Protecting the wind generator from strong winds. Wind turbine protection by folding the tail. High wind protection circuit

Making a wind generator with your own hands

After the generator has been purchased, you can start assembling the wind generator with your own hands. The figure shows the device of the wind farm. The method of fastening and arrangement of nodes may be different and depends on the individual capabilities of the designer, but you need to stick to the dimensions of the main nodes in Fig. 1. These dimensions are matched to the given wind farm, taking into account the design and dimensions of the wind turbine.

Electric generator for wind farm

When selecting an electric current generator for a wind farm, first of all, you need to determine the speed of the wind wheel. You can calculate the rotational speed of the wind wheel W (under load) using the formula:

W = V / L * Z * 60,
L = π * D,

where V is the wind speed, m / s; L - length of a circle, m; D is the diameter of the propeller; Z is an indicator of the speed of the wind turbine (see Table 2).

Table 2. Indicator of speed of the wind turbine

If we substitute the data for the selected propeller with a diameter of 2 m and 6 blades into this formula, we will get the rotational speed. The dependence of the frequency on the wind speed is shown in table. 3.

Table 3. Rotations of a wind wheel with a diameter of 2 m with six blades, depending on the wind speed

Let's take the maximum working wind speed equal to 7-8 m / s. In stronger winds, the operation of the wind turbine will be unsafe and will have to be limited. As we have already determined, at a wind speed of 8 m / s, the maximum power of the selected design of the wind farm will be 240 W, which corresponds to a wind wheel rotation speed of 229 rpm. This means that you need to choose a generator with the appropriate characteristics.

Fortunately, the times of total shortage have "sunk into oblivion," and we do not have to traditionally adapt an automobile generator from a VAZ-2106 to a wind farm. The problem is that such a car generator, for example, G-221, is high-speed with a rated speed of 1100 to 6000 rpm. It turns out that without a gearbox, our low-speed wind wheel will in no way be able to spin the generator up to operating speed.

We will not make a gearbox for our "windmill", and therefore we will select another low-speed generator to fix the windwheel simply on the generator shaft. The most suitable for this is a bicycle motor specially designed for the wheel motor of bicycles. These velomotors have low operating speeds and can easily operate in generator mode. The presence of permanent magnets in this type of motor will mean that there are no problems with the excitation of the generator as is the case, for example, with AC induction motors, which usually use electromagnets (field winding). Without energizing the field winding, such a motor will not generate current during rotation.

In addition, a very pleasant feature of bicycle motors is that they belong to brushless motors, which means that they do not require replacement of brushes. Table 4 shows an example of the technical characteristics of a 250 W cycling motor. As you can see from the table, this bike motor is perfect as a generator for a wind turbine with a power of 240 W and a maximum wind wheel speed of 229 rpm.

Table 4. Technical characteristics of the 250 W bicycle motor

Making a wind generator with your own hands

After the generator has been purchased, you can start assembling the wind generator with your own hands. The figure shows the device of the wind farm. The method of fastening and arrangement of nodes may be different and depends on the individual capabilities of the designer, but you need to stick to the dimensions of the main nodes in Fig. 1. These dimensions are matched to the given wind farm, taking into account the design and dimensions of the wind turbine.

In fig. 1 shows the dimensions of the side shovel (1), the tail with the plumage (2), as well as the lever (3), through which the force from the spring is transmitted. The tail with plumage for turning the wind wheel in the wind must be made according to the dimensions in Fig. 1 from a profile pipe 20x40x2.5 mm and roofing iron as plumage.

The generator should be mounted at such a distance that the minimum distance between the blades and the mast is at least 250 mm. Otherwise, there is no guarantee that the blades, bending under the influence of wind and gyroscopic forces, will not break on the mast.

Blade manufacturing

A do-it-yourself windmill usually starts from the blades. The most suitable material for the manufacture of blades of a slow-speed windmill is plastic, or rather a plastic pipe. It is easiest to make blades from a plastic pipe - a small laboriousness and it is difficult for a beginner to make a mistake. Also, plastic blades, unlike wooden ones, are guaranteed not to shrink from moisture.

The pipe should be made of PVC with a diameter of 160 mm for pressure pipelines or sewers, for example SDR PN 6.3. Such pipes have a wall thickness of at least 4 mm. Pipes for free-flow sewage will not work! These pipes are too thin and fragile.

The photo shows a wind wheel with broken blades. These blades were made from thin PVC pipes (for non-pressure sewage). They caved in from the pressure of the wind and crashed on the mast.

The calculation of the optimal blade shape is rather complicated and there is no need to bring it here, let it be done by professionals in their field. It is enough for us to make the blades using the already calculated template according to Fig. 2, which shows the dimensions of the template in millimeters. You just need to cut out such a template from paper (photo of the blade template at a scale of 1: 2), then attach 160 mm to the pipe, draw the outline of the template on the pipe with a marker and cut the blades using a jigsaw or manually. Red dots in Fig. 2 shows the approximate location of the blade mountings.

As a result, you should have six blades, shaped like in the photo. In order for the resulting blades to have a higher KIEV and make less noise during rotation, it is necessary to grind off sharp corners and edges, as well as grind all rough surfaces.

To attach the blades to the body of the bicycle motor, you need to use the wind turbine head, which is a disc made of mild steel with a thickness of 6-10 mm. Six steel strips with a thickness of 12 mm and an assembly length of 30 cm with holes for attaching the blades are welded to it. The disc is attached to the body of the bike motor using bolts with locknuts for the holes for fastening the spokes.

After making the wind wheel, it must be balanced. For this, the wind wheel is fixed at a height in a strictly horizontal position. It is advisable to do this indoors, where there is no wind. With a balanced propeller, the blades should not turn spontaneously. If some blade is heavier, it must be grinded off from the end until it is balanced in any position of the propeller.

You also need to check if all the blades rotate in the same plane. To do this, measure the distance from the end of the lower blade to some nearest object. Then the wind wheel turns and the distance from the selected object to the other blades is measured. The distance from all blades should be within +/- 2 mm. If the difference is greater, then the skew must be eliminated by bending the steel strip to which the blade is attached.

Fastening the generator (bicycle motor) to the frame

Since the generator is under heavy loads, including from gyroscopic forces, it must be securely fastened. The velomotor itself has a solid axle, since it is used under heavy loads. So, its axis must withstand the weight of an adult under dynamic loads that arise when riding a bicycle.

But on the bike frame, the bicycle motor is mounted on two sides, and not on one, as it will be when working as a current generator for a wind farm. Therefore, the shaft must be attached to the frame, which is a metal piece with a threaded hole for screwing onto the bicycle motor shaft of the appropriate diameter (D) and four mounting holes for attaching M8 steel bolts to the frame.

It is advisable to use the largest possible length of the free shaft end for fastening. To prevent the shaft from spinning in the bed, it must be secured with a nut and lock washer. The bed is best made of duralumin.

To manufacture the frame of the wind generator, that is, the base on which all other parts will be located, you need to use a steel plate 6-10 mm thick or a section of a channel of a suitable width (depending on the outer diameter of the swivel unit).

Manufacture of pantograph and swivel assembly

If you simply tie the wires to the generator, then sooner or later the wires will twist when the windmill rotates around the axis and break off. To prevent this from happening, you need to use a movable contact - a pantograph, which consists of a sleeve made of insulating material (1), contacts (2) and brushes (3). To protect against precipitation, the pantograph contacts must be closed.

It is convenient to use this method to make a wind generator pantograph: first, contacts are placed on the finished rotary node, for example, made of thick brass or copper wire of rectangular cross-section (used for transformers), the contacts should already be with soldered wires (10), for which you need to use one - or stranded copper wire with a cross section of at least 4 mm 2. The contacts are covered with a plastic cup or other container, the hole in the support sleeve (8) is closed and filled with epoxy resin. In the photo, an epoxy resin with the addition of titanium dioxide is used. After the epoxy has hardened, the part is grinded on a lathe until contacts appear.

It is best to use copper-graphite brushes from a car starter with flat springs as a moving contact.

In order for the wind wheel of the wind turbine to turn in the wind, it is necessary to provide a movable connection between the frame of the wind turbine and the fixed mast. The bearings are located between the support sleeve (8), which is connected through a flange to the mast pipe using bolts and a coupling (6), which is arc-welded (5) to the frame (4). To facilitate turning, a swivel unit is required using bearings (7) with an inner diameter of at least 60 mm. Roller bearings are best suited to accommodate axial loads.

Protecting a wind farm from hurricane wind

The maximum wind speed at which this wind farm can be operated is 8-9 m / s. If the wind speed is higher, the operation of the wind farm must be limited.

Of course, this proposed type of DIY windmill is slow-moving. It is unlikely that the blades will spin up to extremely high speeds, at which they collapse. But when the wind is too strong, the pressure on the tail becomes very significant, and with a sharp change in the direction of the wind, the wind generator will turn sharply.

Considering that the blades rotate quickly in strong winds, the wind wheel turns into a large heavy gyroscope that resists any turns. That is why significant loads arise between the frame and the wind wheel, which are concentrated on the generator shaft. There are many cases when amateurs built wind turbines with their own hands without any protection from hurricane wind, and because of significant gyroscopic forces, strong axles of automobile generators broke.

In addition, a six-sided wind turbine with a diameter of 2 m has significant aerodynamic resistance, and in a strong wind it will significantly load the mast.

Therefore, in order for a home-made wind generator to serve for a long time and reliably, and the wind wheel does not fall on the head of passers-by, it is necessary to protect it from hurricane winds. The easiest way to protect the windmill is with a side shovel. This is a fairly simple device that has worked well in practice.

The work of the side shovel is as follows: with a working wind (up to 8 m / s), the wind pressure on the side shovel (1) is less than the stiffness of the spring (3), and the windmill is set approximately downwind by means of the tail. In order for the spring not to fold the windmill in the operating wind more than necessary, a stretch (4) is stretched between the tail (2) and the side shovel.

When the wind speed reaches 8 m / s, the pressure on the side shovel becomes stronger than the spring force and the wind turbine begins to fold. In this case, the wind flow begins to run onto the blades at an angle, which limits the power of the wind wheel.

In a very strong wind, the windmill folds completely, and the blades are installed parallel to the direction of the wind, the work of the windmill practically stops. Please note that the tail of the empennage is not rigidly connected to the frame, but rotates on a hinge (5), which must be made of structural steel and have a diameter of at least 12 mm.

The dimensions of the side shovel are shown in Fig. 1. The side shovel itself, as well as the plumage, is best made from a profile pipe 20x40x2.5 mm and a steel sheet with a thickness of 1-2 mm.

Any carbon steel springs with a protective zinc coating can be used as the working spring. The main thing is that in the extreme position the spring force is equal to 12 kg, and in the initial position (when the wind turbine is not yet folded) - 6 kg.

To make a stretch, a steel bicycle cable should be used, the ends of the cable are bent into a loop, and the free ends are fixed with eight turns of copper wire with a diameter of 1.5-2 mm and soldered with tin.

Wind turbine mast

A steel water pipe with a diameter of at least 101-115 mm and a minimum length of 6-7 meters can be used as a mast for a wind farm, provided that there is a relatively open area where there would be no obstacles to the wind at a distance of 30 m.

If a wind farm cannot be installed in an open area, then nothing can be done about it. It is necessary to increase the height of the mast so that the wind wheel is at least 1 m higher than the surrounding obstacles (houses, trees), otherwise the power generation will significantly decrease.

The base of the mast itself should be installed on a concrete platform so that it does not squeeze into soggy soil.

As guy wires, you need to use galvanized steel mounting cables with a diameter of at least 6 mm. The braces are attached to the mast with a clamp. At the ground, the ropes are attached to strong steel pegs (from a pipe, channel, angle, etc.), which are buried in the ground at an angle to the full depth of one and a half meters. It is even better if they are additionally monolithic at the base with concrete.

Since the mast assembled with the wind generator has a significant weight, for manual installation you need to use a counterweight made of the same steel pipe as the mast or a wooden beam 100x100 mm with a load.

Wiring diagram of a wind farm

The figure shows the simplest battery charging circuit: three outputs from the generator are connected to a three-phase rectifier, which is three half-bridge diode connected in parallel and connected by a star. Diodes must be rated for a minimum operating voltage of 50V and a current of 20A. Since the maximum operating voltage from the generator will be 25-26 V, the terminals from the rectifier are connected to two 12-volt batteries connected in series.

When using such a simple scheme, battery charging proceeds as follows: at a low voltage of less than 22 V, the batteries are very weakly charged, since the current is limited by the internal resistance of the batteries. At a wind speed of 7-8 m / s, the generated voltage of the generator will be in the range of 23-25 ​​V, and an intensive process of charging the batteries will begin. At higher wind speeds, the wind turbine will be limited by the side shovel. To protect the batteries (in case of emergency operation of the wind farm) from excessive high current, the circuit must have a fuse rated for a maximum current of 25 A.

As you can see, this simple scheme has a significant drawback - in a quiet wind (4-6 m / s), the battery will practically not be charged, and it is precisely such winds that are most often found on flat terrain. In order to recharge the batteries in light winds, a charge controller must be used, which is connected in front of the batteries. The charge controller will automatically convert the required voltage, and the controller is more reliable than a fuse and prevents overcharging of batteries.

To use rechargeable batteries to power household appliances designed for 220 V AC, you will need an additional inverter to convert 24 V DC voltage of the appropriate power, which is selected depending on the peak power. For example, if you are going to connect lighting, a computer, a refrigerator to the inverter, then an inverter designed for 600W is quite enough, but if you plan to use an electric drill or a circular saw (1500 W) at least occasionally, then you should choose a 2000 W inverter.

The figure shows a more complex electrical circuit: in it, the current from the generator (1) is first rectified in a three-phase rectifier (2), then the voltage is stabilized by the charge controller (3) and charges the batteries at 24 V (4). An inverter (5) is connected to power household appliances.

The currents from the generator reach tens of amperes, therefore, copper wires with a total cross section of 3-4 mm 2 should be used to connect all devices in the circuit.

It is advisable to take the capacity of rechargeable batteries at least 120 a / h. The total battery capacity will depend on the average wind intensity in the region, as well as the power and frequency of the connected load. More precisely, the required capacity will be known during the operation of the wind farm.

Wind farm care

The considered low-speed wind generator for do-it-yourself manufacturing, as a rule, starts well in low winds. For normal operation of the wind generator as a whole, you need to adhere to the following rules:

1. Two weeks after start-up, lower the wind turbine in light winds and check all fastenings.

The increase in user interest in alternative sources of electricity is understandable. The lack of opportunities for connection to centralized networks forces the use of other methods of providing housing or temporary residences with electricity. The share is constantly growing, since the acquisition of an industrial design is a very costly business and is always quite effective.

When creating a windmill, one should take into account the possibility of heavy gusts of wind and take appropriate measures to protect the structure from them.

What is strong wind protection for?

Wind turbine operation designed for a certain wind force. Typically, the averages that are typical for the region are taken into account. But with an increase in the wind flow to critical values, which sometimes happens in any area, there is a risk of failure of the device, and in some cases - complete destruction.

They are equipped with protection against such overloads either by current (when the permissible voltage value is exceeded, an electromagnetic brake is triggered), or by rotation speed (mechanical brake). Homemade structures also need to be supplied with similar devices.

The impellers, especially equipped ones, at high speeds of rotation begin to act on the principle of a gyroscope and maintain the plane of rotation. In such conditions, the tail cannot do its job and orient the device along the axis of the flow, which leads to breakdowns. This is possible even if the wind speed is not too high. Therefore, a device that slows down the impeller is a necessary structural element.

Is it possible to make a device with your own hands?

Making a device is quite possible. Moreover, it is an absolute necessity. Braking device should be provided even at the design stage of the wind turbine. The operating parameters of the device must be calculated as carefully as possible so that its capabilities do not turn out to be too low in comparison with the real needs of the structure.

First of all, it is necessary to choose the method of implementation of the braking device. Usually simple and reliable mechanical devices are used for such structures, but electromagnetic patterns can also be created. The choice depends on which winds prevail in the region and what is the design of the windmill itself.

The easiest option is to manually change the direction of the rotor axis. To do this, you only need to install a hinge, but the need to go outside in strong winds is not the best solution. In addition, it is not always possible to stop manually, since at this moment you can be far from home.

Operating principle

There are several mechanical ways to brake the impeller. The most common options for horizontal wind turbine designs are:

• removal of the rotor from the wind by means of a side blade (stopping by the folding tail method);
• braking the rotor with a side blade.

Vertical structures are usually braked by weights attached to the outer points of the blades. With an increase in the rotation speed, under the action of centrifugal force, they begin to press on the blades, forcing them to fold or turn sideways to the wind, which causes the rotation speed to decrease.

Attention! This method of braking is simple and the most effective, it allows you to adjust the speed of rotation of the impeller, but is applicable only for vertical structures.

Tail folding protection method

The device, which carries out the withdrawal from the wind by folding the tail, allows you to smoothly and flexibly adjust the rotor speed. The principle of operation of such a system is to use a side arm mounted in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The rotating impeller and arm are rigidly connected, and the tail is attached via a spring-loaded pivot joint acting in the horizontal plane.

At nominal values ​​of the wind force, the side arm is not able to steer the rotor to the side, since the tail directs it to the wind. As the wind increases, the pressure on the side blade increases and exceeds the spring force. In this case, the rotor axis turns away from the wind, the impact on the blades decreases and the rotor slows down.

other methods

The second method of mechanical braking is similar in design, but the side blade acts differently - when the wind intensifies, it begins to press on the rotor axis through special pads, slowing down its rotation. In this case, the rotor and tail are mounted on the same shaft, and the articulated connection with the spring is applied on the side arm.

At normal wind speeds, the spring holds the lever perpendicular to the axis, when reinforced, it begins to deflect towards the tail, pressing the brake pads against the axis and slowing down the rotation. This option is good with small blade sizes, since the force applied to the shaft to stop it must be quite large. In practice, this option is used only at relatively low wind speeds; with squall gusts, the method is ineffective.

In addition to mechanical devices, electromagnetic devices are widely used. When the voltage rises, a relay starts to work, attracting the brake pads to the shaft.

Another option that can be used for protection is to open the circuit when too high a voltage occurs.

Attention! Some methods only protect the electrical part of the complex without affecting the mechanical elements of the structure. Such methods are not able to ensure the integrity of the windmill in the event of sudden heavy winds and can only be used as additional measures, acting in tandem with mechanical devices.

Protection scheme and drawings

For a more visual representation of the principle of action of the braking device, let us consider the kinematic diagram.

The figure shows that the spring normally holds the rotating assembly and the tail on the same axis. The force created by the wind flow overcomes the spring resistance with increasing speed and gradually begins to change the direction of the rotor axis, the wind pressure on the blades decreases, due to which the rotation speed decreases.

This scheme is the most common and effective. It is simple in execution, allows you to create a device from scrap materials. In addition, the adjustment of this brake is simple and comes down to the selection of the spring or adjusting its force.

Attention! The maximum angle of rotation of the rotor is not recommended to be more than 40-45 °. Large angles help the wind turbine come to a complete standstill, which is then difficult to start in rough, squally winds.

Calculation procedure

Calculation of the braking device rather complicated. It will require a variety of data, which is not easy to find. It is difficult for an untrained person to make such a calculation, the probability of errors is high.

Nevertheless, if an independent calculation is necessary for some reason, you can use the formula:

P x S x V 2 = (m x g x h) x sinα, where:

• P is the force applied to the propeller by the wind flow,
• S is the area of ​​the rotor blades,
• V - wind speed,
• m - mass,
• g - acceleration of gravity (9.8),
• h is the distance from the hinge to the spring attachment point,
• sinα is the angle of inclination of the tail relative to the axis of rotation.

It should be borne in mind that the values ​​obtained by independent calculations require correct interpretation and a complete understanding of the physical essence of the process that occurs during rotation. In this case, they will not be sufficiently correct, since the subtle effects accompanying the operation of the windmill will not be taken into account. However, the values ​​calculated in this way will be able to give the order of magnitude needed to manufacture the device.

The process of creating a wind generator accompanied by a lot of costs and requires many different actions, which in itself forces the maximum protection of the structure from the possibility of destruction. If there is a foreseen danger of destruction or failure of the complex, then the creation and use of protective devices should not be neglected in any case.

The idea, the basic principle of a mechanism or device, is important for a home craftsman. He will figure out the details himself, based on his understanding of the effectiveness of the structure, the availability of the necessary materials and assemblies.

Wind turbines for a private house, with all their merits, are still exotic and expensive equipment in Russia. The price of a factory-made device with a capacity of 750 watts starts from 50 thousand rubles, for the purchase of a wind generator for 1500 watts you will be charged more than 100 thousand rubles. The craftsmen who made more than one home mechanism with their own hands could not pass by the opportunity to design a homemade wind generator. Their experience, knowledge and advice are used in the description proposed for the independent execution of the windmill.

The main difference between a wind generator and other generation systems is that it constantly generates energy when air moves at a speed of 2 m / s. The continental climatic conditions of Russia determine the stable presence of such a wind practically throughout the entire territory.

Wind turbines, to a greater or lesser extent, provide independence from power supply networks. This independence is provided by the battery pack. Homemade wind turbines are easy to make with your own hands, are small and easy to install.

The choice of design. Main units and mechanisms

Many mechanisms that use wind energy have been made by the hands of craftsmen. Homemade wind turbines are divided into groups. These are horizontal and vertical wind turbines. The devices differ in the direction of the axis of the wind wheel. In vertical impellers, the blades work half of the revolution of the wheel against the flow of the wind.

Horizontal wind turbines lose rotational speed due to a change in wind direction. As a rule, home craftsmen take as a basis a wind wheel with a horizontal axis of rotation. It is important to take into account that in the entire history of human technical solutions, it is difficult to find the use of windmills with a vertical axis, and horizontal windmills flap their wings for centuries.

General scheme of a wind generator

1. wind wheel blades;
2. generating device;
3. generator shaft bed;
4. side blade to protect against strong wind;
5. current collector;
6. assembly frame;
7. Swivel knot;
8. shank;
9. mast;
10. clamps for stretch marks.

Table 1. Specifications

Wind wheel blades

Blanks are made by hand from polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Plastic blades are easy to handle, insensitive to humid environments. A pressure pipe SDR PN 6,3 (diameter 160 mm, wall thickness 4 mm, length 1000 mm) is used as a workpiece.

Calculating the shape of the blade is rather complicated. We use a template (Figure 2, dimensions in mm), already calculated by specialists. The template is cut from a thick sheet of paper, applied to the pipe and the outline is drawn. The workpieces are cut with your own hands with an ordinary saw or jigsaw.

You will receive 6 blade blanks. To increase the efficiency of the wind wheel, reduce the noise level, it is necessary to grind off all corners and grind the surfaces of the products. It is advisable to process all the workpieces at once, clamping them with clamps or a bolt through the working hole outside the workpiece contour.

The blades are attached to the body of the bicycle motor through a steel coupling (thickness 10 mm, diameter 200 mm). Six steel strips with a width of 12 mm and a length of 300 mm with holes for attaching the blades are attached to the coupling by welding.

The assembled wind wheel is carefully balanced. Spontaneous rotation is not allowed. Balancing is carried out by grinding the material with your own hands with a file from the end of the product. The wind wheel is driven in one plane of rotation by bending the steel fastening strips.

Generating device

The generator is a 24V 250W electric bicycle motor. A similar product costing from 5 to 15 thousand rubles. can be ordered easily over the Internet.

Table 2. Technical characteristics of the 250 W bicycle motor

The clutch is bolted to the motor housing through the spoke holes. It is quite possible to choose a generator at a more adequate price, as an example, an electric motor with permanent magnet excitation from a tape drive of an electronic computer. Device parameters 300 W, 36 V, 1600 rpm.

Generators with the required characteristics can be made by hand from an automotive device for a similar purpose. The stator is not subject to change, the rotor is equipped with neodymium magnets. The reviews of the masters about such alterations of the generator are positive.

Installing the generator on the frame

The velomotor, when used as intended, operates under significant loads. The parameters of the calculated strength of the motor satisfy the conditions for using the product as a home-made wind turbine generator. The generator shaft is fastened through a threaded connection to a do-it-yourself frame from an aluminum alloy 10 mm thick. The bed is bolted to the frame.

The dimensions of the bed, the placement of the holes are determined by the dimensions of the selected generator. For the manufacture of the frame, a section of the channel with a section thickness of 6-10 mm is selected. The structural dimensions of the frame depend on the dimensions of the turning unit.

Swivel unit and slip ring

Turning the wind generator to the wind, fixing it on the mast, transmitting electricity to the control unit is provided by the turning unit.

1. dielectric axis of the current collector;
2. contact node;
3. current collectors;
4. frame;
5. Weld;
6. rotary device body;
7. rolling bearings;
8. rotary shaft;
9. mast;
10. electric wires.

From the picture and photo, it is easy to understand the design of the swivel unit and make a mechanism with your own hands, the material for the blanks is steel pipes. It is better to use roller bearings as they are more resistant to axial loads.

The design of the current collector is no more complicated.

The contact assembly is made from a square section copper rod with a side of 10 mm. An insulated copper wire with a cross section of at least 4 mm is soldered to them.

Strong wind protection

The wind speed at which self-made wind turbines operate in nominal mode is 8 m / s. In high winds, protection against destruction of the product is required. A reliable protection device is a hand-made side vane mechanism.

At a nominal flow rate of 8 m / s for such products as home-made wind turbines, the pressure on the side blade is lower than the tensile force of the protection spring. The wind generator works and is directed downstream by the tail unit. When the flow pressure on the propeller increases, the blade spring is triggered. The wind wheel turns, reducing the generated power. High flow rates, through the pressure on the side blade, completely turn the wind wheel, setting it parallel to the flow direction, the generation of energy stops.

Electrical diagram

The electrical circuit is assembled from the following components:

Generator (bicycle motor);

Control unit;

Rechargeable battery;

Power and commutation wires.

The given schematic diagram is being finalized taking into account that the control unit must provide:

Charging the battery by limiting the charging current to the permissible values;

Connection to the generating device of the ballast load at the end of the battery charging, excluding the wheel overshoot;

Electric braking mode, stopping the wind generator.

Windmill mast

A mast for a wind generator can be metal pipes with a diameter of 100 mm and above. Minimum mast height 6 meters in open areas. If there is no open area, the height of the mast increases by 1 m against the height of obstacles within a 30 m radius from the base of the tower.

The weight of the wind turbine assembled with the mast is quite significant, which requires the use of a counterweight, which will facilitate the process of installing and lowering the mast, and repair work. The higher the height of a self-made mast, the more the wind flow is exposed to the nodes of your homemade product. Reviews of the masters recommend installing stretch marks every 5.5 m of the mast height. Homemade guy lines are anchored to the ground with anchors along a radius of at least 50% of the mast height.

The photo shows a finished homemade wind turbine. The rotating wind wheel, the generator, the electrical voltage it generates, and the changing weather conditions make homemade products dangerous mechanisms. Exercise extreme caution when operating and repairing a DIY product. Be sure to reliably ground the mast.