One of the useful sources of renewable energy is the wind power. The energy of the wind can be harnessed to obtain useful electricity which can serve as alternative to the conventional forms.
The tiny wind-electric systems can provide electricity on remote, off-grid sites, or right in town connected to the utility grid. The wind generator’s rotating blades convert the wind’s kinetic energy into rotational momentum in a shaft. The rotating shaft turns an alternator, which makes electricity. This electricity is transmitted through wiring down the tower to its end use.
So investing up front in good equipment, design, and installation, wind-electric systems, makes economic and environmental sense, despite the fact that these wind systems would require more maintenance and need more attention than solar-electric or micro hydro-electric systems,.
In a wind generator, the blades use engineered airfoils, matched to the alternator, that capture the wind’s energy. Most of the modern wind generators use three blades, the best compromise between the highest efficiency possible (one blade) and the balance that comes with multiple blades. These blades and the hub they are attached together and termed as the rotor collectively, which is the collector of the system, intercepting winds that pass by.
Most turbines on the market today are upwind machines meaning that their blades are on the windward side of the tower. A few downwind machines are also available, but neither of the configurations has a clear performance advantage over the other.
Predominantly in most of the small-scale designs, the rotor is connected directly to the shaft of a permanent magnet alternator, which creates wild, three-phase AC. Wild, three-phase electricity means that the voltage and frequency vary continuously with the wind speed.
The blades must turn to face the wind, so a yaw bearing is needed, allowing the wind turbine to track the winds as they shift direction. The tail directs the rotor into the wind. Some sort of governing system limits the rotor rpm as well as generator output to protect the turbine from high winds. A shutdown mechanism is also useful to stop the machine when necessary, such as during an extreme storm, when you do not need the energy, or when you want to service the system.
These fascinating wind machines bring a great deal of satisfaction as there’s nothing better than watching your wind generator convert a summer breeze or a winter storm into electrical energy.
Although trying to keep an inexpensive wind generator running can be a never ending battle that you are ultimately most likely to loose. But don’t loose heart and expect to pay more for a better machine as it’s a tough job to design and manufacture a long-lasting, small-scale wind generator. Moreover you should always consider buying a turbine that has a very good track record and a good warranty in the small wind industry.
The incredibly powerful wind energy has great potential for future and is surely capable of replacing the conventional form of electricity providing a cost effective solution to the global crisis of shortage of the non-renewable resources worldwide
