Adding a shape to make a disc spin?

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    Disc Shape Spin
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the design and functionality of a spinning disc sculpture intended to harness wind energy. Participants explore the challenges associated with ensuring the disc spins effectively in the wind, considering various shapes and mechanisms that could enhance its performance while maintaining its aesthetic as a flat circle.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes a 48" disc made of perforated steel and expresses concern that without additional shapes on opposite sides, the disc may not spin effectively due to equal wind pressure.
  • Another participant questions whether the disc is vertical and if it can gimbal to allow wind to flow along both sides, suggesting that this could impact spinning.
  • There is a suggestion to drive the rotation of the disc using bearings rather than relying solely on wind, proposing a separate windmill arrangement to provide rotational torque.
  • A participant proposes the idea of copying blade designs from a referenced vertical wind turbine to integrate with the disc.
  • Another participant expresses curiosity about the functionality of wind turbine designs and their intuitive operation.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the best approach to enhance the disc's spinning capability. Multiple competing ideas are presented, including the use of additional shapes, alternative driving mechanisms, and the integration of wind turbine designs.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved questions regarding the optimal design for the disc's interaction with wind, including the implications of its vertical orientation and potential sagging. The discussion also lacks clarity on the effectiveness of proposed solutions.

Bill McGrath
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  • I'm basically familiar with wings and lift. I've run into an issue with a sculpture I'm making. I have constructed a 48" disc of 1/16" perforated steel framed in a 1/4" thick by 1 1/4" steel rim. I want to attach bearings to opposite sides of the rim and allow it to spin in the wind, but I sense that, without some additional shape to opposite sides at "opposite" locations, it wouldn't spin very well as oncoming wind would hit both sides of the disc equally, thus either preventing it from spinning or creating a stuttering. I'd prefer to add as little as possible so that it retains the basic flat circle shape. I thought of a 12" wing shaped piece but if i understand rightly, it would be shuting highrprssure air directly into the steel disc which just would cause some kind of turmoil. Can anyone point me to a source or idea for an add-on "wind catcher director" thingy? Thanks so much.
 
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Bill McGrath said:
  • I'm basically familiar with wings and lift. I've run into an issue with a sculpture I'm making. I have constructed a 48" disc of 1/16" perforated steel framed in a 1/4" thick by 1 1/4" steel rim. I want to attach bearings to opposite sides of the rim and allow it to spin in the wind, but I sense that, without some additional shape to opposite sides at "opposite" locations, it wouldn't spin very well as oncoming wind would hit both sides of the disc equally, thus either preventing it from spinning or creating a stuttering. I'd prefer to add as little as possible so that it retains the basic flat circle shape. I thought of a 12" wing shaped piece but if i understand rightly, it would be shuting highrprssure air directly into the steel disc which just would cause some kind of turmoil. Can anyone point me to a source or idea for an add-on "wind catcher director" thingy? Thanks so much.
Welcome to the PF. :smile:

Is the disc vertical? Is it free to gimbal so that the wind flows along both of its flat sides, as opposed to hitting one side head-on?

If the disc is horizontal, does the center of the disc sag a bit?

Can you just drive the rotation of the disc at the bearings, rather than using the wind directly? You could have a separate windmill arrangement to get the energy from the wind to give you the rotational torques at the bearings, for example...

http://cdn4.explainthatstuff.com/darrieus-vertical-wind-turbine.jpg
darrieus-vertical-wind-turbine.jpg
 
berkeman said:
Welcome to the PF. :smile:

Is the disc vertical? Is it free to gimbal so that the wind flows along both of its flat sides, as opposed to hitting one side head-on?

If the disc is horizontal, does the center of the disc sag a bit?

Can you just drive the rotation of the disc at the bearings, rather than using the wind directly? You could have a separate windmill arrangement to get the energy from the wind to give you the rotational torques at the bearings, for example...

http://cdn4.explainthatstuff.com/darrieus-vertical-wind-turbine.jpg
View attachment 203869
Thanks for replying. yes it's vertical, so no day. I want to keep it simple so no other propellant or windmill-like tails to steer into wind. I think I'll experiment with a model. again.
 
berkeman said:
Welcome to the PF. :smile:

Is the disc vertical? Is it free to gimbal so that the wind flows along both of its flat sides, as opposed to hitting one side head-on?

If the disc is horizontal, does the center of the disc sag a bit?

Can you just drive the rotation of the disc at the bearings, rather than using the wind directly? You could have a separate windmill arrangement to get the energy from the wind to give you the rotational torques at the bearings, for example...

http://cdn4.explainthatstuff.com/darrieus-vertical-wind-turbine.jpg
View attachment 203869
Or I could copy the blades as shown in your posted photo and insert my disc in the middle.
 
Bill McGrath said:
Or I could copy the blades as shown in your posted photo and insert my disc in the middle.
Yes, that could be very nice. I've always wondered about wind turbines with designs like that. I have no intuitive idea how they work. :smile:
 
Last edited:

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