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Tornados are mobile violently rotating funnel shaped column of air that cause large destruction in its path. It has speed of 300 miles per hour.
Tornadoes are formed when sun-heated air near the surface rises as a result the cooler air above is displaced, the whole mass begins to rotate when air outside rushes to replace the air that rises.
A change in temperature and pressure of the atmosphere creates weather. The interaction of high pressure and low pressure creates tornado. This is similar to the case when whirlpool forms in your sink or bath tub. Vortex is formed when low internal pressure draws high pressure and eventually the tornado is formed.
Tornadoes are formed when thunderstorm occurs. Tornados are developed from super cells which is a class of thunderstorms that contain mesocyclones, it already has rotation occurring within it. The tornado begins to generate when downdraft brings down mesocyclones near the ground resulting in the creation of vortex.
After the formation of cloud wall the next step of cycle starts. This occurs when the cloud gets into the funnel due to pulling action of vortex. The winds created by the high pressure air after being sucked into the tornado is the most dangerous and destructive part.
The moist warm air which is drawn into the tornado provides strength to sustain itself.
When the down draft of air cools it start to shut down the funnel that was created. As a result the tornado becomes thin and thin and the energy is lost. Weaker tornados outbreak from strong and large tornado.
Western university engineer louis michaud is the president of of AVEtec corporation , he received an investment of $300,000 for his project which aims at harvesting energy from tornado. He believes that the atmospheric vortex process will contribute to elimination of global warming as it uses the waste heat from the outlet of plants . He claims that future energy requirement can be meet by this method.
Michaud had brought the idea of harvesting energy from tornado and the idea of a man-made tornado. The atmospheric vortex engine idea was proved using a 13 foot diameter version. And now he is working on 26 foot diameter version. It has the potential of generating 164 feet high tornados. It has a circular device in which humid and warm air is blown at some angle as a result the warm air spin as it rise forming tornado like vortex. The rotating action of tornado can be made used to run turbines for generation of electricity in an environment friendly way.If the device is successful Michaud visions a larger device that is capable to generate 200 megawatts which is equivalent to a large, coal-fired power plant with nearly 20 turbines at the base to generate electricity.
A fan is used to blow excess heat produced by conventional power plants, into a cylindrical tower, at an angle. As a result a circular air current is created, he says it will grow stronger as it moves higher.Due to difference in temperature more energy is drawn as it goes high. The result would be a controlled man-made tornado. Turbines would be installed at the base of the vortex so as to produce power. The original test will be conducted at Lambton colleague, the tower installed will be 131 feet tall with a 26 foot diameter. As a result a vortex of about a foot in diameter is created and that is enough to power a small turbine. Michaud notes on his site, a real tower would be about 25 meters in diameter, and will have the capacity of producing up to 200 megawatts of power using only the excess heat generated by a conventional 500 megawatt plant. Power increases as the size of tower grows. Electricity production cost this way would be about 3 cents per kilowatt hour.
Michaud has been researching on the idea of harnessing the power of tornado's to provide electricity for several decades. He adds that his company built and successfully tested an Atmospheric vortex engine prototype in 2009, he claims that he has no doubts that the new tower and turbines will work as per stated in his journals.
Many worried whether a man-made tornado might get out of control and escape its enclosure and cause havoc for nearby community, Michaud claims that can't happen because the entire process would stop if we turn off the fan that feeds the vortex the warm air.
Michaud says that AVE could get its warm air from the exhaust of a power plant, since most of the power plants reject more than half of the heat that they make. The AVE puts this waste heat into productive use as it generates energy from it. It connects the ground to upper atmosphere. The temperature in the upper atmosphere is very low nearly negative 60 degrees. The warm air is drawn by the cold reservoir with a speed enough to turn the turbines.
Michaurd said "All we have to do is send the heat up there”, and the extra energy from the AVE could increase the total output of a power plant by 40 per cent.
Video of atmospheric vortex engine
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