(July 2, 2015) Wind
turbines could be installed under some of the biggest bridges on the road
network to produce electricity. So it is confirmed by calculations carried out
by a European researchers team, that have taken a viaduct in the Canary Islands
as a reference. This concept could be applied in heavily built-up territories
or natural areas with new constructions limitations.
The Juncal Viaduct, in Gran Canaria, has served as a
reference for Spanish and British researchers to verify that the wind blowing
between the pillars on this kind of infrastructures can move wind turbines and
produce energy.
The study is based in models and computer simulations, which
were carried out by researcher Oscar Soto and his colleagues in Kingston
University (London). Researchers have presented the wind turbines as porous
discs in order to evaluate the air resistance and test different kind of
configurations.
“As natural, the more surface is swiped by the rotor, the
more power can be produced; however, it was seen that in small turbines the
power rate per square meter is higher”, explains Soto, who considers that the
configurations with two identical turbines would be the most viable to be
installed in viaducts.