CNC Machined Wind Turbine

[fabricator]

I got lots of land to test but I live two hundred miles due west of you, the problem I see is the problem Frans was getting at, you may have double row bearings but they are in the same block and that block is held on by two bolts, that is going to be one of your first points of failure.
The bearing blocks should be separated by some distance each with it's own beefy bolts.

[mroy0404]

Fab. is this an offer too test this unit until possible failure? This is exactly the help I need!

[Frank S]

As with any prototype there are always things that would a should a could a been done a little differently.
 and usually are on the second or 3rd round
 With respect to the mounting blocks the bolt size has a lot to do with things. and if the blocks had been machined with a locator boss like the top jaws on a lather chuck would reduce  a lot of the stresses in the bolts. the forward extended toes on the bottom of the blocks help but only in  1 direction 

[mroy0404]

I realize there will be alot of changes needed, only true testing will point out where we need too modify

[mroy0404]

As with any prototype there are always things that would a should a could a been done a little differently.
 and usually are on the second or 3rd round
 With respect to the mounting blocks the bolt size has a lot to do with things. and if the blocks had been machined with a locator boss like the top jaws on a lather chuck would reduce  a lot of the stresses in the bolts. the forward extended toes on the bottom of the blocks help but only in  1 direction

Thank you Frank, that is a great idea. we could cut a straight key or even machine a simple round boss extruding from the bottom of the bearing blocks.

[dnix71]

If you can get the blue moly grease and a needle, inject each sealed bearing with CV joint grease until it oozes out. That will make them last much longer than anything else you can do for them. CV joint grease does not dry out and the moly binds to metal under pressure and acts like the graphite in lock grease.

http://www.pacificcustoms.com/SWEPCO101.html This is the best grease there is.

How to lube sealed bearings without prying the seal off or peircing it with a needle.

[Frank S]

Roy round bosses would only serve as locators, If there were 2 of them this would take care of forces in all directions  Straight keys or better yet either a square boss or a cross key would be other options

[mroy0404]

If you can get the blue moly grease and a needle, inject each sealed bearing with CV joint grease until it oozes out. That will make them last much longer than anything else you can do for them. CV joint grease does not dry out and the moly binds to metal under pressure and acts like the graphite in lock grease.

http://www.pacificcustoms.com/SWEPCO101.html This is the best grease there is.

How to lube sealed bearings without prying the seal off or peircing it with a needle.

That is just awesome!!

[mroy0404]

Roy round bosses would only serve as locators, If there were 2 of them this would take care of forces in all directions  Straight keys or better yet either a square boss or a cross key would be other options

Thanks for pointing that out Frank. I can machine any shape on any surface. this info will be used in the next unit made. Thank you for all your great ideas!

This will not add any weight either, just the extra strength needed

[Frank S]

I made a couple of similar bearing packers ti the the one I just  now drew up while running a motor pool in Germany they worked great used little grease you only needed to use an outer race

 We kept used races on hand made doing a wheel bearing service a snap.

[midwoud1]

Construction of the hub with 3 mtr diam. propeller.
Space between bearings 70 mm .
Tilt shafts 20 mm diam. Gear connected.
Working good.

 -Frans -

[mroy0404]

That's some impressive machining but aluminum and stainless won't last long moving metal on metal unless that hub is filled with some type of lube and sealed. I would have used delrin bushings, they are cheap enough to change out after x hours service and don't require oil or grease.

You won't be able to seal a spinning hub without a boot, like a constant velocity joint on a front-wheel drive automobile. Those use special moly grease. As long as the boot remains intact they never need relubing.

You aren't going to make much power from that size blade. My Air-X without the electronics hits just over 200 watts in gale force gusts during thunderstorms. Mount the mill on a pole on the bed of a pickup truck and drive 10, 20 and 30 miles per hour with the mill connected through a Turnigy meter http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__10080__Turnigy_130A_Watt_Meter_and_Power_Analyzer.html?gclid=CN3XiOGkh7QCFQf0nAodygEAkg
to a large flooded 12v battery and see what the mill can put out. Then post back real world numbers.

You might want to consider a higher voltage alternator than 12v nominal. My AirX only works at all because it was wired for 48v output. Even in some light winds I get enough voltage to charge my 12v system.

I have installed aTurnigy watt meter inline with my turbine and a bank of 12 volt batteries. Today the wind speed was about 25km per hr. I post afew pic's of the output display for all too see. I will post more output pic's soon as well.

[fabricator]

The most useful measurement is kWh over time.

[mroy0404]

Here are afew screen shot of the power output the 12 volt CNC machined wind turbine produced last night. Wind speeds was around 90-100 km then a gust of 120 km

[mroy0404]

Hello Guys


I haven't been here for some time now, figured I would post an update for anyone that was interested.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gQ-k9t83vA&list=UUy-s2-8crO8-rk-e9w-E5sQ

[midwoud1]

Hi Mike.
Your windmill is working well.
No furling tail. Is it working with your CNC active pitch hub and actuator?
Or is it  springloaded  with flyweights.
12 volt and inverter ?
Good work.
Rgds... Frans  .

[dgeneral02]

Um at 56 and 92 mph i think a turbine should be shedding excess power through some means rather than struggling to make 300 watts. Those turbines will not be useful under normal wind conditions or the kind of winds we see almost everyday.

[mroy0404]

@dgeneral02

The video above was taken with wind speed of 40-45 km/hr gusts.

Sorry for the confusion.