Wind Turbines

A wind turbine is a machine for converting the kinetic energy in wind into mechanical energy.

Types of wind turbines :

Windmills :

If the mechanical energy is used directly by machinery, such as a pump or grinding stones, the machine is usually called a windmill.

Wind Turbines :

If the mechanical energy is then converted to electricity, the machine is called a wind

generator.

Wind turbines are classified into two general types: horizontal axis and vertical axis.

A horizontal axis machine has its blades rotating on an axis parallel to the ground. A

vertical axis machine has its blades rotating on an axis perpendicular to the ground.

There are a number of available designs for both and each type has certain

advantages and disadvantages. However, compared with the horizontal axis type,

very few vertical axis machines are available commercially.

Parts of a wind turbine :

•The nacelle contains the key components of the wind turbine, including the gearbox, and the electrical generator.

•The tower of the wind turbine carries the nacelle and the rotor. Generally, it is an advantage to have a high tower, since wind speeds increase farther away from the ground.

•The rotor blades capture wind energy and transfer its power to the rotor hub.

•The generator converts the mechanical energy of the rotating shaft to electrical energy

•The gearbox increases the rotational speed of the shaft for the generator.