How Do Wind Turbines Work?
Wind turbines work on a simple principle: instead of using electricity to make wind—like a fan—wind turbines use wind to make electricity. Wind turns the propeller-like blades of a turbine around a rotor,
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Wind turbines work on a simple principle: instead of using electricity to make wind—like a fan—wind turbines use wind to make electricity. Wind turns the propeller-like blades of a turbine around a rotor,
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Small, individual wind turbines can produce 100 kilowatts of power, enough to power a home. Small wind turbines are also used for places like water pumping stations.
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Modern commercial wind turbines produce electricity by using rotational energy to drive an electrical generator. They are made up of one or more blades attached to a rotor and an
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Wind turbines are an increasingly important source of intermittent renewable energy, and are used in many countries to lower energy costs and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
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In a conventional power plant (fueled by coal or natural gas), combustion heats water to steam and the steam pressure is used to spin the blades of a turbine. The turbine is then connected to a generator,
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Most turbines produce direct current (DC) which has to be converted to alternating current (AC) power for home usage by use of an inverter. The turbine is only one part of the system, however. A tower
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The largest operating wind turbines have electric-generating capacity of about 15,000 kilowatts (15 megawatts). Larger turbines are in development. Wind turbines are often grouped together to create
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Wind turbines are 20% to 40% efficient at converting wind into energy. The typical life span of a wind turbine is 20 years, with routine maintenance required every six months.
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OverviewTechnologyHistoryWind power densityEfficiencyTypesDesign and constructionWind turbines on public display
Generally, efficiency increases along with turbine blade lengths. The blades must be stiff, strong, durable, light and resistant to fatigue. Materials with these properties include composites such as polyester and epoxy, while glass fiber and carbon fiber have been used for the reinforcing. Construction may involve manual layup or injection molding. Retrofitting existing turbines with larger blades reduces the task and risks o
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Explore the different types of generators used in modern wind turbines, their advantages, and how they impact overall turbine performance.
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Basically, the wind''s kinetic energy is converted into mechanical energy by the rotor. A gear box transforms the blades'' slow rotations (between 18 and 25 per minute) into faster rotations (up to
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