Tag → Wind turbine power

Can you store electric power from a wind turbine?

22 September, 18:09, by homemadejoe Tags: , ,

Indulge yourself in the wonder that is wind energy! This form of power is an efficient alternative source of energy that can make any household self-sufficient and is fast becoming the most popular option when it comes to providing energy for small homes.

This structure can be of great help to rural areas that are not within the scope of electric grids. Since their energy sources are limited, they can finally turn to a solution that can help them get electricity where they need it the most.  Even people who are on the grid itself use this technology when given a chance since using homemade wind turbines as an alternative energy source is a wonderful way to save up on electric bills.

This contraption can be a great substitute for solar panels during the rainy days.

Since off grid residents tend to use solar powered equipment, they are left helpless during storms and cloudy days. Having homemade wind turbines can really be a lot of help during those days. They can even work the storm to their advantage and increase productivity with these machines.

How does a wind generator work? This machine draws the wind’s momentum and slows it down with the use of its wind turbines. This gathered energy is then used to turn a generator that is stored inside to produce electricity. Power generated from these structures can depend upon the strength of the wind and the structure of the turbine itself

But what happens during those times when wind is not available? Is the technology simply rendered useless? Can electricity generated from these homemade wind turbines be stored?  This has been the problem for most wind generated power sources since the wind does not always go on par with electricity needs. Times of day that require a huge amount of energy consumption is when wind velocity is at its lowest. So what can you do about it?

Since more power is required to operate huge industries, larger vessels are required to store energy. Thus companies are now developing media that can help them store wind energy. For normal energy storage in small environments such as households you can use storage devices such as vehicle batteries. Using devices like these can help you maximize windy days by storing energy to help you during non windy days.  In general, the concept of storing wind energy is in fact possible. It would be more effective to be able to stack up on energy so that you can direct it when you want and how you want it.

The power of the wind is in the palm of your hand. Never run out of power again. This energy source may run low sometimes, but it will never truly dissipate and it is everywhere. This is an infinite energy source that will outlive everybody from this world. Take advantage of this energy source now! Not only will you harness energy the natural way but you will also save money in the process.

Computing for the Power Output of Homemade Wind Turbines

21 June, 17:01, by homemadejoe Tags: , ,

Power Output of Homemade Wind Turbines:

Just as it is with other homemade or do it yourself turbine projects, one of the most crucial things to consider, if not the most crucial thing is the power output. And the same goes with homemade wind turbines. Many beginner DIY enthusiasts usually fail to consider the power output factor when building their own projects. Initially they start out with all the excitement in the world, putting all the niceties and bells and whistles in their project, only to find out later on that their turbine’s power output just does not meet their standards. And most often than not, the project has to be redone from scratch.

Determining the power output of the wind turbine is not as insanely difficult as one might initially think. However, it does require a bit of patience and a bit of calculation. However, to keep things simple, there are just some basic guidelines to follow when computing for the power output of homemade wind turbines:

1.)    The power output of the wind turbine is directly proportional to the area swept by the rotor. This means that if the wind turbines swept area is doubled – due to perhaps a much larger rotor blade, the power output will also effectively double. 2X Rotor = 2X Power.

2.)    The power output of the wind turbine is proportional to the cube of the wind velocity. Essentially, when the wind doubles in strength, the power output of the turbine will also increase by a factor of eight! 2X Velocity = 2x2x2 Power.

3.)    Another factor of computing for wind power is air density. Air has a density of around 1.23 kilograms/m3 at sea level – and the air density varies depending on how high or low the area is when compared to the sea level. But to keep things simple, we will be using the sea level data as a reference point.  (1.23 kg/m3)

Now for the formula: To sum it all up, the theoretical power that a wind turbine can generate is equivalent to velocity multiplied by swept area and then multiplied by air density.  (Power = Velocity x Area x Density). This is supposedly the maximum power the turbine can generate.

Getting the theoretical maximum power for homemade wind turbines however, will not be applicable in real world application. This is one of things that get a lot of DIY enthusiasts off track. This is because the computation in theory does not consider limitations of wind energy and also the equipment used. A good example for this is the computation for the world’s largest wind turbine. The turbine, when computing for its maximum power, should have a power of 21 Megawatts. However, the actual power rate is only at 5 Megawatts. The reason for this is that there are other factors to be considered like turbine efficiency, drag, and heat transfer. There is also such a thing as the Betz limit (or the Betz law). This law is a theory about the maximum possible energy to be derived from a “hydraulic wind engine”, or a wind turbine. It states that no turbine can extract more than 59.3 percent of the kinetic energy in wind.