Several small turbines per pylon would probably be best, perhaps one of the vertical axle types.

Edit: I probably should clarify that I mean electricity pylons supporting high-tension wires.
-- marklar, Nov 30 2010

NIMBY Proof Wind Farm NIMBY_20Proof_20Wind_20Farm
[xaviergisz, Nov 30 2010]

We initially misread the title as "Python-mounted wind turbines", and after some confusion concerning snakes settled on either a Gilliamesque animated windmill, or a crude structure surmounting a badly-made Giant Wooden Rabbit ...
-- 8th of 7, Nov 30 2010


How much will it cost to reinforce every pylon to be able to stand up to the wind load?
-- hippo, Nov 30 2010


It will mean completely rebuilding the pylon. They are sized to take the vertical load of the cables, wind force, and snow/ice loading. Adding rotors which need to pivot right round will add huge lateral and oscillatory loads.
-- 8th of 7, Nov 30 2010


What if they were small and carefully balanced, [ of ]?
-- nineteenthly, Nov 30 2010


If the wind is coming from all directions at once, it will be possible to balance the load on the pylon. Unfortunately, wind tends not to do this.
-- hippo, Nov 30 2010


Vertical turbines, weather vanes, wheels?
-- nineteenthly, Nov 30 2010


It doen't matter if the axis of the turbine or wheel or horizontal or vertical. If the wind is coming from one direction and you're getting energy out of it, then the loading on the structure will be in one direction too, and proportional to the energy you're extracting.
-- hippo, Nov 30 2010


OK then, what about getting the structure to push back slightly, using less energy than is generated from the wind? Or using gears to move the strain into the least harmful axis?
-- nineteenthly, Nov 30 2010


I have to do this [MFD] Redunant with xaviergisz's link.
-- MechE, Nov 30 2010


Sorry, missed that.
-- nineteenthly, Nov 30 2010


Ah yes, it is indeed redundant.

I had considered wind loading, but I was thinking of small 1-2m turbines totalling around 5-10kw, which would, by my calculations contribute the same amount of force as a child retrieving a kite.
-- marklar, Dec 01 2010



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