A WIND turbine that produces three-and-a-half times as much electricity as
conventional turbines has been tested by researchers in Croatia. The trick, they
say, is to enclose the turbine in a cowling.
Bernard Frankovic and Ivan Vrsalovic from the University of Rijeka tested
their 1-kilowatt prototype of the new design on the island of Lastovo, off the
Croatian coast. The key to the turbine’s efficiency is the shape of its cowling,
which increases the speed of the air flowing over the blades.
The cross section of the cowling has the same shape as an aerofoil, says
Frankovic. When it faces…
