The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-05-24

Taylor are Daseu11afgely on the EecoEos
Of wind velocity kept by the govern
mentNwaather station at thesuniversity.
Plan Is Simple.
In brief. the plan outlined by Profess
sor Taylor calls for the use of ordinary
power windmills, such as may be
bought from n dealer. Dynamos
| sperialiy wound to suit the peculiar
demands that would be made on them
by the changing velocity of the wind
and Edison storage batteries. At an
initial cost for installation Of 5000, any
farm house can be supplied with all OF
the,electric current necessary for light
ing and for the operation of household
machinery and, in winter when h
winds are boisterous, for heat rs well.
There will be plenty left over for the
| lighting of the ~outbuildings and to do
such work as the running Of feed
grinders, corn shelters, cream separ-
tors. and other like conveniences. In
cities and villages, a plant that will
supply,six or seven families can be put
in for about $1,000. In every case, the
large item Of expense is the batteries,
and this is reduced to a small figure by
the suggested plan of cooperative in
stalIation.
The idea of putting the wind to work
is almost as old as the race but the
lack Of proper appliances has limited
the number of uses to which this great
supply of energy can be- turned. BY
way of introduction to Professor Tay-
lor's deductions, President McVey has
added this thought: 1.-THE Importance
of the wind in North Dakota as an
economic asset is not recognized by
many people, but it is here and can be
made to work for us. Intelligent utili-
cation of it win mean that every farm
er and all Of the smaller communities
a have electric light and electric
power as soon as the mechanical APP
pliances have been worked out. The
discussion Of the matter by PROFESSOR
Taylor shows clearly that the posi-
bility of such use is right at hand"
Energy of Wind.
Regarding the energy Of the wind
Professor Taylor says, 1.-THE energy OF
the wind depends on its velocity in ar
interesting way. This energy increases
very rapidly as the wind increases il
velocity; so rapidly in fact that wher
the wind doubles it's velocity its ener-
gy is increased eight fold. Most Of the
Investigations of the action Of currents
Of air on various surfaces have beer
made by French engineers whe have
been interested in the application Of
the laws Of air resistance to various
problems in aviation. BY utilizing
these experimental laws Of aviation il
connection with certain Theoretical
considerations of an elementary char.
acter it is possible to calculate the en-.
ergy Of a wind acting on a surfac'
when we know the area of the surfae,
and the velocity Of the wind"
After introducing some figures gfvel
by manufacturers OF windmills, tn,
discussion continues: Comparing ten
miles an hour with thirty miles al
hour we see that for the latter veloc,
ity. the power is twenty-seven times al
much. The ratio OF wind velocity /.
three and the ratio OF their power i!
twenty-seven. If this be true, tn,
power OF a forty mile wind is, com
pared with a ten mile wind, sixty-fou,
times as great and one day OF fort.
mile wind IS as valuable for powe
4 purposes as over two months OF tel
mCa wind. Arrived at this point D
view, wA see that the successful sys
tenn must be one not only of larg,
storage capacity, but of great ability Il
absorb large quantities Of energy Ii
short intervals Of time. The dihlcult,
lies, not in Harvesting the wind, but il
storing the energy cheaply."
Edison Is Interested.
Regarding this phase Of the matte,
a quotation from a letter that come
direct from the manager of the Edisol
Storage Battery Co, Is interesting
In part it is as follows: II have rea,
your letter regarding the use of Ediso;
batteries in the development Of win