Vertical-Axis-Wind-Turbine

Table of Contents
BRIEF OF WIND POWER & BASICS OF VERTICAL AXIS WIND TURBINE................................................................................1
VERTICAL AXIS WIND TURBINE:........................................................................................................................................ 4
BETZ’S LAW:..................................................................................................................................................................... 7
COMPARISON BETWEEN SAVONIOUS AND DARRIEUS CONCEPT :.....................................................................................7
COMPONENTS OF VERTICAL AXIS WIND TURBINE: -.......................................................................................................... 8
DESIGN: -......................................................................................................................................................................... 8
IMPORTANT POINTS TO TAKE CARE: -............................................................................................................................... 8
Brief of Wind Power & Basics of Vertical Axis Wind Turbine

1. Turbine:
1.1. What is Turbine : - A turbine is a rotary mechanical device that extracts energy
from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work. The work produced by a turbine can be used
for generating electrical power when combined with a generator. A turbine is
a turbomachine with at least one moving part called a rotor assembly, which is a shaft or drum
with blades attached. Moving fluid acts on the blades so that they move and impart rotational
energy to the rotor. Early turbine examples are windmills and waterwheels.
1.2. Types of Turbine: - Steam Turbine, Gas Turbine, Statorless Turbine, Bladeless
Turbine, Water turbine, Screw Turbine
1.3. Uses of Turbine: - Almost all electrical power on Earth is generated with a turbine of
some type. Very high efficiency steam turbines harness around 40% of the thermal energy, with
the rest exhausted as waste heat. Most jet engines rely on turbines to supply mechanical work
from their working fluid and fuel as do all nuclear ships and power plants. Turbines are often
part of a larger machine. A gas turbine, for example, may refer to an internal combustion
machine that contains a turbine, ducts, compressor, combustor, heat-exchanger, fan and (in
the case of one designed to produce electricity) an alternator. Combustion turbines and steam
turbines may be connected to machinery such as pumps and compressors, or may be used for
propulsion of ships, usually through an intermediate gearbox to reduce rotary speed.

2. Wind Turbine:

2.1. What is Wind Turbine: - A wind turbine is a device that converts the wind's kinetic
energy into electrical energy. Wind turbines are manufactured in a wide range of vertical and
horizontal axis. The smallest turbines are used for applications such as battery charging for
auxiliary power for boats or caravans or to power traffic warning signs. Slightly larger turbines
can be used for making contributions to a domestic power supply while selling unused power
back to the utility supplier via the electrical grid. Arrays of large turbines, known as wind farms,
are becoming an increasingly important source of intermittent renewable energy and are used
by many countries as part of a strategy to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels. One assessment
claimed that, as of 2009, wind had the "lowest relative greenhouse gas emissions, the least
water consumption demands and... the most favorable social impacts" compared to
photovoltaic, hydro, geothermal, coal and gas.
2.2. Types of Wind Mill: - Wind
turbines can rotate about either a
horizontal or a vertical axis, the
former being both older and more
common. They can also include
 blades or be bladeless. Vertical designs produce less power and are less
common. 1. Horizontal Axis 2. Vertical Axis.
2.3. Efficiency : - Conservation of mass requires that the amount of air entering
and exiting a turbine must be equal. Accordingly, Betz's law gives the
maximal achievable extraction of wind power by a wind turbine as 16/27
(59.3%) of the total kinetic energy of the air flowing through the turbine.
The maximum theoretical power output of a wind machine is thus 16/27
times the kinetic energy of the air passing through the effective disk area of
the machine. If the effective area of the disk is A, and the wind velocity v,

the maximum theoretical power output P is:

where ρ is the air density.
As wind is free (no fuel cost), wind-to-rotor efficiency (including rotor blade
friction and drag) is one of many aspects impacting the final price of wind
power. Further inefficiencies, such as gearbox losses, generator and
converter losses, reduce the power delivered by a wind turbine. To protect
components from undue wear, extracted power is held constant above the
rated operating speed as theoretical power increases at the cube of wind
speed, further reducing theoretical efficiency. In 2001, commercial utility-
connected turbines deliver 75% to 80% of the Betz limit of power
extractable from the wind, at rated operating speed.
Efficiency can decrease slightly over time, one of the main reasons being
dust and insect carcasses on the
blades which alters the
aerodynamic profile and
essentially reduces the lift to
drag ratio of the airfoil. Analysis
of 3128 wind turbines older than
10 years in Denmark showed
that half of the turbines had no
decrease, while the other half
saw a production decrease of
1.2% per year.Vertical turbine
designs have much lower
efficiency than standard horizontal designs.

3. Horizontal axis Wind Turbine : -

Components of a horizontal axis wind turbine (gearbox, rotor shaft and brake
assembly) being lifted into position Large three-bladed horizontal-axis wind
turbines (HAWT), with the blades upwind of the tower produce the
overwhelming majority of windpower in the world today. These turbines have
the main rotor shaft and electrical generator at the top of a tower and must be
pointed into the wind. Small turbines are pointed by a simple wind vane, while
 large turbines generally use a wind sensor coupled with a yaw system. Most
have a gearbox, which turns the slow rotation of the blades into a quicker
rotation that is more suitable to drive an electrical ge nerator. Some turbines
use a different type of generator suited to slower rotational speed input. These
don't need a gearbox, and are called direct-drive, meaning they couple the rotor
directly to the generator with no gearbox in between. While permanent magnet
direct-drive generators can be costlier due to the rare earth materials required,
these gearless turbines are sometimes preferred over gearbox generators
because they "eliminate the gear-speed increaser, which is susceptible to
significant accumulated fatigue torque loading, related reliability issues, and
maintenance costs."
Most horizontal axis turbines have their rotors upwind of its supporting tower.
Downwind machines have been built, because they don't need an additional
mechanism for keeping them in line with the wind. In high winds, the blades can
also be allowed to bend which reduces their swept area and thus their wind
resistance. Despite these advantages, upwind designs are preferred, because
the change in loading from the wind as each blade passes behind the supporting
tower can cause damage to the turbine.
Turbines used in wind farms for commercial production of electric power are
usually three-bladed. These have low torque ripple, which contributes to good
reliability. The blades are usually colored white for daytime visibility by aircraft
and range in length from 20 to 80 meters (66 to 262 ft). The size and height of
turbines increase year by year. Offshore wind turbines are built up to 8MW
today and have a blade length up to 80 meters (260 ft). Usual tubular steel
towers of multi megawatt turbines have a height of 70 m to 120 m and in
extremes up to 160 m.

4. Vertical Axis Wind Turbine: -

A vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWT) is a type of wind turbine where the main
rotor shaft is set transverse to the wind (but
not necessarily vertically) while the main
components are located at the base of the
turbine. This arrangement allows the generator
and gearbox to be located close to the ground,
facilitating service and repair. VAWTs do not
need to be pointed into the wind, which
removes the need for wind-sensing and
orientation mechanisms. Major drawbacks for
the early designs (Savonius, Darrieus and
giromill) included the significant torque
variation or "ripple" during each revolution,
and the large bending moments on the blades.
Later designs addressed the torque ripple issue
 by sweeping the blades helically. Vertical-axis wind turbines (or VAWTs) have
the main rotor shaft arranged vertically. One advantage of this arrangement is
that the turbine does not need to be pointed into the wind to be effective, which
is an advantage on a site where the wind direction is highly variable. It is also an
advantage when the turbine is integrated into a building because it is inherently
less steerable. Also, the generator and gearbox can be placed near the ground,
using a direct drive from the rotor assembly to the ground-based gearbox,
improving accessibility for maintenance. However, these designs produce much
less energy averaged over time, which is a major drawback.
When a turbine is mounted on a rooftop the building generally redirects wind
over the roof and this can double the wind speed at the turbine. If the height of
a rooftop mounted turbine tower is approximately 50% of the building height it
is near the optimum for maximum wind energy and minimum wind turbulence.
While wind speeds within the built environment are generally much lower than
at exposed rural sites, noise may be a concern and an existing structure may
not adequately resist the additional stress.

Vertical Axis Wind Turbine:

1. Types of Vertical Axis wind Turbines
1.1. Darrieus wind turbine: - Darrieus turbines, were named after the French inventor, Georges
Darrieus. “Turbine having its shaft transverse to the flow of the current” They have good
efficiency, but produce large torque ripple and cyclical stress on the tower, which contributes to
poor reliability. They also generally require some external power source, or an additional Savonius
rotor to start turning, because the starting torque is very low. The torque ripple is reduced by using
three or more blades which results in greater solidity of the rotor. Solidity is measured by blade
area divided by the rotor area. Newer Darrieus type turbines are not held up by guy-wires but have
an external superstructure connected to the top bearing.
 Fig.Three-bladed Darrieus wind turbine Fig. Forces that act on the turbines

1.2. Giromill : - A subtype of Darrieus turbine with straight, as opposed to

curved, blades. The cycloturbine variety has variable pitch to reduce the
torque pulsation and is self-starting. The advantages of variable pitch are:
high starting torque; a wide, relatively flat torque curve; a higher coefficient
of performance; more efficient operation in turbulent winds; and a lower
blade speed ratio which lowers blade bending stresses. Straight, V, or
curved blades may be used.

1.3. Savonius wind turbine : -These are drag-type

devices with two (or more) scoops that are
used in anemometers, Flettner vents
(commonly seen on bus and van roofs), and in
some high-reliability low-efficiency power
turbines. They are always self-starting if
there are at least three scoops.Twisted
Savonius is a modified savonius, with long
helical scoops to provide smooth torque. This is
often used as a rooftop windturbine and has
even been adapted for ships.
1.4. Use and operation:- The Savonius is a drag-type
VAWT, so it cannot rotate faster than the
wind speed. This means that the tip speed
ratio is equal to 1 or smaller, making this turbine not very suitable for
electricity generation. Moreover, the efficiency is very low compared to
other types, so it can be employed for other uses, such as pumping water or
grinding grain. Much of the swept area of near the ground, making the
overall energy extraction less effective due to lower wind speed at lower
heights. Its best qualities are the simplicity, the reliability and very low noise
production. It can operate well also at low wind speed because the torque is
very high especially in these conditions. However, the torque is not
constant, so often some improvements like helical shape are used.
Fig. Savonious rotor

Fig. Savonious wind turbine

Betz’s Law:

Comparison Between Savonious and Darrieus Concept :

- There are two fundamental ways that a vertical axis wind turbine converts a passing wind into rotation
and they are either being pushed by the wind, or using the lift the wind provides to turn. A good
example of a vertical axis wind turbine that is pushed by the wind is the Savonius wind turbine. This style
of vertical turbine uses a series of scoops to catch the passing wind and rotate its central shaft. A
Savonius wind turbine is used in situations where reliability is essential since the design provides for a
very consistent operation.
- The other popular style of vertical wind turbine is based on lift and a good example of this is the Darrieus
wind turbine design. Unlike the Savonius design that relies on blocking the wind to provide the energy
for its rotation, the Darrieus wind turbine design uses the lift of the wind to provide rotation. Its blades
are engineered to catch the upward thrust of a breeze and will spin in response to this lift.
- The challenge with the Darrieus wind turbine design is that it is not a self-starting turbine. This means
that it can't generate enough power to start rotating on its own and needs to have a little help getting
started. Most of these styles of turbine use a small motor to start this rotation and then the Darrieus
wind turbine will spin on it own as long as a breeze is blowing.
- Some of the newer versions actually combine the two designs and use a small Savonius wind turbine
mounted on the shaft of a Darrieus wind turbine to provide the initial spin and then the lift takes over
from there. The advantage that the Darrieus wind turbine has over other models is that its blades can
actually spin faster than the wind that is passing. This gives it a very high rotation and is perfect for
generating power as a result.

No Starting Torque Have Starting Torque

Less Reliable More Reliable
Lift Mechanism Drag Mechanism
Higher speed after starting due to lift Comparatively lower speed at same time.
3
P= ρ v rh C p 1 3
P= ρ v rh C p
2
Components of Vertical Axis Wind Turbine: -

i. Hub
ii. Rotor
iii. Blades
iv. Shaft
v. Brake
vi. Gear
vii. Generator
viii. Base

Hub

The hub is the centre of the rotor to which the rotor blades are attached. Cast iron or cast steel is most often
used. In VAWT there are two hibs upper and lower because blades are attached at two points.

ROTOR

The rotor is the heart of a wind turbine and consists of multiple rotor blades attached to a hub. It is the turbine
component responsible for collecting the energy present in the wind and transforming this energy into
mechanical motion. As the overall diameter of the rotor design increases, the amount of energy that the rotor
can extract from the wind increases as well. Therefore, turbines are often designed around a certain diameter
rotor and the predicted energy that can be drawn from the wind.

ROTOR BLADES

Rotor blades are a crucial and basic part of a wind turbine.they are mainly made of aluminium, fibber glass or
carbon fibber because they provide batter strength to weight ratio. The design of the individual blades also
affects the overall design of the rotor. Rotor blades take the energy out of the wind; they “capture” the wind
and convert its kinetic energy into the rotation of the hub. there are two types of blades use in VAWT

 Drage force type blades ( savonius wind turbine)

 Lift force type blades (Darrieus and giromill wind turbine)

SHAFT

The shaft is the part that gets turned by the turbine blades. It in turn is connected to the generator within the
main housing

ELECTRICAL BRAKING

Braking of a small wind turbine can also be done by dumping energy from the generator into a resistor bank,
converting the kinetic energy of the turbine rotation into heat. This method is useful if the kinetic load on the
generator is suddenly reduced or is too small to keep the turbine speed within its allowed limit.
Cyclically braking causes the blades to slow down, which increases the stalling effect, reducing the efficiency of
the blades. This way, the turbine's rotation can be kept at a safe speed in faster winds while maintaining
(nominal) power output. This method is usually not applied on large grid-connected wind turbines.

MECHANICAL BRAKING

A mechanical brake is normally placed on the high speed shaft between the gearbox and the generator, but
there are some turbine in which the brake is mounted on the low speed shaft between the turbine and gear box

A mechanical drum brake or disk brake is use to stop turbine in emergency situation such as extreme gust
events or over speed. This brake is also used to hold the turbine at rest for maintenance as a secondary mean,
primarily mean being the rotor lock system. Such brakes are usually applied only after blade furling and
electromagnetic braking have reduced the turbine speed generally 1 or 2 rotor RPM, as the mechanical brakes
can create a fire inside the nacelle if used to stop the turbine from full speed. Also the load on turbine increases
if brake is applied on rated RPM. These kind of mechanical brake are driven by hydraulic systems and connected
to main control box.

GEAR BOX

The main function of the gear box is to take low rotational speed from shaft and increase it to increase the
rotational speed of the generator.Among the types of gear stages are the plantary, helical,oarallel shaft, spure
and worm types. Two or more gear types may be combined in multiple stages. they are made up of aluminium
alloys, stainless steel and cost iron

GENERATOR

The conversion of rotational mechanical energy to electrical energy is performed by generator. Different types
of generator have been used in wind energy system over the years. For large, commercial size horizontal-axis
wind turbines, the generator is mounted in a nacelle at the top of a tower, behind the hub of the turbine rotor.
Typically wind turbines generate electricity through asynchronous machines that are directly connected with the
electricity grid. Usually the rotational speed of the wind turbine is slower than the equivalent rotation speed of
the electrical network - typical rotation speeds for wind generators are 5-20 rpm while a directly connected
machine will have an electrical speed between 750-3600 rpm. Therefore, a gearbox is inserted between the
rotor hub and the generator. This also reduces the generator cost and weight

Base

base of VAWT is usually the roof of building on which it is installed.

Battery

Battery used for Charging the drawing current and output application.
Design: -

- Savonious type design

- Blade Design Specification
- Generator Specification
- 12 V Battery Charging
- 12 V LED street light Application

Proposed Design Savonious type 4 blade design with a generator rating of 300 RPM 100W 12 V to generate the
desired amount of current to charge the battery from which there will be 12V LED light glowed at night.

Important points to take care: -

- RPM
- Voltage to Speed Ratio
- Power
- Blade Design Type
- Generator Type
- Treadmill / car alternator

 RPM is revolution per minute which signified that at the rated voltage i.e 12V it will revolve the rated
RPM say it 300RPM that means when the voltage is 12V it will give the speed of 300RPM, now here in
generator we have to take care the vice – versa of the same
If the rotation of generator is 300RPM than it will generate the 12V of maximum voltage.
12
So in 1 Rotation it will generate =0.04 volts/rpm and this is known as the Voltage to Speed Ratio.
300
For the calculation of voltage from the revolution of blade we have to take this in consideration. Now
the efficiency of generator will be around approximately 85 % so now we have to multiply this with
the .85 to get out final result. From this and betz’s law we can calculate power.

 Blade Design plays an important role to generate the electricity. We have to choose the blade according
to the locality, wind type.

 Generator Type will be Permanent Magnet 3 phase AC Generator and these are of many type and we
have to take care the RPM, Power rating, Magnet Type and rated voltage,cost.
 Generator should be Application Specified, The avg RPM is 300rpm for vertical axis wind turbine and we
have chosen 12V 100W rated generator to charge a 12V battery and charge it to its full to glow the
street light.

 We can also generate the electricity using the Car alternator and Treadmill motor, but again we have to
take care of the Voltage to Speed ratio, which will determine the rate of voltage to be generated, to use
treadmills and car alternator we can use pulley system to make more rotation and generate the
electricity.