1. Working With
Wind Energy

2. Learning Objectives Learn about wind energy conversion
Design a wind turbine
Construct the wind turbine
Test the wind turbine
Evaluate Performance

3. A Wind Turbine The wind hits the blades…
Shaft leads to a gearbox whose output leads to a generator to make electricity
Usually has 2 or 3 blades
WIND

4. SEP 2010

5. Many blade designs

6. Your Challenge Design, construct and test your own wind turbine design
Lift weight – 15 cm as quickly as possible
Maximum 1 minute
No human interaction!
Blowdryer at least 30cm away from turbine
> 1ft, 30cm

7. Turbine Requirements
Must have a rotor shaft around which to wind up given weight
Must be freestanding (no human interaction)
Must use only materials provided
> 1ft, 30cm

8. Test Procedure Blowdryer at least 30 cm away from turbine
No human interaction with turbine
Attach weight around rotor
Up to 1 minute to wind up weight for 15cm
Record time to wind up weight
> 1ft, 30cm

9. Materials wooden sticks aluminum foil, plastic wrap bendable wire
tape,
string
wooden dowels
paperclips
paper, cardboard
rubber bands
Toothpicks

10. Procedure Teams of two (2) Develop and sketch your design
Construct initial design
Preliminary test
Modify design, if necessary
Final test

11. Evaluate Your Design Efficiency of design may depend on
Cost of materials
Speed (rotations per minute)
Power (time to wind weight)
Possible measure of efficiency:
Eff. = (Cost of materials) / (time [sec] to lift weight)
Are two designs that have the same rotational speed equally as “good”?