20160207 - windmills - 4

How Does a Windmill Work?

Winds are produced due to uneven heating of the atmosphere by the sun, the rotation of the earth and the irregularities of the earth’s surface. Wind flow patterns differ from place to place and are modified by bodies of water, vegetation, and differences in terrain. This next section explains briefly but accurately how windmills work. Sourcing more extensive information, readers will learn that understanding technical processes initiated in wind turbines will be easy to follow because the manner in which windmills work follows a simple process. Here we continue to rely on layman’s terms.

• A number of different options were tried when modern wind turbines were first built. Today, the universal mechanizing principle is to operate the turbine by using just three blades placed around a rotor which is connected to a shaft. Note that number of variations have been tried, two blade and even one blade. But, three blades works the best.
• As its name states, the windmill’s only source of energy is derived from the wind. The wind turns the blades which spins a shaft, in turn, prompt a generator to produce electricity. These blades are connected to a generator, sometimes through a gearbox and sometimes directly. In both the cases, the generator converts the mechanical energy into electrical energy. Interestingly, most modern turbines turn in a clockwise direction. Depending on wind speed, most modern turbines can operate at speeds from as little as four meters per second to as much as 15 mps.
• Quite a number of green energy advocates and NGO’s describe the wind-generator process more succinctly by correlating it closely with the environmental sustainability initiatives.
• Once the turbine’s blades turns a shaft located inside of a box placed on top of the turbine, gearbox mode is propelled and more speed rotation is given off. A transformer within the turbine then converts electricity into a voltage suitable for distribution to a national grid.

Main Purpose of Modern Wind Turbine

By now, most readers will know that modern windmills (turbines) primary purpose is to produce electricity from wind with as little impact on the environment as possible. These next few notes simply highlight this sustainable initiative. The minimal impact on the environment is, however, controversial. We’ll mention this briefly too.

• Whether located in rural or urban sectors, it is often people on the lowest level of the socio-economic scale that are faced with looking at these hegemonic structures every day. Also, nature lovers continue to voice legitimate concerns on how these turbines impact migratory patterns of bird species.

• Already mentioned, the basic function of a wind turbine is to utilize the power generated from wind and convert it into usable (renewable) energy. On a smaller scale, home users can install their own turbine and produce their own power at little or no cost.
• As renewable energy, it can be reproduced continuously until there is enough power to feed its designated locations. It is also promoted as a clean source of energy and while not yet widely used, it is ideal for the world’s least developed nations as an affordable source of producing electricity.
• Most importantly, the turbine contributes greatly to reduce fossil fuel consumption. It goes without saying that the more countries that use them, the greater the reduction in fossil fuel use because it has been proven to be a reliable driver of energy.

 http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/how-windmills-work.php