Seeking Info for Wind Power Design

WattAboutThat · August 12

Wind Turbine Project Info Search

I am in search of

information regarding

wind turbine power generation.

Current Scenario:

I have 2 18kPV Inverters,

with battery array of 90kWh at 48V

and 23.1kW of Solar Panels.

Goal:

I would like to gain sufficient knowledge

to allow me to design an Array of

Vertical Axis Wind Turbines

to be used to generate additional

energy, when Sun is not available

to be used to keep the battery array charged.

Current Knowledge:

I currently know very little about the electronics needed or how to wire and interface the wind energy in to the existing system.

I have searched, and have not located useful info to help me understand all elements required to design this part of the system.

Things I Need to Know:

-1) Reliable source for

Vertical Axis Wind Generators

-2) Something similar to what an

MPPT does for solar panels,

to acquire the energy produced

might be referred to as a

Charge Controller, but not sure

-3) To understand if:

-A) the output is supposed to be

connected to the inverters,

to then be converted to be

used to charge the batteries,

OR

-B) if the output is to be connected

directly to the batteries to charge

the batteries, and if so, how to

wire to not harm the inverters

which are also charging the batteries

-4) How to monitor the charging status

-5) How to make sure the array of

Wind Turbines work together,

similar to an array of solar panels,

or at least wire so they do not

interfere with the other wind turbines

-6) An understanding of dump loads,

their purpose, and how to wire in,

and if there is a way to use that energy

to avoid just wasting it thru a resistor.

-7) Any links or tutorials where I can

immerse myself to learn everything

so ai don’t waste money with a

bad design

-8) Any other info you or anyone else

might suggest, that would be useful

for this project.

Thanks

SumPower · August 12

This link is a good primer for understanding small wind power.

https://www.solacity.com/small-wind-turbine-truth/

JRHill · August 14

Commenting here so I can get updates. The interest is vertical wind units.

BB. · August 15

In general, I have yet to read about a "successful" (meaning generates a reasonable amount of power in a reasonable wind, reliably for years) vertical wind turbine.

Example of a "high efficiency" VAWT farm (purely theoretical study):

https://www.windpowermonthly.com/article/1717471/vertical-axis-wind-turbines-really-future

Personally, I am not a fan of small wind. I don't think that (for almost everyone) that small wind HAWT generate a useful amount of energy over time. This is one of the products where Do It Yourself "small" HAWT are usually better (more reliable) than commercial products.

There was a test (from roughly 15 years ago) of Wind Turbines (both HAWT and VAWT) and how they performed in open field testing on (probably) >10 meter towers.

https://forum.solar-electric.com/discussion/3638/small-windpower-a-scam-survey-says-so/p1

From reading the web and lots of searches (a decade or two ago now), have all seemed to show that VAWT do not generate any useful energy... Both from the design of VAWT, and because people (at the time) installed VAWT too close to the ground (less than 10 meters, and not above local obstructions such as buildings, trees, etc.). They have been used as archetectural "bangles" from what I have seen.

VAWT has been "sold" as great for urban areas with changing wind directions, turbulance, etc. over HAWT. The answer is that "turbulent" wind/air has very low energy content. Need "laminar" flow winds (again 10-75 meter+ tall towers) for any wind turbine to harvest a significant amount of energy.

Other issues seem to be that "VAWT" are "mechanically complex" devices. Lots of stresses from wind, lots of cycle flexxing as blades go upwind/downwind (during normal rotation), lots of joints/fasteners (multiple blades, tied to multiple supports, etc.) and they just do not last.

We do not have a lot of wind power discussions here... These are some other forums/links that may have more information for you:

www.otherpower.com (good forum for DIY Wind Power)
Hugh Piggott - Scoraig Wind Electric site for tons of info (from mike90045)
Scoraig Wind "Recipe Book" for DYI Turbines (from Chris Olson... From his 4/11/2013 post)
www.greenpowertalk.org (added from "russ"--Like here but more wind/less solar)

Wind Works is a very good website:

https://wind-works.org/wind/small-wind/

Problem is that many of the "useful/interesting" links (many are 15-20+ years old now here) are going stale over time (link rot, companies going out of business, websites dying and being replaced by social media, etc.)....

In summary... NEVER do VAWT. They do not work, do not survive over time, are expensive. If you must do wind, HAWT is the only "reasonable" solution (in my humble opinion). The physics/mechanics have not changed in the last 20 years.

Have seen DIY turbines used in far north (Wisconsin, Minnesota, and such) were very little sun in winter, but lots of prevailing winds.

If you can justify, use solar panels as the first choice. HAWT may help in winter/stormy conditions--But not cheap (turbines are not the big costs, towers, concrete foundations, lift truck or tilt tower to service machine 30+ feet in the air, etc.).

Just out of curiosity... Assuming you are around Terre Haute Indiana. Fixed array facing south, tilted to 40 degrees from horizontal:

https://pvwatts.nrel.gov/pvwatts.php

Not South Western Sun, but really not bad. Over ~3 hours of sun per day can make sense for solar (December an't great)... Say you wanted 3,300 Watt*Hours per day (enough power for a good size cabin, or very efficient smaller home)...

3,300 WH per day * 1/0.52 off grid system efficiency * 1/3.6 hours of sun per day (average January) = 1,763 Watt array for January "break even"

Usually suggest only plan for using 50% to 65% of predicted power (save genset usage):

1,763 Watt array / 0.65 solar fudge factor = 2,712 Watt array for a "reasonable" solar power system thru January (need more genset or more panels for February)

Just some thoughts/suggestions.

-Bill

Seeking Info for Wind Power Design

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