When is it appropriate to use a wind machine?

The wind power plant should be used in places where there are interruptions in the supply of electricity or where there is no centralized power supply, provided that there is sufficient wind potential (average annual wind speed of at least 3.5 m/s) and no tall buildings or trees.

How to determine the average annual wind speed at the place where the wind turbine will be installed?

To obtain such information, a study is required. Representative results can only be obtained after 1 year. Keep in mind that most wind farms reach their rated capacity at wind speeds of about 7-10 m/s.

How is the power of a wind turbine regulated and what happens to the wind turbine at high wind speeds?

Regulation of wind turbine power at wind speeds above the design wind speed is the most progressive way, by changing the angle of the blades by means of a compact speed controller of aerodynamic type. Stopping of the wind wheel is carried out by means of the system of automatic conversion of the blades to the vane position. These systems are know-how and have been patented.

What happens to a wind turbine during a wind storm?

At wind speeds over 25 m/s, the wind wheel is stopped by the system of automatic conversion of the blades to the vane position, so the load on the wind wheel is reduced. This is the safest option to protect the wind turbine. Other options for reducing the rotational speed associated with the creation of counter torque by braking the generator are potentially dangerous to both the wind turbine and to life.

Is it safe to live near a working wind turbine?

Yes, small wind turbines (up to 100 kW) are perfectly safe for the environment. They only scare away moles.

WHAT INSTRUMENTS MEASURE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION?

Nowadays, almost everywhere wind speed is determined by an instrument called anemometer, usually of the cup type. The cups rotate around a vertical axis on which a small generator is located, generating pulses, the number of which is proportional to the speed of rotation. This data is recalculated (usually automatically) into wind speed.

WHAT IS THE SERVICE LIFE OF THE WIND TURBINE?

Wind turbines are designed for a service life of 20-25 years. During this period, it is possible to replace the blades of the main mechanisms. In any case, this issue (what is to be replaced during this period) should be specified when ordering a wind turbine. During the service life of the wind turbine it rotates continuously for about 120 thousand hours, unlike the engine of a car, which has a continuous operating time of 4-6 thousand hours.

WHAT CAN WIND ENERGY DO FOR A HOUSEHOLD?

Rural residents: farmer, shepherd, deer breeder, fisherman, cottager small wind turbines with capacity from 50 W to 5 kW, together with the battery and inverter (device that converts DC to AC) can give light to the house, the ability to watch TV, listen to the radio, to lift water from a depth of 40 meters, to act as a herdsman in pens and use many small power tools. By the way, low-power wind turbines can be effectively used in places with low average annual speed, so the geography of their possible application is much wider by several times than the powerful WPP.

WHAT IS A WIND FARM?

In the power industry, plants of any type tend to enlarge in order to reduce the unit cost of their maintenance. Wind turbines are no exception, for the same purpose they are combined into groups, called “wind power plants” (WPP) or “wind farms” and “wind farms” (in foreign literature). So WES is a group of wind turbines united by electrical connections and common service.

It is extremely easy to increase the capacity (expansion) of the plant. But the main difference between WPPs and traditional power plants is something else.

The power at WPPs is sort of dispersed. For example, WPP with capacity of 100 MW can consist of 50 wind turbines with a unit capacity of 2 MW. In the event of a malfunction, one wind turbine is switched off, which means that only twenty-fifth of the installed capacity is lost. In a conventional power plant, on the other hand, 100 MW of capacity is concentrated in one unit, and in the event of a malfunction 100% of the generating capacity is lost.

WHAT KIND OF WIND FARMS ARE THERE?

The wind power industry has divided into two significantly different areas. Wind farms on land, called “onshore” in English, and wind farms at sea in shallow depths, called “offshore”.

The main difference in design is in the foundations. At sea, it is more expensive and more massive construction. The second significant difference is that the power is transmitted from the wind turbine to the substation via a cable laid on the seabed. There are offshore wind farms that

The substation is also located in the sea and the cables from the wind turbine are connected to it, and then the power is transmitted to the land via higher voltage cables.