Featured Vid: Homemade Wind Turbine
August 31st, 2010 adminProduce enough clean power so that your “power meter spins backwards” with environmentally pristine energy!
Produce enough clean power so that your “power meter spins backwards” with environmentally pristine energy!
Everyone would love having the most efficient wind turbine design around, but let’s face it, this is not always possible.
The efficiency of a wind turbine design is based on a number of important factors. The most important of these is the wind speed itself. A wind turbine design that was made for 10 mile per hour winds is less efficient in wind speeds that are slower or faster then this speed. Furthermore, if the wind is not perfectly smooth and has some turbulence in it, this can greatly affect the efficiency of the turbine generator; the more turbulence in the wind, the greater the effect.
The biggest part of the wind turbine design which specifies the wind speed and type the generator is most efficient is, are the blades. The wind turbine blades are designed to capture the wind and convert its force into a rotational one. Relying on a number of physical principals such as shape and overall surface area, a blade which has been designed for one type of wind speed will not perform as well in another.
Then you have the friction of the unit. The greatest losses in efficiency are due to heat which is a direct result of the friction of the system. The more friction in the wind turbine design, the more energy that is converted into heat rather then usable electric power.
The latest manifestations of the wind turbine generator make use of magnetic bearings to support the shaft, blades and rotors without having to make direct contact with any other surfaces. Keep in mind though, that while many proponents will insist that these type of bearings are frictionless, it is the exact opposite. Magnetic bearing and flotation systems due create friction as the magnets have repulsive forces associated with them.
But perhaps the biggest obstacle is what is known as back EMF. Have you ever turned a high-torque electric motor by hand and have felt the lobbing action at various parts of the rotation? Well this is caused by back EMF. The way it works is that as a magnet passes one coil in the generator, the other coils become energized and if the magnets and coils are not properly aligned, this will cause that stuck lobbing action you feel.
For this reason, many of the most efficient wind turbine designs make use of multiple phase windings as they will reduce the amount of back EMF. This can further be reduced by using smaller wires, but smaller wires also means smaller power generation.
It is most commonly overlooked by most, but the wind turbine blade design is very important to the efficiency and capabilities of your wind turbine.
The blades are responsible for taking a force moving along the surface of the earth and converting that force into a rotational one capable of spinning the generator. In any wind turbine blade design, one has to pay close attention to the surrounding environment. The reason for this is simply because there is no perfect blade for every single location.
The blades of the turbine have to be able to convert as much power as possible. In order to do so, they require the largest surface area but cannot be made too heavy or the weight will add too much friction to the system. Furthermore, while some styles are great for smooth and steady year round winds, they may not be all that good in places where the wind is slightly turbulent.
Taking into account the amount of wind speed in your location and couple with that the amount of turbulence in the wind and you can begin to see why wind turbine blade design is so important. Of course you do not really want any turbulence at all in the system as it will adversely affect the efficiency of the turbine generator; but no where on this planet is there wind without at least some turbulence.
Furthermore, new technology in recent years has made it possible to install a wind turbine even in a big city. Of course this will still depend on the location, but wind turbine blade design has allowed the use of these generators even in some of the most turbulent areas of a city. For the alternative energy enthusiast, this is a huge leap forward.
You will need to take your time and determine which type of wind turbine blade design is right for you. If you can, mock up several different types of blades and see which ones spin the best in your area as this will help you to determine which type of wind generator is perfect for you.
In the end though, you will find that no matter where on the planet you live, you will always be able to find enough wind to create power from every single day. Sure you may not have much wind at nighttime or during the day in your area, but being able to produce power even part of the day and storing it in a battery bank is better then continuing to pay the high rates the power companies are charging to destroy our planet.
Whether you are building or choosing a wind turbine design, you need to pay particular attention to the specifications of each design you are considering. A wind turbine can cost as low as $200, but if you buy the wrong wind turbine design, that $200 could go to waste if you can’t use efficiently.
Historically, the first wind generator was the trusty old windmill. There are still quite a few of these relics around, and still managing to perform pretty well. The new wind turbine design uses sturdier, more balanced materials and parts which means it will probably outlast wood windmills.
The use of windmills to generate power started with wind power for sailboats, and this was then applied to land structures to help grow crops. The early wind turbine design had 4 blades whereas today’s design has only 3.
The first wind structure to test for electricity generation was done in Ohio, but that was in 1888 and today’s today is far more efficient machine with capabilities to power up an entire house. After years of use and enhancement, fossil fuels took over and windmills became more of a tourist attraction than a source for power.
Fortunately, we’re back on track with wind power, and have amazing wind turbine designs to show for it. If you want to jump on the bandwagon, you need at least 10 miles per hour wind to sustain it as a viable power source for your home. Interestingly, you don’t even need a lot of open land to harness this power source for your needs. Some wind turbine designs make it possible to have one even atop a building.
With wind power, you can do your part in preserving and rehabilitating the environment. By using wind power as an alternate or alternative power source, you stop buying products that use fossil fuels. Fossil fuels, as you know, create pollution and are non-renewable. So, why wait for the time when there is a mad scramble for a good wind turbine design. Make your choice, be pro-active, and avoid the panic buying when time’s up for fossil fuels.
Technically, everything to do with a wind turbine is significant. There are no spare parts nor insignificant designs, just inferior ones. Thus, if you want your wind turbine blade design to give you maximum wind power, you need to be sure it is conceptually viable and technically sound.
Wind turbine blade design will make it possible for your wind turbine to grab the power of the wind and transforming it to energy. There are 3 different wind speeds that a wind turbine blade design should target: the below rated speed, around rated speed, and the above rated wind speed. Thus, you need to be able to adjust your wind speed to make sure the wind power is not exceeding the limitations of your wind turbine.
Factors that have to be given extra attention to detail with the wind turbine blade design are the length of the blades, the number of blades, and the size of the blades. A simple miscalculation could make the difference between being able to use the wind turbine or not; or it could change the projected efficiency. In other words, unless you get the right design for your wind power project, you might end up spending on something that will not work.
For instance, the length of the wind turbine blade design will depend on how much wind you have. If you have a lot of wind, then you need shorter blades. By a lot of wind, this would mean more than 11 miles per hour, on the average.
The wind turbine blade design should also take into consideration the materials that will be used or is used. In the older days, wood was carved and used as the blades. Today, the most common blades you will see are made from PVC piping.
Even if you build a simple windmill, you can tweak it a bit so it can generate some clean energy to help you save money. Think about it, and make a change for the better, for you, your family, and the rest of the world.
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