Wind Generator

The use of devices for generating alternative power is becoming less and less exotic every year. One of the sources of renewable energy is the wind. To convert the kinetic energy of the wind into electricity, it is necessary to use a special machine called a wind generator. The windmill can be purchased at the store, but it is quite possible to make it yourself.

What is an

wind generator? The wind generator is a turbine for generating electricity from wind energy. This renewable source has been used since the seventh century AD.For many centuries people built windmills, the blades of which turned millstones, grinding more grain into flour. The main driving force of wind generators is the usual evening. The energy that it possesses depends on the so-called wind density. Therefore, the installation of wind turbines is expedient in those places where this indicator is the highest.

In order to determine the meteorological parameters, specialists measure wind force, make meteorological maps of wind propagation, calculate their speed depending on altitude, and density of air masses. From these indicators, the expediency of installing a wind generator in one or another area depends directly, the height of its location, the number of blades in one installation is determined. Thanks to the development of electrical engineering, today windmills are able not only to generate electricity, but also accumulate it in ordinary batteries.

Advantages of wind generators is that they do not require any fuel, bulky complex electrical devices. Wind energy is free, so you will have to spend only on purchasing and installing equipment. In the process of electricity generation, wind generators do not emit any harmful substances, they have absolute ecological compatibility.

However, such plants have a number of drawbacks:

• Movable parts of the device wear out too quickly.
• As a result of the use of the gearbox, part of the power is lost.
• One windmill is not able to produce a large amount of electricity, several households need to use a full power supply for home ownership.

Despite the rather high cost, wind power plants are now used in many countries around the world. The share of energy produced in this way is steadily growing. Wind turbines are especially advantageous where winds are constantly blowing.

Principle of operation and types of wind turbines

Modern windmills are created with both vertical and horizontal axes. At home, it is better to build a windmill with a horizontal axis. It can provide food for homeownership or small production. The horizontal wind generator consists of the following main parts:

• A gearbox operating on the principle of a reducer, which consists of several gears of different diameters.
• Rotor shaft, at the end of which there are blades.
• Electric generator of required power.
• Braking system.

The main constructive elements of horizontal wind generators are electric generator and rotor shaft. Sometimes the system is equipped with an additional motor, which allows to receive energy from the blades in the event of extreme situations. If the windmill has enough high power, it is equipped with a stepped gearbox, which helps to regulate the optimal rotation, depending on the needs and strength of the air flow. The blades of powerful windmills are made of a durable metal alloy that is not susceptible to deformation, as well as the effects of strong gusts of wind and precipitation.

The device of a vertical wind generator is characterized by the fact that the rotor shaft has a vertical position in it. The main advantage of this arrangement is that the generator does not need a large wind power. It does not matter how fast it blows here. Besides, what kind of windmill does not need to be lifted high above the ground. The gearboxes and the power conversion unit may well be near the ground, which greatly facilitates their maintenance. The drawback of this design is that the shaft rotation speed is not very high, which significantly reduces the power factor. To increase this figure, in many models an additional engine is installed, which accelerates the turbine of the windmill to generate a large amount of electric current.

The principle of operation of a wind generator is understandable even for a child. The wind blowing on the surface of the Earth, thanks to the laws of aerodynamics, turns the blades, which in turn rotate the shaft connected to the generator. The generator, as befits it, carries out the transformation of the kinetic energy of the rotational motion into electric energy. Electricity enters the house through a system of distribution equipment, which often includes for its accumulation.

How to build a windmill with your own hands

It is quite easy to make a wind generator yourself. Unlike solar panels, parts for which it is necessary to acquire and assemble according to a complex scheme. Wind generators can be made from improvised means.

First of all, you need to develop a drawing, the complexity of which depends on the type of station. A wind generator with a horizontal axis is much easier to assemble and install, so it is the most optimal option for generating electricity at a dacha or in a house. Especially it is necessary to try with a choice of an optimum place for installation of a windmill. Take into account the region of residence, the wind rose in it, as well as the location of various communications and electric wires in the yard.

To create a household wind generator yourself, you will need:

• An electrical generator that you need to purchase if you are not a specialist in electrical engineering, capable of producing it yourself. However, for this purpose the generator from the car of any model is quite suitable. It is better to stop on asynchronous generators, since DC devices are not capable of generating a large amount of electricity. The best are small 30-volt units.
• Turbine blades of the required size.
• Pillar of the necessary length for installation of the wind generator.
• Rechargeable batteries.
• Reducer or gearbox.
• Control unit.

Manufacture of blades can be made of metal, polyvinyl chloride and even from ordinary wooden boards. When choosing metal blades, the support should be powerful enough to support their weight. The tree is short-lived and ill-suited for year-round work. In this regard, the best option is the manufacture of PVC blades. As a billet suitable conventional sewer pipes, which need to be cut in half, then a quarter, and then cut out the template.

Some craftsmen attach blades to neodymium magnets, which allows to significantly reduce power loss without any influence on generator parameters.

The blade support is made from a plate or a metal gear. It drills a few holes, so that you can attach the blade with bolts. The hubs, made of the same gear, are screwed on top of the blades. To prevent water from entering this area, it can be closed with a lid. For the windmill it is necessary to make a tail in which the generator will be installed. For this purpose you need a small wooden block. On one side of this bar mount the engine, and on the other shank, which is made of stainless steel or aluminum. When the whole system is assembled, a propeller is attached to it. After that, we can consider the production of the upper block of the wind generator complete. Now the assembled structure is installed on a concrete pillar filled with concrete, connecting wires and switchgears.

The described self-made wind generator is unlikely to satisfy all your needs. However, he is able to feed a couple of bulbs in the yard, and you can enjoy the results of your work personally. If you decide to go seriously to renewable energy, you need to buy a wind generator ready. Unfortunately the cost of quality wind turbines today is very high and reaches almost 1000 US dollars, which makes their use privately uneconomic. Maybe there will come a time when the production of such devices will be put on stream and their cost will decrease at times. Then it will be possible to talk about the advantages of wind energy in earnest.