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BookmarkScienceDaily (Aug. 6, 2008) — Students of the Team InVentus at Stuttgart University constructed a vehicle that is solely powered by wind energy, the Ventomobile. It took them many months of intense construction work to reach this goal.
The first wind tunnel testing produced very promising results. The stylish three-wheeler features a two-bladed rotor on top, with a diameter of two meters. The efficiency of this setup proved to be extremely good.
On August, 23rd the InVentus Ventomobile will compete in the Aeolus Race in Den Helder (Netherlands) on a three kilometre track with five teams from different universities and research institutes from all over Europe. In this first edition of RACING AEOLUS©, an event that is unique around the world, the teams are challenged to sail straight into the wind, solely driven by the power of wind.
Before the Ventomobile is sent on its way to the Netherlands, we would like to invite you to a presentation at the University campus in Vaihingen on Tuesday, the 12th of August. Attending journalists will get the opportunity to observe the vehicle during wind tunnel tests, to see the braiding of a drive shaft, and the laminating of a rotor blade.
InVentus was created by avid students of Aerospace Engineering in cooperation with the Endowed Chair of Wind Energy. “The Ventomobile is another proof of what can be done with renewable energies”, explains Prof Martin Kühn, Endowed Chair of Wind Energy at Stuttgart University, recalling the time when solar powered vehicles were in their first stages of development.
Story Source:
Adapted from materials provided by University of Stuttgart.
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
