Abstract: An apparatus for converting wind energy to heat is disclosed which includes a wind powered turbine and a positive displacement gear pump which is powered by the turbine and serves to pump a fluid through a flow restricting orifice. This fluid exits from the orifice at a high rate of flow, and the kinetic energy of the fluid flow is converted into heat by a diffuser which is adapted to slow the flow rate of the fluid. In this apparatus the energy consumed by the constant displacement pump is substantially the same function of turbine shaft speed as is the available wind energy, and, therefore, the apparatus of this invention functions efficiently at a wide range of wind speeds. Furthermore, since the wind energy is converted to heat, a relatively low cost constant displacement pump may be used. Internal pump leakage, which is generally regarded as a drawback of low cost pumps, only serves to further heat the fluid being pumped, and in this application does not degrade the efficiency of the apparatus.

Abstract: A device for detecting a change in the slope of a member relative to a reference is disclosed. The device includes a slope sensor, mounted to the member, characterized by a resistance between one end of the slope sensor and an intermediate node, and a conductive fluid within the sensor which varies the effective resistance of the slope sensor between the end thereof and the node by an amount corresponding to the change in the slope of the member relative to the reference.