Wind Energy Basics 17098081908633826765e99a3e9806b
Wind Energy Basics 17098081908633826765e99a3e9806b
Nacelle
56 tons
Tower
3 sections
Large Wind Turbines
o Each blade 112’
o 163+ tons total
o Foundation 20+ feet
deep
o Rated at 1.5 – 5
megawatt
o Supply at least 350
homes
Yawing – Facing the Wind
• Active Yaw (all medium
& large turbines
produced today, &
some small turbines from
Europe)
– Anemometer on nacelle
tells controller which way
to point rotor into the wind
– Yaw drive turns gears to
point rotor into wind
• Passive Yaw (Most small
turbines)
– Wind forces alone direct
rotor
• Tail vanes
• Downwind turbines
▪ Energy is a major input for overall socio-
economic development of any society
•Power
Power inWind
in the the wind
= ½ρAV3
Effect of air density,
– Effect of swept area, A
– Effect of wind speed, V
R
Swept Area: A = πR2
Area of the circle swept
by the rotor (m2).
India in Wind Energy
Velocity with Height
The total cost can be cheaper than solar system but more expensive
than hydro.
High percentage of the hardware cost (for large WT) is mostly spent
on the tower designed to support the turbine
Technology
Turbine Evolution
Used for
• Pumping water
• Grinding grain
Government Support and Policies: Several states have come up with renewable
energy policies like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh
A Typical HAWT
The main components of a HAWT are:
• The rotor, which consists of the blades and
the hub that connects them to the shaft.
• The nacelle houses the generator, gearbox,
brake, yaw system, and other mechanical
and electrical components.
• The tower supports the nacelle and the
rotor and elevates them above the ground
to capture more wind.
• The foundation anchors the tower to the
ground and transfers the loads from the
wind turbine.
The advantages of HAWTs are:
• They have higher efficiency than vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) because
they can capture more wind energy with less drag.
• They have lower torque ripple and mechanical stress than VAWTs because
they have fewer changes in aerodynamic forces during each rotation.
• They can be installed offshore on floating platforms or fixed foundations, where
the wind speed is higher and more consistent
The disadvantages of HAWTs are:
• They require a tall tower and a large land area to avoid turbulence and
interference from nearby structures or terrain.
• They are more expensive and complex to install and maintain than VAWTs
because they have more moving parts and electrical components.
• They are more susceptible to fatigue and damage from high winds, storms,
lightning, birds, or ice.
A vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) is defined as a wind turbine that has a vertical or
perpendicular axis of rotation with respect to the ground.
Savonius Turbines
Savonius turbines are VAWTs that have straight blades that resemble an S-shape or
a half-barrel. They were invented by Finnish engineer Sigurd Savonius in 1922.
Savonius turbines use only drag to rotate their blades. They can self-start, but they
have low rotational speeds and low power coefficients.
The advantages of Savonius turbines are:
• They can self-start because they use only drag.
• They have lower centrifugal forces than Darrieus turbines because they rotate at
slower speeds.
The disadvantages of Savonius turbines are:
• They have a lower power coefficient than Darrieus turbines because they use only
drag.
• They have a higher solidity ratio than Darrieus turbines because they have more
blades with smaller gaps between them.
Darrieus Turbines
Darrieus turbines are VAWTs that have curved blades that resemble an eggbeater or a
trochoid.
They were invented by French engineer Georges Darrieus in 1931. Darrieus turbines use
lift as well as drag to rotate their blades.
They can achieve high rotational speeds, but they require an external start-up mechanism,
such as an electric motor or another turbine, because they cannot self-start.
▪ Material used
▪ Typical length
▪ Tower height
▪ Noise reduction
▪ Mechanisms
▪ Stalling
▪ Furling
▪ Yaw Mechanism
▪ To turn the turbine against the wind
▪ Yaw error and fatigue loads
▪ Uses electric motors and gear boxes
▪ Wind turbine safety
▪ Sensors – controlling vibrations
▪ Over speed protection
▪ Aero dynamic braking
▪ Mechanical braking
Economics
Determining Factors
▪ Wind Speed
▪ Exact Location
▪ Capital
Wind Speed Matters
Assuming
the same
size project,
the better
the wind
resource,
the lower
the cost.
Size Matters
Assuming the
same wind
speed of 8.08
m/s, a large
wind farm is
more
economical
Energy Cost Trend
1979: 40 cents/kWh
2000:
4 - 6 cents/kWh
▪ Increased
Turbine Size
▪ R&D Advances
2004:
▪ Manufacturing 3 – 4.5 cents/kWh
Improvements
Economic Advantages
▪ Greater fuel diversity
▪ No delay in construction
▪ Low maintenance costs
▪ Reliable and durable equipment
▪ Additional income to land owners
▪ More jobs per unit energy produced
▪ No hidden costs
Conclusion
▪ Wind energy is pollution free and nature
friendly
▪ Wind energy has very good potential and it is
the fastest growing energy source
▪ The future looks bright for wind energy
because technology is becoming more
advanced and windmills are becoming more
efficient
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