Wind Turbine Design Saanvi Kunisetty

 Wind Turbine Design

Saanvi Kunisetty

Parts of a Wind Turbine:

Aside from the minor auxiliary parts, there are six major parts to a wind turbine. The foundation is on the ground for onshore turbines, and under the water for offshore turbines. The tower is generally made of steel, and should be the same height as the diameter that the circle of the blades make when rotating. The rotor is the rotating part of the turbine with the blades (generally 3), which are generally made large, light, and strong. The hub holds the blades and allows them to rotate. The nacelle is the structure on top of the tower that holds all the necessary components required for operation of the turbine. The generator, which has the same structure as an electric motor, converts mechanical energy from the wind into electricity.

Blade Design:

For a long time, flat blade designs were more common. In flat blades, the wind pushes on the blade and the blade pushes back on the wind. This ends up slowing down the rate of rotation of the blade. Now, curved blades have become more popular, as they are more efficient. The curved blades are aerodynamically very similar to an airplane’s wing. The advantage of curved blades in comparison to flat blades is that the lift force makes the blade tips move faster than the wind is moving, generating more power. Hence, lift-based wind turbine blades are becoming more common now.

 

Resources:

https://electricalacademia.com/renewable-energy/wind-turbine-parts-functions/

https://www.alternative-energy-tutorials.com/energy-articles/wind-turbine-blade-design.html