The Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine Project Report

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The Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine Project Report

I undertook a project to make the traditional horizontal axis wind turbine with six blades using available materials. The horizontal axis wind turbines have a main rotor shaft and an electric generator, located at the top of a tower. A wind vane or a wind sensor can be used as pointers depending on the size of the turbines. The turbines have a gearbox that is used to make the blades rotate faster. It is located between the rotor and the generator. The main function of the rotor is to rotate the generator. The generator uses the rotation of the rotor to generate electricity. My aim was to try to recreate this as best as I could. I first designed the project using a graphic program. I then began the process of making my first design.

http://g02.a.alicdn.com/kf/UT8AL9IXcpbXXagOFbXK/200701279/UT8AL9IXcpbXXagOFbXK.jpg

For the materials, I needed plastic plates, cutting machines, and glue. I bought three circular plastic plates. I cut them into six equal parts using the liner cut machine. All the six parts were the blades. I used plastic for making the blades because I had to ensure that they were as light as possible. I then tried to make a hole at the center of the plate, which I would use as a hub.

I faced some problems when undertaking my project. I was not able to cut the blades in a curved way. Therefore, I had to use them when they were flat. This interfered with the design and the functionality of the product. Another problem faced was that the holes at the center of the plate did not work well as hubs. Moreover, I was not able to attach the hub to the center. After facing these problems, I decided to change some things in my design

Parts of a wind turbine

http://www.turbinesinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Parts-of-Windt-Turbines.jpg

In the final project, I decided to use the solid work program to print the turbine using a 3-D printer. I then printed the plastic tower, which goes to the back of the turbines. I then used glue to attach the tower to the back of the turbine. Finally, I took my project and attached it to an electrical generator. I then used a hair dryer to produce the power. Although I tried and worked on the project as best as I could, I did not realize the results I expected. The final project did not work very well. I was not able to generate the speed that I had expected. It is clear that I could have worked more efficiently to ensure that the project worked.

Undertaking the project was important because it enabled me to learn several lessons. I was able to put my creativity into good use and I was only able to know about some of the problems by working on the project. Conducting more research would have made it possible to avoid some of the problems that I encountered. For instance, I could have used a wind vane and a gearbox to increase the speed and searched for better materials to make the blades. This could have solved the problem of using flat blades. In addition, had I dedicated much time to the project, I would have been able to develop better and more functional hubs. These are important lessons, as they will benefit me when undertaking future projects.