Title: Building an 8foot wind turbine Brent Summerville Appalachian State University
1Building an 8-foot wind turbineBrent
SummervilleAppalachian State University
2Research In search of Plans
- Backhome Magazine article www.backhomemagazine.com
- www.otherpower.com
- derived from Hugh Piggotts axial flux plans or
How to build a wind turbine - Go with the source and follow plans closely
3Research Hugh Piggott
- Workshops in Washington, Scoraig, CAT, Edinburgh,
Ghana, France, Costa Rica, Liverpool..
4Resources Woods Lab
- Sat in on Intro to Wood Technology
- Trained on techniques, tools, machinery and
safety - PracticeSanding block, cedar tool box
- Last semester for Bill Hanner
- Draw knife
- Hand plane
- Spoke shave
- Lathe
- Jointer
- Sanders
- Gluing panels
- Planer
- Bandsaw
- Drill press
- Table saw
5Resources Metals Lab
- Sat in on Intro class
- Trained on techniques, tools, and machinery
- Copper nameplate, dinner bell, apple butter stand
- Nice working with Leo and Dave
- Welding
- Mill
- Lathe
- Plasma torch
- Blacksmithing
- Grinding
- Tapping
- Sheet metal fab
- Drill press
- Iron worker
6(No Transcript)
7(No Transcript)
8(No Transcript)
9(No Transcript)
10Bladecarving
- Carve with draw knife and spoke shave
11Jointer, planer, table saw, and belt sander to
form 1-1/2x6x52 blanks
Finished length is 48. Keep long until finished
carving. Makes for a nice blade tip.
12Start with a precise layout
13Simple tools
14Carve the taper with the drawknifeClamp and
sand to keep the blades matched
15Carve the twist and check the drop
16The drawknife can remove a lot of material
quickly, and its a good workout
Carve the thickness
17The spoke shave is pleasant to work with
18Carve the airfoil, keep watch on the 30 line
19Bladecarving Suck not Push
Source http//www.graphics.cornell.edu/academic/a
rchartpcg/spring01/students/rr63/ROA/windworks01.j
pg
20Cut to length, cut the 120o angles, ready for the
rotor hub
21Layout holes for wood screws and studs
22Drill the through holes for the ½ studs square
to the hub
23Sanding the hub on the lathe
24Assemble the rotor, keep the tip-to-tip distance
within ½
25After painting and re-assembly, tip-to-tip was
84, 84-1/8, 84-1/4
26Decided to skip the wedges
27Axial Flux Alternator Stator
- Build a mold and layout coils
28Keep em tight so they will fit into the mold
29Clamp coils in position for soldering
30Strip with knife, solder, shrink tubing
31Build a mold
32Fiberglass cloth for strength
Mold release
33Place the coils, position the three output wires
in conduit, pour in polyester resin and cloth,
clamp and cure
34Free the stator and clean it up
35Axial Flux Alternator Rotors
- Buy laser-cut plates, machine the holes
- Careful with those Neo magnets!
- Position magnets with a jig
36Flat, not flat
My attempt at a rotor plate is on the right.
Laser cut plate on the left.
37Superglue magnets to plate to avoid movement
during casting
An index hole in every plate keeps things aligned
38Build a mold
39Do all three castings together and do it outside
(strong smell)
40Cast in Polyester resin with fiberglass
clothChecking the alternating polarity
41Stator and rotors, minimal air gap
42Axial Flux Alternator Magic
Rectified to DC (one phase shown)
An electrically charged particle moving in a
magnetic field will experience a force (known as
the Lorentz force) pushing it in a direction
perpendicular to the magnetic field and the
direction of motion Source http//www.wondermag
net.com/magfaq.htmlq18
Most of the electric power in the world is 3
phase. The concept was originally conceived by
Nikola Tesla and was proven that 3 phase was far
superior to single phase power. 3 phase power is
typically 150 more efficient than single phase
in the same power range. In a single phase unit
the power falls to zero three times during each
cycle, in 3 phase it never drops to zero. The
power delivered to the load is the same at any
instant. Also, in 3 phase the conductors need
only be 75 the size of conductors for single
phase for the same power output. source
www.windstuffnow.com/ main/3_phase_basics.htm
43Fabricate the Alternator Mount
Prep steel, fabricate
44Plasma torchupping the embodied energy
45The angle grinder cleans up ugly weldsThe
type disc with flexible sanding flaps works
nicely for finishing and smoothing
46Fabricate the Tail
- Vintage Jacobs whale tail
My version
47Assembly
- Too much time in Kerr Scott
- Moved the operation home for final assembly
- Wife and dogs were happy
- Stand borrowed from Whisper 200 demo
48Assembly Tower adapter
49Assembly Alternator Bracket
50Assembly Hub
51Assembly Back Rotor
52Assembly Stator
53Assembly Front Rotor and J-Box
54Assembly Tail
55Assembly Ready for Blades
56Costs
- Minimum for a new 1kW turbine is about 1700
- My cost 836
57Conclusion
- Well done plans
- Slight customization
- No wedges
- Wiring details
- Nose cone
- Lots of work
- Use of magic
- Lift
- Electricity
- Economical
- To do next controller and tower
58Questions?