Need some guidance... please!

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kduval
kduval Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭
in Wind Power Generation #1
Hello,

First post here. I am generally pretty good at locating the things I need, but I am a bit overwhelmed with all the wind power products. I am a metal artist, and have been building (windmill) style sculptures for a few years. They have been purely decorative up til this point, but I feel that the cries for some sort of power generation from these sculptures must finally be silenced :) I am looking for a descent quality kit that can be modified to achieve this. I know that I have a long way to go, but I need to have quality components that can be modified, or machined to fit the aesthetics and movements of the sculptures, and remain safe, and functional. Hopefully I will be able to simply attach my "rotor" directly to the alternator shaft. I would also appreciate any info on how to disperse this power. Ideally I would like to charge some batteries for some LED lighting, and for charging of USB devices. Any guidance of any kind will be greatly appreciated. Thanks
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  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
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    Re: Need some guidance... please!

    It is difficult enough to get useful power from a specifically designed air turbine blade at ground level, given the low wind velocity and turbulence.
    I doubt that you would be able to capture enough energy to be useful for charging any kind of battery.
    To give you an idea of what is involved, first how fast do your sculptures rotate?
    Second, how much resistance can you apply to the shaft and still have them turn?

    If you want to capture useful energy from your rotors, I would suggest that you use a loop of continuous bucket chain to lift marbles that then roll down through a marble machine kinetic structure.
    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.
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  • kduval
    kduval Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭
    #3
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    Re: Need some guidance... please!

    Haha... I have been thinking about that marble idea for a while as well! They turn pretty good in a descent wind. I wouldnt want to put too much resistance on them or they will lose some of their grace. Would it be possible to direct power some LEDs from a rotor?
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,439 admin
    #4
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    Re: Need some guidance... please!

    I agree with Inetdog. About the only useful energy you will get from the turbine is to mount solar panels to it as part of the design (some LED lighting/small sound installation as examples).

    It is difficult to get "real turbines" to generate useful power, especially on towers less than 30 feet tall in open areas. In parks and around buildings, the amount of turbulence makes it pretty much impossible.

    To get "useful" amounts of wind, the area would have to be pretty close to miserable due to prevailing winds (i.e., if you have ever been on a windy hilltop or beach cliff where the trees are "flagging" because of prevailing winds. Not usually where parks and sculptures are installed.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • kduval
    kduval Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭
    #5
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    Re: Need some guidance... please!

    Hmmm. I guess I thought that charging a small battery would be pretty easy. Seems like these sculptures spin all the time, so I thought it would be pretty simple. I definitely wasnt looking for optimal efficiency or tons of power... more of a novelty, but I wanted it to work all the same. Thought it would be neat to install one in a park, or on the street where people could charge their phones with green energy. Oh well... looks like marbles it is :) Thanks for the reality check
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,439 admin
    #6
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    Re: Need some guidance... please!
    kduval wrote: »
    Would it be possible to direct power some LEDs from a rotor?

    LED's use very small amounts of power--You could probably do it. All you need are a few permanent magnets, make some loops of copper wire, and a few diodes (turn AC into DC power).

    You can get down into the 1 Hamster Power alternator and power a couple LEDs (really, 1 Hamster Power):

    http://www.otherpower.com/hamster.html

    Modify the construction materials for out doors installation. Note that some high powered magnets do not do well with water--Make sure you paint them well, at least. Covering to keep metallic dust from collecting on the magnets/rotating parts may be helpful (depending on your environment, how often to service, etc.).

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • kduval
    kduval Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭
    #7
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    Re: Need some guidance... please!
    BB. wrote: »
    LED's use very small amounts of power--You could probably do it. All you need are a few permanent magnets, make some loops of copper wire, and a few diodes (turn AC into DC power).

    You can get down into the 1 Hamster Power alternator and power a couple LEDs (really, 1 Hamster Power):

    http://www.otherpower.com/hamster.html

    Modify the construction materials for out doors installation. Note that some high powered magnets do not do well with water--Make sure you paint them well, at least. Covering to keep metallic dust from collecting on the magnets/rotating parts may be helpful (depending on your environment, how often to service, etc.).

    -Bill

    Is there no ready made alternator that could accomplish this?
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  • kduval
    kduval Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭
    #8
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    Re: Need some guidance... please!

    Perhaps a bicycle alternator will be my simplest solution for direct lighting. Really only useful if the wind is blowing at night though
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,439 admin
    #9
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    Re: Need some guidance... please!

    With your metal working skills--I am sure you will have no problem. (really).

    All you need to do is figure out the right magnets and the turns and diameter of wire per coil (and how many coils/magnets) you want to use.

    Your needs are small (not building a 1 kWatt wind turbine)... Books like this may help (define the magnets, geometry, and coil design):

    Scoraig Wind "Recipe Book" for DYI Turbines

    Some other websites that work with wind turbines more than ours does can probably help too:

    www.otherpower.com
    Hugh Piggott - Scoraig Wind Electric
    www.greenpowertalk.org

    The electrical part is not difficult... But you do need to know/learn a bit of electronics (diodes, LEDs, Resistors) and a bit of math (V=I*R type stuff) to have a better idea of how to build it out.

    To give you an idea of what can be done event with low RPM lighting:

    http://www.treehugger.com/culture/sahalie-self-powered-bike-pedals.html

    There is also the whole area of electro luminescent art.

    http://electroluminescence-inc.com/

    It is also very low power, but does need ~150 VAC (guessing) to run (two wires electrically excite the luminescent material). So a bit more electronics (not expensive) (perhaps you can do the high voltage directly--Don't know). Also EL, to me, seems to not last too long outside (sunlight/UV degrade, as will 1,000's of hours of illumination) (again, not sure, just a warning).

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,439 admin
    #10
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    Re: Need some guidance... please!

    A bike alternator may not work--They are designed to output more power (3-6 watts or more). And many will "cog" (the magnets/pole pieces line up--Just like two magnets passing near each other), which will tend to prevent the rotor from turning except in higher winds (and/or larger blade designs to provide enough torque to begin spinning).

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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