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The WSE wind turbine generator system is a state of –the-art small generator designed both to charge batteries and supply electrical loads in at 48v. when used in conjunction with a suitable sine wave DC-AC inverter and a battery bank, the WSE wind turbine can also supply AC power to house appliances.
When unpacked the kit should contain: this includes tower
3 tower sections ( 3 meters each )
3 aerofoil blades
1 large alternator connected to a length of cable
1 hub
1 base plate for tower
2 steel pegs for base plate
3 angled pegs for guy - lines
6 U-clamps for guy - lines
3 tensioners for guy - lines
3 lengths of wire for guy - lines
1 nose cone
1 charge controller
various nuts and bolts for assembling the system.
Wind Power Basics
Blades/Rotor System
The rotor system consists of three fibreglass blades. Acting like aircraft wings, the blades convert the energy of the wind into rotational forces that can drive a generator. The fibreglass blades are exceptionally strong because they are densely packed with glass reinforcing fibers that run the full length of the blade. The rotor has three blades because three blades will run much smoother than rotors with two blades.
Alternator
The WSE wind generator is a horizontal axis wind generator. The alternator utilizes permanent magnets and has an inverted configuration in that the outside housing(magnet can) rotates, while the internal windings and central shaft are stationary.
The output from the alternator is three-phase alternating current(ac), but it is rectified to direct current by the controller which is a part of the system. Since it uses permanent magnets, the alternator is generating voltage whenever the rotor is turning.
Nacelle
The nacelle is the plastic housing around the main body of the machine. It contains the main structural backbone of the turbine(called the mainframe), the slip-ring assembly the yaw bearings, and the tower mount. The yaw bearings allow the wind turbine to freely pivot around the top of the tower so that the rotor will face into the wind.
The slip-ring assembly is the electrical connection between the moving(as it orients with the wind direction)wind turbine and the fixed tower wiring. The slip-rings and yaw bearings are located just above the tower mount.
System Operation
The rotor of the turbine should begin to rotate when the wind speed reaches approximately 3m/s. (for the first several weeks of operation, however, the start-up wind speed will be higher because the bearing seals have not worn in.) battery charging should commence shortly after the rotor spins up to speed. Once turning, the rotor will continue to turn in lower wind speeds, down to approximately 2.5m/s. the rotor speed will increase with increasing wind speed and the system will provide a higher output. This output increase rapidly because the energy available in the wind varies as the third power(cube) of the wind speed. For example, if the wind speed doubles from 5m/s to 10m/s, the energy in the wind increases by a factor of eight(2 3=2x2x2=8). One result of this relationship is that there is very little energy available in light winds. For the average site, winds in the range of 5.5 -9m/s will provide most of the system annual energy production.
High Winds – AutoFurl
During periods of high wind speeds the AutoFurl system will automatically protect the wind turbine. When furled, the power output of the turbine will be significantly reduced. In winds between 13m/s and 18m/s it is normal for the turbine to repeatedly furl, unfurl and then furl again. In winds above 18m/s the turbine should remain continuously furled.
AutoFurl is a simple and elegant method of providing high wind speed protection. The AutoFurl system is based on aerodynamic forces on the rotor, gravity, and the carefully engineered geometry of the wind turbine. As shown in Figure, the aerodynamic forces acting on the blades cause a thrust force pushing back on the
rotor. This force increases with increasing wind speeds. The thrust force acts through the centreline of the rotor, which is offset from the centreline of the tower pivot axis(yaw axis). Therefore, the thrust force on the rotor is always trying to push the rotor over to the side, away from the wind.
But the rotor is kept facing into the wind at speeds up to 12.5m /s by the wind turbine tail assembly. The tail, in turn, is kept straight by its own weight because its pivot at the back of the nacelle is inclined. So the weight of the tail holds it against a rubber bumper and the tail holds the rotor into the wind.
The geometries in the systems are carefully balanced so that at 12.5m /s the rotor force acting on the yaw-offset is large enough to overcome the preset force holding the tail straight. At this point the rotor will start turning away from the wind or furling. The tail stays aligned with the wind direction. The speed of furling depends on the severity of the wind gusts and whether the wind turbine stays furled depends on the wind speed.
As the wind turbine furls the geometry of the tail pivot caused the tail to lift slightly. When the high winds subside the weight of the tail assembly returns the whole turbine to the straight position. The AutoFurl system works whether the turbine is loaded or unloaded.
The AutoFurl system is completely passive, so it is very reliable and since there are no wear points, like in a mechanical brake system, it is very robust.
There is one situation in the field, however, that we have found an disrupt the operation of AutoFurl. If the wind turbine is installed on a sharp hill or next to a cliff so that the wind can come up through the rotor on an incline(e.g., from below; as opposed to horizontally) we know that this will affect furling and can produce higher peak outputs. We strongly recommend avoiding this situation.
The wind generator is designed to survive in wind speeds of up to 90mph.
Components of Wind Energy Systems
The basic components of a typical wind energy system are shown below:
These basic components include:
A rotor, consisting of blades with aerodynamic surfaces. When the wind blows over the blades, the rotor turns, causing the generator or alternator in the turbine to rotate and produce electricity.
A gearbox, which matches the rotor speed to that of the generator/alternator. The smallest turbines (under 10 kW) usually do not require a gearbox.
An enclosure, or nacelle, which protects the gearbox, generator and other components of the turbine from the elements.
A tail fin or yaw system, which aligns the turbine with the wind.
If you plan on building a horizontal axis wind turbine, you will need a tower on which to mount the turbine (vertical axis turbines are usually built on the ground).
Several types of towers are available:
Guyed lattice towers, where the tower is permanently supported by guy wires. These towers tend to be the least expensive, but take up a lot of space on a yard. A radio broadcast tower is a good example of a guyed lattice tower.
Guyed tilt-up towers, which can be raised and lowered for easy maintenance and repair.
Self-supporting towers, which do not have guy wires. These towers tend to be the heaviest and most expensive, but because they do not require guy wires, they do not take up as much space on a yard.
An important factor in how much power your wind turbine will produce is the height of its tower. The power available in the wind is proportional to the cube of its speed. This means that if wind speed doubles, the power available to the wind generator increases by a factor of 8 (2 x 2 x 2 = 8). Since wind speed increases with height, increases to the tower height can mean enormous increases in the amount of electricity generated by a wind turbine.
Make sure to check local bylaws about height restrictions for wind turbine towers. Use a tower approved by the wind turbine manufacturer otherwise the warranty on the turbine may become invalid. Also ensure the tower is connected to an underground metal object to ground the tower in case of a lightning strike.
You need a disconnect switch that can electrically isolate the wind turbine from the rest of the wind energy system. An automatic disconnect switch is necessary to prevent damage to the rest of the system in case of an electrical malfunction or a lightning strike. It also allows maintenance and system modifications to be safely made to the turbine. There are other system components you may choose or need to purchase. You may need batteries to store excess energy generated by the wind turbine. Because energy is stored in batteries as DC power, you may need an inverter to convert power from the batteries to the AC power required to run electrical appliances in your home.
If your home or farm is connected to the power grid, on windier days you may be able to "sell" excess power generated by your wind turbine to your utility. Then, at other times when your turbine cannot generate all the power you need, you would buy power from the grid. This concept is called "net metering", or "net billing". Net metering is currently available in most areas of the UK - Contact your local utility for more information.
Even if net metering is unavailable, you might be able to reduce your power bills by using the electricity you generate using a grid-connected wind turbine. If you do this, then you would not have to buy as much electricity from your utility.
If you do connect your wind turbine to the grid, your utility will require a transfer switch between the wind turbine and the utility line as a well as a two-way meter to keep track of the energy you have stored in and taken from the power grid. It is very important that your wind generator meets certain standards and that it does not pose a risk to your utility's personnel or equipment. It is also important that the quality of power coming from your turbine adequately matches the electrical characteristics
The performance of a wind turbine is normally described by manufacturers using a performance curve of power output versus wind speed, called a power curve.
What’s the Point of the Wind Generator?
The wind generator harnesses the natural energy of nature to provide a free and plentiful supply of power. Each kWh of electricity produced from the wind generator can prevent 1kg of CO 2 being emitted into the atmosphere by power stations. In a windy location, a 1kW generator has the potential to save 9tonnes of CO2 each year. On average, wind generators probably achieve something like 25-40% of their potential output throughout the year – as it is not always windy! Even at this level, a very significant contribution to reducing global warming is made.
Location, location, location!
The wind generator is not magic – it will not produce a good output in all locations. You must ensure that the wind generator is sited in an area where you have sufficient wind resource. This requires careful consideration, as obstacles such as trees, houses and the geography of the landscape can all affect the amount of wind reaching the generator.
Finding the best possible site for your wind machine is critical and should be done carefully. The following steps may be carried out when assessing locations for your wind turbine:
Observe wind and terrain characteristics
Measure wind speed at each site being considered
Check legal restrictions
Site Observation: Your own observation can be useful in assessing the wind energy potential of your site. It is essential that turbines should be sited away from obstructions. Wind speed also increases with height so it is best to have the turbine high up, and most small turbines have towers much higher relative to their diameter than larger ones. The ideal position for a wind turbine generator is a smooth hilltop. The wind speeds up significantly near the top of the hill and the airflow should be reasonably smooth, i.e. free from excessive turbulence. Excessive turbulence may cause fatigue damage and shortens a turbine’s working life.
As a general rule of thumb, you should install a wind turbine on a tower such that it is at least 6 ft above any obstacles within 300 ft. Smaller turbines typically go on shorter towers than larger turbines. We do not recommend mounting wind turbines to small buildings that people live in because of the inherent problems of turbulence, noise, and vibration – which travels readily through the structure of a building.
See the diagram below for an example of a good location.
Where you choose to build your wind turbine is important. Remember that if nearby houses, tree lines and silos obstruct the full force of the wind from your wind turbine, you will not be able to generate as much power.
Also keep the following in mind:
Wind speeds are always higher at the top of a hill, on a shoreline, and in places clear of trees and other structures.
Remember that trees grow over the years; wind turbine towers do not.
Inform neighbours of your plans to avoid conflict later on.
Be courteous. Keep the turbine as far away from neighbours as possible.
Wind speeds tend to be higher on the top of a ridge or hill, and for that reason it is a good idea to locate wind turbines at hilly locations Just remember to keep your turbine away from high turbulence. Neighbours must also be taken into consideration when picking a spot to build your turbine. The farther your wind turbine site is from neighbouring houses, the better.
Do not expect your wind turbine to generate the same amount of power all the time. The wind speed at a single location may vary considerably, and this can have a significant impact on the power production from a wind turbine (Figure 3). Even if the wind speed varies by only 10%, the power production from a wind turbine can vary by up to 25%!
Example of wind speed distribution by hour of the day.
Values shown are monthly averages of measurements made by anemometers.
Wiring
Wiring of the wind turbine is very straightforward. The wind generator is a 3-phase alternator, generating 3-phase AC. This is rectified by the charge controller, which then feeds DC to the batteries. Once the batteries are fully charged, the charge controller diverts the excess power to the ‘dump load’ output, where it can be connected to a resistive heating load. Specially designed resistive air heater dump loads can be purchased through your supplier, or alternatively, you can connect the load to some other kind of resistive load. Heater elements designed to be used with 220v, may be used, although they are likely to produce less power than their intended design.
The wind generator comes attached to a long length of flexible cable. This 3 core cable should be connected to the charge controller 3-way input. The input is not colour-coded, as it does not matter which way these are connected, as the 3wires bear AC current
The charge controller should be connected to the battery via it’s red and black outputs (red=positive, black=negative). Ensure that you have the correct battery size for your system (200W units normally utilise 24v batteries, 500W utilises 36v and 1000 or 2000W utilises 48v). You can make up a 48v battery out of 4x 12v batteries wired in series. Ensure that the batteries used are identical types and of identical age. Mixing different types/sizes/ages of battery will cause all the batteries in the bank to fail prematurely. If you need to replace batteries, you should replace all at once.
Batteries
You can use any type or size of battery. However, car batteries are not designed to cope with deep charge/discharge cycles, and so they will not have a long lifespan. Truck batteries are a little better, and leisure batteries are better still. Dedicated ‘deep cycle’ batteries are the best option, as they have larger plates, larger gaps between plates, and more clearance between the plates and the bottom of the battery casing, to allow greater debris build-up before problems arise. If you are unsure about the batteries, please contact your supplier, who can advise you further.
The Inverter (optional)
I. General Introduction
This device transforms the DC power energy into a 220V 50Hz AC power source. The device produces a modified-sine wave, which is suitable for powering many, but not all types of equipment.
II. Performance
The inveter incorporates specially designed American micro-processors for control and German IXYS MOSFET transistors together with Japanese intelligent power IGBT module (IPM) as the main circuit. This power source has the characteristics of good transient response, high contra-variant efficiency, stable output voltage and so on, and has the best EMI index at the same time. This power source is provided with a series of protection measures such as DC input over-voltage and under-voltage protection, DC input reversal polarity connection protection, AC output over-voltage, over-power and short-circuit protection as well as the machine’s internal over-temperature protection and so on, enabling high performance under all conditions
III. Operation Scope
This inverter has been designed and manufactured in line with the characteristics of renewable energy generating systems, and is mainly used for the wind and solar power systems.
IV. Caution
1.There is a 110 or 220V AC high voltage electricity in the socket of the inverter, please put it in a place where children cannot reach.
2.Please don’t put the inverter in a damp place; it should be located in an environment with good ventilation and protected from the elements.
3.When the fan is in operation, please ensure that you keep fingers etc away from its blades
VI. Protective Functions
1.DC under-voltage protection: When the DC voltage is lower than 88% of the rated voltage, the bias indicator light turns on, the output is blocked; and the output will be restored automatically after the DC voltage has risen.
2.DC over-voltage protection: When the DC voltage is higher than the rated voltage by 30%, the bias indicator light will flash, the output is blocked; and the output will be restored automatically after the DC voltage has lowered.
3.Output short-circuit protection: If by any chance the AC output is short-circuited, the over-load indicator light turns on and the output is blocked, and the output can be restored only by turning off the machine and then re-starting it.
4.Output over-load protection: When the output load reaches 120% of the load of rated power for 10 minutes or reaches 150% of the load of rated power for 4 seconds, the over-load protection activates.
5.DC input reversal connection protection: When the “+” and “-” of the inverter input are connected in a reverse way, there will be no output. However, the unit will be protected against damage, and will function correctly once the wiring fault has been rectified.
VII. Installation and Operation
DO NOT CONNECT THE WIND TURBINE TO THE INVERTER WITHOUT CONNECTING BATTERIES. The inverter will not work, and will suffer irreparable damage.
DO NOT DISCONNECT BATTERIES WHILE INVERTER IS RUNNING – permanent damage will occur.
Place the switch in position “OFF”.
Use a copper wire with a diameter greater than 6MM to connect pole “+” of the battery with pole “+” of the inverter and pole “-” of the battery with pole “-” of the inverter.
Connect the load with the terminals of “AC 220V” of the inverter.
Place the switch in position “ON”.
‘Objectionable’ Aspects of Wind Generators
Being neighbourly
Many people feel strongly about the need to preserve the landscape, views, history, and peace and quiet of their neighbourhoods. Make sure you discuss your plans to build a wind turbine with your neighbours. Understand your neighbours' natural fear of the unknown and be prepared to respond to their concerns.
Some of the concerns raised about wind turbines are untrue. Wind turbines are not, as many people believe, dangerous to birds. A sliding glass door is more dangerous to birds than a small wind turbine. The risk can be minimised further by painting the tips of the blades so that they can be seen easily when spinning fast. Wind turbines have a very low potential to interfere with radio and television reception. All modern turbines, large and small, have blades made of fibreglass or wood. These materials are transparent to electromagnetic waves such as radio and television.
Maintenance
A wind turbine requires periodic maintenance such as oiling and greasing, and regular safety inspections. Check bolts and electrical connections annually; tighten if necessary. Once a year check wind turbines and towers for corrosion or cracks and check the guy wires supporting the tower for proper tension on a monthly basis.
If the turbine blades are wood, paint to protect from the elements. Apply a durable leading edge tape to protect the blades from abrasion due to dust and insects in the air. If the paint cracks or the leading edge tape tears away, the exposed wood will quickly erode. Moisture penetrating into the wood causes the rotor become unbalanced, stressing the wind generator. Inspect wooden blades annually, and do any repairs immediately.
After 10 years, blades and bearings may need to be completely replaced. With proper installation and maintenance, your turbine can last 20-30 years or longer. Proper maintenance will also minimize the amount of mechanical noise produced by your wind turbine.
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