What material is best for a blade design for a mini windmill with a self created generator?
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There’s SO many windmills here… let’s build some more!
Question by Eric R: What material is best for a blade design for a mini windmill with a self created generator?
What material is best for a blade design for a mini windmill with a self created generator? and can you explain why to me because i have a science fair and i need to understand the materials i will be using to make up my proposal
I see wood and canvases are whats best but can u explain why i need a bit more reason
Feel free to answer in the comment section below
3 Responses to What material is best for a blade design for a mini windmill with a self created generator?
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Wood. Wood is easy to obtain, easy to work on in the home workshop and does not need very many tools. This makes it much better than plastics that would require to be molded or shaped to fit, whereas if you keen, you can carve a blade for a wind generator with just a knife and a saw, but it is easier if you have files, chisels etc.
[Edit]
I included a link to look at how others have been doing this below.
Also on second thoughts, it is possible to use large diameter pvc tubing, and cut out a blade profile and do it this way, but I think the wooden blade would be more efficient. Something to consider.
John Lowe
November 28, 2011 at 11:08 pm
Wood and canvas. Both are cheap and work well. Use a wooden frame with canvas sails. To make a traditional Dutch windmill.
The canvas sails increase the surface area much like the sails on a boat. The wood is a reliable material to hold the frame together.
tris
November 28, 2011 at 11:34 pm
John Lowe’s edit had the best answer. There is a specific entry on the Instructables website about the construction of windmill blades from PVC tubing. The larger the tubing diameter, the more gentle the curve of the resultant blade, and the larger the blade’s effective area can be. Also, large-dia tubing tends to be thicker. For the demanding application of a windmill blade, you should pay strict attention to reinforcing the base where the blade end attaches to the hub.
Wood is a good material, but shaping it takes some real skill; it fares poorly when exposed to the weather; and is rather heavy when compared to PVC. Just look up the Instructable in question, and it should be as easy as drawing the blade outline on the PVC pipe and then sawing it out.
As a follow-on concern, I hope you’ve studied how to limit overrunning on the windmill. A good storm can destroy a moderately well-built set of blades or generator, if the blades are allowed to rev up to storm speeds. But then, design wise, I would never design a swing-blade type of windmill. That’s too dangerous in case of blade breakage. I’d do a vertical wind turbine. Anyway, good luck.
rathhial
November 29, 2011 at 12:02 am