The Quiet Revolution QR5 is a wind turbine designed for use within urban environments where average wind speeds are lower and more turbulent. Its helical (twisted) design virtually eliminates the noise and vibrations typical of large wind turbine generators. This VAWT (vertical axis wind turbine) is an enhancement of the XCO2 Wind Turbine.
1. Three ‘S’ shaped blades are tapered to shed  noise2. The vertical axis is easy to integrate with existing masts and buildings 3. The helical (twisted) design captures turbulent winds and eliminates vibration 4. Central compression spar, dependent on conditions 5. The blades, spars and torque tube are made of robust carbon fibre, and all moving parts are sealed to minimise maintenance 6. The direct drive in-line generator has auto-shutdown and peak power tracking and is incorporated into the mast |
The turbine generator is an integrated, sealed, 6kW Permanent Magnet Alternator. Power generation starts at wind speeds of 4 m/s and the turbine automatically shuts off for safety reasons in winds over 16 m/s. The overall height of the turbine is 5 metres with a diameter of just over 3 metres, and the whole things sits on top of a 9 metre high mast in order to get it at least 3 metres above the height of nearby buildings and out of the most turbulent air.
The Quiet Revolution is currently priced at £25,000 with installation costs coming in at between £5,000 and £10,000. Therefore, assuming current energy costs of 8p/kWh with 5% year on year inflation and average wind speeds of 5.8m/s, the payback period is around 15 years for the QR5. As an added benefit, around 420g of carbon dioxide are saved per kilowatt of electricity generated saving over 100 tonnes over the 25 year design life of the turbine.
A great Video of the QR5 Turbine in action at the Quiet Revolution test site is available here at the QuietRevolution.co.uk website.