Understanding Wind Turbines
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by: DaleGreen | Total views: 137 | Word Count: 500
Have you ever wondered how the wind turbine produce power? These turbines have blades that are connected to a shaft. The shaft turns a generator which produces power. Of course this is stating it simply and we will take a closer look at this process.
The wind turbine is just a machine that uses rotation to convert the energy of the wind to a mechanical form of energy. When this type of energy is used directly by a machine to do tasks such as grinding or pumping, this machine is generally thought of as a windmill. But when this mechanical energy is changed to electricity, then this machine is thought of and either a WPU (wind power unit), wind generator, or a WEC (wind energy converter).
Probably the most popular is the horizontal-axis wind turbine, commonly referred to as the HAWT. These have a rotor shaft and generator which are located at the top of the tower. In order to get the most benefit out of it, they have to face into the wind. When you get into the bigger versions they'll have sensors to go along with a servo motor. In short, it allows these machines to produce more energy by rotating the blades at a quicker pace.
Because the towers create a certain amount of turbulence behind them, the turbines are pointing unwind from the tower. The blades of the turbines are made from sturdy material that is strong enough to keep them from them collapsing and hitting the tower in high winds. These blades are also installed at a good distance from the tower and in the front. They can be tilted upwards a bit in some circumstances.
If you don't have access to a HAWT, then the vertical-axis version (VAWTs) will be used. These are set up so the rotor shaft is in a vertical position. The benefit around this option is that the turbines don't have to be situated against the wind in order to be efficient. Most people utilize this option when the wind tends to come from various directions throughout the day.
It is quite hard for get these vertical-axis turbines to be mounted onto the towers. This means that they are most of the times installed more toward the base of where they sit, as in a roof of a building or the ground.
This is a huge benefit whenever maintenance needs to be done, because it's a safe distance from the ground. The only problem is you won't find nearly as much wind at the lower levels. This is the main reason why towers are built to be at least 100 feet high.
In the end you just have to want to do your part for the environment and our world today. Plus, it also helps save you money while cutting down on your energy costs. What better way to do it then with a renewable resource that will never be depleted. It's the wave of the future and getting back to the basics as best we can.
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For more information on how to Build a wind generator and this short movie will show you How to build a wind generator by clicking on this link.
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