SUBSCRIBE To Our Mail List To Get This Article In PDF
Alternators rated at 24V DC are inexpensive and rugged but must rotate too quickly to be driven directly by a wind turbine. Wind turbines typically rotate at several hundred RPM while alternators must rotate at speeds of at least 1000 RPM to generate their rated voltage and power. To build a wind generator using such an alternator, a belt and pulley system which multiplies the speed of the wind turbine must be installed. Typically a factor of three or four is needed to get the speed required for the alternator to operate properly.
Large wind turbines rotate slowly and need gears or a pulley to drive an alternator.
Instructions
· Calculate the size of the pulley and estimate the length of the v-belt. Measure the diameter of the pulley on the alternator. Multiply by four to get the diameter of the pulley for the rotor. Calculate the circumference of the alternator pulley by multiplying the diameter by 3.14. Multiply by four to get the circumference of the rotor pulley. Add each of the circumferences to get the approximate length of the v-belt.
· Attach the wind turbine blades to the pulley. Measure to make sure the blade-tip-to-blade-tip and blade-tip-to-pulley-center distances are all the same. Check the balance of the assembly by supporting the pulley in the center and checking the weights at the blade tips. Balance by adding small weights glued to the blades.
· Cut a one-foot long slot into the center of one end of the two-by-six and insert the sheet metal. Bolt into place. Mount the bearings at the other end and insert the shaft with the shaft collars to prevent the shaft from slipping out. Mount the pulley with the rotor blades on the shaft. Make sure the rotor has enough clearance to spin freely.
· Insert the alternator into the plastic pipe and bolt into place using the alternator's existing mounting holes. The pipe should be wide enough to allow ventilation but long enough to protect the alternator and the wiring from the elements. Make sure the alternator pulley has enough clearance for the v-belt.
· Mount the pipe under the two-by-six with pipe clamps. Place the v-belt over the pulleys and insert shims between the pipe and the two-by-six so that the v-belt is tight with flexibility of about half an inch. Mount the assembly at the top of the wind turbine tower.
Source: http://www.ehow.co.uk/
Click To View The Document In PDF
SUBSCRIBE To Our Mail List To Get This Article In PDF
No comments:
Post a Comment