Wind Turbine

This has been asked numerous times before.

Type wind turbine blade design in the, "Search all of CR4" box to the right.

hello sir,

how r u ...am deena ...i had finished my project successfully.another important is our project become a best project award 2011(MECHANICAL ENGG)my success belongs to u ...................................one and only......ur a super man...THANKS a lot ....i could'nt miss u in my lastday last minute.....keep on touch ...it s my personel request also....Definately am asking some doubts ......coming soon

Aviod rooftop mounting, it can be very noisy, as the vibration will transmil into the structure of the house.
Here's a good wind gen link

Del

I second that website link and the problems with vibration to be aware of. Also have a look at Link

Very Good guidance given

Have you done a study of the type of wind conditions in your area? We designed our blades for low drag to work in 7 mph winds and up to 35 mph winds. Over 35mph our turbine shut down because of the potential of unsafe operations. We also had to take into account of bird strikes especially large raptors. We also tried blades made of aluminum, carbon composite and stainless steel. We like the performance of the carbon composite blades the best. Your application may need another material.

If your building it yourself you may be far better off just buying a set of blades online. They are far more efficient than anything most wood workers can ever produce by hand and are already balanced and no time is spent making them.

Windmax has a new line of blades that are far better than the junk they made a few years ago. They dumped their low grade factory supplier and have a new factory that make a superior set of blades in sizes from 5 ft to 26 feet in dia. The small ones are very reasonable in price too!

Hand crafting a good set of blades is labor intensive and the good quality types of wood cost about as much as a full fiber glass set does anyway. I have made wood blades before and a middle grade set can be made in a few hours by hand but they cant come close to what a modern airfoil design can do for efficency.

Just something to think about.

Good to hear that you have planned a design of windmill suitable for installation on roof top. Few questions

(a) Is it vertical axis or horizontal axis?

(b) Rating?

(c) If it is horizontal axis, then are you looking for 2 blade machine or 3 blade machine.

(d) Though this not related with the design of blade but have you checked about dynamic loading from the machine? Is the roof & wall sufficient enough to take it and not transmit the vibrations?

Ashok Toshniwal, Bangalore, India

First i would like to Thank You for guiding me through wind turbines & i'm from coimbatore , tamil nadu, INDIA . it would be more helpful if you could guide me in getting formulas to calculate the blade angles and measurements. i have planned to make my blades out of pvc PIPE.

First i would like to Thank You for guiding me through wind turbines & i'm from coimbatore , tamil nadu, INDIA . it would be more helpful if you could guide me in getting formulas to calculate the blade angles and measurements. i have planned to make my blades out of pvc PIPE.

HELLO SIR,

THANKS ALORD, COUNTRY- INDIA, STATE-TAMIL NADU, CITY- COIMBATORE.

I WOULD SELECT THE TOPIC IS HOME MADE WINDMILL.(LOW COST)

I HAD SELECT THE THREE BLADES, HORIZONTAL WINDMILL.

I WANT A SELECT THE BLADE MATERIALS, YOU GIVE SOME IDEAS SIR.

HOW TO SELECT THE BLADE MATERIALS,

Hi deena,

You have the sites address' I posted and Kyzine also posted a good address.

With making a homemade windmill you should try lots of designs by altering the configuration of your basic half-pipes for instance.

You want a design which is best not placed on a building. And a design that vibrates as little as possible. You perhaps should think of PTFE washers between any bearing surfaces as this material has very low friction. Once you find what you think is a good design you can always copy it and have perhaps two or more to generate enough power for your home, if that is what you are after?

Try searching in Google and then clicking "Image" and take it from there. Or you can go to you-tube and search for exactly what you want. 'Home made fan' or 'home made generator'. It will take you to lots of sites which will explain step by step how to achieve what you want successfully!

Take care and when you have finished, post the details and if possible a pic, OK?

hi sir good morning. thank u sir.

HOW I SELECT A BLADE MATERIAL

To make blades that are reliable and efficient and match the alternator and survive storms is difficult and costly.

Given where you are - shop for the whole thing in China.

Small Wind Turbine Manufacturers in China

http://www.zkenergy.com

http://www.hyenergy.com.cn

http://www.aeoenergy.com

http://yueniao.com

And many more

Then, if you want to experiment with your own blades, you can just swap them, and compare results.

China is far ahead in wind and by far the least $ for wind Watt.

Hi deena,

You may like to do a search on you tube. There is lots of "home-made-type wind-mills on there, and you can see how they work and sometimes a step by step video of the whole thing from the inception?

Good sites listed by Kyzine!

I may have missed it and forgive me if I did, but have you said what power you want to generate and how big you want to go and, do you have a design in mind?

If you are thinking of enough to supply power for a small workshop, an Oil Barrel cut in half, with the two flat edges moved in opposite directions until the outside edges meet, is the design I had in mind. These as I said I think in my first post, can be clamped together and moved fractionally until you find a configuration that has the least vibration? I have seen one of these and it is still working after ten years. When you consider it was built from 'scrap' it is doing very well?

BTW, when you find the exact configaration of least vibration, weld those to edges together and finalise your drive and perhaps your batteries you will need to save and use the power at a later date?

Take care and good luck.

hi sir good morning. how to find the chord width, pls give a detail design.

Hi deena,

I will be honest with you and it may hurt your feelings.

You must sit down and draw what you want on paper before you try to build anything.

If the wind-mill is 'so' large then it will be capable of generating 'this' much power.

Go to the sites mentioned read them and even better, choose one site and built your design as that site has built theirs, OK?

Another point for you to ponder and think about............................

MORE DETAILS IN YOUR REQUESTS!.......... PLEASE!

I have said I think, that you will find it really useful to search for everything you want on You-Tube. There is a whole lot of videos of how to build and where to build simple wind-mills. Use any search field you think will get a return. Wind-mills, windmills, Mills, power generators etc etc. You may also find a search of google as I did may help. Try a search and click for 'Image" and go to that site to see what they say?

You really must work on this yourself. You can by all means send a picture of your plans, OK?

What you mention with three arms, sounds way to complicated than it needs to be!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Take a look at this. It is just a really quick search on you-tube and may answer some questions, as well as show you basically what to do to start and then continue the build.

you-tube search home made wind-mill

Search options "oil drum turbine" results 1 - 5 of about 5
Also try:turbine turbina drums oil oil drum fire turbine rc

0:19
Savonius VAWT 2 stage oil drum wind turbine.
My two stage Savonius oil drum VAWT fitted with LG Direct drive/smartdrive 3 phase 36 pole generator. Producing about 12v 1amp in this first test ...
1 year ago 21,443 views retepsnikrep

1:01
Savonius helical turbine made of recycled oil drums
I chopped up two old 55 gallon drums to remove the ribs. Then I welded them to a pipe with a helical twist to allow for more even spinning rate ...
5 months ago 967 views kitmburau

0:39
VAWT made from Veg.oil drums
Just built this Savonius VAWT it is just driving a stepping motor with some leds at the moment but I am building a PM alternator for it. It has a ...
1 year ago 756 views wilt7116
Playlist Results for oil drum turbine

Wind Energy 23 videos
Savonius VAWT 2 stage oil drum wind turbine. (0:19)
Vertical Axis Disk Wind Turbine (0:25)
How to Make an Inexpensive Vertical Wind Turbine - Part 1 (8:36)
Playlist play all 23 videos WulfBand

5:19
VAWT
arduino controlled" wind turbine generator electric "green energy" "free energy" energy oil "oil drums" welding grinding diy "how to build ...
1 month ago 389 views H2inICE

2:45
VAWT part2
arduino controlled" wind turbine generator electric "green energy" "free energy" energy oil "oil drums" welding grinding diy "how to build ...
1 month ago 308 views H2inICE

Ideas 26 videos
Savonius VAWT 2 stage oil drum wind turbine. (0:19)
Wind Turbine (Quietrevolution QR5) (1:37)
VERTICAL AXIS WIND TURBINE WINDMILL ALTERNATIVE GREEN POWER (3:16)
Playlist play all 26 videos philosopher3000

An oil drum cut in half, or something smaller. Or even cut two drums in half. The problem you get then is the wind may not spin the mills as fast as they would with just one drum cut in half.

This post I am replying to for instance. What do you mean by chord? Are you thinking about electric cable? If so the cable and any joints must be water-proof on the outside, then when it comes into a building to a row of batteries to store the power, the cable can be either the same or use normal internal use electric cable that would be used in a house for instance.

As I have said though, the first thing to do is to "design" not just your mill but how you will collect, use, and save the power.

With reference to the mill................ Well, I and Kyzine have sent what should be more than enough info' in the form of sites and advice............

You must draw a rough sketch and scale drawing of what your mill will look like. This will give you an idea of what strength the structure has to be to hold everything together. You should not even touch any metal or wood or anything to do with the build yet.

Design it and work the figures through and see if it all works and delivers enough power, otherwise it is a waste of time. You cannot get halfway through the build and suddenly realise the build is not going properly because you did not do a scale drawing and figure out how and where the various bits of connectors etc have to be fitted, to allow them to be safe as well!

Depending on where you plan to put this wind-mill, you may need planning permission if it is near any dwellings. And you should take into the equation, anything said for or against the mill by your neighbour's!

That's all for now. Just go away and work like an engineer would and make this a success, OK?

Good luck.

Hi sir very good morning. i am deena from india. Your guidence very useful to us.

now i got a idea for how to design a blade and blade material. but now i want a one help sir. how convert the variable frequency to constant frequency. now i had plan to 3 phase permanent magnent (12 pole) alternator. how to connect the battery.

Hi deena,

It is interesting to see you gradually get this together in your mind and the whole thing takes shape in the real world!?!

Unfortunately, I am not an 'expert' in electrics, though I am sure there will be another who can help on the same thread? Please redirect your request to the member who's name I have for the moment forgotten, but who recently sent you the details of the rotor blades? There was a great deal of info' there and I am pretty sure they will know more than me on electrics, OK?

Take care and please send some pics if at all possible?

Frequency doesn't matter.

What you want is a 3 phase rectifier

You can use the diode plates out of an automotive alternator - or buy one - or make your own.

Making your own is simple;

You need 6 diodes, each rated at half alternator rated Amps output.

Amps matter - Volts do not matter - so long as PIV (peak inverse voltage) of diode is above system V (most diodes are 100 to 400 PIV)

On each alternator wire (3 of) solder 2 diodes, one with the band toward the wire and one with the band away.

Then connect all the 'toward banded' diodes to one wire - and all the 'away diodes' to another wire.

These wires are now + and - d.c. output from the alternator.

'Toward banded' will be the negative - so go to battery negative.

Other is positive - so bat +

Clear?

If not - post questions

Kz

Hi deena,

Take a look at this. It is the largest wind turbine at 7 Million Watts!http://www.metaefficient.com/news/new-record-worlds-largest-wind-turbine-7-megawatts.html

excellent! GA.

GA, would all of this same airfoil info apply to wind turbine blades, or propeller blades?

Yes - but bear in mind the tip speed of a propeller is close to supersonic and the radial flow vector is quite high. Similarly the disc is very rigid due to centrifugal force, so the structural parameters are quite disparate from;

A wind harvester; typically; TSR 7 - 9 and a tip speed ~80 m/sec, so significant 'cone' forces.

The above factors (and a list) change the section profile, each being designed for 'local velocity/flow/power parameters'.

So yes - same rules - but quite a different mix of magnitudes (and compromises)

Kyzine, have you heard of any of the research re; ducted air wind turbines, DAWTs, ?

Some of the studies have suggested high performace from 12 bladed DAWT with large nacels, looks something like a radio controlled ducted air jet.For experimental purposes do you think these could be powered by air and then measure their performace witha small generator, or would it be best to make it from scatch.

Diffuser Augmented Wind Turbines

Michael Moeller Jr. [1], and Dr. Kenneth Visser^†

Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering

Abstract

Many different methods of alternative energy are being evaluated in order to address the current crisis arising from the depletion of non-renewable resources. Wind energy represents a viable alternative, as it is a virtually endless resource. One of the more promising concepts in the wind energy field is the development of the Diffuser Augmented Wind Turbine (DAWT). These configurations use an additional diffuser to improve performance. The DAWT geometry concept has been analyzed using Clarkson's mRotor code with a focus on the Wind Tamer DAWT of Future Energy Solutions Inc of Livonia, NY. Preliminary calculations based on optimizing the original Wind Tamer geometries, indicate power coefficients peaking at Cp = 0.39, using commercial sizing. An optimization analysis in mRotor has indicated that power coefficients of nearly Cp = 0.5 for lower wind speeds, and even higher at faster wind speeds, can be achieved with minor design modifications. Full scale testing of this concept is underway at the Clarkson Wind Turbine Test site and will continue for several months.

I. Introduction/ Background Information

It is becoming necessary to fully understand how to improve wind turbine efficiency, as energy consumption and cost reaches record-breaking levels. The cost of oil and non-renewable resources is skyrocketing, and the depletion of these resources will require a sustainable and environmentally friendly energy source. An improvement to wind turbine efficiency will allow the limits of today to be surpassed, and someday be able to extract all of the energy from the wind with only a few improvements in technology. A greater number of these high-efficiency turbines would lower the cost of energy, powering the world for less.

One such method of improving turbine efficiency is a Diffuser augmented wind turbine (DAWT) as an improvement to the conventional horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT). DAWTs are simply a HAWT with a trumpet-bell-shaped diffuser surrounding the rotor blades and extending aft. A DAWT is claimed to have a greater efficiency than conventional HAWTs, even possibly higher than the Betz limit, because the diffuser allows for a greater pressure drop across the rotor blade. Only one DAWT has been commercially produced, the Vortec 7 as seen in Figure 1. DAWTs offer additional advantages in addition to increased augmentation, including minimal tip speed losses; a small rotor diameter that increases RPM, and being less yaw sensitive than HAWTs. However, there are many issues with DAWTs that need to be addressed to fully understand them before their greatest power output can be achieved. One of the most current DAWTs it the Wind Tamer DAWT created by Jerry Brock of Future Energy Solutions Inc. of Lavonia, NY. This DAWT incorporates data from past researchers, and also includes a newly innovative bypass region.

Figure 1: The Vortec 7 Diffuser Augmented Wind Turbine.³

II. Methodology

When designing a turbine for any given location, several parameters need to be determined for optimal or near optimal performance. mRotor is a Matlab code developed at Clarkson University K. Visser, M. Brown, and M. Duquette, which uses Blade Element Method (BEM) to calculate some of these parameters to analyze wind turbines.

Based on earlier preliminary tests performed by engineers from Rochester, NY, it was apparent that the Wind Tamer was not optimized to run at low wind speeds. Since the average wind speed in Potsdam, NY is around 4 m/s (a lower wind speed), the Wind Tamer performance may not be optimally efficient. Using the current geometry and running several tests in mRotor, this was confirmed to be the case; so several optimization tests were run to suggest design modifications to maximize efficiency. These tests were categorized by performance augmentation, though the associated cost with these designs could potentially harm the cost to power to cost ratio of the Wind Tamer. Full scale testing of the Wind Tamer concept is in progress at the Clarkson Wind Turbine Test site and will continue for several months. Data from testing will be compared to the theoretical calculations.

III. Results and Discussion

From the BEM data, it appears that 12 blades on the Wind Tamer would prove to be more beneficial. It is also apparent that if the pitch and twist distribution were to be varied from the original design, augmentation would increase further. Another issue addressed in the tables was changing of the Blade profile to be an airfoil rather than flat plates. Flat plates will reduce the efficiency of the Wind Tamer in field-testing; due to the increased drag flat plates have over airfoils. If a cambered airfoil or a symmetric airfoil were used, the aerodynamic efficiency could benefit greatly. Since BEM seems to underestimate actual performance, it is recommended that the design modifications occur that do not attach much additional cost to the Wind Tamer.

Figure 2: Power outputs vs. blade number for various blade design modifications to the Wind Tamer DAWT.

Figure 2 illustrates a few changes to the design that will increase the output power at a higher wind speed, nearly doubling the original power output. Also, since the BEM calculation is limited to a free stream rotor, it is expected that the power augmentation would increase even further, by a factor of approximately 1.28 based on averages taken from comparisons with preliminary data. If all of the changes are made as suggested, it can be expected that the power output can increase from 150 Watts to 286.98 Watts, an augmentation of 1.921 for the 18 m/s wind regime. Using mRotor, the Cp values expected would be around 0.36 for the various optimized airfoils at 13.4 m/s. However, this value is associated with the BEM calculation, and not the expected power output. Therefore, it is expected that the power coefficient of the Wind Tamer DAWT at 13.4 m/s will be 0.46. In addition, power coefficients appear to be increasing as rotor diameter increases, which may augment the power output ever further.

Based on past research by Grumman Aerospace and many others, the optimal exit area ratio for a diffuser augmented wind turbine is stated to be 2.78 to 1 for economic reasons. Also a length to diameter ratio has been economically optimized to be 0.715 to 1 for a DAWT, and a diffuser angle of 30 degrees. These design changes could positively affect the performance of the Wind Tamer DAWT to be close to, or beat the Betz limit, by a significant margin.^1,6

IV. Concluding Remarks

From the mRotor analysis, it is suggested that the Wind Tamer DAWT be adjusted slightly, though theoretical calculations do not always reflect real-world tests. With these minor changes, performance could be potentially increased to near or greater than 2 times current power output. It was determined that further power augmentation was possible, but no calculations have provided that the DAWT will provide power coefficients higher than the Betz limit. These lower power coefficients are also expected according to the BEM calculations because DAWT's do not run optimally at the same conditions as bare-wind turbines. Further theoretical research is planned at Clarkson University to correct the BEM calculations to match the output. Experimental research is planned at the Clarkson University Wind Turbine test site on the Wind Tamer DAWT to compare theoretical results against the working prototype. Further theoretical research is planned at Clarkson University to correct the BEM calculations in order to match the output from the experimental research. Also, further theoretical research is planned at Clarkson University to analyze the flow field around a 2D and 3D geometry of the Wind Tamer DAWT using CFD calculations.

References

1. Gilbert, B. and Foreman, K., "Experimental Demonstration of the Diffuser Augmented Wind Turbine Concept", Grumman Aerospace Corp., Bethpage, NY.

2. Goden, David L., and Eric L. Bibeau. "Increasing Power Density of Kinetic Turbines for Cost-Effective Distributed Power Generation." 2006. University of Manitoba. 21 May 2008 www.umanitoba.ca/engineering/mech_and_ind/prof/bibeau/research/papers/2006_Gaden_powergen.pdf. \

3. http://www.wind-works.org/images/vortec240x320.jpg

4. Johnson, Gary L., "Wind Energy Systems" 2001. Manhattan, KS. Electronic Edition.

5. Phillips, D. G., R G. Flay, and T. A. Nash. "Aerodynamic Analysis and Monitoring of the Vortec-7 Diffuser Augmented Wind Turbine." 14 Apr. 1999. Vortec Energy Ltd. and University of Auckland. 25 May 2008 www.ipenz.org.nz/ipenz/publications/transactions/Transactions99/EMCh/Phillips.PDF.

6. Phillips, D. G. "An Investigation on Diffuser Augmented Wind Turbine Design". Auckland, New Zealand. Doctoral Thesis with the University of Auckland. 2003.

* Class of 2011, Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering Student, Clarkson University Honors Program

^† Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, Clarkson University

Ok Kyzine, you have proved you are a smart guy, thats why Im willing to come to you on bended knee and ask again, 1) can I use one of these powered pusher ducted fans in my experiment as a wind powered generating turbine, Because-

2) not going to try to compet with the betz limit, just trying to build a better mouse trap, if it beats it then thats good.

3)have solved the building at MW scale problem, including the size of the duct and the economics.

4) one of the keys to my patent is a compact multibladed fan and because of finacial limitations Im trying to model with off the shelf parts cause custom takes time and money.

5) just need to finish the proof of concept with the fan. Its actually a wildly KISS idea.

If you want to know of my patent and idea it has been published but I would rather talk privately.

Bended knees are not required

Q1. for Q1: Can you rotate the blades on their axis? if Y, then Yes; if N then No.

Look a the propeller

Say blade attack ß = 25⁰ in both applications.

Say the blade is imparting momentum to the 'downward' flow - or lift is upward - rel to page.

If you simply blew on the bottom of the propeller (as drawn) - (opposite flow) the the airfoil is 'leading' with it's trailing edge. In technical terms - works crap.

When harvesting momentum from that (top of page) flow direction, "lift" needs to be at the bottom of the blade - to provide the forward vector - to cause rotation.

Or chord angle ß needs to rotate anticlockwise through 130⁰

^{Or blade is turned 'belly up' (but still 25 deg to disk plane - the other way) - and now prop rotates the other way.}

So; Q's; 1, 4, 5. The Woods Fan company once made quite small, fully adjustable, multi-blade, turbine style fans, maybe still do. Maybe others do - and don't ignore the automotive sector on your search.

Q's 2, 3 - all good

You can PM via CR4 - but keep it brief - for me - not for them.

And definitely NO 30 page documents,

Wow, It won't let me give you more than one GA. Exactly what I've been looking for and explained in small enough words that I can understand, If not an educator you would be an excellent one. I'll send you a brief and try to keep it small. Im in the medical field, can I help you with any thing? I try to pay back those that help me.

Hi Kyzine,

Great illustrations and detail!

GA to you Sir!

DreeseCODE Software, LLC if you are wanting to design.

Good day Sir,

i would like to know your views on a DAWT which also supplimented by the principle of a vortex?

HYwindgenerator.com is the professional manufacturer of Wind generator,small wind turbine,wind turbine generator,windmill, wind mill,wind generators in china ,if you want to 3KW, 2KW Wind generator,5KW wind turbine, 10KW,20KW wind turbine generator and grid tie inverter,please contact us. waiting the message from you www.hywindgenerator.com