Author Topic: Calculating Predicted Current From a 6' Wind Turbine  (Read 807 times)

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Dermo

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Calculating Predicted Current From a 6' Wind Turbine
« on: July 11, 2008, 07:54:42 PM »
I have a wind turbine that I built myself for a class, but have not made the rectifier to switch over to DC current from 3-phase. Is there an easy way to calculate the predicted maximum current that the turbine could create? What information to I need and what's the equation?


Thanks.

« Last Edit: July 11, 2008, 07:54:42 PM by (unknown) »

Flux

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Re: Calculating Predicted Current From a 6' Wind T
« Reply #1 on: July 12, 2008, 12:59:07 AM »
If you know the wind speed then you should be able to predict the theoretical power.


If you have enough knowledge of the generator and prop of your set up you should be able to get a reasonable prediction of the overall output.


This is all here somewhere, I am sure I have covered it several times and others will have done so.


The power in the wind is 1/2( rho) A V^3 where Rho is air density, A is prop swept area and V is wind speed.


At best you could only expect to extract 59% of this ( betz). Allowing for prop efficiency and alternator efficiency you will be hard pushed to reach even half of that.


The final equation is the first multiplied by Cp ( coefficient of performance) a factor that combines the electrical and aerodynamic efficiency.


I have no figures from you to even guess Cp for your case, the best that seems reasonable for an exceptionally good machine is Cp =.3. Typically .15 is not bad over a range of wind speed, but you could of course have missed to the point where 0 may be a possibility.


Flux

« Last Edit: July 12, 2008, 12:59:07 AM by Flux »