American Zephyr Airdolphin Mark-Zero 24VDC Wind Turbine, Z-1000-24
Zephyr combines advanced wind turbine technology with Japan’s world-renowned manufacturing craftsmanship, to successfully develop the Airdolphin Z-1000-24 Mark Zero 1000 watt wind turbine — a next-generation, low-mass wind turbine which instantly adapts to changing wind conditions, from slight to stormy.
The total weight of the Airdolphin Mark Zero is 17.5 kg (38.5 lbs). Unlike larger turbines, the Airdolphin’s low mass allows it to be mounted on existing structures like remote telecommunication towers, transmission line pylons and billboards, as well as near roads, railways and airports. Even factory and urban rooftops can become cost effective locations for producing usable electrical power.
The blades of each Airdolphin are created with Zephyr’s patented SD blade technology (noise reduction ridges). Their designers were inspired by the feather patterns of owl wings, which allow owls to fly in silence. This technology applies a series of thin ridges to the surface of each blade, creating micro vortices to keep the airflow attached to the airfoil longer than conventional blades, thus reducing decibel count.
Airdolphin Features:
Swing Rudder
Zephyr's patented Swing Rudder System is an altitude control system inspired by a fish tail fin, which allows the turbine to instantly respond to subtle wind shifts for improved power generation.
Rotor
The rotor system seamlessly responds to various wind conditions, offering a high wind-to-power conversion factor by utilizing ultra low mass stiff blades, a multi-stagger blended airfoil blade, and a dynamically balanced blade and hub system. These elements work together to constantly control the rotor speed for maximum power output.
Patented Noise Reduction Innovation
The Silent Disrupter (SD) Blade features numerous thin grooves on its surface, which significantly reduce air flow noise. The design was inspired by the wings of an owl that enable it to fly silently while approaching its prey.
Robust Body Structure
The screw-less assembly of the body is inspired by Japanese traditional block puzzle structure. This ensures precise fitting and superb resistance to adverse weather conditions, requiring minimum maintenance.
Power Assist Function
When there is no wind, the Airdolphin uses previously generated power to rotate for 10 seconds every minute. This lets the rotor start up from a subtle wind and efficiently reach the cut-in point. The function also prevents freezing in cold weather.
Intelligent Power Management System
With original patented technologies, the intelligent power management system (patents pending) realizes consistent blade rotation speed while encountering turbulent gusts. Even during hurricanes, Airdolphin can still deliver stable output power after reaching peak wind speed. This is a crucial attribute for small wind turbines which often face turbulence caused by tall city buildings. When the wind speed exceeds 20 m/s (44.7mph), Airdolphin continues delivering output power at a reduced rotation speed with no need for cut-out. The outstanding performance is achieved by software driven microprocessors. Airdolphin also has various safety features enabling it to detect adverse conditions for automatic shut down.
Generator
The light-weight generator achieves remarkably high power density with tightly wound coils and powerful neodymium iron boron magnets. These two features combine to implement the optimum duty cycle by electronically damping the rotor.
Life Cycle Assessment
An extensive survey based on Japan’s LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) standards showed that an Airdolphin offsets its manufacturing carbon footprints (180kg-CO2) with less than three months of operation in Japan at an average wind speed of 4.5 m/s (11.2 mph). Data source: The University of Tokyo’s Hirao Laboratory.
Zephyr Airdolphin Series Specifications:
