Category → Wind turbine design

Different Wind Turbines Designs

07 August, 17:33, by homemadejoe Tags: , ,

Over the past years, wind energy has gained popularity as a renewable source of energy. Wind energy is a resultant of solar intervention to Earth’s atmosphere. As sunlight strikes the Earth, it causes heat to spread in the atmosphere. But the extent of heating at the poles and at the equators is not the same. The uneven heating on the Earth’s surface then causes a motion starts in air. This movement is known as the wind.

Wind energy can produce electricity that is pollution-free, environmental friendly and are highly sustainable.  The best way to collect wind’s kinetic energy is the use of wind turbine systems. They come in different sizes and designs. Large wind turbines can produce large amount of energy and are commonly use in clusters. These can generate electricity in hundreds of megawatts that can power hundreds of households.

Small wind turbines on the other hand, are designed for home and small business purposes. These homemade wind turbines can only produce electricity about 100 kilowatts or less. Smaller wind turbines generating only 20 to 500 watts of electricity can be used in charging batteries like those employed in sailboats.

There are two main types of wind turbine designs – horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT) and vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT). To understand these two types, it is better to know something about the components of a wind energy system.

A wind energy system usually consists of five basic parts: the blades, the tail, the wind generator tower, the batteries and charge controllers. The blades convert wind to rotational energy used by alternators to produce electricity. The tail helps the turbine blades align with the wind direction. The wind tower aids in harnessing enough amount of wind energy. Lastly, the batteries and the controllers are important in storing all the power that has been generated.

Between the two, horizontal axis wind turbines are the most widely used. These types of turbines have at least three blades rotating in horizontal axis. They need to be aimed directly at the wind direction. This type of turbine is considered to be more efficient in converting wind to electricity. The design of its blades facing into the wind, create the least possible resistance to wind forces.

These turbines come in different sizes from very small to commercial scale generators. They are usually installed on top of the towers to get the strongest and consistent airflow. Most of the homemade wind turbines are of these types.

The design of vertical axis wind turbines on the other hand can generate wind energy from any direction. Though they are known to be less efficient than HAWTs, they do offer some benefits especially in low wind conditions. And because they can operate using multiple wind directions, they are still considered to be suitable designs for homemade wind turbines.

Whatever design will be adapted, proper and planned installation will still be the main factors that will dictate its efficiency. The proper selection of the location where to install, the size, the type of blades, and the materials used will all matter and should be considered.

How do you make a homemade wind vane?

30 July, 17:29, by homemadejoe Tags: , , ,

How do you make a homemade wind vane?

Wind vanes are mechanical devices showing wind’s direction. Though the weight is evenly distributed, the surface area of a wind vane is designed unequally distributed so that the pointer can move freely on its axis. It is the larger surface area that is being blown away from the winds direction. The smaller area where the pointer is located then points towards the wind direction.

Though wind vanes can basically give idea about wind’s direction this may not be accurate especially when there are too many interferences around such as trees, buildings and other objects. For this reason, these mechanical devices are sometimes use for decorative purposes. Earlier wind vanes even had ornamental pointers but nowadays, they are usually found with simple pointers.

There are many materials from which a wind vane can be constructed. However, the design has to consider the main purpose of these instruments – to tell the wind direction as accurate as possible. Wind vane can be an important tool for those with homemade wind turbines.

Using this device, the owner can always have a way of tracking wind direction. Moreover, wind vanes can also be used by those planning to build homemade wind turbines to properly select the best location for these electricity generators.

One of the simplest ways to make a home-made wind vane is by using plastic materials, cardboards and some markers. The first part that should be done is the base or the stand of the vane. A plastic soda bottle will do. Fill this with dirt, sand and pebbles. It is important to make sure that this will be stable enough to hold the vane as it follows the wind direction.

Near the top of the bottle, mark four points of equal spaces. These points will represent the four directions: north, east, west and south. Cut out two pieces of cardboard for the tail and for the point. A recommended measurement for the tail is 3 inches long by 3 inches wide. The other piece of the cardboard should be in the shape of a triangle that is 2 inches high at the wide end.

Lay the tail and the pointer on the table and lay a straw over them. Tape these two cardboards on each end of the straw. It is important to ensure that the tape will be long and strong enough to hold these cardboard pieces on both ends.

Find the exact middle of the straw and push a straight pin. The end of the pin is then push in a pencil eraser. Let the pencil stick into the dirt or pebbles inside the base bottle. Take note that after accomplishing these steps, you now have a wind vane and that the straw should move freely to serve its function.

The final step is doing some calibration. Find the true north using a compass. Upon locating, position the wind vane such that the N or the north markings on the bottle is in line with the same north as with the compass direction. Unlike the homemade wind turbines, making a home-made wind vane is definitely much easier with no so much money involved. Scrapped materials can even be used.