Cob Self Aiming Air Scoops

[HandyM2 at aol.com]

A RESEND as the first never got to essa at csf.colorado.edu  Not sure now where
the orginal request came from.  Sorry for the cross postings.  <G>

 Was Re: Cooling Tube Questions
 
 Ok, for Dave (of Renewpower at aol) and others that work there brains to mush
<G>  

I will try to draw the turnable Windscoops using my keyboard....  
  
 BTW My Question(s) still stand unanswered, Janice.  Also how deep and how
long is your earth tubes? Where do you live?  How long have you used your
earth tubes? What are you using to get airflow thru your house??  
   
   As far as the turnable wind scoops the hard part is the rotating linkage to
   the tube, once that is overcome the addition of a large fin to the rear of
   your open scoop will do the rest.  I stole a idea from the rain sheild for
my
   animals feed box.  Simply put a piviot point in the center of the tube with
   the scoop assembly fitting over the downward shaft.  Clear I hope?    
   
 Not for us door knobs who have worked our brains to mush each day!  :-)  Dave
  
 Crude ASCII Drawing follows....
 
 P = Pivot in center of downward tube assembly
 S = Wind Scoop 
 T = Tail Assembly to keep open end of windscoop into the wind
 O = Opening of Wind Scoop
 C = Counterballance to ballance weight of Tail Assembly
 
                                       OSSSSTTTTTTTT
                                        OSSSSTTTTTTTT
                                       COSSSSTTTTTTTT
                                          I  P  I
                                          I      I
                                 _____I      I________
                                    Interior of home
 
 I have found a that keeping the tail assembly at the same level as the rest
of the scoop assembly reduces the leverage of the tourque on the pivot point
with in the down chute.  Pivot must allow free twisting action of the
windscoop but not allow the  scoop to LIFT!!  Aerodynamics will tend to lift
the scoop off of the down ward chute.  
 Pivot must also be low maintance.  A bummer to have to disassemble unit for
greasing.  Do not depend of the weight of the scoop assembly to keep the scoop
on the pivot under severe weather conditions.  It WILL LIFT and become a
damaging flying object.  Windsheilds are expensive to replace....  >VSadG< 
 
 Effectiveness varies according to the wind speed, stability of the direction
of the wind direction and size/general smoothness of the scoop/tube assembly. 
 
 Control issues are many.  In a RAIN Storm you are inviting ALL the wind
driven rain into your house.  Some have choosen to add a drainage U much like
the U in your toilet plumbing with a drain to carry away water.  Some reverse
the scoop-tail assembly as to have the scoop facing downwind figering to use
the drag effect for ventilation.  Windblown Dust is also a Issue.  Both the
upwind scoop and the downwind scoop work to some degree, but inperfectly.  
 
 Works pretty well as Ventilation for your Barn.  Seems the animals donot have
the same level of confort requirements as we do.  Keeps the smells down at
least when it is windy.  Ammonia from the animal manures as well as misc
airborne dirt/hair is HARD on 12 Volt Fans.....  
 
 My main complaint is when I WANT A Draft for fresh air or cooling it is STILL
(IE No Wind)  When it is windy I have TOO Much draft and need to shut down the
system
 
 Thus MY choice is to enjoy technology and install a few small 12 volt fans
with a switch to turn on/off as I feel the need.  Some day I will get fancy
with a Thermostat, Yeah Right after all the other projects get done.  <G>  I
have found some success in installing a Solar Powered Fan as a replacement for
the one that burned out.  The hotter the sun the faster it runs.  Mayhaps a
Circle type stove damper will be installed as the flow control.  
 
 Thoughts?  Opinions?  Ideas others have done?  Help?  <G> 
 
 Michael       >>