In one sense wind power is taking the energy generated from the wind and using it in selectively productive ways. Wind turbines are a machine that can transform the kinetic energy found in wind and convert it into mechanical energy. If you grew up on a farm, you know exactly what I mean. Mechanical energy works with kinetic energy to balance into the mechanical system. When the mechanical energy is converted into electricity it can then be called a wind turbine.
There are essentially two different types of wind turbines; Horizontal axis and Vertical axis. The most common of these two is the horizontal axis, which simply means the axle shaft of the turbine is horizontal in relation to the ground. Horizontal axis features the main rotor shaft and generator at the top of the turbine.
The horizontal axis is pointed into the wind. This in done so by either the use of a tail rudder or a computer controlled wind direction sensing system. Most of these horizontal axis have a gearbox that allows the blades to turn quicker to generate more electricity. The blades are made of durable material such as aluminum, kevlar or fiberglass. Home-made units are often made of wood or PVC. Whatever the material they must be capable of withstanding high winds.
Horizontal axis wind turbines can either turn upward or downward. If they choose to turn the blades upward, they don’t hold good together for longer periods of time. They begin to crack and breakdown in high winds. When the blades are downward facing they stay in line with the wind longer and they can outlast through the high winds without breaking. Because they are so durable it keeps the cost down as well.
Types of Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines
Grain Windmills consists of four or more blades, are usually short, and can have wooden blades. These were used to grind grain. As the winds picked up it would rotate a mechanism inside allowing it to run the grain through a mill crushing it.
Rural Windmills was originally from Australia but later moved over to the USA. Farmers found that this type of windmill was good to pump water and electricity to the barns and fields. This windmill had several blades and can still be seen today in fields. They were constructed of metal usually in order to carry electricity for lights or maybe a radio.
Modern Turbines are what we have now standing in fields. They feature two or three blades that are pointed at the ends. The reason for their unusual shape is because they have been proven to exceed wind velocity up to 6 times more, allowing for high efficiency and reliability.
The advantages of this type of wind turbine include stability, height, flexibility, durability and strength. The disadvantages may include they cannot operate well close to the ground, they are hard to transport over sea, and difficult to install. There are concerns with how they affect radar and they can suffer serious structural damage with storms.
There are good points and bad points to owning these types of turbines. They have been proven to work and you can have one or thirty one out in your field. They do help to generate electricity and other great things that we would normally have to go without.
What about vertical axis wind turbines? That’s another article.
