The wind turbine working principle is followed by engineers when generating power through the forces of nature.

For it to work most efficiently and increase the uptime made during high velocity windy conditions, it is essential to install a strong framework that not only covers the essentials of power generation, but can also reduce the effect of damage in case of strong currents. Thus, there are certain guidelines that should be followed that are actually a formula of both the mechanics of the revolution process and the automatic reactions that are achieved through mechanical friction. The Revolution Stage Mechanics The first wind turbine working principle relates to the revolution process. For this, there are the blades. These are some of the most important part that aid to harness the oncoming forces by revolving in different degrees depending on the force applied and the direction they are facing. In order to increase their utility, they can have dimensions of more than 40 meters in length so that they can achieve a large spinning expanse when being revolved. They can also be able to achieve a great acceleration of more than 200km/h in their spin whenever they are down the path of the current. The Blades and the Mechanical Stage Blades play a part in the wind turbine principle by combining with the pillar that goes down to the generator. Every time they are revolved, they impart some mechanical energy on the middle part of the structure, which is shaped like a rod with coils upon it. These turn anticlockwise to the spin of the wing-like devices above in order to impart this energy through friction to the generator below. The latter is able to convert the sent waves into power that can be stored in terms of volts. The wind turbine principle also places special importance to the mechanical friction in order to automate the whole process and stem any undue revolution during drastic changes in climate. The central rods usually revolve anticlockwise to the spin of the blades to pass on their generated force to the next rod beyond the gear kit. The latter, which is large and connects directly to the generator, begins faster revolution. While this is beneficial in increasing the potential power generated, in certain cases if left unchecked, especially in stormy conditions, it can break down. To check on this, the machine comes with a set of braking installations in both stages of the rods, to break on any adverse speed. The central pillar also can revolve on itself to face the whole structure towards the current instead of down its direction in order to stem on the velocity. It can also stop the mechanism through the same automatic means if need be. Strength of the Turbine The wind turbine principle would be incomplete without touching on the strengthening significance of the whole structure in enabling the whole process. The structure or turbine is usually laid on firm ground with a strong foundation to prop it against uprooting. In this way, it is barricaded with metal against any strong force that can cause its anticlockwise mechanism to crumble.

Energy is one of the most important aspects in our daily lives and as the world is geared towards conserving the environment, it is looking for alternative sources of energy such as wind and sun. When it comes to wind, there are different types of technologies that can be used in the generation electricity and one of them is the wind turbine. Wind turbine converts energy from the wind into electricity and comes in two types: Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines The horizontal axis wind turbines, abbreviated as HAWT features the electrical generator and the main rotor shaft, which must be turned towards the wind, at the tower top. Some of the small turbines feature a wind vane as a pointer while the large ones come with a wind sensor and a servo motor. They also feature a gear box that is responsible for rotating the blades at a higher rate on order to drive the generator. The blades of the turbine are made to be stiff in order to prevent the high winds from pushing them into the tower. These wind turbines have been around for quite some time with the older ones featuring at least four blades. The modern HAWTs come with three blades and use computer controlled motors to be pointed towards the wind. They are efficient, reliable and more flexible with variable speed. Vertical Axis Wind Turbines The vertical Axis Wind turbines features the main rotor shaft In a vertical position and are most suitable for those places where the wind direction is variable. Unlike the HAWT, generators and the gear box of the VAWTs can be placed near the ground meaning that these are easier to access when it comes to maintenance.

With the VAWTs, the wind energy available is less since the speed of the wind is usually lower at low altitudes. The air flow as well as the presence of other objects near the ground can cause the production of a turbulent flow, which in turn produces vibrations leading to more maintenance and shorter lives. How power is generated? Now the most important question that how much power is generated with a wind turbine? Power is generated when the turbines move and transfer the momentum of the wind to the rotor blades, and then localize the energy into a single rotating shaft. The amount of power generated is influenced by quite a number of factors. The most obvious one is the wind. The speed as well as the force of the wind plays an important part when it comes to power generation. The other factor is the height. Higher altitude areas have more wind as compared to the low altitude areas as a result of different atmospheric factors. Cost of Power generation Apart from the natural aspects, the other factor that influences the amount of power produced is the rotor. It is important to note that the size of the rotor used in the wind turbine is proportional to the amount of the energy produced. This means that the users should invest in a large sized rotor for the optimum power generation. It is also important to understand that the cost of purchasing and setting it up is higher in the long run. As the whole world is going green these days, more and more countries are using wind turbines. If the 2009 year-end statistics are to be believed, 2% of the power that is required throughout the world is currently produced through wind turbines that is 340 TWh. Today, the world has highly attuned to energy sources that result in the least possible negative impact on the planet and its atmosphere while yielding sufficient amounts of power. In this regard, many have sought to examine the level of efficiency that can achieved from reliance on wind turbines for power generation and have come up with interesting findings.

The wind turbine is a simple rotary appliance that is built to harness power from the wind. It basically converts the wind's kinetic energy into mechanical energy and then uses a generator to convert this into electricity. Efficiency on the other hand can basically be defined as the ratio of energy input to electrical output. Therefore, in order to determine wind turbine efficiency, it is important to determine how much of the wind's energy is successfully converted into electrical energy, factoring in all variables. The oldest wind turbines were built using a very simple design based on the windmill. This design resulted in the generation of a reasonable amount of power but it had a relatively low efficiency. It basically operated on the rule that moving air has energy that can be captured and converted. This made the models effective for small scale use.

How to choose a Wind Turbine? But the modern design has incorporated alterations on a number of aspects including the blade material, design and even number. Instead of using steel, they now utilize light aluminum. Modifications were also made to the turbine size in order to maximize on wind interception. The efficiency of these wind turbines was also improved by increasing the height because the velocity of wind is the first factor that comes into play. The higher the velocity, the better; and because the air at higher altitudes experiences less interference to its movement, then the higher up a turbine is, the greater the likelihood of having a high efficiency. Wind turbines will however never have 100% efficiency and to some extent, this is to our advantage. After energy is harvested, there has to be some velocity in the remaining air to get it out of the way in order for more air to come in. And therefore, in order for this contraption to function, it has to leave some energy in the air.

A turbine can also only have its optimum efficiency levels under the conditions for which it is designed. If it is made with 45% efficiency at wind velocity levels of 20 Mph, then any variation of wind velocity translates to lower efficiency. The ideal wind turbine also has to ensure that the cost of producing energy from it is a lot lower than its output in order to make it a beneficial venture. Taking into consideration these factors implies that even the most efficient wind turbine has to operate at a much lower level than its overall capacity. This is usually about 50% but it still translates to a highly cost-effective energy source. This means that the cons of this energy-production technique should act, not as a damper, but as a motivating factor. Furthermore, the only way to improve the efficiency of this method is by researching further into it and conducting more experiments on the wind turbine. Wind energy can be referred to as a converted type of solar energy. The sunrays heat up the ground and this causes the atmosphere to become warm. When the hot air goes up, it reduces the earths atmospheric pressure and cool air is drawn to take its place. This cool air is called wind. Air contains mass and when it moves, it has energy. Some of this energy can be converted into various types of mechanical force that is applied in various activities. To convert the wind energy into mechanical energy, a wind turbine is used. The system is effective in turning the kinetic energy found in the wind into electrical energy or mechanical energy. The mechanical energy is usually applied in pumping water especially in remote locations but it is also applied in other activities. The turbines also help to generate electricity for businesses and homes. How It Works? The wind turbines come in two main types including the horizontal axis and vertical axis. The horizontal-axis is the most common ones and they are used to produce a significant amount of electric power. These systems contain various components including blades used to convert the wind energy into shaft energy, generator, gearbox, tower, drive train, electrical cables, controls, interconnection and ground support equipment. The wind turbines come in a variety of sizes and steel is used to make the towers. The blades on the systems are made of wood-epoxy or polyester that is reinforced using fiberglass.

Where Does Wind Energy Come From? The ability of a wind turbine to create electricity can be measured in terms of watts. The consumption and production of electricity is usually measured in terms of kilowatts. The output of the system usually depends on the size of the system and the wind speed. Most of the systems in the market produce about between 250 watts and 5 megawatts. Winds are usually stronger in high grounds and this is one of the reasons why the wind turbines measure 30 meters in height. This allows the rotor to capture more energy from the wind. The system usually has a feature that switches the rotor on to make if face the direction of the wind. A single turbine can be used to create adequate energy for a home. This energy can also be used to power mills or pump water. If there is excess energy from the system, it can be kept in batteries. When several wind turbines are found in one location, this is usually referred to as a wind farm. The systems are usually located in areas that are always windy. The electrical energy that is generated from a wind farm can be sold to various electricity companies to provide electricity for those who live in towns and cities.

The systems used to capture wind energy are advantageous because unlike other methods of producing energy, they do not produce pollutants. The wind energy that is produced is also renewable and this means that as long as there is some wind, it is possible to create energy. When wind energy is used, it means that countries do not have to rely on fossil fuels to produce electricity. These fuels are a disadvantage because they pollute the environment and this adds the amount of green house gases that are found in the atmosphere. The presence of green house gases has been linked to global warming. The cost of producing wind energy has decreased drastically over the years but the initial investment is still higher than what is required for fossil fuel generated energy. The advantage of wind energy is that in the long term, the costs are reduced because you do not require purchasing fossil fuels. The operating costs are also minimal compared to fossil fuel energy.

One of the main challenges that are facing wind energy is the fact that it is irregular. There is no guarantee that the wind will blow in the wind farms and this makes it unreliable. It is not possible to store the wind the way fossil fuels are stored and it is not possible to harness all winds to meet electricity demands. This can be a big problem because most of the areas that rely on wind energy as a source of electricity are usually in remote locations therefore it is difficult to get any other source of electricity. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Wind Energy To harness wind energy, large areas have to be set aside and this creates competition for land resources. This is one of the reasons why the use of wind energy has not been widespread but this should not be a problem because land used for farming can also serve as a wind farm. Wind energy is definitely a better alternative to the use of fossil fuels because it is clean, safe and the operating costs are minimal. There is a move towards environmentally friendly sources of energy and this type of energy is a suitable option. How Windmills Generate Electricity Written by: Sunita Sanguri Edited by: Lamar Stonecypher Published May 11, 2010 Related Guides: Global Warming | Wind Energy How do windmills generate electricity? The windmills are now in popular favor as the solution of our electricity needs and for being green. We discuss the types of windmills, the history, its construction, and working principle in this article. History of Wind Mills How do windmills generate electricity? Though Don Quixote attacked the windmill, it is no monster. It is an important invention which can help us to reduce our carbon footprint and save our earth from

global warming. In various parts of the world and coastal areas, there is an abundance of breeze. These windmills, if installed, can generate large amounts of electricity to serve the needs of the local people. Historically windmills have been used for the grinding of the grains into flour, for taking out water from wells, and for similar other applications. Wind energy has been used by man for a very long time. The earliest recorded practical windmills were said to be used in Sistan in Afghanistan around 7th to 8th century and was used for pumping water as well as grinding corn. In Europe windmills surfaced around the twelfth century. In Denmark where the sea breeze is abundant there were an estimated 2500 windmills around 1900. In fact Germans used wind turbines in WW II to recharge the batteries of their U boats. Solar Future www.dowcorning.com/Solar See how Dow Corning helps the solar industry to grow. Watch Video now ! Nowadays you see windmills in all places where breeze is abundant. In many countries they are a significant means of power generation. On the coasts of Gujarat in India you see a large number of windmills. Windmills have a simple working principle, need less maintenance, and last long as other means of power generation. Wind energy has re-emerged as a significant source of energy in the minds of power engineers due to the following reasons: 1. The need for new sources of energy as the fossil fuel reserves are declining. 2. The potential is great as wind energy exists at many places all over the world, and at some places the density is very high, making the prospects attractive. 3. With advances in technology, the highly efficient windmill airfoil design gives a high efficiency and can be profitably produced. 4. The last and most important is the political will, which was lacking until now. With the media discussing the effects of global warming and the common man becoming aware of it, we are now worried for the future. Wind Mills

Types of Wind Mills The modern windmill is more correctly called as a wind turbine as it can generate electrical power. (The older windmills in contrast generated mechanical power.) Wind turbines are primarily divided into horizontal axis windmills and vertical axis windmills. The horizontal axis wind turbines are of the following types: 1. Single bladed 2. Double bladed 3. Three bladed 4. US farm windmill multi-bladed 5. Bicycle multiple bladed 6. Upwind 7. Downwind 8. Sail wing 9. Multi-rotor 10. Counter rotating blades 11. Cross wind savonius 12. Cross wind paddles 13. Diffuser 14. Concentrator 15. Unconfined vortex The vertical axis windmills are of the following types: 1. Savonius 2. Multi-bladed savonius 3. Plates 4. Cupped 5. Darrieus 6. Giromill 7. Turbine 8. Magnus 9. Airfoil 10. Deflector 11. Sunlight 12. Venturi 13. Confined vortex Working Principle of Wind Mills A wind turbine is a machine that coverts wind energy into electricity. The generators are connected to battery charging circuits and finally to large utility grids. In windmills the wind passes through the airfoil section of the blades and the lift produced generates a torque which is then transformed to electricity in the generator. It is basically the conversion of the wind energy into the mechanical energy of the turbine and then finally to electricity. As the output of the wind turbine is dependent on the availability of the winds it is intermittent and undependable. They can however be used along with conventional generators in a large grid and can reduce the loads of these generators when they are

generating. The other option is to use storage devices like batteries and then discharge the electricity uniformly. The main parts of the windmills are as follows: 1. The rotors consisting of the blades and the hub. 2. The drive train and gears along with the mechanical brakes. The brakes are used in the maintenance work and when a storm is coming. 3. The generator which generates electricity. 4. The yaw system which rotates the housing toward the direction of the wind. 5. Tower and foundation. 6. Battery and the electrical system to transmit to the grid. The working principle is that when the wind passes through the blades, the blades experience a lift due to the aerodynamic airfoil shape. Due to the lift produced, the blades move and start rotating. The yaw unit aligns it towards the incoming wind direction when the winds change. The rotation of the blades is transmitted through the gear train and couplings to the generator that generates electricity. The electricity is then transmitted through the wires to the storage batteries or directly to the grid. Construction of a Wind Mill Image Credits Wind Mill: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Windmills_D1D4_(Thornton_Bank).jpg WE ALSO RECOMMEND... Generating Electricity from a Bicycle Dynamo Electricity From Sea Water - an Experiment How to Make a Potato Battery Generating Electricity from Heat Using Tunnel Diodes How Electricity is Generated

The windmill brake: The brake is a very important part of the windmill: safety comes before energy production. When problems occur or during maintenance the braking system should function always perfectly. The Provane has a very special braking system: a short circuit on the generator. The generator has been developed as a 2 kW system but has a generator body of 10 kW. This body makes sure that the excess of heat will be transmitted to the air. As the heat will be transmitted from a 2kW winding to a 10kW body, burning will never occur. The resistance of a short circuited engine is so high that the blades will come to a hold instantly. When stopped a short-circuited engine cannot be restarted unless the short circuit has been resolved. This braking system is extremely reliable and will never fail. Mechanical brakes overspeed protection rather than 'furling' as such typically applied to the high speed shaft as these brakes can be smaller less expensive however transmission failure means brakes won't stop rotor (gearbox failure more likely than main shaft failure). brakes applied mechanically, electronically or hydraulically operate in a fail-safe manner - need power to take brakes off (springs or hydraulic reservoir) always need an aerodynamic braking mechanism backup in case of

brake always need an aerodynamic braking mechanism backup in case of brake failure. Mechanical brakes are usually applied only after blade furling have reduced the turbine speed, as the mechanical brakes would wear quickly if used to stop the turbine from full speed. Furling is taking rotor out of wind for overspeed protection or to stop rotor during servicing low rotor speed and rugged construction used on yachts, horizontal furling (tail vane) and vertical furling (helicopter) variable blade pitch (and stall) usually requires active components and complicated control to manage lift and drag as WTG reaches cut-out speed. Mechanical brakes used in combination with aerodynamic Wind Energy Moving air is called wind and it possesses Kinetic energy. In the earlier days, it was utilized by man in winnowing to remove husk from grains, in propelling sail boats in rivers and seas for transport purposes. But nowadays this wind energy is used to produce electricity. Sub Topics

What Causes Wind to Blow? The Principle of Windmill Working of the Windmill Advantages of Wind Energy Limitations of Wind Energy

What Causes Wind to Blow? Solar energy is responsible for the blowing of wind. The intensity of sun-rays is stronger near the Equator than at the Polar Regions. Due to unequal heating of the earth's surface, cooler air from the Polar Regions flow towards the equatorial regions to fill the space created by the hot rising air. Air flows from high pressure region to low pressure region. This flow of air from one place to another constitutes wind. The energy of wind is used for working of flour-mills and water-lifting pumps with an electric generator. Such simple machines which work due to kinetic energy of wind are called wind mills. The Principle of Windmill When the blowing wind strikes across the blades of a windmill, it exerts a force on them due to which the blades of the windmill start rotating. This in turn rotates the shaft of the turbine and generates electricity.

Working of the Windmill Wind turbines are used to produce electricity. The machines that generate electricity are the most conventional type with airfoil propeller employing two to three tapered blades. Electricity can be produced by rotating an armature in between the poles of a strong magnet. The shaft of the armature of a generator is connected to the wind turbine by a connecting rod. When the wind rotates the blades of the wind turbine, the shaft rotates, and this in turn rotates the armature, thereby producing electricity.

The wind speed should be higher than 15 km/h to maintain the required speed of the turbine. Advantages of Wind Energy One advantage of wind energy is that it is available everywhere and in plenty. We will never run out of wind power. It does not create any kind of pollution; like smoke and harmful gases or harmful radiations. Limitations of Wind Energy

Even though wind energy is available in plenty, wind is not available at all times. It is unpredictable and not dependable. Hence to produce maximum amount of energy from wind, wind energy maps are prepared, which give us an idea of the average wind speed throughout the year at different places. The maps give annual average, average for January (a typical low wind month) and an average for July (a typical windy month). The maps also provide information about energy available in one square meter of a wind stream at about 10 m high above the ground level.

For large scale production, a 'wind farm' with a hundred or more wind turbines is needed. The turbines must be sited in windy areas which are often the most attractive parts of the landscape. The energy output of each windmill in a farm is coupled together to get electricity on a commercial scale. The wind power potential of our country is estimated to be about 45,000 MW. At present we are able to generate 380 MW of electricity from the largest wind energy farm established near Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu. India ranks fifth in harnessing wind energy for the production of electricity. Sources of Energy Introduction Man is surrounded by an ocean of energy but he has been able to tap only a fraction of it. The most colossal dynamo of all energy is the sun, an unimaginable vast powerhouse which affects everything on earth. Characteristics of Sources of Energy It should do a large amount of work per unit mass or volume - it means that the output energy must be more than the input energy. It should have high calorific value. Energy Resources

It includes fuels which are most commonly used such as wood, coal and petroleum. These fossil fuels are non-renewable sources of energy. Therefore we need to conserve them. Thermal Power Plant (Thermal Energy) Large amount of fossil fuels are burnt everyday in power stations to heat up water, to produce steam which further runs the turbines to generate electricity. Hydro-electric Power Plant (Hydro-electric Energy) The energy of flowing water is utilised to produce electricity on a large scale at hydroelectric power plants. Technological Improvements for Using Conventional Sources of Energy Given the large live-stock population in India, we can use this fuel as a steady source. These fuels are obtained from plant and animal produces, so it is called bio-mass. Biogas Plants Biogas is a clean and efficient fuel. It is a mixture of methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen (H2) and hydrogen sulphide (H2S). Wind Energy Moving air is called wind and it possesses Kinetic energy. In the earlier days, it was utilized by man in winnowing to remove husk from grains, in propelling sail boats in rivers and seas for transport purposes. Alternative or Non-conventional Sources of Energy Due to the ever increasing demand for energy, we need to develop specific devices that can harness energy from non-conventional sources like - solar energy, energy from the sea, geothermal energy and nuclear energy. Solar Cooker A solar heating device is one which allows collection of a large amount of heat from the sunlight in a given region and restricts the loss of heat to the surrounding in the form of radiation. Solar Cells Solar cells are the devices where solar energy is directly converted into electricity. Advantages of Using Solar Cells They have no moving parts and hence require little maintenance and work quite satisfactorily without any focusing device.

Energy from the Sea (Oceans) Tides are caused due the gravitational pull of the moon on the water in oceans and seas. The enormous movement of water between the high tides and low tides provides a very large source of energy in the coastal areas of the world. Wave Energy or Sea-wave Energy Energy from the oceans is also available in the form of oceanic waves or sea-waves. Due to the blowing of wind on the surface of ocean, very fast sea-waves (or water waves) move on its surface. Ocean Thermal Energy The water at the surface of an ocean gets heated by the heat of the sun and attains a higher temperature than the colder water at deeper levels in the ocean. Geothermal Energy 'Geo' means earth and 'thermal' means heat. Thus geothermal energy is that heat energy obtained from hot rocks present inside the earth. Nuclear Energy The process of splitting of a heavy nucleus into a number of light nuclei with the liberation of tremendous amount of energy and two or three neutrons is called nuclear fission. Environmental Consequences The energy source that we actually choose depends on various factors like the cost, the ease with which it is available, the efficiency of the technology available and the environmental damage that will be caused by using that source. Summary A thermal power plant utilizes thermal energy of fuels such as coal, oil, natural gas or radioactive substances for the generation of electric power.