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> Where air power equipment may become the real alternative power source is when it is combined with a wind turbine air compressor, which the Amish are beginnin

> Where air power equipment may become the real alternative power source is when it is combined with a wind turbine air compressor, which the Amish are beginning to use. During a good steady windy season many Amish may not need to run a regular air compressor for days at a time. I have not heard about an wind/air turbine used to refill an air compressor (without electricity). Not sure how that would work, but I'm very interested in learning if anyone has background here.

xupybd 7y ago
Have heard of that done here in NZ. A remote workshop had wind turbines turning pumps that filled great big air tanks. Those tanks ran the workshop. They were not shunning technology it was just a cheaper option than running power out there or batteries.
- vonseel 7y ago
  What do they do about lights and everything else that requires electricity? I’m assuming the air only powers air powered tools or things like the article mentioned that take special air power?
  - moftz 7y ago
    You can buy a lot of tools that run on just pneumatic power. As for lights, some solar panels, some car batteries, and efficient DC-powered LED lights. You could just get by with battery powered headlamps as well. Depending on the weather and where the shop is, skylights and outdoor workbenches would provide you a lot of light for whatever you're doing.
chrisseaton 7y ago
> I have not heard about an wind/air turbine used to refill an air compressor (without electricity). Not sure how that would work A wind turbine turns rotation into electricity. A motor turns electricity into rotation. A compressor uses rotation to compress gas. You can remove the electricity between stages 1 and 2.
- Waterluvian 7y ago
  I think the part that isn't intuitive to everyone is how to "accumulate" potential energy if you don't have batteries/capacitors. Like how I can't fill my car tire with my bike pump. There's... there's magic missing. Something that takes a small amount of pressure and overcomes the huge pressure the other way. Check valves or whatnot. It's easier to perceive when you think about a massive turbine that can grind out a ton of electricity and power a compressor that by default produces a lot of air pressure. These tools are really neat to me. I love the idea of things like a hand crank radio, pulleys, and long levers. Presumably you could fill the tire of a transport truck with the bulb from a blood pressure cuff and a lot of time, but it's not intuitive to me what the mechanics are in between those two things.
  - chrisseaton 7y ago
    > how to "accumulate" potential energy if you don't have batteries/capacitors That's what the compressed gas is - it's potential energy. It's like a battery. > Like how I can't fill my car tire with my bike pump. Why not? Because you can't pump hard enough and it's not strong enough to hold the pressure needed? You can build a stronger pump, and you can use a lever or gears (same thing really) to compensate for your strength if you can't pump any more. > Presumably you could fill the tire of a transport truck with the bulb from a blood pressure cuff and a lot of time, but it's not intuitive to me what the mechanics are in between those two things. Again that's just a 'lever' problem - you can't squeeze the bulb hard enough, so add a lever (and you may need to make the bulb stronger.)
    - Waterluvian 7y ago
      I personally understand these things. I'm trying (and failing) to communicate that mechanics can be less intuitive than electricity. I regret this post. :)
      - DougBTX 7y ago
        Interesting question though. I wonder if the answer is more trivial than "mechanics is harder than electricity", perhaps the people you're explaining to don't understand electricity either. If someone is trying to understand "how does air move in only one direction in a compressor", perhaps they also don't understand "how does the electricity move in only one direction in the generator"? Could they explain why the pressure coming from the compressed air canister doesn't cause the electricity generator to run backwards?
deleted 7y ago
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xupybd 7y ago

Have heard of that done here in NZ. A remote workshop had wind turbines turning pumps that filled great big air tanks. Those tanks ran the workshop. They were not shunning technology it was just a cheaper option than running power out there or batteries.

vonseel 7y ago
What do they do about lights and everything else that requires electricity? I’m assuming the air only powers air powered tools or things like the article mentioned that take special air power?
- moftz 7y ago
  You can buy a lot of tools that run on just pneumatic power. As for lights, some solar panels, some car batteries, and efficient DC-powered LED lights. You could just get by with battery powered headlamps as well. Depending on the weather and where the shop is, skylights and outdoor workbenches would provide you a lot of light for whatever you're doing.

chrisseaton 7y ago

> I have not heard about an wind/air turbine used to refill an air compressor (without electricity). Not sure how that would work A wind turbine turns rotation into electricity. A motor turns electricity into rotation. A compressor uses rotation to compress gas. You can remove the electricity between stages 1 and 2.

Waterluvian 7y ago
I think the part that isn't intuitive to everyone is how to "accumulate" potential energy if you don't have batteries/capacitors. Like how I can't fill my car tire with my bike pump. There's... there's magic missing. Something that takes a small amount of pressure and overcomes the huge pressure the other way. Check valves or whatnot. It's easier to perceive when you think about a massive turbine that can grind out a ton of electricity and power a compressor that by default produces a lot of air pressure. These tools are really neat to me. I love the idea of things like a hand crank radio, pulleys, and long levers. Presumably you could fill the tire of a transport truck with the bulb from a blood pressure cuff and a lot of time, but it's not intuitive to me what the mechanics are in between those two things.
- chrisseaton 7y ago
  > how to "accumulate" potential energy if you don't have batteries/capacitors That's what the compressed gas is - it's potential energy. It's like a battery. > Like how I can't fill my car tire with my bike pump. Why not? Because you can't pump hard enough and it's not strong enough to hold the pressure needed? You can build a stronger pump, and you can use a lever or gears (same thing really) to compensate for your strength if you can't pump any more. > Presumably you could fill the tire of a transport truck with the bulb from a blood pressure cuff and a lot of time, but it's not intuitive to me what the mechanics are in between those two things. Again that's just a 'lever' problem - you can't squeeze the bulb hard enough, so add a lever (and you may need to make the bulb stronger.)
  - Waterluvian 7y ago
    I personally understand these things. I'm trying (and failing) to communicate that mechanics can be less intuitive than electricity. I regret this post. :)
    - DougBTX 7y ago
      Interesting question though. I wonder if the answer is more trivial than "mechanics is harder than electricity", perhaps the people you're explaining to don't understand electricity either. If someone is trying to understand "how does air move in only one direction in a compressor", perhaps they also don't understand "how does the electricity move in only one direction in the generator"? Could they explain why the pressure coming from the compressed air canister doesn't cause the electricity generator to run backwards?

deleted 7y ago

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