for Brians benefit, this is a link to an article on zero hedge
about the stormy weather in Germany recently, causing too much
wind-powered electricity to be available.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-1...re-electricity

This of course is why we need some new efficient way to store it.

However when we get windy weather our turbines are stopped as if they let
them run they have an awful habit of falling to pieces.
Brian

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"Andrew" wrote in message
news
for Brians benefit, this is a link to an article on zero hedge
about the stormy weather in Germany recently, causing too much
wind-powered electricity to be available.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-1...re-electricity

On 01/11/17 18:08, Brian Gaff wrote:
This of course is why we need some new efficient way to store it.

However when we get windy weather our turbines are stopped as if they let
them run they have an awful habit of falling to pieces.
Brian


In the height of the windmill tower, construct a very tall strong metal
spring. Secure the bottom end and have have the other wound taut by the
blades of the windmill.

At night, secure the top and unwind the bottom end into the shaft of a
generator.

Simples.

Some employment for failed garage door re-installation specialists ;-)

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Adrian C

On Thu, 02 Nov 2017 10:32:13 +0000, Chris Hogg wrote:

Such a system could easily be
adapted for wind turbines, with the minor problem that you'd need an
effing great weight to store any practical amount of energy.

Been thought of: "Gravity Storage (also known as Hydraulic Rock Storage)" is
what they call it...

http://www.heindl-energy.com/gravity-storage/qa.html

I want one, a small one, like something from a Bond movie, right in back, over
there under the birdbath.


Thomas Prufer

On 01/11/17 18:08, Brian Gaff wrote:
This of course is why we need some new efficient way to store it.

A true cat bellers solution!

On 02/11/2017 10:32, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Thu, 2 Nov 2017 09:57:12 +0000, Adrian Caspersz
wrote:

On 01/11/17 18:08, Brian Gaff wrote:
This of course is why we need some new efficient way to store it.

However when we get windy weather our turbines are stopped as if they let
them run they have an awful habit of falling to pieces.
Brian


In the height of the windmill tower, construct a very tall strong metal
spring. Secure the bottom end and have have the other wound taut by the
blades of the windmill.

At night, secure the top and unwind the bottom end into the shaft of a
generator.

Simples.

Some employment for failed garage door re-installation specialists ;-)

Before the widespread use of electric power in offshore lighthouses,
the lens was rotated by a clockwork motor powered by a heavy falling
weight, which descended the height of the tower and had to be manually
wound up several times per shift by the duty keeper, much like in an
old long-case clock but rather larger. Such a system could easily be
adapted for wind turbines, with the minor problem that you'd need an
effing great weight to store any practical amount of energy. But never
mind, it's a nice green solution.

Tower Bridge has used weights to store the energy to raise the bascules
since the 19th Century. They operate by hydraulics and one of the
purposes of the towers is to house the mechanism - originally powered by
steam engines each end of the bridge: now electric motors.

--
Max Demian

On 02/11/17 16:02, Max Demian wrote:

Tower Bridge has used weights to store the energy to raise the bascules
since the 19th Century. They operate by hydraulics and one of the
purposes of the towers is to house the mechanism - originally powered by
steam engines each end of the bridge: now electric motors.


And at one point, powered by the London Hydraulic Main as a backup.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London..._Power_Company

On 02/11/2017 15:08, Tim Streater wrote:
In article , Max
Demian wrote:

Tower Bridge has used weights to store the energy to raise the
bascules since the 19th Century. They operate by hydraulics and one of
the purposes of the towers is to house the mechanism - originally
powered by steam engines each end of the bridge: now electric motors.

Are these weights storing energy or just balancing the roadway. If the
latter then relatively little energy needed to raise/lower them.

They must be to store energy from their location. The roadways will be
balanced by the giant quarter cogwheels housed under the towers. It
still must require quite a lot of energy to move them.

--
Max Demian

On 02/11/2017 19:58, Max Demian wrote:
On 02/11/2017 15:08, Tim Streater wrote:
In article , Max
Demian wrote:

Tower Bridge has used weights to store the energy to raise the
bascules since the 19th Century. They operate by hydraulics and one
of the purposes of the towers is to house the mechanism - originally
powered by steam engines each end of the bridge: now electric motors.

Are these weights storing energy or just balancing the roadway. If the
latter then relatively little energy needed to raise/lower them.

They must be to store energy from their location. The roadways will be
balanced by the giant quarter cogwheels housed under the towers. It
still must require quite a lot of energy to move them.

The two sections of roadway each have counterbalance weights.

The roadways/weights are tilted using hydraulic drives.

So that the steam engines that drove the pumps didn't have to be massive
or the bridge be raised extremely slowly, they pumped water into an
accumulator over a period of time, in advance. IIFR, the accumulator
consisted of raising a 100 ton weight on a column of water. When the
bridge needed to be raised, the weight provided pressurised water for
lifting the bridge.

Today they use electric motors and oil driven motors to drive the
pinions without the accumulator.

SteveW

On 02/11/2017 11:16, Thomas Prufer wrote:
Been thought of: "Gravity Storage (also known as Hydraulic Rock Storage)" is
what they call it...

http://www.heindl-energy.com/gravity-storage/qa.html

I want one, a small one, like something from a Bond movie, right in back, over
there under the birdbath.

Have they built one, or is it just vapourware?

Andy