About Our Windmills
How wind energy parks work:
Windmills are formed from a number of component parts which include:
- The base or foundation
Normally constructed of concrete and reinforced steel plated 7 ft or more underground and can be as large as a 50 ft by 50 ft area depending on the size of the wind turbine. - The supporting tower
Made of steel and constructed with a precision tolerance of less than 1 millimeter of distortion on towers as high as 300 feet. This cylindrical structure is fastened to the base in two or more sections and holds the turbine and the blades. The tower inner structure consists of a series of platforms at various heights and ladders for servicing the wind mill. - The nacelle or turbine housing
Made of machinery and electronics in a fiberglass housing , this is the "engine" of the windmill as well as the brain and controls the direction of the rotors as well as their angle. The turbine spin converts the wind into electricity - The blade, wing or rotor
Made of fiberglass and light in weight, the blade "captures" the wind and turns the rotor. Blade sizes and strength are determined by the turbine they power
Capturing the wind
Wind is captured by the blades or rotors which in turn drive the turbine. Functioning in the same manner as an airplane wing, wind passing over the blade creates a positive pressure on one side and a negative pressure on the other and this vacuum effect causes the rotor to turn. The wind turbine is rotated into the wind electronically and the blades are also rotated by electronics from various angles of 45 degrees to 0 degrees to optimize the existing wind conditions. Electricity is generated when the wind speed reaches approximately 13 feet per second and a maximum blade TIP speed of 155 MPH. In instances of higher wind conditions, the blade tips are rotated to balance with the wind speed so as to not create an overstress on the windmill.
Typical Turbine Design
Connecting to the grid
The turbine connects to the generator which in turn is connected to a high-voltage transformer and then to the power grid. A 3 megawatt transmitter can provide enough power in a few hours to power the average home for one year.
