FRP Blade Fabrication

[Madodel]

Scale model test for blade design:





Model Fabrication:









Wax carving:









Mold Fabrication:





Blade Fabrication:













Nacelle Fabrication:





Turbine installation:

[rotornuts]

Very cool, Thanks for that. I'm liking how you made that mould!

Mike

[Texas Al]

What's that I see you using to measure the RPMs on the miniature model? Or are you measuring torque? Or both?

Also, what's at the other end of the wind-tunnel? A fan that you run at some preset speed or speeds? How did you pick the speeds? What advantage does the pipe give over just holding the model in front of the fan?

Inquiring minds want to know. Thanks, and congratulations, it looks totally pro.

[domwild]

Hi,

Great stuff! Is this a standard NACA profile or has this been calculated?

Thanks for sharing that with us!

[hvirtane]

Very nice indeed.

Thank you very much.

It is very good,

that you are sharing

this material.

It will benefit many.  

I really like the way,

you made the model.

What is the material (wax?)

you've used for the model?

- Hannu

[XRay]

Thanks sharing and responding to my question: http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2005/6/4/215429/6840

I wonder how and with what you fill up the wing? Or is it hollow?

I am more interested in VAWT, I live in a urban area so a VAWT will likely be more productive. Creating a negative mould like yours, will be the method I will use.

Greetings,

Ray

[wgatenson04]

This is the method almost to the tee that I am going to use for my blade fabrication, except for I am using poar foam in place of the wax.  Easier to carve into shape hot wire cutter  I have already used this process to fab a 3" demo blade, which turned out very bad , but that was my first time fiberglassing, so I have learned some things in my time, and am planning to post my pics of the first 7" blade I make soon.

P.S. did you use any spar cap re-inforcemnts, or anything like that, or just using the aluminum rod for stiffness?  Also, does the rod go all the way to the tip of the blade?

Great Job you guys, keep building and posting!

[XRay]

The wax model wing is used to make the mould.

Greetings,

Ray

[Madodel]

It's a torque meter and that's an axial flow fan with 12 m/s wind speed. We used a pitot tube to measure speed or an anemometer would also work. The pipe gives a more laminar follow and it makes sure that the wind is properly distributed.