Wind energy has been a source of power used for many many years. It has been used for various applications such as the sailing of ships, grain grinding and water pumping.
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In modern times, wind energy is used in activities of recreation such as windsurfing as well as the industrial creation of electricity. Recent events have indicated that the use of wind energy has witnessed steady increase amongst many people in the world. Industries all over the world have also considered the transition to wind energy for their power production. So let’s take a look at how wind power works.
The flow of air that embodies the wind releases kinetic energy while in motion. This energy can be converted into other types of energy, such as electrical power. Wind patterns are widely affected by the actions of the sun which represents another source of green power. Wind is produced in part by the sun’s irregular warming of the atmosphere, the rotation of the earth, and the uneven surfaces of the earth . Example of factors that influence the wind are water bodies, the earth terrain and vegetation. “Wind Power” is a term which is usually employed to describe the process in which mechanical power or electrical power is generated from wind. Wind turbines, wind energy converters, and generators are employed for this exact purpose. In ancient times, systems based on wind energy converters were widely called windmills.
If you are thinking of how wind power works, consider that the principal is basically the opposite of how a fan works. While a fan converts electrical energy to wind energy, a wind turbine employs the use of wind energy to convert electrical power.
Wind Power Systems
Acquainting yourself with wind power systems is the first step towards understanding how wind power operates. This then is how a wind turbine works.
Usually, each turbine is constructed with two to three blades which resemble a propeller. When flowing air runs over the turbine’s blades, it causes them to rotate.
Their rotation is transmitted to a shaft which is connected to them. There are two kinds of shafts which can be used—those of the high speed variant and those of the low speed. Also connected to the shaft is a generator which creates energy when rotated.
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The machine is started and turned of with a controller. For scenarios where the wind conditions are too strong a brake prevents the machine from damaging itself.
The principles behind the mechanism of wind energy are obviously uncomplicated.
In deciding which type of wind turbine to settle on, the two most common choices are the horizontal axis turbines and the vertical axis turbine. Widely considered as the most common, the horizontal axis turbine is made up of three blades which face towards the wind. On the other hand, the virtual axis is shaped like an egg beater and can be pointed in any number of directions.
The size of a wind turbine partially determines how much electricity it will be able to produce. But of even more importance of the size of the wind turbine is the required availability of wind. This is why wind energy is sometimes combined with a solar system. Very little beats the merger of solar and wind engine when it comes topower efficiency.
Currently, residential areas are found to contain small wind systems which boasts power levels that are rarely above 50kw. They are also used for the backing up of local supplementary power. With a good wind power system installed, it is possible to reduce the household power requirements by more than 50%.
If commercial wind turbines are connected to the central lines, they can very easily provide power for the local grid. Such installations are widely called wind farms of power plants. Countries like Spain and Denmark already possess such farms which are used for the powering of neighbouring towns. The potential of wind power application is also being studied by countries like Brazil, South Africa and the US.
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