How a Wind Turbine Generates Electricity

Source: http://petersonwmu.wordpress.com/



English 202C: Peter B. Jackson
A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy (wind) into electrical energy (electricity).
Wind turbines work in a way opposite that of a fan. Unlike a fan that uses electricity to generate
wind, a wind turbine uses wind to generate electricity. Today, they come in different shapes,
sizes, and are known to be located either on land or offshore. They are also supported by a
structure known as a tower, where we normally find a ladder and cables. The ladder provides
easy access to the turbine and the cables are responsible for transfer of electricity.


Basic Wind Turbine Configurations

Figure 1 shows the two main
configurations of wind turbines:
The Horizontal Axis Wind
Turbine (HAWT) design
The Vertical Axis Wind Turbine
(VAWT) design
The HAWT design, also the most
common one today, has the main rotor
shaft and generator at the top of the tower
facing the wind.
VAWT has its main rotor shaft
perpendicular to the wind.
Although, the two configurations are
different, they operate in the same way.



General Parts of a Wind Turbine

Figure 2 show the general operating components of a wind turbine and their functions.
General parts of a wind turbine:
The Rotor comprises of the blades and
the hub. Most turbines have either two
or three blades
The rotor rotates when the wind blows
and causes the main shaft to rotate.
A Nacelle aims to orient the rotor
towards the wind and it also houses
the inside components of the turbine.
The Tower, usually 90 meters or more,
supports the structure of the turbine.
The High altitude enables turbines to
harness stronger winds and ultimately
generate more electricity.


Figure 1: The Two Main Wind Turbine Configurations
Figure 2: The General Parts of a Wind Turbine
The Function of the Major Components


Major Parts:
Brake which stops the
rotor mechanically, electrically or
hydraulically in case of
emergencies
Low-speed shaft spins at
about 30 revolutions per minute
(rpm)
Gearbox increases rotations
from about 30 rpm to 1500 rpm,
the most required speed by most
generators
High-speed shaft drives the
generator.
Pitch orients the blades out
of the wind in order to control the
rotor speed. The pitch keeps the
rotor from turning in winds that are
too low or too high.
Generator produces
electricity by converting rotational energy into electrical energy
Controller starts rotations at wind speed of about 15 mph and shuts off at 55 mph.
Turbine do not operate at speeds higher than 55 mph because they can be catastrophic.
Yaw motor powers the Yaw drive which in turn orients the wind turbine to face the wind.
Anemometers measures the wind speed and transmits the wind speed data to the
controller
A Wind vane detects wind direction


Yielding electricity

When the wind blows, it rotates the turbine blades. The wind vane detects the direction of the
wind and tells a controller to keep the rotor facing the wind to capture more energy. The rotor
blades use a principle similar to that of an airplane wing in that, the blowing air passes around
both sides of the blade. Its shape causes the air pressure to be higher on one side and lower on
the other. This uneven pressure is what causes the blades to spin. The low-speed shaft turns at
around 20 rpm which is relatively slow to generate electricity. So, it transfers the rotation speed
to the gear box which using a series of gears increases the speed to approximately 1,500 rpm.
This speed is transferred to the generator by the high-speed shaft. The generator converts the
rotational energy into electricity that goes into a transformer, which adjusts the voltage to suit its
final destination.


Figure 3: Major Parts of a Wind turbine
Conclusion

The winds kinetic energy turns the three propeller blades around a rotor hub. The rotor is
connected to the main shaft; the main shaft spins a generator which generates electricity.
It is important to note that, the amount of electricity generated by a wind turbine depends on the
diameter of the rotor and the wind speed.

























References:
American Wind Energy Association
http://energy.gov/eere/wind/how-does-wind-turbine-work
http://powerelectronics.com/power-electronics-systems/technology-solutions-key-achieving-
offshore-wind-power-benefits
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/wind/wind_how.html
http://cleantechnica.com/2012/03/01/how-wind-turbines-work/
http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/how-wind-energy-
works.html
http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/HowWindTurbinesWork.php#sthash.0nvlfCPS.dpuf
http://petersonwmu.wordpress.com/http://www.solarpowerwindenergy.org/parts-of-a-wind-turbine/