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A Simple D.I.Y.
Wind Powered
Electricity
Generator
by Dave Pruce
This generator is a little different to the accepted type of windmill
(ie a propeller), but has a number of advantages.
1) It is much easier to construct using materials that may well be just ‘laying around’
2) Having a smaller rotating ‘footprint’, it is not so ‘balance’ critical.
3) The aerofoil shape is far less critical, a simple curve would suffice.
Fig. 1 is a top view through the generator. The circle represents a pair of steel or aluminium plates that form the flywheels. A central spindle connects the two, and the ‘S’ shape is sheet steel (or
aluminium) mounted on the spindle that gives two aerofoil sections to produce the drive. The dimensions of either are arbitrary, but, with the constraints of a DIY job, it would probably be no more than 2 metres high and 0.5 metres wide (4:1). (I’ve seen them outside shops standing vertically bearing advertisements spinning like crazy in quite light winds!). The construction would be best carried out using the same metal for the top, bottom, spindle, and wings, as there would not then be a problem with electrolysis creating corrosion between different metals.
The actual electricity generation would be by the use of an alternator (possibly from a car) connected to one end of the spindle. This would output 13.7 volts and around 20 amps, ideal for battery charging as the battery charge regulation is on the alternator, or 12 volt lighting. If a number of batteries were connected and charged in parallel, they could in turn feed an inverter to produce 240 volt AC.
Fig. 2 shows one way that the wind generator could be coupled to the alternator, with a little ingenuity, bevel gears could be used, but bear in mind that every bearing surface in the drive chain saps power in the form of heat.
The final ‘installation’ could be either horizontal or vertical - it matters not - but horizontal may be easier to support, just make sure its in a good air stream.
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