SuperTurbine (tm) and Serpentine, and other torque transfer systems

[PierreB]

@tallakt

your statement is likely false.

Keep in mind that the topic is about torque transfer systems. Mechanical arrangements such as Gyrokites have been discussed in this topic, but are not concerned.

So I challenge you to disprove my statement with anything other than vague terms like “likely”. A photo? A video? A demonstration? Good luck.

@Rodread

If individual blade mass was a dominant factor in the balance of forces… You’d have a valid argument.
But it’s not

I have already shown, with links and videos, the devastating effects of the catenary sag, multiplying the mass of the system according to shaft length, in addition to the increase of mass by scaling. The forces that could mitigate this effect would be the thrust of the rotors, and the lift of the lifting kite (which is a lower force as shown by the low elevation angle). However, the thrust of the rotors is a horizontal force: this leaves very little margin from a certain scaling, not to mention the irregularities caused by variations in the proportions between the aerodynamic forces (lift and thrust) and the weight, depending on variations in wind speed.

Some old experiment about the horizontal thrust of a rotor around its fixed axis, in wind direction, even when it is tilted:

Toward the worst AWES

I held and tilted the rotor rotating around a rod like on the photo below, the wind coming from back: [rotor around rod v] The wind speed was about 5 m/s. When I let go of the set, the rotor flew a few meters high for a few seconds downwind thanks to its lift. But when I held and tilted the rotor for a while, the wind pushed the rotor in its direction, the rod pivoting between my thumb and my index finger to become appreciably horizontal as on the photo below, said rotor thus losing its…

@Rodread

Also as for the scaling implications of torque transmission rotors (which can be analyzed similarly to mechanical flygen)

No. PTO of torque transfer systems start from the ground, while PTO of flygen systems are aloft.
As an indirect consequence, flygen systems fly dozens of times higher than any torque transfer system.

Well, for me, the torque transfer system is something that has been talked about for years and that I have been involved in. Now I’m only interested in systems that can reach a reasonable height, beyond the height of a stepladder.

But I’m open to any success…