Wind Power Plants

Group Mates:1. Azim, MD. Anowarul 12-21196-12. Rahman, Rezaur 12-20894-1

What is Wind Power?

• Wind Power: Wind power captures the natural wind in our atmosphere and converts it into mechanical energy then electricity. People started using wind power centuries ago with windmills, which pumped water, ground grain, and did other work. Today's wind turbine is a highly evolved version of a windmill. Modern wind turbines harness wind's kinetic energy and convert it into electricity.

History of Wind Power

• The first use of a windmill to generate electricity was in Cleveland, Ohio in 1888 by Charles F. Brush.

• In 1891, Dane Poul La Cour (1846-1908), a Danish pioneer of modern aerodynamics made the first aerodynamically (low solidity, four bladed) designed system.

• By 1920, the la Cour system replaced all previous sail and fan systems.

Windmill

• A Windmill captures wind energy and then uses a generator to convert it to electrical energy.

• The design of a windmill is an integral part of how efficient it will be.

• When designing a windmill, one must decide on the size of the turbine, and the size of the generator.

Two Types of Turbines

• Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines(HAWT)• Vertical Axis Wind Turbines(VAWT)

HAWT

• This is the most common wind turbine design. In addition to being parallel to the ground, the axis of blade rotation is parallel to the wind flow. Some machines are designed to operate in an upwind mode, with the blades upwind of the tower. In this case, a tail vane is usually used to keep the blades facing into the wind. Other designs operate in a downwind mode so that the wind passes the tower before striking the blades.

VAWT

• Although vertical axis wind turbines have existed for centuries, they are not as common as their horizontal counterparts. The main reason for this is that they do not take advantage of the higher wind speeds at higher elevations above the ground as well as horizontal axis turbines.

HAWT Vs. VAWTHAWT VAWT

Higher wind speeds Lower wind speeds at ground level

Great efficiency Less efficiency

Angle of turbine is relevant Don’t need a yaw mechanism for wind angle

Difficult access to generator for repairs

Can place generator on ground

The main advantage of the VAWT compared to the HAWT is the easier geometrical scalability to larger dimensions.

Parts of Wind Turbines

Some Wind Turbines

Largest wind turbines today:

1. Vestas V164 8MW2. Enercon E126 7.5MW3. Samsung S7.0 171 7MW (haslargest blade, 85 meters)

A. Savonius Rotor B. Multi bladed Wind Turbine C. 4 Bladed Wind Turbine

E. 3 Bladed Wind Turbine E. 2 Bladed Wind Turbine

Advantages of Wind Power Plants

1. Clean2. Flexible3. Large Potential for Growth4. Economically Viable (most of the time – peak opportunity)5. No air pollution6. No greenhouse gasses 7. Does not pollute water with mercury8. No water needed for operations9. Expanding Wind Power development brings jobs to rural communities10. Increased tax revenue 11. Purchase of goods & services

Disadvantages of Wind Power Plants

1. The direction that wind travels in.2. Angel of the turbine’s rotors are important limitations and considerations.3. Wind at a site is being slowed down by each turbine limit to the amount of individual units a site can support.4. Threat to Wildlife5. Visual Impact6. Suited To Particular Region

Websites to Check Out

1. www.capewind.org

2. www.cleanpowernow.org

3. www.saveoursound.org

4. www.windstop.org

5. www.windpowercons.com

Thank you!

Questions?