Wind generators and electrical energy converters. Encyclopedia of radio electronics and electrical engineering

Encyclopedia of radio electronics and electrical engineering / Alternative energy sources

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Wind is one of the most accessible sources of energy. Unlike the Sun, it can "work" day and night, north and south, summer and winter. The only problem with using the power of the wind is to choose a place where the wind blows fairly constantly. At the same time, wind energy is available, available everywhere and practically inexhaustible. The main advantages of wind energy: energy independence, no need for any fuel, environmental friendliness, economic benefits.

Devices for converting wind kinetic energy into electrical energy - wind generators - are gaining wide popularity. Currently, low-power wind power generators are the most convenient and affordable alternative energy sources for private users.

Some regions of our country do not have power lines at all due to their extreme remoteness. Those who use "windmills" today do so because they do not have the ability to connect to the central power supply or want to be energy independent.

WPP (wind power plant, wind generator or simply "windmill") is used to provide autonomous power - electricity - to various domestic and special industrial consumers in the absence of a central power supply or its irregular supply.

Such devices can be used almost everywhere, which is what people have been doing lately, despite the high (several hundred thousand rubles) cost of a set of necessary component parts of the installation: generators, batteries, charge controllers and inverters - for a complete alternative energy supply at home. Nevertheless, for a stable energy supply of small power (a unit of kW), all of the above devices, including a single-blade wind generator with a mounting kit, can be purchased for quite real money today. That is why I personally imagine it is possible to purchase such a device, or make it myself, using experience and with an eye on industrial designs.

On fig. 2.1 shows a wind generator in operation.

Fig.2.1. Single blade wind turbine in action

But there are also disadvantages of wind turbines: uneven energy supply, high cost of equipment, noise from the operation of wind turbines, low-frequency vibrations harmful to people and animals, icing of the blades, forming fragments, death of birds and bats, radio interference. All this must also be taken into account when installing a wind turbine, however, a drawback that is really hard to eliminate for the time being by a private wind turbine owner is radio interference that interferes with the operation of television stations. But satellite "digital" television, coming everywhere to replace the "traditional" one, also solves this problem. With icing of the blades, they fight, following the example of the aircraft industry, with special chemical compounds, the simplest of which is alkali or simply a soapy solution. The rest of the costs are either exaggerated or far-fetched.

important Notices

You should not get involved in the search for wind turbines operating at low wind speeds - up to 3 m / s, since at these wind speeds its energy is negligible. For example, for a wind turbine with a propeller diameter of 5 m, the output power at a wind speed of 2 m/s will be less than 30 W (minus 50% of this power will be spent on friction in bearings and other losses, and the remaining useful 15 W is a very small value, because for charging one battery with a capacity of 50 Ah requires 70 W). Draw your own conclusions, as they say.

When the wind turbine is operating in rain or snow, the output power is reduced by 10...30%.

One of the main negative side effects of wind turbines (especially homemade ones) is noise. The noise from the operation of a gearless wind turbine is reminiscent of the whistling of the wind through the half-open window of a car at high speed. During the operation of geared wind turbines, the hum of the gearbox can be significant, and their resource is much lower.

In areas (and places) with a low average annual wind speed - up to 5 m / s, for the maximum possible autonomy of power supply, an additional 2 kW gas-powered unit or solar battery modules are installed as additional and integrated sources of alternative energy; they will charge the batteries during the calm period.

So, we have considered the economic calculations when buying a wind turbine and components with a useful power of 5 kW.

The power less considered in my opinion is not subject to serious analysis, because wind turbines (unlike, for example, solar batteries) are intended for alternative (non-traditional) energy supply to powerful consumers (at home, at home). And in a private house, especially in rural areas, where no one interferes with the use of wind kinetic energy, unlike frequent urban development, there are many powerful consumers (pumping station, lighting, milk separator, boiler, heat convector); yes, only one electric kettle (microwave oven, iron) will require about 2 kW. We will have to turn off energy consumers in turn, the obvious need for which will bring more worries into our lives than the long-awaited and so theoretically cherished comfort.

Therefore, it makes no sense to put a wind generator to power a single light bulb or as a charger for cell phones. This is the main difference in the practice of using alternative energy sources at the present stage - the power in the load and the justification for use. Installing a powerful wind generator (with appropriate control and energy storage devices) is a dream that, when realized, can really transform your cottage (village house), but this will require an investment of several hundred thousand (up to 1 million) rubles today, which, of course, is not for everyone. Wind turbines of small power, discussed above, in this case, are presented as a kind of model for gaining experience, that is, if one may say so, a model designer, on the basis of which many useful things can be done (improved). This path is very important for creative people (it is they who drive progress), but still it reminds me personally of installing a transforming external tuning and a sticker from Mercedes on the domestic VAZ-21112; from this VAZ does not cease to be a VAZ.

It is economically feasible to use a wind turbine for heating a house only with an average annual wind speed of more than 5-6 m / s and, of course, with a power reserve of the wind generator itself.

Author: Kashkarov A.P.

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