axial generator with lamination core

[mbouwer]

Front view. Added the blade suspension.

[Bruce S]

very nice even coats of paint.
Do you powder-coat them ?

Thanks!
Bruce S

[mbouwer]

By using paint (aerosol) I try to show a clear picture on the forum.

Now am I doing to make a blade suspension for 90 cm long blades.
And want to bear the blades in rubber rings to make things less heavy.

This stuff should become the blade shafts.

[mbouwer]

Double wall base rings for the rubber bearings.
Especially when scaling up this sandwiching can save a lot of weight.

[kitestrings]

The rubber is the bearing that will allow the blades to pivot, is that correct?  I think I asked this before, but is there a means of tying the three rings on the outer-side of the blade plane (away for the tower)?  It seems like structurally this would be needed; at scale.  Looking good.

[mbouwer]

The rubber is meant to construct lightly with no play.

Do you mean attachment to wooden blades?
Like Midwoud who clamped the blades between 2 steel plates.

[kitestrings]

No, I was talking about the hub.  In your picture at #461, we can see the three points of attachment for the blades, but on the side away from the connection to the yaw bearing are those flanges tied?

Similarly, on the latest photo from Midwoud turbine there is a metal ring on the top of the assembly.  This would seem to offer a lot more strength to the assembly.

[mbouwer]

You're right, but that kind of reinforcements can be added later on.
First I want to assemble the pitch mechanism.

[kitestrings]

Just curious... have you heard anything recently from Midwoud.  I haven't seen any updates on his turbine.  Hopefully he's well.  ~ks

[midwoud1]

Hi Kitestrings
I'm okay . We moved to an other place. I can not instal my windmill here . Hopefully later with more space.
My windmill is sleeping on the attic.
Still follow  Fieldlines. And mbouwer designing his windmill, speak him every week.

Wish you all the best  . Frans ( midwoud1 )

[mbouwer]

Midwoud had it well organized.
As you also can see in his videos on youtube, he always had the quietly rotating Piggott in hand because it was equipped with blade adjustment.

[SparWeb]

Thank you Midwoud for checking in.  You are always welcome to stay in touch.  Hope you can put your machine back in the air soon!

[mbouwer]

Movement mechanism to pitch the blades.

First version of a small axial direct drive motor.  9 coils and 2x10 magnets. Low rpm speed / High torque.
The hub ( = nut M 16 ) turns around the axle ( = threaded rod M 16 )

This rod then makes a longitudinal movement to adjust the blades.

[mbouwer]

This is the matching controller I bought.

[mbouwer]

This is how the packages and the coils are arranged.
I wonder if there is not an easier possibility to shape the steering of the motor.

[mbouwer]

motor version 1
72 revolutions per minute.
The torque is more than sufficient.

[mbouwer]

Would it be possible to get an exchange of views on this forum with windmill builders who actually apply active pitch control?
And to discuss the developments.

[SparWeb]

Hey,
Sorry for missing your post about testing the generator.  It's passed its first electrons.  What did you observe when you ran it (as a motor, I assume)?

[mbouwer]

The axial motor is part of my blade pitching test setups.
The blade suspension, the controls, the steering of the blades...
All quite complicated, so I want to discuss how to make it simpler.

[mbouwer]

The blades of the large turbines are suspended from heavy slew bearings.
But it seems to me that we have to find a lighter way.

[mbouwer]

Should we look for it in a way I showed earlier? ( Reply #87 )
No doubt there are windmillfriends on this forum who have other ideas.

[Bruce S]

There may be, but we're all in awe of your manufacturing skills!!

[kitestrings]

That (#87) seems like a design worth trying; probably lighter than the slew bearing concept.

I think one thing I might contemplate changing, would be to look at attaching or fabricating a metal flange plate for the blades on the assembly.  Introducing a shaft "pocket" into the root of the blades seems like might add complexity and potential for water infiltration, and corrosion.

[mbouwer]

Perhaps it is an option to make the root of a wooden blade nicely round like a thick round pole.
Shaping a polyester cuff around it.
And then in that bearing letting it rotate that ​80 degrees.

[mbouwer]

Isn't it easier to form the blades from foam cores,
which you then cover with a few layers of polyester?

[mbouwer]

In the meantime I am working on an electric garden tractor.
Based on the model John Deere 3020

[Bruce S]

What type of battery chemistry will you be using?

[mbouwer]

Initially I want to use the stuff from an electric wheelbarrow.
But first shaping the mechanical parts.
Just finished the axle housings and sprayed it with John Deere green.

[Bruce S]

Could you expand on the electric Wheelbarrow ?

Many Thanks
Bruce S

[mbouwer]

First let's see if I can get this small tractor to work.

[mbouwer]

The size of the professional turbines is increasing (Moving towards 20 MW )
Striking are the gearboxes.
A small test setup with a gear box seems nice to me.

[mbouwer]

In a previous test set up I had connected two separate gear boxes.
But it seems to me that it can also be more compact with one single gearbox.

[mbouwer]

When applying a light solid transmission between the main shaft and the generator I do need much less copper and neodymium.

Below the rear and front axle for my electric tractor.