美国研究人员尝试从微风中获取能源

美国研究人员尝试从微风中获取能源

Solar chargers are effective only when the sunlight is relatively¹ strong,but researchers at the Construction Engineering Research Laboratory in Illinois turned to the wind as another natural source of power often present in open spaces.

只有太阳光比较强时太阳能充电器才会有效，但伊利诺伊州建筑工程研究实验室的研究人员将自然界最为常见的风转化为另一种天然能源。

Four months of constant measuring in an open field showed that during evening hours 70 percent of average wind speed was less than or equal to three meters per second too slow for a wind turbine, but enough to make a light strip of fabric² flutter.

研究人员们在一个开放场地4个月的恒定测量结果显示，晚间70％的平均风速小于或等于每秒3米，这样的速度对于风力涡轮机而言太慢，但足以使轻的布条振动。

“What has resulted is an innovative³ prototype with which to generate electricity at remote locations for very low wind situations.”

“我们依此希望创造一种崭新的模型，能在偏远地区风速非常低的情况下产生电力。”

The Flutter-Mallard portable sustainable electrical generation device has flexible strips affixed⁴ to pick-up coils with magnets that convert the vibrating energy into electrical charge.

这种鸭子振动式的便携可持续发电设备在传感磁线圈的磁铁贴上了柔软布条，将振动能量转化为电荷。

A special challenge was the design of an electronic device that can turn the constantly changing wind speed, and therefore varying power, into a steady electric current.

而对于电子设备亟待解决的一个难题是这样的设计可以把不断变化的风速及风速变化的功率，转变成稳定的电流。

But that was not the only problem researchers had to tackle.

但这不是研究人员需要解决的唯一问题。

“A concurring⁵ effort for the storage side of it. Remember it was integrated energy generation and storage, was the development as well of some supercapacitor technology for the purpose of storing the electrical power that resulted in a number of publications and also a second patent disclosure.”

“我们也在储能方面做了努力。别忘了这是综合能源的产生及储能。所以为存储电能而开发的一些超级电容器技术已经在一些刊物发表，以及第二项专利的公布。”

Many engineering students from the University of Illinois participated in the project.

伊利诺伊大学工程专业的很多学生参加了这个项目。

The device generates about three watts⁶ of power.

这种设备的功率大约是3瓦。

 

Researchers are now experimenting with strips made of flexible photovoltaic cells that could serve as additional sources of energy during the day.

研究人员正在试验可以在白天用作辅助能源的柔性光伏条。

1 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

2 fabric   

n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织

参考例句：

• The fabric will spot easily.这种织品很容易玷污。
• I don't like the pattern on the fabric.我不喜欢那块布料上的图案。

3 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

4 affixed   

adj.[医]附着的，附着的v.附加( affix的过去式和过去分词 )；粘贴；加以；盖（印章）

参考例句：

• The label should be firmly affixed to the package. 这张标签应该牢牢地贴在包裹上。
• He affixed the sign to the wall. 他将标记贴到墙上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 concurring   

同时发生的，并发的

参考例句：

• Concurring with expectations, the degree of polymorphism was highest in the central. 正如所料，多型性程度在中部种群中最高。
• The more an affect arises from a number of causes concurring together, the greater it is. 同时凑合起来以激起一个情感的原因愈多，则这个情感将必愈大。

6 watts   

（电力计量单位）瓦，瓦特( watt的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• My lamp uses 60 watts; my toaster uses 600 watts. 我的灯用60瓦，我的烤面包器用600瓦。
• My lamp uses 40 watts. 我的灯40瓦。