Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

For those who recall, I announced the commissioning of my 1KW wind generator last year on this forum.
I have sad news for you today.

Last Friday, I came home from work to find hte wind generator on the ground and the blades and tail damaged.

On close inspection, it appears that the vertical shaft, which allows the generator to rotate on the vertical axis (yaw?), has sheared off just under the bearing.
There has been no wind in excess of 60km/h around here since installation and it is specified with a maximum wind speed of 144km/h.

I emailed the ePay supplier on Monday advising of the problem but have not yet received a reply from them. I will use the ePay message system next.

I will keep forum members appraised of the situation.

Tony

Hi Tony,
Sorry to hear of your misfortune.
It looks like a design problem, you would expect a solid steel shaft to have been used for that point as its under a lot of stress.

Hope you get it resolved quickly.

that's a shame, maybe a VAWT would have been a better option. I'm looking into a different kind of vawt now after I saw this on youtube from following a link that was posted in this thread earlier. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KVaVNTG ... re=related
It seems to be more efficient in low wind conditions. Would anyone be interested in purchasing wind generators? I can build anything and if I get success out of this turbine idea I might think about manufacture if enough people are interested.

Damn........ I would Agree with Hex. That really should be a solid axle.

This stuff shouldn't happen. Lucky there wasn't anything or any one under it when it fell....

In that video Zombie, notice how there is obviously an external wind source in that demonstration, like a fan or blower. Plus if you look at the orientation of the the two blades the the leading edges of the blades on the large turbine are facing the wind source, but the trailing edges are facing the wind in the smaller blades. Wind is merely being deflected off the back of the curved blades.

your point?

Hey Zombie..... FYI .... http://www.reuk.co.uk/print.php?article ... -Plans.htm

And a source for "strong" magnets .... http://www.reuk.co.uk/print.php?article ... rbines.htm

thanks rup... I've never been one for plans, I'm more of a build as I go person. I've built a few savonius rotors for a friend just using 44 gallon drums and truck alternators, but this multi blade turbine looks more efficient because it allows wind to pass through it more freely than the sav rotors do, which theoretically would allow the air passing through to provide extra force when escaping. good idea about the hard drives though, that's one way of using potiential landfill in a more productive fashion. I think I might make a prototype out of coke cans just to test the torque and rpm of the 2 devices and I'll decide what to do from there. I'll keep ya's posted. this is certainly something that is a cheap and practical way of generating electricity especially in coastal areas. I live 200 metres from moreton bay so I've always got a good breeze.

My Point was that based on the direction and position of the artificial wind source, the regular savonius tubine is facing the wrong direction to start moving.

I am not saying that this design isn't better or worse I just think those youtube videos are nothing to go on....

More wind exiting the blades would mean less force transfered to the turbine. Plus as the wind hits the blades the turbulence and movement of the blades would almost suck the air upwards, it doesn't pass through.

Being lightweight and a high surface are definite advantages.

wind direction doesn't matter with these devices. the position I can see your point as in you think the multi blade turbine is infront of the savonious causing a windbreak so to speak... but... the streamer is moving inbetween them 90% of the time which would say the fan is behind the camera facing the same way. I think the multi blade spins because it doesn't have as much wind resistance as the savonious. theoretically it is more efficient and it's inspired me to test it.

technology is beautiful, I'll never have a windmill, they are the old, I say in with the new.

I would like to have seen both in a real world situation is all I was on about.

But yeah that big one looks neater than the savonious turbine, I do like the look of them.

Have you got access to an old photocopier to take apart? The long cylindrical cooling fans would be perfect for a small scale test....

I will get a pic........

EDIT: Here, just like this!

Take the blades off, get some really high spec bearings and stick it out side... see if it spins...

I'm all out of them. does anyone know of an electronics recycling company? so many things to reuse.

That's a "squirrel cage" fan, a variant of a centrifugal fan. I bet the racecom turbine has a different blade profile - the squirrel cage fan ones are straight.

The individual blades are curved and on a angle. It seems to spin ok when I blow on it... The bearings are just stuffed, plus it is still attached to the motor. I still need it as a fan. I use it as a notebook cooler, lol!

Oh Tony, that's enough to make me cry

More 20km/h winds going to waste here.