MKSSS’s
Cummins College of Engineering for Women, Pune
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Final Year of Engineering
Unit II
Wind Energy
Syllabus
• Wind parameters and wind data
• Power from wind
• Site selection
• Wind energy conversion systems and their classification
• Construction and working of typical wind mill
• Characteristics of wind generators
• Design considerations for wind mills
• Operation and maintenance of wind mills
• Present status
Introduction
• Wind is a form of Solar energy.
• Wind energy is the kinetic energy associated with movement of large masses of
air.
• These motions result from uneven heating of atmosphere by the sun, creating
temperature, density and pressure differences.
• Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind to mechanical power.
• A generator can convert the mechanical power into electricity.
• A wind turbine works the opposite of a fan
• The wind turns the blades, which spin a shaft, Which connects to a
generator and makes electricity
• It is thus an indirect form of solar energy.
• It is a clean, cheap, and eco-friendly renewable source.
• Very slow winds are of no use, having no possibility of power
generation.
• On the other hand very strong stormy winds cannot be utilized due to
safety of turbine.
• Moderate to high-speed winds, typically from 5 m/s to about 25 m/s
are considered favorable for most wind turbines
History
• The idea of harnessing winds is not new.
• It was one of the first natural energy
sources to be used by mankind.
• There are indications that windmills were
used in Babylon and China around 2000
to 1700 B.C. to pump water and grind
grains.
• Egyptians used wind power to sail ships in
the Nile some 5000 years ago.
• It has traditionally been used worldwide for ship propulsion until the
start of industrial era.
• In Persia and Afghanistan windmills were used around 7th century
A.D. for grinding grains.
• Europeans imported the technology from the east and were probably
the first to introduce the horizontal axis windmill around 12th century,
and by 1750, Holland had 8,000 windmills and England had 10,000.
• Their use, however, declined after the introduction of James Watt’s
steam engine in late 18th century and further declined in 20th century
as a result of availability of cheap, reliable fossil fuels and
hydropower.
• The electric power generation through wind was first proposed in
Denmark in 1890 and many aero-generators were built in Europe.
• The interest in wind energy has renewed after the oil crisis of 1973.
• Most modern, large-scale wind energy systems were built after 1980
using modern engineering designs, materialized elsewhere.
Major factors that have led to accelerated
development of the wind power
• Availability of high-strength fiber composites for constructing large low-
cost rotor blades
• Falling prices of power electronics
• Variable speed operation of electrical generators to capture maximum
energy
• Improved plant operation
• Accumulated field experience improving the capacity factor
• Short energy payback (or energy recovery) period of about one year
Investment in Wind
• The British Wind Energy Association predicts wind to overtake nuclear in U.K. in
the next decade.
• 9 GW of electricity from offshore wind farms by 2015 in U.K.
• China expects wind output to exceed nuclear by 2025.
• Currently has 12 GW of capacity. Plans to increase capacity by 20% per year.
• Has targeted goal of 100 GW from wind by 2025.
• In 2008, a 27 GW increase in wind capacity was achieved moving total global
wind capacity above 120 GW.
• U.S. and China account for over 50% of 2008 growth with additional 8 GW and 6
GW of new capacity.
Global (or Planetary) Winds
• Primary force for global winds is developed due to differential heating of earth at
equator and Polar Regions.
• In the tropical regions there is net gain of heat due to solar radiation, whereas in
the Polar Regions there is net loss of heat.
• This means that the earth’s atmosphere has to circulate to transport heat from
tropics towards the poles.
• On a global scale, these atmospheric currents work as an immense energy transfer
medium.
Local Winds
• Localized uneven heating is responsible for local winds.
• Local winds are produced due to two mechanisms:
• The first is differential heating of land surface and water bodies due to
solar radiation.
• During the day, solar energy is readily converted to sensible thermal
energy on the land surface and thus quickly increases its temperature.
Local Winds
• Whereas, on water bodies it is partly consumed in evaporating water
and only partly absorbed to cause an increase in temperature.
• The land mass thus becomes hotter than water, which causes
differential heating of air above them.
• As a result, cool and heavier air blow from water towards land.
• At night, the direction of wind is reversed as the land mass cools to
sky more rapidly than the water.
Local Winds
• The second mechanism of local winds is differential heating of slope on the
hillsides and that of low lands.
• The slope heats up during the day and cools down during night more rapidly than
the low land.
• This causes the heated air to rise along the slope during the day and relatively
cool air to flow down at night.
Parts of Wind Mill
• Anemometer -measures the wind
speed
• Blades-most turbines have 2 or 3.
Wind blowing over the blades
causes the blades to lift and rotate
• Brake -A disc brake can be used to
stop the rotor in emergencies
• Controller
• The controller starts up the machine at wind speeds of about 8 to 16 miles
per hour (mph) and shuts off the machine at about 55 mph.
• Turbines do not operate at wind speeds above about 55 mph because they
might be damaged by the high winds.
• Gear box
• Gears connect the low-speed shaft to the high-speed shaft and
increase the rotational speeds from about 30 to 60 rotations per
minute (rpm) to about 1000 to 1800 rpm, the rotational speed
required by most generators to produce electricity.
• The gear box is a costly (and heavy) part of the wind turbine and
engineers are exploring "direct-drive" generators that operate at
lower rotational speeds and don't need gear boxes.
• Generator
• Usually an induction generator that produces 60-cycle AC electricity.
• Low-speed shaft
• The rotor turns the low-speed shaft at about 30 to 60 rotations per minute.
• Nacelle
• The nacelle sits at top of the tower and contains the gear box, low- and high-
speed shafts, generator, controller, and brake. Some nacelles are large enough for
a helicopter to land on.
• Rotor
• The blades and the hub together are called the rotor.
• Tower
• Towers are made from tubular steel, concrete, or steel lattice.
• Yaw drive:
• Upwind turbines face into the wind; the yaw drive is used to keep the rotor facing
into the wind as the wind direction changes.
• Yaw motor:
• Powers the yaw drive.
• Turbine Blades
• Turbine blades are made of high-density wood or glass fiber and epoxy composites.
• They have airfoil type cross-section.
• In addition to centrifugal force and fatigue due to continuous vibrations there are many extraneous
forces arising from wind turbulence, gust, gravitational forces and directional changes in the wind,
etc. All these factors are to be taken care off at the designing stage.
• Diameter of a typical, MW range, modern rotor may be of the order of 100 m.
• Compared to two-blade design, the three-blade machine has smoother power output and balanced
gyroscopic force.
• Adding third blade increases the power output by about 5 per cent only, while the weight and cost of
rotor increases by 50 per cent, thus giving a diminished rate of return for additional 50 per cent
weight and cost.
• The two-blade rotor is also simpler to erect, since it can be assembled on ground and lifted to the
shaft without complicated maneuvers during the lift.
• Three blades are more common in Europe and other developing countries including India. The
American practice, however, is in favour of two blades.
• Hub
• The central solid portion of the rotor wheel is known as hub.
• All blades ate attached to the hub.
• Nacelle
• The term nacelle is derived from the name for housing containing the engines of an aircraft.
• The rotor is attached to nacelle, mounted at the top of a tower.
• It contains rotor brakes, gearbox, generator and electrical switchgear and control.
• Brakes are used to stop the rotor when power generation is not desired.
• Gearbox steps up the shaft rpm to suit the generator.
• Protection and control functions are provided by switchgear and control block.
• Yaw Control Mechanism
• The mechanism to adjust the nacelle around vertical axis to keep it facing the wind is provided at
the base of nacelle.
• Tower
• Tower supports nacelle and rotor.
• For medium and large sized turbines, the tower is slightly taller than the rotor diameter.
• In case of small sized turbine, the tower is much larger than the rotor diameter as the air is erratic
at lower heights.
• Both steel and concrete towers are being used.
• The construction can be either tubular or lattice type.
Wind Data
• All countries have national meteorological services that record and
publish weather related data including wind speed and direction.
• India Meteorological Department
• Wind speed is measured by anemometer and wind direction is
measured by wind vane attached to a direction indicator.
• The oldest and simplest anemometer is a swinging plate hung vertically and
hinged along its top edge.
• Wind speed is indicated by the angle of deflection of the plate with respect to
vertical
• Cup anemometer consists of three or four cups mounted symmetrically about a
vertical axis.
• The speed of rotation indicates wind speed.
• Wind speed can also be recorded by measuring the wind pressure on a flat plate.
• Hot wire anemometer measures the wind speed by recording cooling effect of the
wind on hot wire.
• The heat is produced by passing an electric current through the wire.
• Figure shows the typical anemograph of wind speed recorded at three heights, 10
m, 50 m and 150 m during strong winds.
• These records demonstrate the main characteristics of the flow in the region near
ground.
Main conclusions may be drawn as:
(i) Wind speed increases with height.
(ii) Wind speed is fluctuating with time, i.e.
turbulences are present at the site.
(iii) The turbulence is spread over a broad
range of frequencies.
The Power in the wind
Site Selection
• Four types of sites are considered suitable
i. Plane land sites
ii. Hill sites
iii. Sea shore sites
iv. Off-shore shallow water sites
• As the building and, forests offers the resistance to the air movement, windfarms
are located away from cities and forests
• Flat open area should be selected, as the wind velocities are high in open area.
• Adequate wind velocity throughout the year should be available.
• For the site selection it is desirable to have average wind speed.
• A narrow, mountain gap through which wind is channeled.
• The site should be reasonably close to power grid
Construction of typical wind mill
• Wind turbines are broadly classified into two categories.
• When the axis of rotation is parallel to the air stream (i.e. horizontal), the turbine
is said to be a Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT)
• When it is perpendicular to the air stream (i.e. vertical), it is said to be a Vertical
Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT).
Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT)
Vertical Axis Wind Mill
Working of Wind Turbine
• Leading Edge:- The front of the blade is called leading edge
• Trailing Edge:- The back of the wing is called trailing edge
• The lift force is a perpendicular force to the direction of the wind flow
that is generated by the airfoil shape of the turbine blades.
• It is responsible for the majority of the energy captured by the
turbine, as it causes the blades to rotate and generate power.
• The drag force, on the other hand, is a parallel force to the direction of
the wind flow and acts in the opposite direction of the lift force.
• It is caused by the resistance of the air as it passes over the surface of
the turbine blades, and it is generally considered to be a negative force
in the operation of a wind turbine.
• Solidity is a term used to describe the ratio
of the total blade area to the area of the
circle swept by the turbine blades.
Wind Energy Conversion System
• A wind energy conversion system converts wind energy into some form of
electrical energy.
• In particular, medium and large scale WECS are designed to operate in parallel
with a public or local ac grid. This is known as grid-connected system.
• A small system, isolated from grid, feeding only to local load is known as
autonomous, remote, decentralized, stand alone or isolated power system.
Wind Energy Conversion System
• The turbine shaft speed is stepped up with the help of gears, with fixed gear ratio, to suit
the electrical generator and fine-tuning of speed is incorporated by pitch control.
• This block acts as drive for the generator.
• DC, synchronous or induction generators are used for mechanical to electrical power
conversion depending on the design of the system.
• The interface conditions the generated power to grid power.
• It may consist of power electronic converter, transformer and filter, etc.
• The control unit monitors and controls the interaction among various blocks.
• It derives the reference voltage and frequency signals from the grid and receives
wind speed, wind direction, wind turbine speed, etc., processes them and
accordingly controls various blocks for optimal energy balance.
Design considerations for wind mills
• Turbine size and capacity
• Blade design
• Tower height and stability
• Material selection
• Gearbox and generator selection
• Control system
• Environmental factors
• Cost considerations
1.Turbine size and capacity: The size and capacity of a wind turbine is
determined by the amount of energy it is expected to generate. Larger
turbines are generally more efficient, but they are also more expensive
to construct and maintain.
2.Blade design: The design of the turbine blades is critical to the
efficiency of the turbine. Blades that are too small may not be able to
capture enough energy from the wind, while blades that are too large
may be too heavy and difficult to maneuver. Blade shape also plays a
role in the efficiency of the turbine, as certain shapes are better at
capturing wind energy than others.
3. Tower height and stability: The height of the turbine tower is
important in order to capture wind energy at higher speeds, but the
tower must also be designed to withstand the wind loads it will
experience. A stable foundation and strong support structure are
essential for ensuring the stability and safety of the turbine.
4. Material selection: The materials used in the construction of the
turbine must be durable and able to withstand the stresses of wind and
weather. Common materials used in wind turbine construction include
fiberglass, carbon fiber, and various types of metals.
5. Gearbox and generator selection: The gearbox and generator are key
components of the turbine that convert the rotational energy of the
blades into electricity. The selection of these components is critical to
the overall efficiency and reliability of the turbine.
6. Control system: The control system of the turbine must be able to
adjust the angle and speed of the blades in response to changing wind
conditions in order to maximize the efficiency of the turbine and protect
it from damage in high winds.
7.Environmental factors: Environmental factors such as wind speed,
temperature, and precipitation can all impact the performance and
durability of the turbine. These factors must be taken into account
during the design process in order to ensure that the turbine will
perform well in a wide range of conditions.
8.Cost considerations: Wind turbines can be expensive to construct and
maintain, so cost considerations are an important factor in the design
process. Designers must balance the cost of the turbine with its expected
performance and durability in order to create a cost-effective design.
WIND ENERGY PROGRAM IN INDIA
• Wind energy program was initiated in India in 1983–84.
• The program has been managed and implemented by Ministry of New and
Renewable Energy Sources, Government of India.
• The Ministry’s wind power program covers survey and assessment of wind
resources, facilitation of implementation of demonstration and private sector
projects through various fiscal and promotional policies.
• A total capacity of 22,465 MW has been established up to December, 2014 in the
country.
• India is the fifth largest wind power producer in the world, after China, USA,
Germany and Spain.
• As per the Indian Wind Atlas, the on-shore wind power potential has been
estimated as 49,130 MW at 50 m height.
• The wind potential has also been extrapolated at 80 m height and has been found
to be 1, 02,788 MW.
MAJOR APPLICATIONS OF WIND
POWER
1. Applications Requiring Mechanical Power
2. As Off Grid Electrical Power Source
3. As Grid Connected Electrical Power Source
Applications Requiring Mechanical Power
• Wind pumps:
• Low power turbines are used for producing mechanical power for
pumping water in remote areas.
• Simple and reliable traditional reciprocating pumps or centrifugal
pumps are used.
These wind pumps are used to supply water for livestock, small scale
irrigation, low head pumping for aquatic breeding and domestic water
supply. Mechanical power is also used to operate farm appliances
requiring Mechanical Power
As Off Grid Electrical Power Source
• Machines of low power with a rotor diameter of about 3 m and 40–
1000 W rating can generate sufficient electrical energy for space
heating and cooling of homes, water heating, battery charging, and
for operating domestic appliances such as fan, light and small tools.
• Applications for somewhat more powerful turbines of about 50 kW
are: producing electrical power for navigation signal (e.g. lighthouse),
remote communication, weather stations and offshore oil drilling
platforms.
As Grid Connected Electrical Power Source
• Large aero-generators in the range of few hundred kW to few MW are
planned for supplying power to a utility grid.
• Large arrays of aero-generators, known as wind farms are being
deployed in open plains or offshore in shallow water for this purpose.
Merits of the wind power generation
• It is renewable and not depleted with the use like fossil fuel.
• Wind is available in abundance everywhere in the world
• Ecofriendly and does not pollute the atmosphere unlike in case of coal, oil etc.
• In large portion of world wind blows for 320 days.
• Windfarms occupies a large land area, it is possible to use the land for other
purpose like tourist park, vehicle testing ground etc.
Demerits of the wind power generation
• The source of power is non steady.
• Favorable winds are available only in few geographical locations.
• Wind farms require flat, vacant land and free forests.
• There is fluctuation in the electric power as wind speed fluctuates.
• Some minor negative impacts like noise, bird hits, impact on wild life etc.
