Experimental investigation of energy dissipation in the multi-cylinder Couette-Taylor system with independently rotating cylinders

Highlights: • A new generator for direct conversion of the wind energy into heat is studied experimentally. • This generator is a multi-cylinder Taylor-Couette system with independently rotating cylinders. • The limits of dissipation energy are determined depending on the rotational speed and viscosity. • The high specific values of heat production of about 1 MW/m³ are obtained. -- Abstract: The paper presents the results of an experimental study of the process of dissipative heating of fluid in a multi-cylinder Couette-Taylor system with independently rotating smooth cylinders. The task was set to solve the problem of direct conversion of wind energy into heat. The flow regimes and generation of heat energy at relatively low cylinder revolutions F < 5 Hz were studied. This range corresponds to velocities of cylinder rotation, achieved by the wind turbine at moderate wind load. Rotation of only one cylinder with the braked second cylinder and their counter-rotation are considered. The second regime can be successfully implemented in the schemes of kinetic wind energy conversion without additional mechanical transmissions and reduction gears from two wind wheels. Water-glycerine solutions in a wide range of changes in their viscosity were used as a working fluid. It is shown that the specific thermal power released in the heat generator can be about 1 MW/m³, and this indicates the competitiveness of such devices among the designs of renewable energy resources.