Vertical Axis Wind Turbine: Difference between revisions

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{{Category=Wind energy}}
#REDIRECT [[Wind turbine Intro]]
{{mergeto|Wind turbine}}
 
[[File:Pac_wind.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Pacwind VAWT Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Seahawk]]
Verical Axis Wind Turbines or VAWTs offer a number of advantages over traditional horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWTs). They can be packed closer together in wind farms, allowing more in a given space. This is not because they are smaller, but rather due to the slowing effect on the air that HAWTs have, forcing designers to separate them by ten times their width. VAWTs are rugged, quiet, omni-directional, and they do not create as much stress on the support structure. They do not require as much wind to generate power, thus allowing them to be closer to the ground. By being closer to the ground they are easily maintained and can be installed on chimneys and similar tall structures.
 
In addition, by being closer to the ground, VAWTs have the ability to take advantage of the tunnelling effects of small buildings and structures (provided the structures are build close enough) small VAWTs are also used in corners of buildings (usually the corner of a balcony).
 
Although VAWTs are not as efficient as HAWTs they are considered more reliable and much easier to maintain. One disadvantage of the VAWT is that the blade that moves ''into the wind'' also moves ''against'' the wind, slowing down the turbine. This could be addressed by a shield that adjusts to the direction of the wind and covers the blade that moves into the wind. This could be done with some kind of vane. However, this would complicate the design significantly, incl. bearings for the shield. So this may not be worth it ... probably easier to just build more VAWTs or build them bigger. But who knows ? Come up with a good sail/shield design and this might be just the breakthrough that VAWTs have been waiting for.
 
A good step by step guide can be found on [http://www.instructables.com/id/VAWT-Lenz-type-Stage-1-Converting-wind-power-to-/ this link]: a small Savonius wind turbine that takes advantage of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venturi_effect Venturi effect].
 
There is also a small scale printable VAWT on thingiverse http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6899

Revision as of 23:07, 8 May 2011

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