China Energy Engineering Corporation announced on the 12th that the test field in Alxa Left Banner, Inner Mongolia, successfully launched the core equipment of China’s first national key R&D program for high-altitude wind energy – the world’s largest 5,000-square-meter high-altitude wind energy generation capture umbrella. All the scheduled experimental contents were completed and the aerial umbrellas were successfully collected. This means that China’s high-altitude wind power generation technology has taken a solid step forward in practical application.
High-altitude wind power generation is a new energy technology that uses a single air component to capture wind energy at an altitude of about 300 meters and complete the conversion from wind to electricity. Umbrella capture, also known as umbrella, is the core equipment for capturing high-altitude wind energy in high-altitude wind power generation systems. The land-based high-altitude wind power generation system with parachute ladder in this test uses air parachutes to capture wind speed, promoting the take-off of the parachute ladder and thereby pulling the ground power generation system to generate power.
This experiment measured the pulling force of the umbrella when it was opened under natural wind conditions, and then measured the opening characteristics of the umbrella. It verified the effect of opening a 5,000-square-meter umbrella in the pre-determined environment, providing key data for the design and optimization of the high-altitude wind energy umbrella ladder system. Cao Lun stated that he is the on-site commander of the test project of the National Key Research and Development Program of High-altitude Wind Energy of China Energy Engineering and China Power Engineering.
High-altitude wind energy has the advantages of high wind speed, stable wind direction and high wind density, and has unlimited potential. In recent years, the value of high-altitude wind power generation technology has gradually emerged, providing a sustainable and renewable energy solution for the world’s energy transition.
Helium is the key gas that propels the system to take off and is also an important gas for the R&D of high-altitude wind capture parachutes. Furthermore, in some comprehensive specific designs, gas flow is enhanced by ingeniously utilizing the effects of fluid mechanics to improve performance. The main function of helium in this system is to provide the initial lift for the parachute, enabling it to reach the working height. The R&D department will manufacture large helium balloons to connect with the wind umbrellas. By taking advantage of the fact that helium has a density far lower than that of other gases, it will generate sufficient buoyancy to lift the large wind umbrellas to a height of 500 meters or even several kilometers. Other light gases, such as helium rather than hydrogen, are mainly based on safety considerations. Helium is a rare gas with stable chemical properties. It does not burn or explode and is highly suitable for use in practical engineering. For instance, the world’s largest 50,000-square-meter high-altitude parachute balloon capture was tested by China Energy Engineering Corporation. Fluid mechanics is also taken into account in addition to providing static buoyancy in the design of some more complex high-altitude wind power generation systems. For instance, some creative designs adopt the principle of lift-drag combination, and the key components of their equipment will include a rotatable helium gas rotor. When the wind blows, helium can not only provide a special structure on the surface of the static floating rotor (such as desert leaves), but also utilize the wind to generate additional Magnus effect lift and drive the generator. In addition, some comprehensive float components will be designed in a special contraction channel shape to accelerate the airflow through the power generation area and enhance the efficiency of wind energy utilization.
Generally speaking, helium is the key material for the take-off of high-altitude wind power generation parachutes, and its safety and inertness make it the best choice. Meanwhile, the creative design will fully utilize the hydrodynamic effects generated by the interaction between the high-altitude wind and the system structure to enhance its characteristics.
Post time: Dec-02-2025