Wind energy evaluation and solution for home applications

E. CEUCA1), A. TULBURE 2)
1) University 1 DECEMBRIE 1918,Alba Iulia, N. Iorga 11 1!,e"eu"a#uab.ro $) University 1 DECEMBRIE 1918,Alba Iulia, N. Iorga 11 1!,a%itulbure#uab.ro &ey'or%s: -wind evaluation, power generator

Environmental on ern! and de!ire "or energ# independen e au!e in rea!ing intere!t in renewa$le energ# !our e!.. Uneven %eating o" t%e atmo!p%ere $# !olar radiation oupled wit% t%e Eart% rotation and di""erent rate! o" %eating o" land and water, reate une&ual air pre!!ure di!tri$ution!, w%i % ontri$ute to t%e "low! o" air. 'ote t%at an# moving o$(e t %a! )ineti energ#, w%i % i! proportional to t%e ma!! o" t%e o$(e t and t%e !&uare o" it! !peed. T%e energ# in t%e wind i! due to t%e moving air mole ule!. T%u! a portion o" t%e !un*! radiated energ# +a$out 1-2,) i! onverted to t%e energ# o" t%e moving air. -ower derived "rom t%e moving air i! a!uall# alled wind power and i! o"ten re"erred to a! a onverted "orm o" !un*! radiated power . .t i! one t%e "ive main alternative energ# !our e! . /u % generator! ome in variou! !i0e!, "rom t%o!e wit% rotor! a "ew "eet in diameter "or !ail$oat $atter# %arge! to utilit#-grade !#!tem! wit% rotor! mea!uring %undred! o" "eet a ro!!. 1epending on t%e rotor*! !i0e, t%eir pea) rating! range an#w%ere "rom 22 3 to 2.4 megawatt!. /mall re!idential grade !#!tem! are u!uall# !old wit% a re ti"ier, a 1C-AC inverter and an optional $atter#. T%e rotor a!!em$l# in lude! t%e aerod#nami all# de!igned $lade! "or onverting )ineti air energ# to rotational energ# o" t%e !%a"t. 5o!t modern tur$ine! %ave t%ree $lade!. T%e rotor i! onne ted to t%e main !%a"t o" t%e alternator. T%e alternator in turn onvert! t%e me %ani al power o" t%e !pinning !%a"t into ele tri it#. .t ontain! one or !everal permanent magnet! or ele tromagnet! t%at !pin in!ide or out!ide !tationar# oil! o" wire. /mall windpower !#!tem! normall# u!e permanent magnet! 1epending on t%e de!ign, t%e alternator an operate eit%er at varia$le !peed or at on!tant !peed. .n t%e "ir!t a!e, t%e !peed o" t%e rotor varie! wit% t%e wind6 in t%e !e ond, t%e !peed o" t%e rotor remain! relativel# on!tant. T%e voltage produ ed $# an alternator i! determined $# t%e num$er o" turn! in it! oil!, t%e !trengt% o" t%e magneti "ield, and t%e rotation !peed. .n !mall wind generator! "or %ome u!e t%e $lade rotor drive! t%e magnet rotor dire tl#. Larger !#!tem! ma# %ave a gear$o7 t%at onvert! t%e low !peed %ig% tor&ue in oming rotation o" t%e $lade rotor to %ig% !peed low tor&ue rotation o" t%e alternator rotor. T%e availa$le power o$taina$le "rom t%e moving air i! proportional to t%e u$e o" it! !peed. 8or e7ample, w%en air !peed dou$le!, t%e availa$le power in rea!e! $# a "a tor o" 9. Be au!e wind !peed! in rea!e wit% %eig%t, t%e tur$ine! are normall# mounted on toll tower! to apture t%e mo!t o" air movement. .n general, t%e %ig%er t%e tower, t%e more ele tri it# t%e !#!tem an generate. :owever, onl# a portion o" availa$le wind power an $e onverted to ele tri it#. A t#pi al overall e""i ien # o" a %ome !#!tem i! a$out 22,. Availa$le wind re!our e! var# wit% t%e lo ation. 1i""erent geograp%i al area! %ave di""erent average wind !peed! and power den!itie!. :oli!ti environment prote tion and t%e !u!taina$ilit# o" produ t! ta)e top priorit# in re!ear %. 3e are on!tantl# resear"( to )a*e a (o)e +rototy+e.

,ig.1. -tu%y .or a /01 ' +o'er 'in% generator