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My VAWT is almost complete! Check it out!
By shockwind, Section Diaries Posted on Fri Oct 7th, 2005 at 06:39:30 AM MST
Pictures and Video!

Well, I have just about completed my very first wind turbine. It is a small VAWT based on the Darrius H rotor design.
I have combined some ideas together to come up with a unique wing design. It is a combination of Ed's Lenz with a custom GOE 435 profile and of course.. H rotor style.
You can find more information and view the video of it turning by visiting my website at: http://www.nlre.net/vawtcustom.htm
It spins up very nicely as you can see in the video. It is going 240 rpm! Not too bad at all.
Here are some of the drawings I did:
The custom "slotted" profile:

A pic of the final design before building:

Please feel free to leave your comments and questions at:
http://nl-re.blogspot.com/

My VAWT is almost complete! Check it out! | 18 comments (18 topical, 0 editorial)

Re: My VAWT is almost complete! Check it out! (3.00 / 0) (#1)
by windstuffnow (elenz(at)windstuffnow(dot)com) on Fri Oct 7th, 2005 at 07:56:09 AM MST
(User Info) http://www.windstuffnow.com/main

Very nice shockwind. What is the windspeed that your fan is producing? What are your wing angles? Looks like it moves right along in the video.

Great work!

.
Have Fun! Windstuff Ed

Re: My VAWT is almost complete! Check it out! (3.00 / 0) (#2)
by shockwind (steve@nlre.net) on Fri Oct 7th, 2005 at 09:23:37 AM MST
(User Info) http://www.nlre.net

Hi Ed, thanks for the comments. The blade angle is at 0 degrees. I built it so that the arc was close to a perfect circle when spinning. Hopefully this drawing will explain:

I am thinking of trying a the same design with a 13 degree angle to compare, but that won't be for a little while yet...

As for the wind speed coming from the fan, I have no idea, unfortunatly I do not have an anemometer.... perhaps in the near future I will build one or buy one....
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex and more violent. It takes a touch of genius-and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction
[ Parent ]

Re: My VAWT is almost complete! Check it out! (3.00 / 0) (#5)
by IntegEner (mail@int.......com) on Fri Oct 7th, 2005 at 03:05:56 PM MST
(User Info) http://www.integener.com

It is surely very nice work. The Atlantic Provinces have a soft spot for these verticals rotators, I see. Would be curious to know of what material the blades are made. Is that wood? The shape is quite carefully proportioned to within small tolerances. The theoretical Betz power limit for this size turbine in a 15 mph wind is just about 10 watts. See the IntegEner-W website (www.integener.com) for some views of a rotator that might be of interest and it explains the different blade shape.

It is clear that the "notch" has the purpose of assisting the unit to accelerate when moving slowly or stopped with a little bit of drag - a good idea. Maybe these can be produced in quantity for a market, they are so attractive.

The quote is interesting also. I would be happy to answer questions about making units that are a little larger in scale, despite being a little "dumber".

To Ed Lenz - if you have logged on to this thread, I ordered the small axial flux 3 phase generator kit on the WindStuffNow website just this morning with the PayPal button and think it might work fine with the projects underway here.

Anthony Chessick
IntegEner-W
Tehachapi, CA
www.integener.com

[ Parent ]

Re: My VAWT is almost complete! Check it out! (3.00 / 0) (#7)
by windstuffnow (elenz(at)windstuffnow(dot)com) on Fri Oct 7th, 2005 at 04:58:08 PM MST
(User Info) http://www.windstuffnow.com/main

Hi Anthony,
I Got it, it will be on its way shortly. Let me know how it goes !

Should be fun and interesting.

Have Fun! Windstuff Ed
[ Parent ]

Re: My VAWT is almost complete! Check it out! (3.00 / 0) (#12)
by shockwind (steve@nlre.net) on Sat Oct 8th, 2005 at 11:55:51 PM MST
(User Info) http://www.nlre.net

IntegEner,

Thanks for the reply and for pointing me in the direction of your site, there is a bunch of useful information there. Great job.

I will eventually be trying to market these as a small backpack/camping generator. I have been working on this design for quite some time, so hopefully it will pay off, although the fun in building is "almost" payment enough!

You are absolutly correct about the "notch" and how it works.

Thanks again for the comments!
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex and more violent. It takes a touch of genius-and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction
[ Parent ]

Re: My VAWT is almost complete! Check it out! (3.00 / 0) (#3)
by electrondady1 on Fri Oct 7th, 2005 at 01:01:38 PM MST
(User Info)

hello shockwind , ive never seen a profile like that before , it shure wants to spin. does the notch make any sound when at speed?

Re: My VAWT is almost complete! Check it out! (3.00 / 0) (#11)
by shockwind (steve@nlre.net) on Sat Oct 8th, 2005 at 11:49:40 PM MST
(User Info) http://www.nlre.net

electrondady1,

Just a little "woosh" as it goes by the fan, it's very quiet actually.

Thanks.
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex and more violent. It takes a touch of genius-and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction
[ Parent ]

Re: My VAWT is almost complete! Check it out! (3.00 / 0) (#13)
by finnsawyer on Sun Oct 9th, 2005 at 09:02:42 AM MST
(User Info)

Intelligent fool? Isn't that an oxymoron?
GeoM
[ Parent ]

Re: My VAWT is almost complete! Check it out! (3.00 / 0) (#4)
by hvirtane (hannu_markus_virtanen(at)yahoo(dot)com) on Fri Oct 7th, 2005 at 02:13:04 PM MST
(User Info) http://web.archive.org/web/20050404022706/www.cc.jyu.fi/~hvirtane/cooker/

Really nice. But I can't see your video,
because of its format. Can you anyhow
put it there in another format to
see it using a linux box?

- Hannu

Re: My VAWT is almost complete! Check it out! (3.00 / 0) (#6)
by nanotech (darrin(dot)moore(at)gmail(dot)com) on Fri Oct 7th, 2005 at 04:11:11 PM MST
(User Info)

What format would you like it in?

I can transpose almost ANY type of vid....
__________________________________________
My ship finally came in, but it was the Kobayashi Maru!
[ Parent ]

Re: My VAWT is almost complete! Check it out! (3.00 / 0) (#8)
by hvirtane (hannu_markus_virtanen(at)yahoo(dot)com) on Sat Oct 8th, 2005 at 04:41:54 PM MST
(User Info) http://web.archive.org/web/20050404022706/www.cc.jyu.fi/~hvirtane/cooker/

There are so many formats...
I think that quicktime, mpeg, svcd ... would do.

- Hannu

[ Parent ]

Re: My VAWT is almost complete! Check it out! (3.00 / 0) (#9)
by windstuffnow (elenz(at)windstuffnow(dot)com) on Sat Oct 8th, 2005 at 04:58:58 PM MST
(User Info) http://www.windstuffnow.com/main

Hannu,
There are quite a few free video converters out there. Are you using a PC? or Mac?

.
Have Fun! Windstuff Ed
[ Parent ]

Re: My VAWT is almost complete! Check it out! (3.00 / 0) (#14)
by hvirtane (hannu_markus_virtanen(at)yahoo(dot)com) on Sun Oct 9th, 2005 at 03:10:05 PM MST
(User Info) http://web.archive.org/web/20050404022706/www.cc.jyu.fi/~hvirtane/cooker/

Hello Ed,

I'm using a linux box.
And my system is a bit old,
so I can't see the latest formats.

- Hannu

[ Parent ]

Re: My VAWT is almost complete! Check it out! (3.00 / 0) (#10)
by shockwind (steve@nlre.net) on Sat Oct 8th, 2005 at 11:46:12 PM MST
(User Info) http://www.nlre.net

Hi Hannu, I have updated my webpage with some alternate formats... Avi, and MPEG.

Enjoy!
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex and more violent. It takes a touch of genius-and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction
[ Parent ]

Re: My VAWT is almost complete! Check it out! (3.00 / 0) (#15)
by cr8zy1van (salsa117@hotmail.com) on Mon Oct 10th, 2005 at 12:23:00 PM MST
(User Info)

What kind of power do you expect to get out of this machine?

What would increasing the stator diameter to just barely smaller than the blade path do? I know torque will come into play and was just wondering if there is any other reason for running a (for the untrained eye) small diameter stator? Do you think a larger stator will have any other side effects?

Excelent job on your machine. I think after seeing your post I have a couple ideas I want to play with.

Re: My VAWT is almost complete! Check it out! (3.00 / 0) (#16)
by hvirtane (hannu_markus_virtanen(at)yahoo(dot)com) on Mon Oct 10th, 2005 at 02:25:07 PM MST
(User Info) http://web.archive.org/web/20050404022706/www.cc.jyu.fi/~hvirtane/cooker/

I've downloaded the video and seen it.
Really interesting machine and a nice video.
Thank you for your efforts.

Do you have any equipment to measure the
output of the machine?

- Hannu

Re: My VAWT is almost complete! Check it out! (3.00 / 0) (#17)
by dinges on Wed Oct 26th, 2005 at 09:56:05 PM MST
(User Info)

Hello,

Very nice design, excellent video!

One question: how do you make the 3D drawings? I'm a mech.eng. and pretty good with Autocad, but this seems made with other software. Which?

I'm finishing my (little) generator at the moment (casting the stator and rotors) and am thinking about the propellor. Then I noticed your design, plus advantages (no yawing, furling). I won't get away with placing a conventional windmill, but this VAWT might be possible to get away with. Funny eh, it doesn't look like a windmill to most people, so it isn't one as they're concerned. Rationality...

This made me think: how to make the blades. I used to build & fly model aircraft in my younger years, and I don't look forward to conventional 'rib' construction. Then it occurred to me: my father used to make wings of styrofoam, cut with a 'hot saw' (resistance wire that gets hot due to current). Very quick (once you get the feel for it), easy (only need 2 jigs to guide the saw). The foam kernel was covered by balsawood, this made a VERY strong sandwich construction. It will also be easy to nicely finish it.

Anyone use this method before for making (VAWT) windmill blades?

Good luck & keep us informed

(I will ASAP make a diary of my current construction project. Progress is however very slow (but surely)).

Peter,
The Netherlands.

Re: My VAWT is almost complete! Check it out! (3.00 / 0) (#18)
by shockwind (steve@nlre.net) on Sat Nov 19th, 2005 at 04:31:14 AM MST
(User Info) http://www.nlre.net

Hi Peter thanks for the comments. I am using a program called autodesk inventor for the drawings, they are the same company that makes autocad, so if you have some autocad knowledge, you will find inventor, quite simple to use.

I am currently looking into other ways of making the blades as well, I have though of styrofoam, however, I have not tried that method yet. Let us know how it works for you.
I am currently getting prepared to build a CNC Router to do my carving, I assume I would also be able to use it to cut styrofoam as well. Can't wait to get it built!

Thanks,

Steve
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex and more violent. It takes a touch of genius-and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction
[ Parent ]

My VAWT is almost complete! Check it out! | 18 comments (18 topical, 0 editorial)

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