pinwheel turbine results

[bob golding]

hi all, have spent the last couple of days experimenting with pinwheel designs. got a copy of some research done in japan with a wind tunnel. started with a 840 mm  design made from 1 mm polythene sheeting i had left over from something. it worked quite well. connected it to a TDM and it was producing about 15 watts. not a lot but hey its something. i then got ambious and built a 1 metre version out of aluminium sheet. the side of an old caravan, this one has a lot more torque but runs too slowly. it  will keep turning  with a dead short across the motor. so looks like i will have to  build an alternator that matches it  more closely. no data on rpm or windspeed yet, but the  motor produces 12 volts at 400 rpm,tested with an electric drill rated at 400 rpm. i reckon the  1 metre one is turning at about 150 rpm,and the 840 mm one at around 600 rpm. if anyone else wants to experiment email me and i will send you the  details.

having far too much fun

bob golding

[ghurd]

Just an idea...

It kind of looks like the wind has a hard time getting 'into' the pinwheels.

What if the front area, near the front bearing(?), is reduced.

The edge between the front bearing to the tip, trim it back a little, near the front bearing.

From the front you could see a little more of the back.

Hard to explain, not knowing any terms for those parts!

G-

[bob golding]

yep you got it thats exactly what they did. email me and i will send you the plans if you are interested.

[Norm]

 Bob...interesting been fooling around with

pinwheels myself so maybe you could send me some plans also...sure would be nice to hook some up

to some of these blower motors even some of these little pocket fan motors would be nice

candidates for a pinwheel.

            Fun in NE Ohio....sunny skies...

                8+ wind...beautiful day for

               windmills!

                      ( :>) Norm

[wildbill hickup]

Hey Bob,

 Me sent me a copy too, I'd love to see where those trimmings are. Tried trimming out a piece of paper 8" X 8" that I had folded into a pinwheel and didn't do to well.  

[wildbill hickup]

Ok so I just read what I wrote (no typeing talent) and also in reguards to my address (1)the obvious anti-spam stuff and more importantly (2) you can't see it because of the underline but there is and underscore between wildbill and hickup.

[bob golding]

hi all, just  remembered it isnt entirly clear on the plans that the rotor size they used was 600 diameter ,so if like me you just dive in and  cut a 600 mm square pattern you need to multiply thier  measurments by 1.4 to maintain the right ratio. 600 mm square*1.4= 840 mm diameter,which is the corner to corner measurement. these wind turbines are really good at driving the wind away. there is no wind at all here at the moment. very unusual.

bob golding