Winding your own???
Winding your own???
(OP)
All,
We are in the process of designing a small wind turbine for a client. We are trying to select a generator that will suite our application. Would anyone have any guidance in this matter? Would it be best to select an off the shelf generator, or design one that we can have wound by a transformer house?
Regards,
Rich.....
We are in the process of designing a small wind turbine for a client. We are trying to select a generator that will suite our application. Would anyone have any guidance in this matter? Would it be best to select an off the shelf generator, or design one that we can have wound by a transformer house?
Regards,
Rich.....
Richard Nornhold, PE
http://www.ovenind.com





RE: Winding your own???
If the answer is no, I think you should buy one.
My opinion, worth what you paid for it
=====================================
Eng-tips forums: The best place on the web for engineering discussions.
RE: Winding your own???
=====================================
Eng-tips forums: The best place on the web for engineering discussions.
RE: Winding your own???
Cheers
Greg Locock
SIG:Please see FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.
RE: Winding your own???
RE: Winding your own???
Regards,
Rich.....
Richard Nornhold, PE
http://www.ovenind.com
RE: Winding your own???
Some kinda propeller on a shaft, modest Poly-V speedup, a car alternator, battery, inverter...
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Winding your own???
We are also looking at those options, but the efficiencies that you get when you aren't optimized for your final transmission output speed are horrible.
Rich.....
Richard Nornhold, PE
http://www.ovenind.com
RE: Winding your own???
[
When those guys buy boats, they will pay obscene amounts of money for niceties like mirror finished stainless steel surfaces everywhere. Yes, it can be done. No, it can't be done profitably.
]
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Winding your own???
In general, you are looking for a low speed alternator with very good bearings that will support the blade assembly and take the wind forces. In that regard, it seems that the permanent magnet 3-phase "wild" alternator is the most favored solution for small machines.
If you have the capability, pair it with good electronics which will maximize the output drawn from the alternator and convert the wild voltage and frequency into line voltage or battery charging voltage. You'd have to also know the blade power output curve and draw as much power as the blades can produce at their operating speed to maxumize this solution. Think something similar to the solar MPT? - maximum power transfer? technology.
If this is a 1-off then I would build the alternator myself or have someone build it following the same construction principles of the bigger units shown at http://www.otherpower.com Those guys have been doing it for years and just keep stepping up their power. First time I saw their website they were building 800W units. Now, I see they are dabbling in the 5kW range.
Mike - if this is commercial then you have to sell something that will be competitive against your competition....
RE: Winding your own???
http://www.scoraigwind.com/
RE: Winding your own???
Thanks for the direction. This wouldn't be a one off, but it's not going to be a million units per year. A low rpm alternator sounds like where we want to head. Fortunatley we don't need the alternator bearings to handle the load, as we are stepping up the rotor rpm through a drive train. We are targeting a 160:1 ratio on the drive train.
Regards,
Rich....
Richard Nornhold, PE
http://www.ovenind.com
RE: Winding your own???