The DuoGen is a patented water and wind powered battery charger for use on cruising yachts. It has just been awarded 2nd position in the Yachting World Magazine Hall of Fame for performance on the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers. The DuoGen needed tough and reliable bearings due to the hostile environment. If bearings need to be replaced, this had to be possible mid-ocean with a minimum number of tools available. The main drive shaft runs through an igus® igubal® polymer plain spherical bearing, which allows the shaft to deflect under loading and still rotate. The wind turbine turns to the wind by allowing a plastic rotational moulding to rotate on a 3 inch outside diameter hard anodised aluminium tube. Two iglidur® G bearings are inserted into the hot moulding during manufacture. As the moulding cools on a jig, the bearings are pulled in to the correct size.
Colin Barden
Director
Eclectic Energy Ltd.