Three recent announcements involve biomimicry to improve propeller and wind turbine designs. They all raise the question of whether these types of innovations could make their way to ceiling fan blade designs? Judge for yourself.

ABB Dynafin Propeller

Switzerland’s ABB Marine introduced a multi-blade Dynafin propulsion concept (see above). The innovative concept mimics the motions of a whale’s tail, delivering up to 85% efficiency, while also enabling super-precise maneuvering capabilities. The system is a cycloidal propeller – where vertical blades are mounted to a spinning circular plate to provide thrust. Each blade is individually controlled by an electric motor, a frequency converter (to control torque and rpm) and control logic. An onboard control system can rotate each blade around its own axis in real-time for simultaneous propulsion and steering of the vessel without needing to install a rudder. Independent testing of a passenger vessel fitted with different propulsion systems found that the ABB Dynafin managed energy savings of up to 22% compared to conventional shaftline configurations. ABB reports that successful simulations and scale-model testing have been undertaken, and contact made with ship designers “to validate the feasibility of the concept.” The first full prototype is coming next year. More information is available here.

BlueNav Whale Design Propeller

French electric marine drive specialist, BlueNav, has announced a new Whale Design propeller featuring blades that follow the contours of a whale to improve system efficiency (see first image below). The biomimetic propeller will join the company’s electric outboard and inboard drive systems to further improve the efficiency of existing boats. The blades have whale-inspired bumps on it edge and striations on its body. BlueNav plans to begin offering the new model for order in the coming weeks. It will sell three-, four- and five-blade configurations and says the new blades will not add cost compared to traditional propeller blade designs.

Biome Renewables Condor-Inspired Wind Turbine Blade

A Canadian industrial design firm, Biome Renewables, has designed winglets on wind turbine blades inspired by the curved wings of Andean condors (see bottom image below). The biomimetic design boosted energy production by an average of 10%, according to a new study. Researchers from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alberta (U of A) in Canada have examined whether attaching a condor-inspired winglet to a wind turbine blade could reduce drag and increase energy production. The study was published in the journal Energy.

Image: BlueNav’s Whale Design propeller blades.

Image: Biome Renewables’ condor-inspired winglet wind turbine blade.

David Shiller

David Shiller is the Publisher of LightNOW, and President of Lighting Solution Development, a North American consulting firm providing business development services to advanced lighting manufacturers. The ALA awarded David the Pillar of the Industry Award. David has co-chaired ALA’s Engineering Committee since 2010. David established MaxLite’s OEM component sales into a multi-million dollar division. He invented GU24 lamps while leading ENERGY STAR lighting programs for the US EPA. David has been published in leading lighting publications, including LD+A, enLIGHTenment Magazine, LEDs Magazine, and more.

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