[ExI] Engineering

[Andrew Mckee]

On Wed, 19 Dec 2012 08:58:32 +1300, Keith Henson <hkeithhenson at gmail.com> wrote:

>  "Andrew Mckee" <andymck35 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> IMHO seems like a better idea to go untethered so the array can be put anywhere the NIMBYs can't object to it,

> And how are you going to keep it there?  The subject has been
> considered in depth by people who want a platform they can keep over
> disputed territory like Afghanistan and earlier, Iraq.  Some of the
> time there is enough power from the solar cells to keep it in place.
> But far below the maximum expected wind it can't station keep and gets
> blown down wind.  Now you have it crossing boarders like Iran and
> Russia.

Well, granted in the northern hemisphere positioning is something of a tricky issue, but from a southern hemisphere point of view, wandering off station is I'm assuming much less of a political incident at least.

> We can probably cope with the winds even with tethered units, though
> it complicates the design.  If you can just let them float downwind,
> then there is relatively little force on them, only the shear forces.

Thats what I was hoping would be the case, I'm presuming if the raft loses station for a while its no huge problem (in the southern hemisphere at least) , so long as its still in one piece and able to gradually make its way back again when the winds die down.

> I know someone who is interested in this concept.  I don't know if he
> has done the mass estimates, will ask.

Good to know someone's working on the concept, can't really do much more than throw idea's about and join the cheer leading squad myself, well, aside from maybe making some pretty CG rendered concept illustrations someday when I get a decent PC up and running again.