Wind Turbines, An outlook

Wind Turbines: An Outlook

Wind turbines, a form of renewable energy could be considered for pumped storage hydroelectricity. Unlike other non-renewable energy sources, wind turbines depend on wind power to generate electricity. However, to harness the power of the wind successfully, one must understand the operating principles, analyse its parts as well as compare the differences between different models.

First of all, one needs to analyse the parts of the wind turbine to successfully harness its power and possibly come up with the new design. The entire mechanism of the wind turbine rest several feet above the ground. On top of the tower are motor driven blades called propellers. These propellers average about hundred to two hundred feet. Aligned with the propellers are rotors. This semicircular tube is attached to the front of the propellers. Connected to the propellers, again is a long hollow tube called the horizontal shaft. This low speed shaft connects the rotor with the gearbox and the generator. The generator, an important component of the entire system is in form of a closed unit inside the turbine. The turbine of the wind mill is essentially a fibreglass box that acts as a housing unit for the generator, horizontal shaft and other parts on top of the tower except propeller and the rotor. All these parts operate together as a unit to perform the job of a wind turbine which is responsible for producing electricity.

The operating principle of a standard wind turbine is an essential concept to understand for anyone concerned with wind turbine technology. First of all, the motor driven blades in the propeller catch the wind through their air foils. Once, wind passes over the propellers, they produce a force which is perpendicular to the blades to make them rotate. Then, as the rotor in front of the propeller rotates, the blade spins. Next, the horizontal shaft connected to the rotor spins alongside the rotor. Finally, the shaft...