Understanding the Mechanics of Residential Wind Turbines
August 26th, 2010 |
A Basic Explanation of Residential Wind Turbine Operation
When most people think of wind turbines they think of large structures with huge propeller aircraft blades spinning on the top of some remote hillside; while the concept is accurate, you need to envision the scaled down version of an industrial turbine in order to understand what makes home wind power creation possible.
Understanding the mechanics of a turbine enables you to make an educated and wise choice when selecting a residential wind turbine for your location.
The turbine that is used to generate your home wind power is similar the alternator in your car.
Your car’s engine creates electrical current by spinning a magnet within three stationary wire coils, all of which are housed inside your car’s alternator. The interaction of the magnet and the coils produce an electrical charge, which is then stored in your car’s battery, or used immediately for such things as powering your lights or your car radio.
The same concept holds true for residential turbines. Instead of using an engine to power the generator, the wind is used to spin the blades that power the turbine.
The electrical charge is then stored in batteries, once again similar to your car’s. Then, through the use of an inverter, the DC (direct current) from the battery is converted to AC (alternating current) which is the type of electrical current used to power devices in our homes.
The primary difference between a motor powered generator and using wind powered energy generation is the rate at which the two operate. Because the blades of the wind turbine cannot rotate fast enough to match the velocity of a gas powered motor, and the necessity of consistent air flow to spin the wind turbine’s blades, the widespread usage of wind power to generate electricity, until recently, has been limited.
What has changed?
Today, new technology in overall design and efficiency of residential wind turbines has finally made home wind power a viable energy producing alternative. The blades of the newer wind turbines have been improved and are far more aerodynamic than the earlier models, and the energy producing capability of the turbine itself has been tweaked improving it’s performance.
One major implementation catering specifically to residential wind units, though not a new concept, is the ability for the base of the smaller turbines to make horizontal adjustments, using a tail rudder, which forces the turbine’s blades into the direction of the wind for maximum continual blade rotation. This is necessary in order to compensate for the inconsistent winds at lower levels and where, because of obstructions, the wind current varies in it’s direction.
Still, it is unwise to run out and purchase a home wind turbine without doing some research. There are several pitfalls that lie awaiting unsuspecting, yet optimistic, consumers.
Don’t invest in Home Wind Power until you investigate both; the benefits, and the drawbacks. For a continually growing list of resources and articles — Click This Link http://homewind.org
Green energy equals a brighter future!
