This is a sub-section of my posts describing the Sustainable Energy Design 3 course group project to Design and Build a Micro Wind Turbine – for more information see here
Project Planning
Technical Basics and Initial Research
Working as a team of six, we planned, designed, manufactured, and assembled a working vertical, axis wind turbine. A vertical axis turbine (VAWT) was decided upon instead of the more common horizontal axis (HAWT). We believed the vertical axis would prove easier to manufacture in the time allotted as well as more cost effective at this scale of power. In addition, vertical axis turbines are not dependent on wind direction and can maintain a constant velocity with greater ease.
On the other hand, we needed to overcome the low starting torque of vertical turbines and initial research had found methods of doing so by adding Savonius characteristics and maximizing surface area to increase efficiency, which we eventually incorporated into our design.
Next: The Generator Theory
This is a sub-section of my posts describing the Sustainable Energy Design 3 course group project to Design and Build a Micro Wind Turbine – for more information see here
Blue Pigeons 