Wind turbines have been a part of human energy acquisition for millennia. In recent decades, a flurry of activity in wind power has driven a rapid growth in the use of wind mills in generating electrical power. Among recent improvements are the shape of the blades, the required start-up torque, and a transition to a direct drive system. Most wind turbines are the horizontal axis, meaning that the turbine rotates around a horizontal axle.
Recently, a levitating axle was developed that enables a virtually friction free wind turbine that has a vertical axis. This axle uses magnetic repulsion to stabilize one end while the other end is mechanically stabilized. Careful balance of the weight against the magnetic repulsion can lead to very small frictional forces, enabling virtually limitless operation. Participants will apply this to the construction of a wind turbine, and will build and take home a virtually frictionless wind turbine.by recording how they perform on these tests as compared to the control flies. At the end, there will be open discussion in which all students can participate
