Superconducting coil to slash costs and improve efficiency of direct-drive wind turbines

Dr Shahriar Hossain is developing a wind turbine that uses a magnesium diboride superconducting coil

Conventional offshore wind turbines are expensive and complicated pieces of machinery – in a large part because of their complex and maintenance-intensive gearboxes. Dr Shahriar Hossain from the University of Wollongong (UOW) in Australia is looking to slash production costs and drastically improve efficiency replacing these gearboxes with a superconducting coil.

Wind turbine gearboxes connect the low-speed shaft, which is turned by the rotation of the blades, to the high-speed shaft that drives the generator, increasing the rotational speed of the low-speed shaft from around 30-60 rpm to the rotational speed required by the generator to produce electricity – which is usually around 1,000-1,800 rpm.

To avoid the cost, maintenance and efficiency-loss problems associated with the use of gear boxes, Dr Hossain, a materials scientist from the UOW's Institute of Superconducting and Electronic Materials with funding by the Australian Research Council in 2013 under the Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) scheme, is developing a magnesium diboride superconducting coil made from magnesium and boron that he says is very cheap and easy to manufacture and would allow wind turbines to operate with no gearbox at all.

Unlike a conduction loop made of conventional copper wire that loses about seven to 10 percent of energy due to resistance when an electric current is sent into it, a superconducting loop would have no loss of energy as it has no electrical resistance. This would allow the current to circulate indefinitely, even after the power is cut off.

When we reached out to Dr Hossain to ask about the problems surrounding the low temperatures required for the superconductors to work, he admitted this is the most challenging part of developing the system around the magnesium diboride superconducting coil.

To address the problem he plans to use off-the-shelf cryocoolers to cool the rotating components of the system in a two-stage process. The first crycooler will drop the temperature to -218° C (-360° F), while the second will then lower it further to -253° C (-424° F). Dr Hossain says that in comparison to well-established niobium-based superconductors, his magnesium diboride-based superconductors have achieved very high critical current density.

Despite this two cryocooler arrangement, Dr Hossain says it will still be cheaper than using high temperature superconductors (HTS), which can exhibit superconductivity at temperatures as high as -135° C (-211° F), but cost around AUD$25 (US$21) a meter. Dr Hossain's US industry partner, Hyper Tech Research, predicts that magnesium diboride coil will cost just $1 (US$0.85) a meter to manufacture by 2015.

Additionally, unlike niobium-based low temperature superconductors (LTS) that require increasingly pricey liquid helium to operate, Dr Hossain says the cryocooler system will run with ambient temperature helium gas supplied by compressors and entering into the rotor and returning through a rotary coupling in a closed loop.

Dr Hossain says that 10 MW-class wind turbines will require up to 200 km (124 mi) of superconducting coil to generate electricity, with each HTS-based coil costing between AUD$3 to $5 million (US$2.5 to $2.4 million) to manufacture. However, he claims that the same length of magnesium diboride superconducting coil would cost just AUD$180,000 (US$153,000), with that figure expected to drop significantly.

"Australia desperately needs sustainable energy sources," says Dr Hossain. "Wind is cheap, clean and we can get it day and night and on rainy and sunny days. And considering Australia has more than 35,000 km of coastline, there is ample room for offshore wind farms. With industry support, we could install superconducting offshore wind turbines off the coast of Australia in five years, no problem."

Dr Hossain details his work in the video below.

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Short-scale P245 single cutaway electric to make NAMM debut

The PRS P245 short-scale single-cutaway guitar

The 2015 National Association of Music Merchants trade show is but weeks away and Paul Reed Smith (PRS) Guitars will be taking along a rather intriguing vintage-inspired single-cutaway guitar called the P245. What makes this particular solid body PRS interesting is the inclusion of a piezo pickup system in addition to two in-house magnetic humbuckers.

PRS says that the P245 is one of its first models to feature the Paul Reed Smith-designed 58/15 treble and bass pickups, described as having exceptional clarity and focused midrange. By utilizing a separate blend control, players can combine the sounds of the magnetic humbuckers and piezo pickup through a single output jack for tailored versatility, or output the LR Baggs/PRS piezo system via its own instrument jack for "authentic acoustic tones."

The P245 features a 24.5-inch scale, 22-fret mahogany neck topped by a rosewood fingerboard with bird inlays. There's a figured maple top and mahogany back with binding, proprietary adjustable stoptail bridge and Phase III locking tuners in nickel, volume, push/pull tone knobs and a 3-way toggle switch. An Artist edition is also available with an "Artist Grade" flame maple top, similarly select neck and fingerboard woods, and a choice of gold, hybrid or nickel hardware.

The new PRS single-cutaway is scheduled to start shipping in Q1 2015 for a minimum advertised price of US$3,599, but will make its first public appearance ahead of release at the NAMM show this coming January.

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Tiny Heirloom offers a luxurious small living experience

The Tiny Heirloom starts at US$65,000

The thriving tiny house movement is a double-edged sword for companies selling their vision of small living, as it's tougher than ever to stand out from the crowd. Oregon City-based small home firm Heirloom aims to get noticed with a luxurious off-grid tiny house on wheels that boasts an excellent finish and more amenities that you might expect, considering its size. In addition, an interesting automated house control system that's controlled via and iOS or Android smartphone will soon be available at extra cost too.

As is typical with these tiny homes, there are so many options that the Tiny Heirloom can essentially contain whatever extras and interior you may want – providing you have the required funds. However, the base model starts at US$65,000 and measures roughly 11.8 sq m (128 sq ft), including a loft, kitchen area, bedroom, lounge area, and toilet.

The basic package includes a Dickinson P12000 propane boat heater, stainless steel appliances, washer and dryer combo unit, painted or stained interior and exterior, granite countertops, painted or stained cabinets and cupboards, and wood or bamboo flooring.

Though the Tiny Heirloom can be hooked-up to a power outlet, a basic wind or solar setup is also included in the basic package, and Heirloom says it will make sure to add enough off-grid technology to allow the home to operate effectively, whatever the local climate.

"We realize that people in South Dakota can’t survive off of solar power alone, and we want to create a product that doesn’t ever have to be plugged in, but will always sustain itself," a company rep told Gizmag. Additional off-grid options include composting toilet, incinerating toilet, hydro-electric power, and rainwater storage.

However, Heirloom's most interesting standout feature is still to come. The firm aims to launch its Tiny Heirloom Home Automation System next year, which includes hands-free light operation, voice activated door locks, auto-leveling jacks, and automated thermostats, all of which is controllable using an iOS or Android device.

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Roland Iten's Calibre R822 "Predator" – the world's most expensive belt buckle

Roland Iten's Calibre R822 'Predator' belt buckle: Significantly better than a piece of string

If you're going to do something, you might as well do it properly, that's what my mum always told me. Roland Iten makes belt buckles, and I suspect his mum is quite satisfied that he's given it his best effort.

Iten attacks the problem of holding trousers up with a vigor and ingenuity that has to be seen to be believed. His pieces are as much mechanical jewellery as they are clothing, made with intricate mechanisms, exotic materials and the finely detailed machining of a Swiss watch.

Pretty much everything this guy makes will secure a trouser with tactical precision. If you see a man wearing a Roland Iten belt, and his pants are down, that's no accident. You can be damn sure those pants are down for a reason, and you'd better plan your next move accordingly.

The previous pinnacle of Iten's belt buckle design, made in conjunction with Bugatti, was hailed as the most expensive in the world. The R22 Bugatti Calibre retailed for just under a hundred thousand US dollars and only eleven were made. Enough to impress the most eagle-eyed of bucklistas, surely?

Maybe for you and I, the R22 is a good enough belt buckle. But without making too many assumptions, I think it's fair to say you and I don't secure our pants with the same burning passion that Roland Iten does. We may all put our pants on one leg at a time, but when Roland Iten tucks his shirt in and buckles up, he's heaving in his girth with a US$400,000 Calibre R822 Predator buckle, and you and I are not.

There are 167 separate components on a Calibre R822 Predator buckle. If there was 168, it could ship with its own leather belt, but no, you'll have to buy a separate piece of cow. Or several – because one of the Predator's key mechanical features is how quickly and easily it attaches to a belt strap.

"Once the wearer inserts the end of the leather strap in the buckle," Iten's website tells us, "the double ardillion tang engages effortlessly with the holes in the strap… Operating the Calibre R822 buckle is a veritable tactile pleasure, and it offers a simple, one-handed adjustment for two positions – looser, for driving or sitting, and tighter, for walking or playing sport."

Simple and effortless, eh? Your correspondent has operated a number of belt buckles in his time, always with effort. So we'd need to test drive this thing to comment further.

But this is a "quadruple complication" belt buckle, not some mere triple complicated trifle that can only be attached to a belt, done up, and then precisely loosened when you've overdone it at Christmas dinner. The fourth complication is a security mechanism that prevents any of the other three complications from occurring by accident.

The Calibre R822 Predator is studded with some 387 baguette- and round-cut diamonds, totaling 14.15 carats, and its mechanical platform is "high tech titanium" ... which is loads better than that low tech stuff you see so much of these days.

Only three will be made, which is probably enough. I'd suggest for the next one Iten looks into building in a fifth complication, and I have just the idea that might appeal to the high net worth individuals that form Iten's market. How about a mechanism which can't be opened by a third party until they've signed a legal waiver and confidentiality clause?

More information: Roland Iten

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Hands-on with the Danalock electronic lock

The Danalock electronic lock installs over existing deadbolts and allows multiple users virtual keys through its smartphone app

I’ve had a basic electronic lock on my door for a few months now, so when Poly-Control offered me the more sophisticated Bluetooth- and Z-Wave-enabled Danalock to review, I was curious to see what it could do. Danalock allows any existing deadbolt to be retrofitted into a system allowing multiple users different levels of access to one or multiple locks, and the Z-Wave compatibility allows incorporation into a larger home automation system. In practice, the promise of the sleek Danalock is slightly quenched by buggy iOS and Android apps, with features that simply don’t work, but the core of the lock still remains functional and appealing.

Danalock is a Danish invention and as such is tailored primarily for European locks, but with adapters targeted towards American Baldwin and Kwikset units. It’s available in two different cosmetic styles: a smooth, almost featureless circle and a more traditional looking steel rectangle. They come with either just LE Bluetooth or Z-wave, or both for an additional cost. I was sent an all-black round version with both Bluetooth and Z-wave and was able to test the associated phone apps on an iPhone 5s and a Nexus 5.

I initially set up just myself and my spouse as registered users on the lock, but theoretically I could give permissions to an infinite number of family members, babysitters, pet sitters, or home improvement staff to access my house indefinitely or temporarily, as long as they had a phone that could use the app. Instructions for downloading the app and accessing the virtual "key" are sent via email or text when a new user is added. But because Danalock is installed on the interior leaving the deadbolt chamber intact, physical keys can still be used on the system.

Danalock Installation

Installation is simple, with the interior thumb turn on a deadbolt being removed, and existing screws connecting the Danalock baseplate to the door and deadbolt. Then the bulk of the Danalock hardware is connected with its own screws to the baseplate. The tailpiece of my own lock was too long, and while the help guide suggested trimming its length, Danalock sent me another baseplate to stack which appropriately adjusted the distance. Additionally, consumers can email a picture of their lock to Danalock before purchasing so they can help pick the right type of lock.

Features with the Smartphone Apps

The primary intended method of opening the Danalock is with the smartphone app (iPhone 4s and newer and Android 4.4 and higher), where the "open" and "close" correspond to simple green and red buttons. The app doesn’t remember or know the lock’s status, however, and one can try to open or close the lock when it is already in the same state, resulting in Danalock grinding uselessly against the bolt.

However, the app does offer more sophisticated methods of opening the door other than just pushing the colored buttons. "Knock to Unlock" allows users to knock gently on their phone case when within Bluetooth range and "Auto Unlock" unlocks the door whenever someone with the correct digital key is in range. I was disappointed to find that neither feature worked with either my Nexus 5 or iPhone 5s, other than one successful "knock" that I could not replicate. This was despite checking all the settings required by Danalock and reading through other reviews for recommendations. This seemed to be a common complaint from other users.

Often using the app I was given slightly obscure errors, such as that I had "timed out" and to try again in two minutes, or that my keys were invalid. Refreshing my keys manually solved the problem in the majority of situations, but I was also happy that I was merely testing the lock at the time, rather than juggling heavy bags in the cold on the other side of the door. One evening I had to locate the physical key because even with multiple digital attempts, I couldn’t convince the lock to close.

Z-Wave and the Danalock Web Portal

The Z-wave functionality and the more complex user management allowed with the Danalock web portal is where Danalock might show its worth to a commercial or community establishment, or a user already with complex home automation at home.

The portal allows for a range of permissions to be extended to users, from an end user who just needs to unlock the door, to someone who manages a whole system of Danalocks set up in a variety of places.

In fact, it was tempting to install my test Danalock at a community space I am a part of, where the needs placed on entry into our internal door are complex, with full-fledged members, guests, landlords, publicly open visitation nights, and more.

In the end, we realized our that our internal door not having a deadbolt caused it to be incompatible with Danalock, but the problems I had with the Android app also caused me to hesitate to secure a more public space with what felt like the app’s unreliable nature. However, if the bugs in the system are addressed, Danalock’s user groups along with the flexibility of using a Z-wave gateway with the lock would definitely make a Danalock system desirable.

Danalock is available on Amazon or through its website, but the numerous configurations of design and compatibility, along with the option to send a picture of your lock first to the company, suggests ordering direct through the company is the best option. Its price point of US$159 for Bluetooth Smart and US$179 for Bluetooth and Z-Wave make it roughly compatible with other similar locks we’ve seen at Gizmag, such as the low power Genie Smart Lock, the Lockitron, and the Schlage Camelot Touchscreen.

You can see the Danalock in action in their promotional video below.

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