Air Rotors
The magnus effect creates lift when a spherical or cylindrical object is spun while moving in a fluid, such as air:
A spinning object creates a kind of whirlpool of rotating air about itself. On one side of the object, the motion of the whirlpool will be in the same direction as the windstream that the object is exposed to. On this side the velocity will be increased. On the other side, the motion of the whirlpool is in the opposite direction of the windstream and the velocity will be decreased. The pressure in the air is reduced from atmospheric pressure by an amount proportional to the square of the velocity, so the pressure will be lower on one side than the other causing an unbalanced force at right angles to the wind.
Magenn Power Inc. seeks to harness this movement to produce energy through their rotating, foating ballons.
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