A wind generator is incredibly important, and often the only source of electricity for people living away from civilization, in nature or in places where, for one reason or another, there are no electrical and network communications.
Typically, such people either order special equipment from companies that produce such units, or they make electric generators themselves, making both the engine itself and the blades for the electric generator with their own hands.
There is nothing difficult in creating such an energy source, but the value of the practical benefits of such a device can not be overestimated.
Wind farms
Wind farms are special devices that convert wind energy into electrical energy. This happens due to the rotation of the rotor. Wind flows fall on the rotor blades and cause the rotor to rotate, the mechanical energy from the rotation of which is converted into electrical energy. The size of the blades of a wind generator, as a rule, can be considered an indicator of the power of the device, and also it can be used to find out the approximate performance of the generator.
Wind farms usually consist of several installations and in total produce a large amount of electricity, especially during periods of hurricanes and strong continuous winds.
Such devices are used where there is a shortage of electrical energy or there is no possibility at all to carry it out by traditional methods.
A significant advantage of a wind farm is that it does not consume any valuable resources other than wind power. Unlike electric generators running on gasoline or other types of fuel, the wind generator does not need recharging.
Home wind generator
A home wind generator can be made both for the purpose of realizing the provision of housing with electric energy, and for acquiring cognitive and practical experience. In any case, it will be a useful craft that can be used, for example, to recharge an electronic gadget or household appliance.
Domestic wind generators differ from industrial ones in significantly smaller size and ability to produce a relatively small amount of electrical energy.
Typically, these units are installed in the backyard and are connected to a residential electricity supply system. This method of producing electric energy absolutely does not require financial costs, and even more so, it easily pays off the funds spent on its production.
Appointment
The main objective of the wind generator is the production of electricity and the provision of residential premises. Typically, such machines are installed in cottages, garden plots and connected to water heating systems or small household appliances. Often, wind generators are used to power electrical construction tools such as electric saws, emery or circular saws.
Purchase
Of course, the easiest solution is to buy a ready-made wind generator. Now there are a huge number of companies engaged in the manufacture and assembly of wind generators both according to their sketches and individual customer requests. You can easily select and order a generator of any type, size and purpose. However, making such a device with your own hands will still be a profitable solution for any owner, since not in all areas where people need electricity, there is the possibility of manufacturing or even delivering a wind generator. In such conditions, one has to rely only on one’s personal skills and abilities.
Homemade wind generator
A self-made wind generator has several advantages. Unlike the purchased device, there is no doubt about the quality of the car you’ve created yourself. Also, a home wind generator is always made to fit the needs and requirements of a particular house.
It is very simple to make a wind generator for a summer cottage site, especially since a ready-made engine can be easily purchased at almost any technical store or ordered on the Internet. Most of the time will be spent on the manufacture of wind turbine blades.
Blades
The blades are the most important part of the wind generator system. The amount of energy produced by the device depends on their size and shape. Making blades for a wind generator with your own hands is very simple. There are many ways to make various types of such rotating elements. Even the most inexperienced master can easily use step-by-step instructions and tips.
DIY creation
To create blades for a wind generator with your own hands, it is worth following a certain plan. Such manufacturing technology will not only avoid errors in operation, but also guarantee the creation of blades proportionally suitable for the engine.
First, you need to determine the size of the blades of the wind generator. Typically, the length of a rotating surface is directly proportional to engine power. The longer the blade, the more energy is required to rotate it. It is necessary to carry out all the necessary mathematical calculations in advance, determining the length of the blade of the wind generator, its width and thickness. Next, you need to decide on the form. The ease of its rotation depends on this criterion. The most advantageous shape for such a surface will be a thin and wide blade in the shape of a curved triangle.
Secondly, you should draw a diagram or drawing of the blade on graph paper, and then transfer it to the material using a paper pattern. Care must be taken to avoid inaccuracies or deviations from the drawing, otherwise there may be difficulties when starting the wind generator, as well as malfunctions in the process of its operation.
Thirdly, you need to carefully cut or cut the blades from the prepared material, cutting off strictly along the line of the pattern. After the blades are separated from the rest of the material used, the products should be carefully filed and then soft sandpaper. This will smooth the working surface, help to avoid unnecessary friction, and also save the process of movement of the blades from various kinds of difficulties and obstacles.
Fourthly, it is necessary to fix the blades on the connecting element. This can be done with bolts and epoxy. Fastenings should be strong and not to allow the blades to move freely. The operability and wear resistance of a future wind generator directly depend on the strength of the system.
You can make blades for a wind generator with your own hands from several types of materials. Plywood, PVC tube or sheet aluminum are well suited for this.
PVC pipe blades
Blades made of PVC pipe are of two types. The first type includes long and narrow rotating elements, and the second - wide and much shorter.
The blades of the first type are used in generators that produce a small amount of electrical energy, and the screws of the second type are actively installed in the installation of industrial wind power plants.
You can make both types of blades for a wind generator from a PVC pipe.
To do this, take a piece of pipe that matches the length of the blade, and cut it lengthwise. Then you need to straighten the pipe, turning it into a polyvinyl chloride sheet and leave it under pressure for several days. After the pipe takes the form of a perfectly flat sheet, you can apply the contours of the future blade to it using a pre-made pattern.
Next, it is necessary to process the obtained parts and fasten them together using epoxy resin, turning it into a ready-made screw for an electric generator.
Aluminum blades
The manufacture of a wind generator blade from an aluminum sheet is carried out according to the same scheme according to which work with a PVC pipe is carried out. However, a significant difference between the two systems is the method of attaching the blades to the connecting element. When working with aluminum, it is better not to use bolts and epoxy, but to connect the parts with rivets.
Also, aluminum elements require more thorough processing with a file, emery and two types of sandpaper. The sharp edge of the blade should first be filed with rough sandpaper and then sanded with a soft one. If necessary, you can remove large excess material with emery. He can also smooth out serious irregularities in the blades.
Fiberglass blades
The most painstaking and requiring great patience is the method of manufacturing the blades for a wind generator using fiberglass. Any product from this material is created in three stages.
At the first stage, one should determine the shape and size of the blade, i.e., calculate the blades of the wind generator. Based on these data, you can begin to manufacture the mold for the future product. Typically, the form is sawn from soft wood, carefully processed with sandpaper. The shape should be smooth, without scratches, bulges and irregularities, since all of them can inevitably affect the surface of the blade.
The second stage consists of directly making the blades for a wind generator with your own hands, that is, the sequential laying of fiberglass strips in a mold. Carefully iron each layer, avoiding air bubbles or various debris. After the mold is completely filled, it is closed with a pre-made lid, and the blade is left in a warm place until it dries completely.
At the third stage, home-made blades for a wind generator should be carefully checked for curvature and deformation, and then treated with sandpaper. For greater durability, the blades can be painted or varnished. This will give the product the most aesthetic look.
Further, by analogy with other methods, it is necessary to fix the manufactured parts on a rotating connecting element using bolts. Due to the special structure of fiberglass, it is not recommended to use rivets or other types of fastenings that are not removable.
Blade Drawings
The drawing of the blades of a wind generator can be easily found in various forums of interest. One of the options presented to your attention in the photo above. Of course, it should be used only as an example, substituting the necessary values of the length and width of the rotating elements of the generator system.
There are a large number of different drawings and diagrams that can be taken as a sample when designing blades for your own wind machine.
However, no matter what pattern the resourceful owner of the house uses, the main criterion remains the length of the wind generator blade, since the operability and efficiency of the future device depends on it.
Examples of blades
There are a large number of different forms of wind turbine blades. Each of them is used in its own specific field. In places where the windy climate prevails, long and thin blades are usually installed. But on the territory where there is a deficit of wind, they are mounted wide and short, which, thanks to their surface, more actively capture wind flows.
Balancing
After making the blades for the wind generator with your own hands, you should balance and adjust them. The first is done by hanging the blades on a rope to the ceiling. You should monitor the behavior of the blade in the air, as well as immediately identify the disproportion of its parts, if present. You also need to pay attention to the relationship of the blade to the air flow, to find out if there are any obstacles to dissecting the air with the edge of the blade. The wind generator is adjusted using an anemometer, the values of which calibrate the device.
It must be remembered that the process of bringing the device to work with maximum efficiency will take more than one week and will require great patience and perseverance from the creator.
A wind generator usually requires from one to three weeks to adjust and adapt to the climate and wind regime of a particular area. Fine tuning will achieve maximum efficiency of the device.