For hundreds of years, the world has depended on the use of wind energy. It has been used for various applications such as the sailing of ships, grain grinding and water pumping.
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Today, we use the wind for both recreational activities like windsurfing, and practical uses such as the generation of electricity. Recent events have indicated that the use of wind energy has witnessed steady increase amongst many people in the world. The application of wind energy has also been started by many industries. So let’s take a look at how wind power works.
The movement of air that comprises the wind releases kinetic energy as it blows. This energy can be transformed into other types of energy, such as electricity. Wind patterns are widely influenced by the actions of the sun which represents another source of green power. Wind is produced in part by the sun’s uneven 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 commonly employed to describe the process in which mechanical power or electrical power is generated from wind. Wind turbines, wind energy converters, and generators are used for this exact purpose. In ancient times, systems based on wind energy converters were widely known as windmills.
The principle used behind the working of a fan is the inverse of that which is used by a wind turbine. 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
Familiarization with the way wind power systems function is the only point that you need to be clear on, in order to understand how wind power works in general . A wind turbine (another term for a wind power generator or windmill) operates in the following manner.
Usually, each turbine comes with two to three blades which are in the shape a propeller. When flowing air runs over the turbine’s blades, it makes them rotate.
A shaft, which is connected to the blades , is also made to spin in sync with the rotation of the blades. Turbine shafts are divided into two: The High speed kind and low speed kind. Also connected to the shaft is a generator which creates energy when rotated.
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A controller is used for the starting and ending of the machine. A brake deploys in case of very strong wind to prevent any damage to the assembly.
The principles behind the mechanism of wind energy are obviously uncomplicated.
Currently, there are 2 types of wind turbines that dominate the market: the horizontal axis turbines and the vertical axis turbines. The horizontal wind turbine possesses three blades which are designed to be used in the direction of the wind. It is by far the most popular. The vertical kind, which is the second most popular, looks very much like an eggbeater and can be aimed in any direction.
The amount of energy produced by a turbine is affected by the size of the turbines. However, even the largest turbines cannot produce power in the absence of wind. It is because of this reason that solar energy is sometimes combined with that of wind energy. Together, solar and wind energy provide a most effective combination.
For now, in the residential sector the standard wind systems are smaller and have a capacity of electricity production that is inferior to 50kw. These are used as back up or supplementary options for the buttressing of local suppliers. By installing a wind power system, a household effectively reduces its power needs by 50-90 percent, which brings on huge savings.
By connecting wind turbines to central lines, it is possible to have power distributed amongst the local
grid. Such installations are widely called wind farms of power plants. Such farms are currently used in
countries like Denmark and Spain for the creation of the power needs of some cities. Other countries such as the U.S, Brazil, South Africa, and Australia are constantly evaluating how wind power works, in order to better implement it in the future.
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