary £35000 for five years and an equal materials cost.

At the end produce a specification for a fully operational machine with suggestions as to where to place the first twelve, give figures for the cost and time to build the first and its earning capacity so that it would be possible to go out to tender. Make suggestions for a contingency figure having regard to the escalating costs of many current projects.

Or produce an alternative paper explaining in detail why such a machine is impossible or if possible not viable. For this one might reasonably expect a fee of say £M5.