Wind
driven generators or wind
generators, also called wind turbines that help
generate electricity are usually of two major types.
There are the (a) small wind-generators that provide
electricity for private homes or small enterprises and
(b) there are the larger turbines that generate power
for wind farms. However, the basic technology involved
in both these two types is more or less the same. As a
matter of fact, all wind driven generators convert the
kinetic energy in a wind current to mechanical or
electrical energy in the following
manner.
A
small or home use wind generator consists of a small
motor that serves as its generating unit, a set of
blades to set the motor-cum-generator in motion, a
battery bank to store the generated electricity, a
charge controller to save the battery life since
overcharging shortens it, a step up
transformer-cum-inverter to raise the small DC output of
the generator to useful 120V AC and a tall tower (at
least 30 feet or higher than the neighboring trees or
structures) for installing the generator on top of it.
As the wind current hits the blades, it starts to lift
them and in the process the generator’s drive shaft that
is attached to the blades starts spinning. And as it
spins at a high revolution, electricity is generated
which charges the batteries. Of course, the outputs will
depend on the wind speed, the nature of turbulence,
diameter of the blades and the generator capacity.
According to figures available on the topic, wind speeds
of 8 miles per hour is good for the battery charging
while 12 mph is recommended for systems that are linked
with the utility. Some wind driven generators are
provided with speed governors or brakes to save them
from exceptionally high winds or
tornados.
With
larger sized wind generators
that are used in wind farms, the drive shafts are
separately coupled to generators suitably arranged
within the housing by means of a set of helical gears.
This ingenious device increases the rotational velocity
of the generator, as a result of which power generation
increases to a much higher degree. When several such
large size wind generator are set in an array, adequate
power is generated that proves sufficient for large
number of households or other electrically operated
installations.
Wind
driven generators also provide electricity in the form
of offshore installations where wind is adequate.
Besides, they do not occupy large tracts of land that
may have other uses like agriculture or orchards.
Wind
generators
are currently very much in demand throughout the
Small
wind
generators for home use can be easily built by
anyone with a little mechanical knowledge at an
unbelievably low cost. All that one needs to make a wind
generator will include a small motor that can be fished
out of a hardware store, blades that can be cut out of 6
inch diameter 24 inch ABS pipe, also from the same
source, batteries secured almost for a song from any
automobile junk yard and an electronic chare controller
and a voltage step up transformer-cum inverter from any
e-bay outlet at a going price. If necessary, one has to
visit the hardware store again for getting a hub for the
blades.
Yes
you can build your own wind power system and say yes to
this safe and clean energy. There are tremendous
ecological as well as financial benefits and so, wind
power cannot be neglected anymore. Get complete
information on wind power and how to set up a system at
home to make your own safe and clean energy with the
help of a manual. This manual teaches you where best
such a system works in the home, helps you learn how to
set it up and wire the system and also makes you know
where you can get cheap parts from. Plus you can also
learn about the safety precautions. There are numerous
ecological and financial benefits and so wind power as
an alternative cannot be ignored anymore.
