Wind generator for summer cottages. Wind turbines

Wind power plants (WPP) convert the energy of movement of atmospheric masses, which is available to one degree or another anywhere in the world, directly into electricity. This is the basis of the positive economic and environmental benefits from the use of wind turbines.

Wind energy benefits

Modern technological solutions allow the production of wind generators with a capacity from several kW to hundreds of MW... That is, wind turbines can provide electricity for both entire industrial areas and individual residential cottages. In addition to purely economic advantages, wind energy has another indisputable advantage - it exerts significantly lower pressure on the ecology and biosphere of the Earth. Therefore, the authoritative site "Alternative Energy" (http://altenergiya.ru/) rightly confirms the deep thoughts of V.V. Vernadsky, expressed in the middle of the twentieth century:

... sales of wind farms are not high power, which are able to use wind energy in almost any region (even where there is not enough wind power for industrial use), are constantly growing. It is predicted that such alternative energy sources will be used more and more widely, both publicly and privately, until they finally displace traditional energy based on fossil fuels.

The economic advantages of household wind energy (installations with a capacity of 3 - 15 kW) include the following factors:

• The inexhaustible source of energy;
• Ecological cleanliness of energy;
• The speed of the construction of the wind turbine;
• Short payback period of capital investments;
• No special sites are required for equipment installation.

The disadvantage of small wind turbines is practically one factor - the direct dependence of the generated power on the air flow pressure, which is not stable in most regions of the Earth. Therefore, for a stable and high-quality power supply of household appliances, additional equipment is required such as batteries and semiconductor rectifiers..

Study of the energy potential of the territory

Looking into the future XXI century, there is no alternative to the development of wind energy is obvious. Therefore, in advanced countries, research is being carried out on the potential of territories with a view to using them for the construction of large wind turbines.

Alternative energy plants usually occupy large areas. Accordingly, first of all, attention is paid to such areas that, even in the long term, cannot be involved in other economic activities:

• Deserts;
• Mountain heights;
• Shelf areas;
• Coastal zones of seas and oceans, and others.

In particular, the popular Internet resource windypower.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_8642.html provides the following information:

A preliminary study of the potential of the area is carried out. Anemometers are installed at an altitude of 30 to 100 meters, and for one to two years they collect information about the speed and direction of the wind. The information obtained can be combined into maps of the availability of wind energy. Such cards for potential investors to evaluate the rate of return on the project

Industrial wind power plants

Industrial wind turbines are of very different capacities, depending on the energy potential of a particular area. Modern technologies allow mass production of even non-standardized generating equipment with a payback period of 3 - 5 years.

Today the largest onshore wind farm is located at the Tehachapi Pass in California. Its full capacity, commensurate with the capacity of large thermal power plants, is already 1550 MW.... In the future, it is planned to increase the installed capacity of the ALTA wind farm up to 3000 MW. It uses wind turbines of 1.5 and 3.0 MW.

The powers that own large offshore zones are actively developing offshore wind energy. Denmark and Great Britain are leading in this area. Such wind turbines are installed 10-50 km from the coast in the sea with shallow depths and are very efficient, because there are constant sea winds blowing there. The largest wind farm operating in the offshore zones of the world is the British London Array station with an operating capacity of 630 MW.

Such exotic types of wind farms as floating and soaring ones are also developing. So far, these are installations with one or a small group of generators with a capacity of 40-100 kW each. But over time, it is planned to increase the capacity of the units at the floating power plants to 6.3 MW. In particular, Danish and Italian firms have already come close to such capacities.

Wind farms to provide electricity to cottages and small businesses and their prices.

In order to fully cover the needs of a country house, not a large farm, restaurant or market, it is enough to have an installation with a capacity of 20 kW or even less. For a residential building, for example, the rated power of the generator is selected based on 1 kW per 12 m2 of area, if winter temperature does not fall below 18C with an average daily wind speed of 6.3 m / s and more.

The cost of a power plant for household needs and small business depends on the nominal power of an electric generator and is about 50 thousand rubles per 1 kW for wind farms up to 3 kW, 40 thousand rubles / kW - for wind farms up to 10 kW and about 30 thousand rubles / kW - for wind farms over 10 kW.

The payback of an autonomous power plant is within 5 - 7 years, so 1 kW of the installed rated power of the generator per year can generate so much energy that is equivalent to burning 2 tons of high-quality coal... In particular, the wind turbine "ESO-0020" with a nominal electrical power of 20 kW, presented on the site " Educational materials VSUES (http://abc.vvsu.ru/) has the following parameters:

• Cost of electricity - $ 0.02 / kWh;
• Annual production of e-mail energy - more than 70,000 kWh;
• Payback period - up to 7 years;
• Service life - 20 years.

Video

Electric windmill or just a wind turbine is an option for those who dream of an autonomous home and those who do not have the opportunity to connect to the existing electric highway due to its considerable distance from home. The purpose of such installations is to convert the kinetic energy of the wind into electrical energy.

The design of the wind turbines is not complicated and is a mast (with guy wires, monolithic, telescopic), on top of which a gearbox with blades and a generator are fixed.

If you decide to install an electric windmill on your site, then you need decide on the type of wind generator and its capacity.

As for the type of wind generators, they are distinguished by the number of blades, by the pitch of the propeller, by material and by the axis of rotation. We will talk about the last classification further, since having determined with which axis of rotation you will have a wind generator (with horizontal or vertical), everything else is selected.

Wind generator with horizontal axis of rotation.

This wind generator is a conventional propeller, with the rotation axis oriented parallel to the air flow.

Advantages of a horizontal wind turbine:

• after installing it, you get a reliable, environmentally friendly, safe, and most importantly, an autonomous energy source;
• with equal power has smaller dimensions than vertical;
• higher efficiency of work, due to a smaller spread of angles of attack in operating modes;
• the coefficient of performance (efficiency) is higher than that of vertical ones, 30% versus 25%;
• the payback period is 2-3 times less than that of a wind turbine with a vertical axis of rotation, and is about 15 years.

Disadvantages of a horizontal wind generator:

• the router must be oriented in the direction of the wind, and this requires the introduction of additional mechanisms, for example, a weather vane;

Wind generator with vertical axis of rotation.

The type of construction of such a wind generator is completely different from the designs of a horizontal wind generator. Here the axis of rotation is oriented perpendicular to the air flow.

Advantages of a vertical wind turbine:

• just like a wind generator with a horizontal axis of rotation, it is an environmentally friendly, reliable, safe and autonomous source of energy;

Disadvantages of a vertical wind generator:

• are more expensive, in a pair of 2-3 times compared to horizontal;

The service life for both types of installations is the same and is 15-25 years, after which the replacement of the main parts is required. The noise level does not differ for both types of wind generators - with serviceable and lubricated parts in the house, you will not hear them.

The most widespread in private housing construction are wind turbines with a horizontal axis of rotation.

Required Power of Electric Windmills

How much power do you need to buy a wind generator to have enough energy for everything you need? This is the second question to be answered before purchasing it.

So for the following queries the power of the wind turbine should be:

300-500 Watt- Provide charging for mobile devices, watching TV or lighting multiple rooms. From such a windmill, you can safely power up the bath, provided that the water is heated with wood, gas or other methods other than electricity;

1-5 kW- will provide work washing machine, electric stoves, microwaves, refrigerators and other household appliances;

5-10 kW- electricity will be fully provided private house or a cottage, though only if air conditioning and electric heating devices are not used;

10-20 kW- this capacity is sufficient to provide electricity to several houses.

True, in order to generate the specified energy, an almost uninterrupted wind is needed, which must blow at the optimal speed required for each installation.

Electric windmills (wind turbines)

An article for those who decided to install an electric windmill (windmill) on their site.

Small wind turbines for home

Wind energy is an environmentally friendly, inexhaustible energy. Wind power plants (mills, wind generators) are used to convert wind energy into electrical energy.

Windmills used to generate electricity come in a variety of sizes. Large wind turbines that are commonly used in wind farms (power plants) can generate a large number of electricity - hundreds of megawatts, which can provide hundreds of homes. Small windmills, which generate no more than 100 kW of electricity, are used in private houses, farms, subsidiary plots, etc., serve as a source of additional electricity, help to reduce payments for the main source of electricity.

Very small wind turbines with a power of 20-500 W are used for recharging batteries and other areas where a large amount of electricity is not required.

Small wind farms will be cost effective if the following conditions are met:

• the wind in your location blows steadily and many days a year;
• there is enough space to install a wind turbine;
• local authorities allowed the installation of wind turbines;
• your energy costs are high;
• you are not connected to the mains or it is far from you;
• you are ready to invest in a wind turbine;
• in order to avoid problems with neighbors, the wind turbine should be located no closer than 250-300m to them.

Wind requirements

Whether your wind turbine is economically viable for your home depends most of all on the quality of the wind. In most cases, an average annual wind speed of 4.0-4.5 m / s (14.4-16.2 km / h) is the minimum for a wind turbine to be economically viable. Sites with wind maps of Russia and other countries will help you in wind analysis.

Also, the local meteorological station can help you, where you can view the archive of wind strength data. But you should pay attention to the location of the station, because various obstacles - trees, buildings, hills can cause distorted wind data.

For a more accurate estimate of the wind in your area, you need to purchase wind speed measuring devices. This is especially true if your area is hilly or has an unusual landscape.

The most important part in a wind speed meter is the anemometer. It consists of a cup (or paddle) propeller mounted on an axle, which is connected to a measuring mechanism. The blades of the anemometer rotate and generate a signal proportional to the wind speed. When buying an anemometer, it will not be superfluous to purchase a device that records readings from it, as well as a tripod, bracket, etc., where it will be mounted.

There are more expensive digital wind speed measuring devices. They also use an anemometer, but the data goes to a computer, where they are processed and stored. V recent times these devices are becoming more popular and cheaper.

It doesn't matter which measuring instrument you use to estimate wind speed, but at least once a year you should compare your data with others. It is also important to place the measurement equipment high enough to avoid turbulence from trees, buildings and other obstructions. The most optimal placement of the measuring device is at the level of the center of the wind turbine rotor.

Place to place a wind turbine

The place where you are going to place your wind turbine is of great importance. Remember not to place it near trees, houses, etc. you will not get the full benefit of the wind turbine.

Also consider that:

• the strength of the wind is always greater at the top of the hills, coastline, in the steppes, in places where there are no trees and buildings.
• trees can grow, but a wind turbine cannot.
• it is necessary to inform the neighbors in advance about your plans, in order to avoid problems with them in the future.
• it is advisable to put the windmill at a sufficient distance from neighbors. Usually 250-300m is enough.

Don't expect your wind farm to generate enough electricity all the time. The wind speed in the same place can vary greatly and, as a result, the amount of electricity generated will also differ. And if the wind strength changes within 10%, then the generated electricity will change within 25%!

Types of wind turbines

There are 2 main types of wind turbines: with a horizontal axis of rotation and a vertical one. Horizontal windmills should be directed downwind. For this, a so-called “tail” is provided in their design.

Vertical wind turbines operate in any wind direction, but require more ground space as they work. it is necessary to provide stretch marks for the stability of the windmill.

Wind farm components

The main components of a typical wind farm are shown in the figure below.

They include:

• rotor with blades that have an aerodynamic shape.
• reducer or a gearbox that matches the rotational speed between the rotor and the generator. Small wind turbines (up to 10 kW) usually do not have a gearbox.
• protective cover, which protects the gearbox, generator, electronics and other components of the wind generator from external influences.
• tail wind turbine - needed to turn it downwind.

Horizontal axis wind turbines require a mast (vertical wind turbines are usually installed directly on the ground).

There are different types of masts: on guy lines (which are rigidly fixed), a rotary mast on guy lines (can be raised and lowered for maintenance and repair), a free-standing mast without guy lines (they are heavy, but they do not take up much space on the ground).

The height of the mast is a very important factor. Wind energy is proportional to wind speed to the third power (cubed). That. if the wind speed doubles, then the wind energy will increase 8 times (2x2x2 = 8) (Figure 6). The wind speed increases with height, i.e. increasing the height of the mast can greatly increase the energy efficiency of the windmill.

Just in case, check your local legislation for mast height restrictions for wind farms. Use a mast design approved by the wind turbine manufacturer, otherwise you may void your warranty. Be sure to ground the mast and provide a lightning conductor.

For electrical safety, disconnectors and circuit breakers must be used. They will also provide safe access to the wind turbine for maintenance and upgrades.

Other components of the wind farm may also be needed. Batteries- will be able to accumulate surplus electricity from the wind turbine. But, since batteries use direct current, it is necessary to convert it to alternating current. inverter.

If the house, farm or household is connected to a common energy supply system, then on windy days, the surplus energy can be sold to the power grid (not relevant for our country). And when the wind is weak and there is not enough electricity from the wind turbine, then it will be necessary to buy electricity from the general grid.

Wind turbine cost

The cost of a small wind turbine is $ 2000- $ 8000 per 1 kW. However, this is only 12-48% of the cost of all components of a wind farm: inverters, batteries, chargers, ATS, etc.

But a big plus of a wind generator is that once you buy it, you practically won't have to pay for anything other than routine maintenance.

The performance of a wind turbine is usually described by the manufacturer as a plot of output versus wind speed.

One of the problems when choosing and comparing wind turbines is the lack of a single standard for measuring output power.

Manufacturers themselves choose at what wind speed to indicate the output power. Take “Wind-o-matic” and “Mighty-wind” for example - both have a declared power of 1000 watts. But for “Wind-o-matic” it is power at a wind speed of 5 m / s, while for “Mighty-wind” it is power at 10 m / s. Due to the fact that the wind energy is proportional to the wind speed in a cube, a windmill producing 1 kW at 10 m / s will give only 1/8 of the maximum power at 5 m / s. That. at a wind speed of 5 m / s “Wind-o-matic” will produce an honest 1000 kW, while “Mighty-wind” is only 125 watts!

It is more correct to compare wind generators in terms of the area and size of the blades. The larger the area, the more energy a wind turbine can generate. When the area of ​​solar panels is doubled, the power doubles. Also in a wind generator - with an increase in the area of ​​the blades, the output power increases.

If you do not know the area of ​​the blades of a windmill, then you can compare by the diameter of the rotor. A slight increase in the rotor diameter leads to a significant increase in the energy output from the wind generator (see figure). The values ​​indicated in the figure are approximate and should not be relied on, because the generated power of a wind turbine depends on many other factors.

Choosing the size of the wind turbine

To determine the right size for a wind turbine, first look at how much electricity you use per month. Then multiply the resulting value by 12 months.

You can get the approximate amount of electricity generated by a wind turbine by the formula:

AEO = 1.64 * D * D * V * V * V

Where: AEO - electricity per year (kW * h / year), D - rotor diameter (in meters), V - average annual wind speed (m / s)

That. you can choose the optimal size of the wind turbine that generates the required power for your home or farm. And it is possible to save money on the purchase.

Relations with neighbors

Many people demand respect for the things around them: landscape, view, historical places, silence, neighbors, etc. Be sure to talk to your neighbors about your plans to install a wind farm. Also, you should understand that people are characterized by fear of something new and unknown.

Many people think that windmills are harmful to birds. But in reality, sliding doors are more dangerous to birds than small wind turbines. Also, wind turbines have a negligible impact on radio and television broadcasting. The blades of all modern wind turbines are made of fiberglass or wood. These materials are transparent to electromagnetic waves.

The neighbors do not accept the noise from the wind turbine. Before installing a wind farm, familiarize your neighbors with the noise it can make:

• aerodynamic noise - arises from the air currents produced by the blades. Noises increase with rotor speed. Occasionally, due to air turbulence, some types of blades may make a hissing sound.
• mechanical noise - can occur in other components of the wind turbine (generator, gearbox, etc.)

How much noise can a wind farm produce?

At 250 meters from a typical wind farm, the sound pressure level is approximately 45 dB. Small wind turbines make no more noise than air conditioners.

The blades of a small wind turbine rotate at an average speed of 175-500 rpm, with a maximum of 1150 rpm. Large wind turbines rotate at a constant speed of 50-15 rpm

Service

Wind power plants require constant maintenance - regular inspections, lubrication of rubbing parts, etc. Check bolted connections and electrical contacts annually and tighten if necessary. Also check your wind turbine for corrosion and mast guy lines for tightness.

If the blades are made of wood, apply paint for protection. Apply strong tape to the edges of the blades to keep out abrasive dust and flying insects. If the paint cracks and the film comes off, the unprotected wood will deteriorate faster. Moisture entering the blade wood can cause imbalance in the rotor. Check the wind turbine blades annually.

After 10 years of operation, the blades and bearings must be replaced. With proper installation and operation, a wind farm can last 30 years or more. Proper maintenance will also minimize the noise from your wind turbine.

Security

All wind turbines have a maximum wind speed above which they cannot operate. When the wind speed exceeds this value, then the braking mechanism must be activated in the wind generator, which does not allow exceeding the critical value.

When using the wind turbine in cold areas, take care of the icing problem and place the battery pack in an isolated location.

Installing a wind turbine on the roof of a building is not recommended. But if it is of low power (up to 1 kW), then an exception can be made. The fact is that a wind generator can generate vibration, which can be transmitted to the surface on which it is installed.

What is a wind farm for a home

Should you buy a wind generator for your home? In regions with increased windiness, this is a good solution for obtaining energy. Benefits: Free, environmentally friendly, affordable, no fuel required. Disadvantages: inconstancy of the source, noisy, pays off for a long time, price.

Components and principle of operation

The principle of a wind generator is to convert the kinetic energy of the wind into an electric current. The air flow drives the wings of the unit. Inside the turbine, an electromagnetic system converts the resulting activity into electricity, which is stored in a battery.

The main components of the system are:

• generator;
• blades;
• mast;
• controller;
• accumulator battery;
• inverter;
• automatic power supply switch.

Additionally, an anemoscope and a wind direction sensor can be installed. At home, they may not be used, it is more often used in stations of medium and high power, on an industrial scale.

Wind turbine components

The turbine of the installation generates alternating current. With its help, the activity obtained from the rotation of the wings is converted into electricity. The electromagnetic installation inside, through the mechanical movement of magnets, affects the movement of electrons in the coils.

The current generated during this interaction is transmitted by the controller to the battery. The amount of generated energy depends on the speed and strength, the stability of the wind flow.

The size of these parts affects the power of the turbine.

When calculating for installation in a house, electricity consumption is recorded per month. Multiply this figure by 12. With a house consumption of 3600 kW (300 per month) in a region with an average value of 5 m / s, a length of at least 4 m must be used.

D is the diameter of the rotor wind wheel,

AOE - the amount of energy consumed per year,

V is the average wind speed in the region.

If the size needs to be reduced, then a device with more power is needed. Using the formula, you can calculate (with an error of 20%) how much energy you can get. It is necessary to multiply the square of the diameter of the blades by the cube of the average flow rate, then divide the resulting value by 7000.

That is, if the speed in your area is approximately 4 m / s, and the diameter of the parts is 2 meters, then (4 3 * 2 2) / 7000 = 0.036 kW of electricity will turn out. If the wind increases to 5 m / s, then you get 0.071 kW. If the average wind speed is constant, then the power can be influenced by the length of the blades.

If they are twice as long, then at the same speed the power increases by 4 times. These calculations can be used when making a station with your own hands.

The table contains data on the calculations:

A turbine with a capacity of up to 700 watts per month, with an initial wind speed of 2.5 m / s, and a nominal wind speed of 8, can generate 120 kW of electricity at an average speed of 6. Blade size - 2.7 meters, quantity - 3 pcs. And the tax at a power of 0-1600 W will give a monthly output of 230 kW.

The most common is a 3,000 watt generator with 3 wings 3.2 m long. It is enough to generate 480 kW at a speed of 6 m / s. This amount is sufficient to provide for a private house.

The height of the mast affects the height of the power source. The higher, the more stable the wind force and the higher the speed. Masts come in various shapes. One of the key safety factors for the installation is the material from which the mast is made. In case of strong winds or hurricanes, the main load falls on this part. The supports must be strong and withstand heavy loads. Maintaining tall masts is problematic.

The so-called truss masts have separate sections, which are made of a support pipe (usually 3 pieces), connected by jumpers. It is convenient to use such sections in the future if it is necessary to increase or decrease the height of the mast. They are attached with bolts that can be unscrewed and new sections added.

When installing the mast, you need to take into account objects at a distance of up to 300 meters, the wind turbine should be located so that they are one meter below the turbine. Nothing should stop you from getting maximum productivity.

Controller

Installed to control processes and functions. This mechanism converts alternating current into direct current, which is supplied to the batteries. The controller also controls the functions of turning the blades, protection in case of strong gusty winds.

Batteries

Batteries are needed to store the electricity that the controller transmits and to stabilize it. The voltage coming out of the batteries is stable and constant, as opposed to that coming out of the generator. Also, batteries allow you to use energy when there is no rotation and the installation is not working.

Inverters are classified into four types:

A pure sine wave is suitable for any type of electrical appliance (medical, network and other equipment) 220 volts AC voltage. The modified sine wave is suitable when the consumption is insensitive to the voltage quality. This is how it differs from pure. Suitable for lighting, charging devices, heating appliances, etc.

Automatic power supply switch

ATS is used if solar panels, fuel generators, a public network, and other alternative power sources are also involved in the power grid. This setting switches power supplies if one is unavailable. It can only work with one source.

Types of wind farms

There are several types on an industrial scale by type of placement: land, coastal, offshore, floating, soaring, mountain.

In domestic use, the types of structures are more important:

• By the number of blades, they are divided on two, three and multi-blade wind turbines.
• In the direction of the axis of rotation are divided into vertical or horizontal. The advantage of vertical ones is the increased stability of the structure. The advantage of horizontal ones is their high power generation.
• Also divided by the control of the pitch of the blade. Variable allows you to adjust the range of the working speed of rotation of the wings. But a design with this type is more expensive and heavier. For home use, it is best to take with a fixed pitch.
• According to the type of fabrication of the wing materials, there are sailing or rigid ones. The former are cheaper, it is easier to make them yourself, but their strength is less than that of rigid ones. The latter are made mainly of metal, plastic, fiberglass. These blades last longer and do not require frequent replacement. If there are strong winds in the area, it is irrational to use sailing.
• Spiral. Recently, technologies have been developed that use spiral shaped, known as the Onipko rotor. The principle of their design allows to reduce noise, as well as to obtain energy production at the lowest altitudes with minimal flows. The special spiral design also avoids collisions with birds, a common problem with wind turbines. Due to the increased area of ​​contact with the wind, the spiral structure has the effect of increasing and increasing power. There is no tail stabilizer as the rotor catches the air flow on its own on the horizontal axis. They can be made of various materials (plastic, metal, etc.). In Holland, similar solutions are already being tested, the turbine is called LiamF1. They are very practical in low wind conditions. Such structures can generate from 125 to 200 kW per month at maximum power. Their size does not exceed one and a half meters in diameter; they can be placed on the roof of a house or on a mast. At the same time, the noise figure does not exceed 45 decibels. This design will be appropriate as an additional source of energy in small cities with predominantly low buildings.

What you need to consider when choosing

First of all, it is necessary to study the wind map of the region in order to understand the feasibility. Then you need to calculate the amount of energy consumed by the house. Based on these figures, it is specified which device, with what size of blades, is suitable for meeting this request.

It is also necessary to take into account the climatic features and choose the correct type of installation. In areas of increased turbulence, a unit with vertical rotation is installed; these structures are more stable and durable in such areas.

Horizontal will perform better in open areas or hills, as well as on the coast. However, the noise generated by these installations may interfere with neighbors, therefore it is worth installing them in an open area such as a field. In these conditions, the efficiency of horizontal is higher than that of vertical ones.

Spiral structures are allowed to be installed in regions with a low wind speed, as well as in densely populated areas. Such structures almost do not emit noise (up to 45 dB), safe for birds, and do not occupy large areas.

Having studied all the above criteria, it is worth calculating the economic indicator of the payback of the installation. How long will it take for the installation to pay off according to the current electricity tariffs? Even with a long payback period of 5 years, it is important to note that this energy source does not consume any fuel in the future.

Wind generator device

Prices for goods with different capacities depend on the manufacturer, delivery set (generator, batteries, inverter, etc.). Price offers fluctuate in terms of:

Notes on construction with your own hands

If the prices for wind turbines are too expensive, you can do it yourself. Most often, to save money, they use either a generator from a car or from a washing machine. When using such devices, the horizontal type of installation is most often chosen, in which 3-6 blades are used.

The finished blades are pushed onto the motor shaft using a pulley. With the help of a wooden beam, the tail is mounted and the shaft is attached on the other side. For the tail, it is better to take a sheet of aluminum. The turbine box must be protected from rain either with a casing or with a piece of plastic pipes.

A pipe is installed in the lower part, which will subsequently rotate the mechanism. For the mast, it is worth using metal pipes with a diameter of 32 millimeters in length from 3 to 4 meters.

The top of the mast is also a pivot sleeve where the motor pipe is inserted. At the bottom, you need to make a support with a diameter of at least 60 centimeters. Place the U-shaped pipe fitting in the middle on this support. To lower the mast, you need to put a tee with a turn.

Manufacturing electronic circuits requires specialized knowledge, so if you don't have one, you should buy a controller and batteries. If necessary, you can also install a multimeter, this device will monitor the voltage leaving the wind generator and entering the battery. Electronics require protection from rain and wind. Better to use an extension cord and move this unit to a protected location.

Install or not

The expediency of using this type of installation is always very individual. It is definitely worth installing this type of energy source in places where there is no access to other options. A setup in coastal areas or hills will work well. In these areas, access to an energy source is almost constant, so even the purchase of an expensive power plant will pay off in a few years.

They will help you save money and get electricity when the main resource is not available. When using large horizontal wind turbines with large blades, it is irrational to place them in areas where there are densely populated areas.

In such conditions, vertical or spiral generators are better suited. They don't make much noise. They can be installed even in private houses in close proximity. However, in this case, nearby buildings can affect the station's performance.

The problem can be solved by supplementing the network with solar panels. In the complex, these two sources can fully provide a residential building with electricity.

Buying or doing it yourself is a matter of a purely financial side. If you have funds for a ready-made installation, you can safely invest in the future, since this investment will pay off in the coming years.

If there is no money to buy expensive equipment, but there is an opportunity to assemble the generator with your own hands, we definitely advise you to install the wind turbine at home yourself. It will save at least a third of the energy consumed.

Wind farm for home - how much it costs and how to make it yourself

The components and the principle of operation of a wind farm for a home - types of wind farms, prices that need to be taken into account when making self-production, as well as expert advice.

Wind turbines for home

Wind energy has been tamed by people for a long time. An example of this is sailing ships, thanks to which, in the past, seafarers discovered new lands and created a picture of our present world. Also, everyone is probably familiar with windmills, which were the only mechanized means of labor for our ancestors. They help people to this day.

An example of a wind turbine for installation on a roof

Wind power is currently of great interest as an alternative source of electricity. Let's try to figure out if this excitement is justified around such methods of providing electricity to the house as wind farms.

Wind power plants

These newfangled devices for generating electricity are a certain number of generators using wind power for operation, combined into a system along with other auxiliary equipment. The most advanced countries in the field of electricity are Germany and Denmark. Research shows that energy consumption in these countries is significantly lower than in their neighbors. Also, due to the fact that they are introducing renewable energy in other countries, a significant increase is noticed in their budget.

Wind farms are of two types: with horizontal and vertical axis of rotation.

It looks like a horizontal wind turbine

The first type is also called propeller, and it is used most often, since such windmills have the highest efficiency. They are distinguished by a more sophisticated design, including a downwind orientation device. Home-made production of propeller-type wind turbines is difficult. Such installations work only when high speeds winds, therefore, their use in conditions of weak winds is impractical.

The second type - vertical wind generators, have a simpler design, and are unpretentious in relation to wind speed. The disadvantage of such devices is their low efficiency. Any of the types of wind turbines has a significant drawback - it is the low quality of the electricity received, which requires taking measures to eliminate this drawback. Stabilizing devices, converters and batteries are used as compensators.

horizontal wind turbine diagram

A typical wind farm has the following components:

• wind turbine;
• an element that guides the engine downwind;
• reducer;
• generator;
• Charger;
• accumulator battery;
• inverter (DC-to-AC converter).

Without going into technical issues, the process of generating electricity from wind farms can be described as follows:

Before installing a wind generator in a specific place, a number of preparatory measures are carried out.
In a given area, the direction and strength of the wind is studied, and if the location is promising, the question of the profitability of the construction of the station is decided.

Choosing a wind farm

Now in every region of our country you can find organizations offering wind turbines for the home. The choice towards this or that device is made based on the needs of the consumer of electricity. For example, a powerful installation would be required to supply electricity to a building with many different electricity consumers.

In order to make possible the operation of agricultural machinery, it will be enough to design a low-power generator. In any case, it is best to entrust the calculation and installation of systems using renewable energy resources to specialists. The purchase of a specific type of wind turbine is preceded by a thorough analysis of the wind speed at the site.

Wind turbine diagram

Consideration should also be given to issues such as the average annual electricity consumption and peak loads, as well as the landscape of the area. If there is a building or, for example, a tree within a radius of one hundred meters from the windmill, then the mast must have a height exceeding this obstacle by 10 meters. You can, of course, lift the windmill even higher, but this will be economically impractical.

Positive aspects of using wind turbines

1. Inexhaustible wind energy.
2. Simpler device and faster payback compared to other alternative energy sources.
3. Stable electricity production.
4. Environmental Safety.

Negative sides of wind turbines

How much do wind generators cost

Wind turbines vary according to the strength and speed of the wind used. There are various units in a wide range on the market. An installation with a capacity of up to 6 kW can provide electricity to a shop, cafe or even a small agricultural land.

If there is a need to provide electricity to a small village, then the power plant's capacity should be about 18 - 25 kW.

On average, for simple wind turbines for the home, suppliers will ask for at least seven hundred thousand rubles. Installations for solving more serious problems will cost much more, three million is a very realistic price.

Small wind power

As mentioned above, wind farms are very noisy structures. However, there are also options that are suitable for places where high noise levels are unacceptable. Small objects such as shops, small houses can easily be supplied with electricity with the help of such silent installations.

The most popular options at present are vertical models, which have the following advantages:

• silent work, eliminating vibrations;
• protection from strong gusts of wind;
• lightning protection;
• the ability to adjust to the direction of the wind.

Home wind turbines can be easily installed by hand, and they are also easy to operate. There is such a variant of home wind generators as a sail-type wind turbine. Perhaps it can scare someone away with its outward unattractiveness, but its use can be justified even in light winds. Just like standard wind turbines, these units are neutral in relation to pollution. environment, are inexpensive and almost silent.

Prospects for the development of power plants that use wind energy

They say that in our century natural resources Enough, however, the time is not far away when alternative energy will take the leading position among all options for generating electricity. Already today in many countries you can find wind power plants for the home. In our country, alternative energy is developing at a slow pace, which can be explained by poor financing from the state.

Also, the slow development in our country is due to the large reserves of cheaper energy resources. Be that as it may, consumers in our country are faced with high energy tariffs, especially in remote areas. For such places, alternative energy sources are very appropriate, since often there is no centralized power supply there at all.
In defense of the development of wind energy in Russia, one can note the fact that our territories have a huge wind energy potential. Far North and Far East our country can be attributed to the most windy zones.

In some regions of Russia, wind energy is very actively used, for example:

1. Chukotka Autonomous Okrug.
2. Astrakhan region.
3. Republic of Bashkortostan.
4. Komi Republic.
5. Kaliningrad region.
6. Rostov region.
7. Murmansk region.

As practice shows, wind farms and other alternative energy sources are at least two times less efficient than power plants using traditional types of energy. Consequently, in order to obtain the same amount of electrical energy, it is necessary to build twice as many stations. Reasoning in this vein, one can come to the conclusion that there is a huge waste of materials and occupied area, which negatively affects the environment.

wind farm in california

The capital investment for the construction of wind turbines is comparable to the cost of building a nuclear power plant, with the calculation of the generated power. If we talk about the cost of the generated kilowatt of electricity, then contrary to beliefs, it is non-zero. This is due to the fact that there are operating costs.

It can be concluded that the renewability of energy is somewhat arbitrary, since non-renewable materials are used for the construction of wind farms, the production of which, by the way, is far from environmentally friendly.

The development of alternative energy, which uses wind energy, is proceeding at a slow pace due to the enormous laboriousness of the equipment manufacturing process, the need for large areas and the instability of work.

How to make wind farms with your own hands

It is no secret that the cost of wind turbines is very high, and not everyone can afford it.

Therefore, more and more "kulibins" are making attempts to make such installations on their own. In order to make a windmill with your own hands you will need:

The first step is to weld the rotor cross and axle. In cases where wood is used instead of metal, glue must be used to attach to the axle. The blades are bolted at the same distance from each other. When the drum is assembled, the joints are treated with paint. The next step is to create the bed. This will require angles and ball bearings.

After another coat of paint has been applied, the lower end of the axle is padded with pulleys. Next, you need to hook the belt onto the pulley and connect it to the generator. These self-made wind turbines have a power of about 800 watts, and are designed for wind speeds up to ten meters per second.

Home wind turbines

To provide electricity to a house in which a family of four lives, a wind turbine with a capacity of 10 kW at least is needed. A more suitable option is one that provides several low-power wind generators, combined into a common system.
In order for nothing to affect the power supply of the facility, it is recommended to use several types of alternative sources in one system. As a result, it turns out that if the wind energy is weak, solar panels can help out, but if this is not enough, you can resort to using a diesel generator.

I have always been very attracted by the idea of ​​an autonomous power supply. We often have power outages in our dacha community. Therefore, the idea of ​​installing a wind generator is increasingly coming to mind. The article helped to understand this issue in more detail. The main thing is that these installations are very noisy and interfere with TV antennas.

He came up with a windmill of a fundamentally new design. I am looking for those wishing to implement up to serial-mass production. To begin with, make one active and remove all the characteristics. All wind turbines with 3 blades "turned out" in comparison with the proposed one - 3%. If interested, I will be happy to cooperate.

How to make a wind generator or a wind turbine for your home with your own hands

Types of wind turbines for the home. How to choose wind farms, depending on their price and characteristics. How to make a windmill with your own hands: step-by-step instruction with photos and videos.

DIY wind generator

From this article you will learn how to make a simple wind turbine with your own hands at home. Such a wind farm will always come in handy in remote places where there is no access to the household electrical network, for example, at a remote summer cottage... Of course, you can use a gasoline generator, but the rumble and smoke from an internal combustion engine is unlikely to please anyone, and it certainly does not dispose to outdoor recreation. In addition, the cost of gasoline will be rather big.

The wind farm will be able to charge batteries for autonomous operation of not very powerful household appliances and lighting. However, where exactly to spend the received energy is up to you.

Output voltage 220 / 380V.

This article is intended for amateurs in the field of designing wind turbines with their own hands, and therefore the maximum design is chosen simple circuit wind farm. It will be a relatively slow home-made wind turbine (speed index Z = 3). This design is reliable and safe during operation.

Choosing the power of a wind farm

Surely many who read this article will not want to limit themselves to building a wind generator to power the refrigerator and lighting in the country, but immediately build such a power plant to power not only batteries, but also heating batteries or a boiler for hot water. But such a powerful power plant will be extremely difficult to manufacture, because the complexity of the design with increasing power increases not even in a square, but almost in a cube!

An example of a wind farm with a capacity of only 2 kW is the industrial wind generator W-HR2. international company AVIC (shown in the photo). This wind generator with a rated power of 2 kW has a 3.2 m diameter rotor with aerodynamically metal blades, a solid steel tower 8 m high on a massive reinforced concrete foundation. Installation of units is carried out using a truck crane. It is obvious that the calculation and manufacture of such a wind generator is difficult even for individual specialized firms, and it is practically unrealistic to use the efforts of one non-professional to build such a wind turbine with his own hands.

Table 1. Dependence of the power of the wind generator on the number of blades and the diameter of the wind wheel at a wind speed of 4 m / s

Diameter of the propeller with the number of blades, m

Table 1 shows the dependence of the power of a vane-type wind turbine on its diameter and the number of blades. Or in other words, how long you need to take the blades of a particular wind wheel to get the required power. The data in this table are based on practical tests of operated wind generators, in which the KIEV (wind energy utilization factor) of the wind wheel is 0.35 (medium quality profile), the generator efficiency is 0.8 and the gearbox efficiency is 0.9.

For some, these data may seem too high at first glance. So, for example, from table. 1 it can be seen that for the construction of a 500 W wind farm with three blades, the diameter of the wind wheel should be 11.48 m.But do not be afraid of this figure, since the data is given for a weak wind of 4 m / s. This is a typical wind in flat areas away from the sea.

At the same time, with an increase in wind speed, the power of a wind farm increases. In fig. this dependence is shown for a power plant with a nominal power of 240 W. It can be seen from the graph that with a minimum wind of 4 m / s (at which the power plant starts to operate), the power is only 30 W. But the power of a wind farm is proportional to the wind speed in a cube. That is, when the wind speed doubles to a maximum operating speed of 8 m / s, the power of the wind farm increases 2 3 = 8 times, or from 30 W to a full power of 240 W. At higher wind speeds, the operation of the wind farm will have to be limited.

In general, based on practical experience, we can conclude that a relatively simple home-made wind generator will have a power in the range of 200-500 watts. This is a kind of "golden mean". Rarely do individual designers manage to assemble a more powerful wind generator with their own hands, which will actually work.

Choosing a wind wheel design

The wind wheel is the most important part of a wind generator. It is it that converts wind energy into mechanical energy. And the choice of all other nodes, for example, an electric current generator, depends on its design.

Surely everyone is familiar with the shape of the wind wheels of old windmills. This is just that case of an exception, when everything forgotten old is not always good. Such windmills of a windmill have a very low KIEV of the order of 0.10-0.15, which is much less than the KIEV of modern high-speed impeller wheels, which reaches 0.46. This is because the low knowledge of aerodynamics of the ancient masters did not allow them to design a more perfect structure.

The figure shows the operation of two types of blades: sail (1) and vane (2). In order to make a sail blade (1), it is enough to simply attach the sheet material to the axis, positioning it at an angle to the wind, that is, by analogy with ancient windmills. But when such a blade rotates, it will have significant aerodynamic drag, which increases with an increase in the angle of attack. Vortices are also formed at its ends, and a zone of reduced pressure arises behind the blade. All this makes sail blades ineffective wind propellers.

A vane-type blade (2) is much more efficient. With this blade shape, which is similar to an airplane wing, friction and vacuum losses are minimized. As for the angle of attack of the blade, it has been found in practice that the most optimal angle is 10-12º. At a higher angle of attack, the increase in power resulting from more high pressure wind on the blade is not covered by an increase in aerodynamic losses.

Of course, there are many other interesting types of wind turbines, such as the Savonius vertical axis rotors or the Darrieus rotors. But they all have lower utilization rates of wind energy with a higher material consumption (in comparison with impeller wheels). For example, an installation with a Savonius rotor with a diameter of 2 meters and a height of 2 meters with a quiet wind of 4 m / s will have a useful power of 20 W. The same power will be produced by a sixteen-blade propeller with a diameter of only 1 meter.

Therefore, we will not "reinvent the wheel" and will immediately take as a basis a design where vane-type blades with a horizontal axis of rotation are used. It is this type of wind turbine that has the maximum KIEV with the minimum consumption of materials. Unsurprisingly, this design is used in nearly 99% of all operating industrial wind farms.

First of all, you need to choose the number of blades. The cheapest are two- and three-bladed wind turbines, but they are fast and have the following disadvantages:

High operating speeds lead to high centrifugal and gyroscopic forces. Gyroscopic forces load the generator axle, mountings and mast, while centrifugal forces tend to tear the blades apart. So, the peripheral speed of the ends of the blades of high-speed two-bladed wind turbines often reaches 200 m / s or more. For comparison, the speed of a bullet fired from a 1808 Baker rifle was 150 m / s. Thus, fragments of a flying broken propeller can injure or even kill a person. For this reason, it is not recommended for anyone to make blades of high-speed wind wheels from plastic pipes. For these purposes, wood that is more tensile strength is better suited. Making blades from wood is a very time-consuming process.

It is known that the faster the blades rotate, the greater the frictional force against the air. Therefore, the blades of high-speed wind turbines are much more demanding in terms of aerodynamic workmanship. Even small errors greatly reduce the KIEV of high-speed blades. It is highly undesirable to make high-speed blades concave; they should be in the shape of an airplane wing. Making the blades of a low-speed propeller is much easier for an amateur. It is necessary to "try hard" to make a blade for a low-speed propeller from a cut pipe with a KIEV worse than 0.3.

High-speed wind turbines make a lot of noise when rotating, because even aerodynamically high-quality blades during fast rotation create significant compression and discharge zones of air, and even handicraft blades are even more so. Accordingly, the greater the peripheral speed and blade size, the greater the noise. Therefore, a powerful high-speed wind turbine cannot be simply installed on the roof of a house or in a garden when dense building, otherwise you risk waking up at night from the noise of a helicopter taking off and ruining relations with neighbors in addition.

The fewer blades a propeller has, the more vibration. Therefore, wind turbines with a small number of blades (2-3) will be more difficult to balance.

Considering all these disadvantages of high-speed wind turbines, for a more or less powerful "wind turbine" it is better to choose the number of blades at least 5-6.

Now, based on the data in the table. 1, let's estimate what the maximum length of the blades is suitable for making a simple power plant. Obviously, a six-blade propeller with a diameter of 2.5-3 m will be difficult to manufacture. Imagine at least the process of balancing such a propeller and installing it on a mast, which in turn must be strong enough to withstand the weight of such a propeller and aerodynamic loads. But a six-blade propeller with a diameter of 2 meters or so will be within the power of an enthusiast to make it with his own hands.

Perhaps someone will be tempted not to reckon with the cost of materials and further increase the number of blades to increase the useful power of the wind turbine. So, with the number of blades of a two-meter propeller equal to 12, the power with a "fresh" wind (8 m / s) will reach almost 500 watts. But such an expensive wind wheel will turn out to be too slow-moving, which means that it will inevitably require the use of a separate gearbox, which will greatly complicate the design of the wind farm.

Thus, the most optimal is the design of the wind turbine propeller with a diameter of 2 m and the number of blades equal to 6.

Electric generator for wind farm

When selecting an electric current generator for a wind farm, first of all, you need to determine the rotational speed of the wind wheel. You can calculate the rotational speed of the wind wheel W (under load) using the formula:

where V is the wind speed, m / s; L - length of a circle, m; D is the diameter of the propeller; Z is an indicator of the speed of the wind turbine (see Table 2).

Table 2. Indicator of speed of the wind wheel

Speed ​​index Z

If we substitute the data for the selected propeller with a diameter of 2 m and 6 blades into this formula, we get the rotational speed. The dependence of the frequency on the wind speed is shown in table. 3.

Table 3. Rotations of a wind wheel with a diameter of 2 m with six blades, depending on the wind speed

Wind speed, m / s

Number of revolutions, rpm

Let's take the maximum working wind speed equal to 7-8 m / s. In stronger winds, the operation of the wind turbine will be unsafe and will have to be limited. As we have already determined, at a wind speed of 8 m / s, the maximum power of the selected design of the wind farm will be 240 W, which corresponds to a wind wheel rotation speed of 229 rpm. This means that you need to choose a generator with the appropriate characteristics.

Fortunately, the times of total shortage have "sunk into oblivion," and we do not have to traditionally adapt an automobile generator from a VAZ-2106 to a wind farm. The problem is that such an automobile generator, for example, G-221, is high-speed with a rated speed of 1100 to 6000 rpm. It turns out that without a gearbox, our low-speed wind wheel will in no way be able to spin the generator up to operating speed.

We will not make a gearbox for our "wind turbine", and therefore we will select another low-speed generator to fix the wind wheel simply on the generator shaft. The most suitable for this is a bicycle motor specially designed for the wheel motor of bicycles. These velomotors have low operating speeds and can easily operate in generator mode. The presence of permanent magnets in this type of motor will mean that there are no problems with the excitation of the generator, as is the case, for example, with AC induction motors, which usually use electromagnets (field winding). Without energizing the field winding, such a motor will not generate current during rotation.

In addition, a very pleasant feature of bicycle motors is that they belong to brushless motors, which means that they do not require replacement of brushes. Table 4 shows an example of the technical characteristics of a 250 W cycling motor. As you can see from the table, this velomotor is perfect as a generator for a wind turbine with a power of 240 W and a maximum wind wheel speed of 229 rpm.

Table 4. Specifications bicycle motor with a power of 250 W

Nominal supply voltage

Stator power type

Making a wind generator with your own hands

After the generator has been purchased, you can start assembling the wind generator with your own hands. The figure shows the device of the wind farm. The method of fastening and arrangement of nodes may be different and depends on the individual capabilities of the designer, but you need to stick to the dimensions of the main nodes in Fig. 1. These dimensions are matched to the given wind farm, taking into account the design and dimensions of the wind turbine.

Wind power plant device

1.wheel blades;

2. generator (velomotor);

3. bed for fixing the generator shaft;

4. side shovel to protect the wind turbine from hurricane wind;

5. pantograph, which transmits current to fixed wires;

6. frame for fastening the units of the wind farm;

7. swivel knot, which allows the wind generator to rotate around its axis;

8. tail with plumage for installing the propeller in the wind;

9. wind turbine mast;

10.the clamp for fastening the guy wires

In fig. 1 shows the dimensions of the side shovel (1), the tail with the plumage (2), as well as the lever (3), through which the force from the spring is transmitted. The tail with plumage for turning the wind wheel in the wind must be made according to the dimensions in Fig. 1 from a profile pipe 20x40x2.5 mm and roofing iron as plumage.

The generator should be mounted at such a distance that the minimum distance between the blades and the mast is at least 250 mm. Otherwise, there is no guarantee that the blades, bending under the influence of wind and gyroscopic forces, will not break on the mast.

Blade manufacturing

A do-it-yourself windmill usually starts from the blades. Most suitable material for the manufacture of blades of a low-speed wind turbine is plastic, more precisely a plastic pipe. It is easiest to make blades from a plastic pipe - it is small laboriousness and it is difficult for a beginner to make a mistake. Also, plastic blades, unlike wooden ones, are guaranteed not to shrink from moisture.

The pipe must be made of PVC with a diameter of 160 mm for pressure pipelines or sewers, for example SDR PN 6.3. Such pipes have a wall thickness of at least 4 mm. Pipes for free-flow sewage will not work! These pipes are too thin and fragile.

The photo shows a wind wheel with broken blades. These blades were made from a thin PVC pipes(for free-flow sewerage). They caved in from the pressure of the wind and crashed on the mast.

The calculation of the optimal shape of the blade is rather complicated and there is no need to bring it here, let it be done by professionals in their field. It is enough for us to make the blades using the already calculated template according to Fig. 2, which shows the dimensions of the template in millimeters. You just need to cut out such a template from paper (photo of the blade template at a scale of 1: 2), then attach 160 mm to the pipe, draw the outline of the template on the pipe with a marker and cut the blades using a jigsaw or manually. Red dots in Fig. 2 shows the approximate location of the blade mountings.

As a result, you should have six blades, shaped like in the photo. In order for the resulting blades to have a higher KIEV and make less noise during rotation, it is necessary to grind off sharp corners and edges, as well as grind all rough surfaces.

To attach the blades to the body of the bicycle motor, you need to use the wind turbine head, which is a disc made of mild steel with a thickness of 6-10 mm. Six steel strips with a thickness of 12 mm and an assembly length of 30 cm with holes for attaching the blades are welded to it. The disc is attached to the body of the bike motor using bolts with locknuts for the holes for fastening the spokes.

After making the wind turbine, it must be balanced. For this, the wind wheel is fixed at a height in a strictly horizontal position. It is advisable to do this in closed room where there is no wind. With a balanced propeller, the blades should not turn spontaneously. If some blade is heavier, it must be grinded off from the end until it is balanced in any position of the propeller.

You also need to check if all the blades rotate in the same plane. To do this, measure the distance from the end of the lower blade to some nearest object. Then the wind wheel turns and the distance from the selected object to the other blades is measured. The distance from all blades should be within +/- 2 mm. If the difference is greater, then the skew must be eliminated by bending the steel strip to which the blade is attached.

Fastening the generator (bicycle motor) to the frame

Since the generator is under heavy loads, including from gyroscopic forces, it must be securely fastened. The motor itself has a solid axle, since it is used under heavy loads. So, its axis must withstand the weight of an adult under dynamic loads that arise when riding a bicycle.

But on the bike frame, the bicycle motor is mounted on two sides, and not on one, as it will be when working as a current generator for a wind farm. Therefore, the shaft must be attached to the frame, which is a metal piece with a threaded hole for screwing onto the bicycle motor shaft of the appropriate diameter (D) and four mounting holes for attaching M8 steel bolts to the frame.

It is advisable to use the largest possible length of the free shaft end for fastening. To prevent the shaft from spinning in the bed, it must be secured with a nut with a lock washer. The bed is best made of duralumin.

To manufacture the frame of the wind generator, that is, the base on which all other parts will be located, you need to use a steel plate 6-10 mm thick or a section of a channel of a suitable width (depending on the outer diameter of the swivel unit).

Manufacture of pantograph and swivel assembly

If you simply tie the wires to the generator, then sooner or later the wires will twist when the windmill rotates around the axis and will break. To prevent this from happening, you need to use a movable contact - a pantograph, which consists of a sleeve made of insulating material (1), contacts (2) and brushes (3). To protect against precipitation, the pantograph contacts must be closed.

It is convenient to use this method to make a wind generator pantograph: first, contacts are placed on the finished rotary node, for example, made of thick brass or copper wire of rectangular cross-section (used for transformers), the contacts should already be with soldered wires (10), for which you need to use one - or stranded copper wire with a cross section of at least 4 mm 2. The contacts are covered with a plastic cup or other container, the hole in the support sleeve (8) is closed and filled with epoxy resin. In the photo, an epoxy resin with the addition of titanium dioxide is used. After the epoxy has hardened, the part is grinded on a lathe until contacts appear.

It is best to use copper-graphite brushes from a car starter with flat springs as a moving contact.

In order for the wind wheel of the wind turbine to turn in the wind, it is necessary to provide a movable connection between the frame of the wind turbine and the fixed mast. The bearings are located between the support sleeve (8), which is connected through a flange to the mast pipe using bolts and a coupling (6), which is arc-welded (5) to the frame (4). To facilitate turning, a swivel unit is required using bearings (7) with an inner diameter of at least 60 mm. Roller bearings are best suited to accommodate axial loads.

Protecting a wind farm from hurricane wind

The maximum wind speed at which this wind farm can be operated is 8-9 m / s. If the wind speed is higher, the operation of the wind farm must be limited.

Of course, this proposed type of DIY windmill is slow-moving. It is unlikely that the blades will spin up to extremely high speeds, at which they collapse. But when the wind is too strong, the pressure on the tail becomes very significant, and with a sharp change in the direction of the wind, the wind generator will turn sharply.

Considering that the blades rotate quickly in strong winds, the wind wheel turns into a large heavy gyroscope that resists any turns. That is why significant loads arise between the frame and the wind wheel, which are concentrated on the generator shaft. There are many cases when amateurs built wind turbines with their own hands without any protection from hurricane winds, and because of significant gyroscopic forces, strong axles of automobile generators broke.

In addition, a six-wheel wind turbine with a diameter of 2 m has significant aerodynamic resistance, and in a strong wind will significantly load the mast.

Therefore, in order for a home-made wind generator to serve for a long time and reliably, and the wind wheel does not fall on the head of passers-by, it is necessary to protect it from hurricane winds. The easiest way to protect the wind turbine is with a side shovel. This is a fairly simple device that has worked well in practice.

The work of the side shovel is as follows: with a working wind (up to 8 m / s), the wind pressure on the side shovel (1) is less than the stiffness of the spring (3), and the wind turbine is installed approximately downwind by means of the tail. In order for the spring not to fold the windmill in the operating wind more than necessary, a stretch (4) is stretched between the tail (2) and the side shovel.

When the wind speed reaches 8 m / s, the pressure on the side shovel becomes stronger than the spring force and the wind turbine begins to fold. In this case, the wind flow begins to run onto the blades at an angle, which limits the power of the wind wheel.

In very strong winds, the windmill folds completely, and the blades are installed parallel to the direction of the wind, the work of the windmill practically stops. Please note that the tail of the empennage is not rigidly connected to the frame, but rotates on a hinge (5), which must be made of structural steel and have a diameter of at least 12 mm.

The dimensions of the side shovel are shown in Fig. 1. The side shovel itself, as well as the plumage, is best made of a profile pipe 20x40x2.5 mm and a steel sheet with a thickness of 1-2 mm.

Any carbon steel springs with a protective zinc coating can be used as the working spring. The main thing is that in the extreme position the spring force is equal to 12 kg, and in the initial position (when the wind turbine is not yet folded) - 6 kg.

To make a stretch, a steel bicycle cable should be used, the ends of the cable are bent into a loop, and the free ends are fixed with eight turns of copper wire with a diameter of 1.5-2 mm and soldered with tin.

Wind turbine mast

A steel water pipe with a diameter of at least 101-115 mm and a minimum length of 6-7 meters can be used as a mast for a wind farm, provided that there is a relatively open area, where there would be no obstacles to the wind at a distance of 30 m.

If a wind farm cannot be installed in an open area, then nothing can be done about it. It is necessary to increase the height of the mast so that the wind wheel is at least 1 m higher than the surrounding obstacles (houses, trees), otherwise the power generation will significantly decrease.

The base of the mast itself should be installed on a concrete platform so that it does not squeeze into soggy soil.

As guy wires, you need to use galvanized steel mounting cables with a diameter of at least 6 mm. The braces are attached to the mast with a clamp. At the ground, the ropes are attached to strong steel pegs (from a pipe, channel, angle, etc.), which are buried in the ground at an angle to the full depth of one and a half meters. It is even better if they are additionally monolithic at the base with concrete.

Since the mast assembly with the wind generator has a significant weight, for manual installation you need to use a counterweight made of the same steel pipe as the mast or a wooden beam 100x100 mm with a load.

Wiring diagram of a wind farm

The figure shows the simplest battery charging circuit: three outputs from the generator are connected to a three-phase rectifier, which is three half-bridge diode connected in parallel and connected by a star. Diodes must be rated for a minimum operating voltage of 50V and a current of 20A. Since the maximum operating voltage from the generator will be 25-26 V, the terminals from the rectifier are connected to two 12-volt batteries connected in series.

When using such a simple scheme, battery charging proceeds as follows: at a low voltage of less than 22 V, batteries are very weakly charged, since the current is limited by the internal resistance of the batteries. At a wind speed of 7-8 m / s, the generated voltage of the generator will be in the range of 23-25 ​​V, and an intensive process of charging the batteries will begin. At higher wind speeds, the wind turbine will be limited by the side shovel. To protect the batteries (in case of emergency operation of the wind farm) from excessive high current, the circuit must have a fuse rated for a maximum current of 25 A.

As you can see, this simple scheme has a significant drawback - with a quiet wind (4-6 m / s), the battery will practically not be charged, and it is precisely such winds that are most often found on flat terrain. In order to recharge the batteries in light winds, a charge controller must be used, which is connected in front of the batteries. The charge controller will automatically convert the required voltage, and the controller is more reliable than a fuse and prevents overcharging of batteries.

To use rechargeable batteries to power household appliances designed for 220 V alternating voltage, you will need an additional inverter to convert 24 V direct voltage of the corresponding power, which is selected depending on the peak power. For example, if you are going to connect lighting, a computer, a refrigerator to the inverter, then an inverter designed for 600 W is quite enough, but if you plan to use an electric drill or a circular saw (1500 W) at least occasionally, then you should choose a 2000 W inverter.

The figure shows a more complex electrical circuit: in it, the current from the generator (1) is first rectified in a three-phase rectifier (2), then the voltage is stabilized by the charge controller (3) and charges the batteries at 24 V (4). An inverter (5) is connected to power household appliances.

The currents from the generator reach tens of amperes, therefore, copper wires with a total cross section of 3-4 mm 2 should be used to connect all devices in the circuit.

It is advisable to take the capacity of rechargeable batteries at least 120 a / h. The total battery capacity will depend on the average wind intensity in the region, as well as the power and frequency of the connected load. More precisely, the required capacity will be known during the operation of the wind farm.

Wind farm care

The considered low-speed wind generator for do-it-yourself manufacturing, as a rule, starts well in low winds. For normal operation of the wind generator as a whole, you need to adhere to the following rules:

1. Two weeks after start-up, lower the wind turbine in light winds and check all fastenings.

2. Grease the bearings of the swivel unit and generator at least twice a year.

3. At the first signs of imbalance in the wind turbine (shaking of the blades when rotating in a downwind position), the wind generator should be lowered and the malfunction should be eliminated.

4. Check the pantograph brushes once a year.

5. Paint the metal parts of the wind farm once every 2-3 years.

A wind generator with your own hands or how to make a homemade wind generator for your home

In the article, a do-it-yourself wind generator discusses the issues of choosing the power of a home-made wind turbine, choosing a wind wheel design, making blades, attaching the generator to the frame, protecting against hurricane winds, leaving, etc.

Content:

The wind among all peoples has always been perceived as a manifestation of divine power. This power is obvious, and in some cases enormous. As mankind developed, in addition to its worship of the deities of the air element, it learned to use it for its own needs. The sail for all peoples became the basis for movement on the water, windmills appeared. For a short period of time by historical standards, with the beginning of the use of heat as the basis for the operation of most mechanisms, the use of wind declined.

But nowadays, with the emergence of environmental problems, interest in the use of wind power is reviving quickly and powerfully. Modern technical solutions make it possible to effectively convert the energy of air currents into electricity. Although more expensive in comparison with other technologies that are used in the main types of power plants. There are three of them - thermal, nuclear and hydroelectric power plants. Today wind farms have found their niche in the electricity market. We will talk about this in more detail and not only later in the article.

From history to modern times

Archaeological research informs that several millennia ago, Babylonian craftsmen created windmills to turn swamps into agricultural land. These mechanisms were used to scoop up water and drain the soil. Similar machines were used by the Chinese in their rice fields at about the same time. And the first windmills appeared even among the ancient Egyptian entrepreneurs. Over time, mills appeared in Europe and to the east around the 12th century.

The development of electrical technologies could not but push engineers to the idea of ​​replacing the millstones of the mill with an electric generator. This happened in the thirties of the last century. Problems in fuel markets as well as accidents at nuclear power plants have stimulated the development of wind farms. Today their number is growing rapidly, as evidenced by the statistics below:

However, the element is unpredictable. And for the air element there is such a definition as complete calm. This means that even in the open sea, where the air is in constant motion, it so happens that the wind disappears. Therefore, a wind farm is effective only in a place where calm occurs as rarely as possible. Such places are most common near the sea coast, in the hills, in the mountains, and in some specific areas.

How it works and how it works

The core of a wind farm is an impeller (turbine). The most efficient design is a three-blade propeller type impeller mounted high above the ground. The operation of a power plant with such an impeller is illustrated by the image below:

For maximum efficiency, special mechanisms control the position of the rotor and blades. They are automatically selected according to the direction and strength of the wind. There are other impeller designs, the so-called drum impellers. For example, those for which the wind direction does not matter. This is mainly the result of the creativity of individual enthusiasts.

The main disadvantage of all non-propeller models is lower efficiency. A power plant with a propeller impeller has an efficiency of slightly less than 50%. And the main disadvantage of all wind farms without exception is the wind itself. Its strength is subject to frequent changes. As a result, the speed of the impeller changes, and with this the generated electrical power changes. Therefore, additional electrical equipment is required to interface the wind farm generator with the power grid.

Usually these are batteries with inverters. The generator first charges the batteries, and for this process the current uniformity is irrelevant. The transfer of electricity to the grid is carried out by an inverter, which converts the charge stored in the battery. An additional advantage of the propeller design is its controllability. If the wind force becomes excessive, the blade angle of attack is minimized. As a result, the wind load on the turbine drops.

But it is not always possible to protect a wind farm from damage. On the coast, hurricanes happen that break the impeller. Such cases are demonstrated below.

A modern wind farm is a huge structure. Therefore, the effect of a strong wind on it is very noticeable. A good visual representation of the scale of such a power plant is given by the image shown below.

The height at which the generator is located is, on average, fifty meters. The higher, the stronger and more stable the wind blows. Dozens of power generators are installed to obtain the highest power. The most powerful of the onshore wind farms is located in the United States. Provided below short info about her.

The largest number of power plants are built on the coast. They are called coastal. But since the land of the coastal territories is expensive, it is more expedient to build in the shallow waters of the sea shelf. Such power plants are called offshore. However, due to the high cost of construction, the capacity of the world's largest offshore power plant, built off the coast of England, amounted to 630 MW, which is more than 2 times less than that of a land-based analogue.

A further development of offshore power plants was floating wind farms. But they are the largest and most expensive, and for this reason, in fact, are single. Most likely, they will never become the main ones when receiving electricity from the force of the sea wind. To obtain higher economic indicators, winds at an altitude of more than one hundred meters are used. It uses a special design based on a balloon called a soaring wind farm.

But since the carrying capacity of the balloon is limited, the maximum power of the power plant corresponds in terms of its mass to the power of 30 kW. She will be able to provide several houses. Their number will depend on the mode of electricity consumption. The disadvantage of a hovering power plant is its riskiness. It can be carried away by strong winds, and it is problematic to prevent this.

Environmental problems of wind farms

The impellers have one insurmountable drawback. They emit infrasound. And it has a detrimental effect on all living organisms, including humans. If the power plant is located far from housing, such as an offshore or mountainous one, the human factor is removed. But the impact on the ecosystem remains. How problematic infrasound from wind farms is, testifies to one of the inhabitants of Germany:

In this country, wind turbines are installed everywhere, wherever the territory allows. By giving up nuclear power plants, Germany is the most active of all countries in the construction of wind farms. The emergence of such new buildings forces people living in the neighborhood to move to new places of residence. But nobody wants to buy their houses. Therefore, problems appear in society. So the best place for wind farms is on the sea shelf.

It is difficult not to notice how the stability of electricity supply to suburban facilities differs from the provision of city buildings and enterprises with electricity. Admit that you, as the owner of a private house or summer cottage, have repeatedly encountered interruptions, inconveniences and damage to equipment associated with them.

The listed negative situations, together with the consequences, will cease to complicate the life of lovers of natural spaces. Moreover, with minimal labor and financial costs. To do this, you just need to make a wind power generator, which we talk about in detail in the article.

We have described in detail the options for making a useful household system that eliminates energy dependence. According to our advice, an inexperienced home craftsman can build a wind generator with his own hands. The practical device will help you to significantly reduce your daily expenses.

Alternative energy sources are the dream of any summer resident or homeowner whose site is located far from central networks. However, receiving bills for electricity consumed in a city apartment, and looking at the increased tariffs, we realize that a wind generator created for domestic needs would not hurt us.

After reading this article, perhaps you will make your dream come true.

A wind generator is an excellent solution for providing a suburban facility with electricity. Moreover, in some cases, its installation is the only possible way out.

In order not to waste money, effort and time, let's decide: are there any external circumstances that will create obstacles for us in the process of operating a wind turbine?

To provide a summer cottage or a small cottage with electricity, it is enough, the power of which does not exceed 1 kW. Such devices in Russia are equated to household products. Their installation does not require certificates, permissions or any additional approvals.

Home wind farms are not common in our country. But there is increasing interest in renewable energy sources as the best way to save savings. Therefore, it is worth finding out how the device works, what is its power, costs, prices for the purchase and maintenance of the installation. Before purchasing, it is worth calculating whether the investment in a home wind farm will be profitable.

What is a wind generator for a private house, what are the types, power, operating features of the device - this will be discussed below.

Household wind turbines - types

Generating electricity from inexhaustible resources involves the use of photovoltaic panels, wind or water turbines. Efficient devices are household wind power generators. Distinctive feature modern wind generators - silent, efficient work with wind blowing at a speed of 2 m / s, which increases the possibilities of their use.

Stations installed for individual household needs have a power from 100 W to 5 kW. Power is matched to individual needs. There are windmills that only support hot water heating and large models for generating and selling electricity.

Household windmills are divided into 2 types:

1. with a horizontal axis of rotation;
2. vertical.

Horizontal axis wind turbines

Most common systems. The disadvantage of the device is the need to position the propeller in relation to the direction of the wind.

Wind turbine with a horizontal axis of rotation, photo

Vertical wind turbines

The main advantages of vertical devices:

Wind turbine with vertical axis of rotation, photo

What are the elements of a home wind farm?

Domestic wind turbines are relatively simple designs. Electricity is generated in a generator driven by rotor blades. In domestic conditions, wind generators with a horizontal axis of rotation of the rotor are usually used.

Most important elements windmill:

Small wind turbines with a horizontal rotor axis do not generate noise, harmful electromagnetic waves. They can be safely placed right on the house, roof.

Choosing the power of the wind generator

It can be assumed that home wind generators should have the highest power. It is important to remember that the higher the potential capacity, the higher the price of the wind turbine for the entire project. Investing in a professional large wind farm with a capacity of 20 kW is associated with high costs. Therefore, most investors decide to set up weaker performance models.

The following home wind farms are popular:

Power, W	Specifications	The scope of the wind generator
500	cheap offer; rather small; quiet; mobile.	power supply of pond pumps; automatic gates; radio receivers.
1000	Not the most expensive offer	water heating; lighting of a private house (using energy-saving lamps); power supply of basic household appliances.
2000	Suitable for summer cottages, well insulated, small single-family private houses	feed the main Appliances; home lighting; water heating.
3000	Solution for energy efficient homes.	small household appliances; lighting; water heating.
5000	Sufficient for the needs of one house in which a family of several people lives. Excess electricity can be dumped into the public grid.	food for household appliances; water heating; central heating system support.
10000	Rarely used in households due to high installation costs. Surplus energy can be transferred to the public grid.	Satisfies all the needs of home users of the same family

Optimal location of wind turbines

The power of a wind generator depends not only on the parameters of the turbine.

1. Geographical position... The most advantageous location for wind turbines is the area with strong winds... The best places are where there are regular, strong gusts of wind, which ensure high efficiency of the windmill. The most favorable conditions prevail in regions with many windy days.
2. Prevailing wind direction... If, for example, most of the winds blow from the west, you need to pay special attention to western direction... In this case, small power plants built on the west side of the building will work much more efficiently than turbines located on the east side.
3. Shape of the surrounding area affects the efficiency of the turbines. The fewer obstacles, the better the working conditions. Any "obstacles" create wind turbulence, which damages the operation of the wind turbine. It is important to correctly position home wind turbines on the site.

Wind turbines should be placed above the roof surface. They are usually installed:

• directly on the roof;
• on a mast 12 meters long.

The only exception is small wind farms located on a hill some distance from the house. The space should not be blocked by trees or other buildings.

When determining the optimal location of the wind turbine in the backyard, you need to take into account buildings, natural obstacles located outside the site.

For example, if a tall forest grows 200 meters from the western border of the site, an apartment building is being built, investments in household wind turbines are not economically justified.

Costs, prices for wind turbines for summer cottages

After studying the technical aspects of wind turbine construction, you need to estimate the cost of the project. How much do wind turbines cost? Prices are approximately as follows:

• wind generator for 400 W - from 33,000 rubles;
• for 600 W - from 46,000 rubles;
• for 1000 W - from 85000 rubles.

If the wind turbine does not go to complete set, you will need to purchase:

• battery;
• generator;
• tubular mast for roof mounting;
• converters (3 pcs.);
• assembly materials.

Is it profitable?

To answer this question, you need to calculate the annual electricity production. Domestic wind farms are capable of producing 10-20% of the rated power of the turbine multiplied by the number of hours per year during the year.

The calculation using this formula for a 5 kW wind turbine looks like this:

• The minimum guess is 5 kW x 24 hours x 365 days x 10% = 4380 kW.
• Maximum guess is 5 kW x 24 hours x 365 days x 20% = 8760 kW.

Thus, wind turbines with a capacity of 5 kW can produce 4380-8760 kW of electricity per year. Suppose the average price of one kW is 4 rubles. Then within a year it will be possible to save about:

• 4380 × 4 = 17,520 rubles;
• 8760 × 4 = 35040 rubles.

By calculating the annual savings, it can be assumed in how many years the investment will pay off. These calculations are only theoretical. In practice, it turns out that the return on investment can be highly questionable.

The efficiency of a wind generator depends on:

1. the region in which the device will be located;
2. electricity prices;
3. turbine power;
4. the location of the home power plant.

Investments must be carefully planned, costs must be calculated correctly.

Conclusion

Enthusiasts emphasize that home wind farms are profitable, with a lifespan of up to several decades. However, certain risks must be considered (including the occurrence of long periods of calm). The installation does not need to be seen as the only source of electricity, but rather as a support system. The optimal solution is to invest in turbines with a lower capacity (for example, 3 kW). They will entail lower investment costs, reduce dependence on the local electricity supplier.

The estimated price for the construction of a mini-wind farm with a capacity of 3 kW is almost 2 times less than in the case of turbines with a capacity of 5 kW.