Wind Chimes-an Introduction

Wind chimes are also known as Aeolian chimes. They are hollow or solid metal, plastic or wooden tubes which are usually hung on the exterior of a building. When played by the wind, the chimes will either strike each other or any metal, wood or rubber balls which may be hung in the center. With each tube a different length, the chimes will give out a random musical mix of jangle, which can be bright or solemn in tone.

Chimes may be used to observe changes in wind directions. For instance, if a chime is positioned on the north side of the house only a north wind will move it. Wind chimes come in every size and shape. The tiniest can be worn as earrings, and another mini model fits in the palm of the hand and has three pipes. Large wind chimes are often used in larger homes and built-up areas for aesthetic purposes. Wind chimes of this sort are normally used to determine wind directions. If a person wanted to monitor wind coming from a certain direction, a large wind chime would be placed in that sector. Large wind chimes are more sensitive in picking up changes in wind currents than small ones and the slightest gust of wind will trigger off the wind chimes and give out the alert of wind changes. Some wind chimes are so designed and created solely to make music. Precision tuned, the tubes that hang on the musical wind chimes are specifically keyed to produce a specific note.

If considering purchasing a wind chime, it is true that not all wind chimes are created equal. Be sure to listen to the style of chime you are getting before you buy. Enjoy the sounds of petite, medium, large, and extra large chimes. Each size creates a distinct sound and atmosphere. There are many types of wind chimes. Some of the specific varieties include bamboo wind chimes and unique wind chimes.

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Wind Farms-the Modern Era

Modern wind farms may have power generation capacities on the order of hundreds of megawatts, and are generally are connected to the high voltage transmission system. Therefore, modern wind farms are considered power plants with responsibilities for control, stability, and power balance. While wind farm production cannot exceed the power given by the instantaneous wind available, regulating the power output is an important aspect towards balancing and stabilizing the local power system.

Most of the other technical issues with wind farms are associated with the close spacing of multiple turbines. The close spacing implies that energy extraction by wind turbines upwind will reduce the wind speed and increase the turbulence around adjacent turbines. This may cause reduced efficiency and higher loads on the downwind turbines. Another technical issue for large wind farms is the electrical grid connection and the integration into the local power system. Large wind farms are very visible, especially at land and in coastal areas, and this can play an important role in the wind farm planning process. Because of this, wind farm sites can be chosen with less than optimal wind conditions. Good wind conditions are essential for the success of any wind project, and methods for accurately predicting wind climates at specific sites is constantly being improved.

For more information on wind farms, and other wind-related topics, please visit WhatisWind.com.

Wind Farms-Overview

A wind farm (often called a wind park) is a group of wind turbines that are located together. The purpose of wind farms is to generate large amounts of electrical power. As energy costs have continued to rise, the search for renewable energy has intensified. As a result, there are now thousands of wind farms in many countries around the world. A super grid of interconnected wind farms has been proposed across Western Europe.
As wind farms, the groups of wind turbines are connected to the local power system, and are used for the production of electric power. Generally, wind farms are expected to consist of at least three wind turbines, with larger farms consisting of about 100 wind turbines. The larger wind farms can cover an extended land area of hundreds of square miles, with the land between the turbines generally used for agriculture. As such, wind parks are usually located in rural areas. A wind farm can also be located off-shore, to take advantage of prevailing strong ocean breezes.

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Wind Generators

Wind generators can be defined in two ways. The first is the more general use of the term, while the second is more specific. In the first case, a wind generator is defined as the entire device used to generate electricity from the wind. In this context, wind generators include the tower, the wind turbine, the blades, the gearbox, the internal generator for producing electricity, and the controls. The second definition includes only the device inside a wind turbine that is used to produce electricity. It is in this more specific sense that wind generators will be described herein.

A wind generator is similar to the alternator in your car. An alternator is used to generate electricity to charge the battery in your car. It must be driven by a belt that is powered by the car’s engine. In this same sense, a wind generator must be driven by the blades that are attached to the wind turbine. While the blades rotate in the wind, the wind generator rotates, producing electrical power. However, the blades do not rotate fast enough to drive the generator. A gearbox is used to increase the rotation obtained from the blades, so the wind generator can rotate fast enough to produce electricity. Using this method, wind generators have been used to generate electricity since the late 1800’s. Today’s modern wind generators are highly-engineered, technically-advanced systems for producing clean, efficient, renewable electrical power.

Wind is considered the fastest growing source of electricity in the world. It is often one of the least expensive forms of renewable power available. Some experts say it can sometimes be the cheapest form of any kind of power. Generating power from the wind leaves no harmful waste products behind. Best of all, its supply is considered unlimited, because the wind will blow as long as the sun shines. Electricity from wind generators is produced in quantity in wind farms.

Learn more about wind generators for home use at Residential Wind Turbines.html.

Small Wind Turbines for Residential Use

Small wind turbines can be used for residential use. These small turbines often have direct drive generators, use a vane to point into the wind; and. can be installed on a roof. Small turbines for residential use have blades that are about 7 to 25 feet in diameter, and produce electricity at a rate of 900 to 10,000 watts (at their specified wind speed). These residential wind turbines can cost between $12,000 and $55,000. However, there are incentives and rebates available in 19 states in the U.S. that can cut the purchase price by up to 50 percent. The dominant model in the U.S. is the propeller-shaped HAWT. However, VAWT’s are also available for residential use.

Used with wind generators, wind turbines have been used to generate electricity since the late 1800’s. Today’s modern wind turbines are highly-engineered, technically-advanced systems for producing clean, efficient, renewable electrical power.

To learn more about wind turbines, or other wind-related topics, please visit Small Wind Turbines.

Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWT's)

VAWT’s have the turbine shaft running vertically to the ground. With this arrangement, the generator and/or gearbox can be placed at the bottom of the tower, near the ground. The tower doesn't need to support the turbine, and it doesn't need to be pointed into the wind. It is difficult to mount VAWT’s on towers, however. This means that they must operate in the slower, more turbulent wind near the ground, resulting in lower operational efficiency.

Used with wind generators, wind turbines have been used to generate electricity since the late 1800’s. Today’s modern wind turbines are highly-engineered, technically-advanced systems for producing clean, efficient, renewable electrical power.

To learn more about wind turbines, and other wind-related subjects, please visit Vertical Wind Turbines.

Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines (HAWT's)

HAWT’s have the axis of turbine rotation parallel to the ground (horizontal). They are typically mounted on top of a tower, and must be pointed into the wind. Most HAWT’s have a gearbox, which is used to drive the generator which produces the electrical power. The wind blowing past the tower normally produces turbulence behind it, so this type of turbine is usually pointed upwind of the tower. To prevent interference with the tower, the turbine blades are stiffened, and are placed comfortably in front of the tower.

The number of blades of HAWT’s varies from one to three. The most common of these is the three-bladed variety. HAWT’s have high blade speeds, high efficiency, and good reliability--it is the type of wind turbine that is used to produce commercial electricity today. The blades range in length from 65 to 130 feet (or more). The tower posts range from about 200 to 295 feet high. Current HAWT models have blades that rotate at 16.6 revolutions per minute (rpm). The gearbox increases the speed of generator components to 2,200 rpm. All HAWT’s are equipped with shut down features to protect the turbine during excessively high wind conditions.

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Wind Turbines-Introduction

Wind turbines are designed to convert available wind energy into electricity. Since the 1880’s, windmills have been used to generate electricity, primarily in the rural U.S. (they were the first wind turbines). Contrasted with their rural counterparts, however, today’s modern wind turbine has the appearance of a highly-engineered system for the efficient generation of renewable electrical power.

Modern wind turbines can be classified into two types: (1) Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines (HAWT’s), and (2) Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWT’s). This classification is based on the axis about which the turbine rotates. Turbines that rotate around a horizontal axis are more common, while vertical axis turbines are used less frequently.

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Wind Power-Advantages and Disadvantages

As with any technology, wind power has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are: (1) wind energy is free and renewable, (2) there are no dangerous emissions, (3) wind power can be used in remote areas, and (4) wind power can be used with other renewable energy resources, such as solar energy. The disadvantages are: (1) wind turbines must be built where there is plenty of wind, (2) wind speed can fluctuate, or it may not blow at all, (3) wind farms can be an eyesore and may be noisy, (4) wind turbines can be expensive to maintain, and (5) energy storage devices (such as batteries) are sometimes necessary. However, the advantages currently outweigh the disadvantages, especially as the technology for producing wind turbines improves their electrical power generation efficiency. In the future, global wind power will continue to grow, as a viable source of clean, renewable electricity.

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Wind Power-Producing Electricity

The first windmill for producing electricity was built in Scotland in 1887. In the US, a windmill producing electricity began operation in 1888. By 1908, there were 72 wind power generators from 5 kW to 25 kW. By the 1930s, windmills were mainly used to generate electricity on farms, mostly in the United States, where electrical distribution systems had not yet been installed. In this period, high strength steel was cheap, and windmills were placed atop prefabricated open steel towers. In 1941, the world's first megawatt-size wind turbine was connected to the local electrical distribution system on Grandpa's Knob in Castleton, Vermont, USA. This 1.25 MW wind power generator operated for 1100 hours before a blade failed at a known weak point, which had not been reinforced due to war-time material shortages.

From the mid 1970's through the mid 1980's, the United States government worked with industry to advance the technology and enable large commercial wind turbines to be developed. The large wind power generators that were developed then set several world records for diameter and power output. During this time, building home wind power generators became popular. However, building a home wind power generator was typically beyond the capabilities of the average homeowner. Later, in the 1980s, California provided tax rebates for wind power generation. These rebates funded the first major use of wind power for utility electricity. These machines, gathered in large wind parks such as at Altamont Pass would be considered small and inefficient by modern wind power development standards. In the 1990s, as aesthetics and durability became more important, turbines were placed atop steel or reinforced concrete towers.

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Wind Power-The Early Days

Wind power has benefited mankind for a long time. Over the last 6000 years, man has used wind power to grind grain, pump water, and make electricity. Currently, wind power is considered the fastest growing source of electricity in the world. The United States can presently generate more than 10,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity from the wind, which is enough to power 2.5 million average American homes. In the future, wind power could provide enough electricity to meet the needs of more than 10 million homes in the US by 2010. Wind power is used in large scale wind farms for national electrical grids, as well as in small individual turbines for providing electricity to rural residences.

Examples of early wind power machines were those used in Persia around 200 BC, and were introduced into the Roman Empire by 250 AD. However, the first practical windmills were built in Afghanistan, in the 7th century. These were vertical axle windmills, made of six to twelve sails covered in reed matting or cloth material. These early windmills were used to grind corn and to draw up water. By the 14th century, Dutch windmills were in use to drain areas of the Rhine River delta. By 1900, there were about 2500 windmills in Denmark, used for running pumps and grain mills.

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Wind Energy

For over 5,000 years, mankind has recognized the importance of wind energy. The ancient Egyptians used wind energy to sail ships on the Nile River. Later, people built windmills to grind wheat and other grains. These early windmills looked like large paddle wheels. Centuries later, the people of Holland improved the basic design of the windmill. They gave it propeller-shaped blades, and made it so it could be turned into the wind. Windmills helped Holland become one of the world's most industrialized countries by the 17th century.
American colonists used windmills to grind wheat and corn, to pump water, and to cut wood at sawmills. As late as the 1920s, Americans used small windmills to generate electricity in rural areas that were without electric service. When power lines began to transport electricity to rural areas in the 1930s, local windmills were used less and less. However, windmills can still be seen today on some ranches in the western United States.
The oil shortages of the 1970s changed the energy picture for the United States and the world. It created an interest in alternative energy sources, paving the way for the re-entry of the windmill to generate electricity. In the early 1980s, wind energy really took off in California, partly because of state policies that encouraged renewable energy sources. Support for wind development has since spread to other states, but California still produces more than twice as much wind energy as any other state. Today, wind energy is considered one of America’s greatest natural resources.
About one to two per cent of the energy coming from the sun is converted into wind energy, which is enough to meet the electricity needs of the world three times over. As long as the sun shines, wind energy is a source of power that will never run out. Wind energy is plentiful, renewable, widely distributed, and a clean source of electricity. When converted into wind power, wind energy can benefit mankind in the future by providing a viable source of electricity.

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Where Does Wind Come From?

Where does wind come from? The large atmospheric winds that circle the earth are created because the land near the earth's equator is heated more by the sun than the land near the North and South Poles. Ultimately, all the energy on our planet comes from the sun; therefore, wind energy can be considered a form of solar energy. About 1 to 2 per cent of the energy coming from the sun is converted into wind energy, which is enough to meet the electricity needs of the world three times over. Wind energy is a source of power that will never run out. Electricity from the wind is produced using wind turbines and wind generators.

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