A new wind generator design

[MadTom]

http://www.100297.itsosbroadband.co.uk/ ... rator.html

Tom

[dave45]

unlikely!

[MadTom]

and why?

[mybarnconversion]

I take it that it's your design Tom?

When are you going to build one? Have you already?

[MadTom]

Its my design - I havent built a full one - just a couple of test bits and peices.
I'm in the process of skip raiding for the parts but as a smallholder suffering from 2 lousy wet years I wont have a lot of time to play with it this year.
If I play with it and report back it may be years before working versions are out there so I published the basic idea in the hope people with less thumbs and more time than me can have a go. I think it will work as basically designed but will need some wrinkles ironing out.

I have worked in open source software for years and hope the principles of many eyes and many tests can apply to this and we can get these things up and working all over the place before some mad industrialist realises that nuclear power can be made to pay - if they avoid decomissioning costs through sea level rise!

If you think you can build one before me please do - and let us know how you got on!

[dave45]

why?

WT designs evolve.
successful designs "reproduce" and bad ones disappear
vertical axis designs are generally not in the successful category otherwise you'd see more about the place
as a result they keep re-appearing as apparently "new" or "revolutionary" designs (usually asking for investment) and disappear without trace.
I'm not sure from the jpg that yours IS a VAWT, but it looks complex and unclear why this should even work.

It is not impossible that your design can overturn all this .. just unlikely. The only answer is practical demonstration. proof of the pudding and all that.

I recommend Hugh Pigott's book if you want to build your own from scrap parts.

[MadTom]

Its not a 'vertical axis design' ! It has vertical axes* but most of the power comes from the sails in between them. And sail boats have worked for a long time now so I think thats a given.

*or whatever angle you want to put them at - if you used them down the side of a tall building they'd stick out horizontally.

[dave45]

I still can't see it working, sorry. You'll have to prove it works. And I suspect your "should be capable of generating 1KVA in a moderate breeze" is fantasy too.

[ENIGMA]

I have always liked the idea of using a car alternator to power a home made wind generator because the alternators can be picked up for nothing and no worries with having to install a voltage regulator.
But alas,after doing a lot of research on the internet,I came to the conclusion,a car alternator,is just not efficient enough.They are ideal for cars that run at high revs,but for wind generators they are a waste of time.As most of the wind supply will be light,and hence low revs.Even if you gear them up,power is lost as friction in the gearing.
So yes, like everyone has said build one and get some positive results,before saying anymore.

[dave45]

AIRI Hugh Pigott's book tells you how to rewind a car alternator to avoid gearing ! He's the man. he does courses occasionally at C.A.T. too.

website here - http://www.scoraigwind.com/

[bax2dx]

I think a complex design myself as i see it, are your alternator / alternators your using permanent magnet or excited armature?

I hope you get some time to play with your idea as i would be very interested in the out come be good or bad as this is how we learn ... nothing ventured nothing gained.