Generating Power with Wind Turbines
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.
Here’s a better example. Do you remember those little windmills you could stick in the front yard? Wind turbines work the same way. Obviously the technology is extremely better then those things we remember as kids, but the concept is to use wind and turn it into energy. While windmills are common, there are other terminologies used when electricity is generated. Whether it’s a wind power unit, a wind energy converter, or wind generator, they’re all the same.
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.
To understand the complexity of this fully, the turbines must be positioned upwind in order to create a substantial amount of power. The good news is they are extremely durable, and specifically built to keep from collapsing. This is nice to know considering all the turbulence and strong winds that come through at these heights.
Another type of these turbines is the vertical-axis version or the VAWTs. They have their primary rotor shaft configured in a vertical direction. The main advantage to this setup is the the turbines don’t require being aligned with the wind to work efficiently. These are good if your location has winds that change their direction often. VAWTs can use the winds whichever direction they come from.
Unfortunately it’s extremely difficult to have the VAWTS mounted onto the high towers. So you’ll find these installed around the base of the tower.
When you see these towers, none of them are small. It is recommended that they be at least 100 feet high so they can get an increase in energy.
If you want to truly do your part and take advantage of a renewable resource, try combining it with home solar power as well. It will allow you to reduce your energy costs, help keep the environment cleaner, and let everyone around you breathe cleaner air.
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