Wind turbines are tall structures with large blades used to produce electricity. They are useful sources of low-cost, renewable energy. But they can also be deadly to birds and bats. The turbines' large blades turn quickly in the sky. Birds and bats sometimes fly into them and are killed.
风力涡轮机是配备发电用途大叶片的高大结构体。它们是低成本可再生能源的有效来源。但是他们对鸟类和蝙蝠来说也是致命的。涡轮的大叶片在空中快速转动，鸟类和蝙蝠有时候会飞进来然后丧命。
But a new type of wind generator may offer an answer to that problem.
但是一种新型风力发电机可能给这种问题提供了一个解决办法。
In 2002, Spanish inventor David Yanez saw a short film about the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in the U.S. Strong winds caused the bridge to collapse in 1940. That incident was an example of the powerful vibrations wind can create when it blows past a long pole, like a car antenna or a stick of light wood. It gave Mr. Yanez the idea for a new type of wind-energy generator. He said he wanted it to include all the desired qualities.
2002年，西班牙发明人戴维·亚涅斯（David Yanez）看到了关于美国塔科马海峡大桥的一则短片。强风造成该桥在1940年垮塌。这次事故是风吹过车载天线或轻木枝条这种长杆会造成强烈风振的一个例子。它给了亚涅斯先生发明一种新型风力发电机的灵感。他说，他希望这种发电机能包含所有所需的特质。
He said it should be as low-cost as possible and need as little maintenance as possible. He also said he wanted it to quick to set up.
他说，这种发电机应该尽可能成本低，尽可能减少维护。他还表示希望这种发电机能够快速安装。
Mr. Yanez and his friend Raoul Martin took the idea to an engineering business. But they were told their idea would never work. So, Mr. Yanez and Mr. Martin built a small wind tunnel to experiment on their own.
亚涅斯先生和他的朋友拉乌尔·马丁（Raoul Martin）将这个创意带到了一家能源企业。但是他们被告知他们的想法永远不会成功。所以，亚涅斯先生和马丁先生建造了一个小型风洞来自己试验。
They built a large working model of the generator in a field near their workspace. They called the equipment Vortex.
他们在工作区附近建造了一个发电机的大型工作模型。他们称该设备为“涡旋”。
Mr. Yanez described how the Vortex generator works.
亚涅斯先生介绍了这个涡旋发电机的工作原理。
He said there is a mast that serves like a blade on turbines. It is made from the same material as other generators. Wind causes the mast to oscillate, or move back and forth. It does not spin around. So it creates no risk to birds and bats.
他说，桅杆的作用就像涡轮机的叶片，它的制造材料用同其它发电机一样。风使得桅杆振荡或者来回移动。它并不旋转，所以不会给鸟类和蝙蝠制造危险。
The Vortex generator creates about 30 percent less energy than a wind turbine with blades. But it is lighter and less costly to build and maintain. It is made mostly of plastic and has very few moving parts. The generator also does not create noise.
这种涡旋发电机发电量比拥有叶片的风力涡轮机低大约30%。但是它重量更轻，建造和维护的成本也更低。它主要是由塑料制成，只有很少的运转部件。这种发电机也不会产生噪音。
The current prototype works at wind speeds ranging from 1.5 to 7 meters per second.
目前原型机的工作风速是1.5米每秒到7米每秒。
The inventors say the next step is building a 12.5-meter-tall bladeless generator that could power small businesses or individual homes. They add that the generator could also provide additional power to a larger power supply system.
发明人表示下一步是建造一台12.5米高的可以给小型企业或个人家庭供电的无叶片发电机。他们补充说，这种发电机还能给大型供电系统提供额外电力。
Mr. Yanez expects the Vortex bladeless generator to be ready for general sale by 2017.
亚涅斯先生预计这种无叶片涡旋发电机能在2017年前上市销售。
I'm Jonathan Evans.
我是乔纳森·埃文斯（Jonathan Evans）。(51VOA.COM对本文翻译保留全部权利，未经授权请勿转载，违者必究！)