Double Helix wind generator

I love youtube, the problem with youtube is that people show the product working, but most of the time do not really provide ways to make it your self. I am going to start to upload youtube videos but first I am going to give some photos of my current progress.


I am making a double helix wind generator. There are a bunch on youtube, all you need to do is search there for some if you want to see it in motion. The benefit of the double helix design is that you are able to get rotation from any wind angle, with out the use of a pivoting yaw. This is allows for maximum efficiency with a space/power ratio, and a simpler kinetic to electric energy conversion.

The idea is to take a a 4.5" by 10' long PVC pipe and to attach bended all thread to create an armature which PVC sheeting will be added on to as a 'sail'. The PVC material is ideal because it becomes mailable when immersed in boiling water, and it will retain memory after it cools.

I bent the all thread metal poles by making a 'mold' by screwing screws into a wood block then bending. The results was surprisingly precise.

As you can see in the picture, there is near the start of the curve, screws that go on both side of the pole. Then using the poles length and an extension copper pipe for add leverage, I bent the poles around the form. The nice part about the all thread is that it will provide for easy installation into the pvc pipe.



Once all the rods were bent, they were then installed into the PVC core by screwing through both side of the pipe and bolting the short end in. To figure out where the wholes for the rods would go, I created a measuring sleeve. I took a piece of paper that had the spiral (on the cylinder) angle that I wanted. When the paper is flat the angle looks just like a normal diagonal line that would create a 90 degree triangle. But when the paper is rapper around the PVC pipe, it becomes the ideal regular spacing that would give the correct distance between each rod (spoke).
Now, I do not think that the angles you use really matter all that much and although it should be attempted to be precise, precision does not seem to be necessary. Meaning, if you have angle that varies slightly the wind turbine should still work but may not be as efficient.
I think you should have a spin of 180 degrees for a distance equal to 2.5 times the diameter of the wingspan of the helix. Meaning, if you have a double helix with a diameter of about 4 fee, than your helix should twist 180 degrees in about 10 feet. These numbers are really just guesses based on what looks right from other peoples videos. Please give advice if you have a better ratio!


Here are some pictures of the build so far.