# friction



## wy0mn (Sep 18, 2003)

Is there any way to use a windmill so that the shaft, geared or not, could generate an appreciable amount of heat rotating its shaft against a steel plate or other material?
Just curious.


----------



## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

Key word "appreciable amount", Not that I come up with using friction. Old style windgens did use a centifical force on a brake setup to control speed but I don't know how much heat that generated.

I have read some articles where the heated greenhouses by using them to generate electricity and heating water from that.


----------



## WisJim (Jan 14, 2004)

There were some ideas and prototypes back in the 1970s using wind to generate heat. One idea was a fan or set of blades in a snug enclosure, could rotate freely, but since the air had no place to go, it warmed up as it turned faster. Another idea is to run a hydraulic pump and run the fluid through a restriction, so the work needed to push the fluid is changed to heat, heating the hydraulic fluid, which can be run through a small radiator to heat air or a space.

I don't recall any other details.


----------



## Ross (May 9, 2002)

I was thinking hydraulics too, except harness the output to pump water or even generate electricity and use the heat generated as a by product. I had wondered if a wind powered hydraulic pump couldn't run an AC generator turned with a hydraulic motor using a large accumulator (or several smaller ones in series) to maintain a constant governed shaft speed.


----------



## wy0mn (Sep 18, 2003)

Still thinking alternatives...
If ya'll think of anything else, please post.
White wolf, I made my transition from TN to WY ok.
We have 40+ acres between wheatland resevoir #2 and the Laramie River, 28mi north of Rock River.
The deed/title was recorded at the courthouse today so... now I can get my excavation permits.
I'm always thinking of ways to heat/cool that may not be normally considered.
The local cement plant makes 2'x2'x4' blocks from leftover "mud". As an employee I can get these at 1/2 price. But the devils weigh 2200 lbs wet! Cured they will still top the scales at over a ton. Thinking of a way to xport, and set, these monsters have given me the jitters.
But can you imagine the r-rating for a *2 foot thick * wall?
Gotta dash, storm brewing & we need the rain.
Thanks
Lex


----------



## SolarGary (Sep 8, 2005)

wy0mn said:


> But can you imagine the r-rating for a *2 foot thick * wall?
> 
> Lex


I can -- its R0.08 per inch, or R1.92 for 2 ft.
http://coloradoenergy.org/procorner/stuff/r-values.htm

Not much, but if you could put rigid foam insulation on the outside, it would provide a huge amount of thermal mass, which would even out temperature changes, and make a solar passive home work well.

Congratulations on moving to Wyoming -- we moved to Montana about 6 years ago and really like it.

Gary


----------



## John Hill (May 12, 2002)

The most effective way I know of getting heat from something like a windmill shaft would be to drive the compressor of a heat pump system. There is potential to gain more heat out than mechanical energy in (it is not magic as the extra energy comes from the cooled air or water that is on the cold side of the heat pump), otherwise spinning magnets close to an aluminium plate would heat the plate through the action of magnetic hysterisis. Practically though I think the magnets would have to run rather fast to be do very much heating.

I have heard of system for cow barns where the windmill stirs water to warm it a little.

Otherwise, a generator and resistive heater is probably among the most practical ways of doing it. IMHO


----------



## sellis (Apr 7, 2006)

wyomn ,ypu have a pm message


----------



## wy0mn (Sep 18, 2003)

Thanks sellis!


----------

