Homemade sailing wind generators. Wind generator and its vertical and horizontal structures, their characteristics and main types for converting wind energy

Sailing wind generator differs in the material of its working blades. If in conventional types of wind turbines the blades are rigid, then here they are made of materials that can change the area of ​​their working surface under the influence of wind: canvas, tarpaulin, non-woven layered materials.

On the disadvantages of wind turbines with rigid blades

Traditional wind turbines are very inertial systems: in order to spin the blades to a more or less significant angular velocity, a strong wind is needed. This is confirmed by numerous theoretical calculations, and practical options for various designs of these wind turbines. The result is disappointing: for example, for blades or a propeller with a span of 3 m, and with the minimum required number of revolutions of the generator 400 min -1, the circumferential speed of the propeller / blade must be at least 500 km / h! Otherwise, the required pressure drop, at which the rigid blade will not only start to rotate, but will also generate at least some electricity at the same time, corresponds to a wind speed of at least 10 m/s. But that's not all. The distribution of wind pressure on rigid blades is extremely uneven: most of it falls on the central part of the blade, the angular velocity of which is much lower than that of the peripheral regions. Such an unpleasant fact leads to the fact that in order to increase Wind Energy Utilization Factor (KIEV)- an analogue of the more familiar term efficiency - it is necessary to increase the span of the blades to indecently large sizes - 10 meters or more! And immediately problems arise - where to install such a monster, how to protect birds from extermination by rotating blades, how to serve, etc. And even in the most optimistic designs of wind turbines with rigid blades, their KIEV does not exceed 20%.

Types of sailing wind turbines

Practically developed in two versions:

• with circular sail blades;
• with a circular sailing wheel.

Wind turbines of the first design use triangular-shaped sail blades. The shape of the triangle is selected individually, depending on the strength of the wind in the area. In many cases, due to simplicity, a littered right triangle is used (see Fig. 1), although sail blades in the form of isosceles triangles will be more technologically advanced for industrial production (see Fig. 2).

What is the effectiveness of using sail blades?

The whole secret is in the elasticity of the material of the blade, due to which the air jet, when it meets the surface of the sail, deviates to a certain angle to the side and transfers its kinetic energy to the sail blade. The latter begins to rotate (light blades with a large area will do it faster) and transfer useful energy to the generator shaft. Due to these features sail wind generator begins to produce useful work already at wind speeds of 5 m / s - half as much as for a generator with rigid blades.

Such sail generators are developed and manufactured in many countries of the world: in the USA, France, Russia (SKTB Energia-gravio, Taganrog), etc.

At the same time, bladed sail wind turbines have significant drawbacks - low durability of the blades (caused by restrictions on the materials used) and still insufficient (albeit greater than that of wind turbines with rigid blades) KIEV. This is explained by the fact that a circular sail is, by definition, unbalanced, unbalanced and, therefore, active only on one side. With a sudden change in wind direction, such a blade will first stop, and then very slowly begin to gain momentum.

No such shortcomings sail wind generator with a sail wheel, developed and manufactured by Saphon Energy (Tunisia). The Saphonian generator does not have blades or rotating parts. Externally, the design is similar to a satellite dish (see Fig. 3).

With the help of air valves, the sail of the wind generator makes return high-frequency oscillatory movements. With the help of a mechanical system, these vibrations are perceived by the pistons of the hydraulic system, which convert the energy of the energy received into the pressure of an incompressible fluid. It is the pressure energy of this fluid that is used in the future to rotate the shaft of the electric generator.

The KIEV of the Saphonian generator reaches 80%, which is 2 times higher than the efficiency of bladed sail generators. And although, strictly speaking, Saphonian is not sail wind generator in its "pure" form, its principle of operation deserves the widest consideration and implementation.

Summing up

What are the advantages of sailing wind turbines:

• higher, in comparison with traditional wind turbines, KIEV;
• lower noise level;
• performance at lower values ​​of wind force and speed;
• ease and availability for implementation;
• safety in operation and maintenance.

This method of obtaining energy does not have a negative impact on the environment, and in the process there can be no man-made accident. The kinetic properties of the wind are available in every corner of the globe, so the equipment can be installed anywhere. By 2005, the total wind energy capacity was 59,000 megawatts. And for the whole year it grew by 24%. A wind generator, scientifically speaking, converts kinetic energy into mechanical energy.


In plain language, with the help of this unit, the energy of the air flow is processed into electricity, which can be used in settlements and industrial areas remote from the central power grid. It has a fairly simple mechanism of operation: the wind turns the rotor, which generates current and, in turn, is transmitted through the controller to the batteries. The inverter converts the voltage at the battery contacts into usable voltage.

Design and technical characteristics of the wind turbine

Technical studies have proven that atmospheric cyclones are much more powerful than terrestrial cyclones, so it is necessary to install the generating device higher. To obtain the energy of high-altitude winds, a certain technology is needed.

It can be obtained using a combination of turbines and kites. Power plants located on the surface of the earth or the sea shelf receive surface flow. Studying the technological process of production of two types of stations, the experts came to a colossal difference in efficiency. Ground turbines will be able to produce more than 400 TW, and high-altitude ones - 1800 TW.

In general, wind turbines are divided into domestic and industrial. The latter are installed at large corporate facilities, as they have a large capacity, sometimes they are even connected to a network, which, as a result, makes up an entire power plant. A feature of such methods of generating electricity is the complete absence of both the raw materials for processing and waste. All that is needed for the active functioning of the power plant is powerful gusts of wind.
Map of winds by region and average annual speed.

Power can reach 7.5 megawatts.

Rotary ones should be mounted in places where the wind speed is more than 4 m / s. The distance from the mast to the nearest buildings or tall trees should be at least 15 meters, and the distance from the lower edge of the wind turbine to the nearest branches of trees and buildings should be at least 2 meters. It should be noted that everyone calculates the design and height of the mast individually, depending on local environmental conditions, the presence of obstacles and the speed of the air flow.

Installation of both horizontal and vertical wind turbines is carried out on the foundation. The mast is attached to anchor bolts. Before installing the mast, the foundation is kept for a month, this is necessary for the concrete to sit down and gain strength. They are mandatory equipped with a lightning protection system, so they can reliably provide your home with electricity, even in rainy weather.

The latest technologies from NASA developers are aimed at generating kite devices. This will increase the efficiency up to 90%. Since, a generator will be located on the ground, and a device in the air that captures atmospheric gusts. The aircraft flight system is now being tested, the maximum range is 610 meters, and the wingspan is approximately 3 meters. The rotational phase of the ball will consume less resources, and the turbine blades will move faster. The designers suggest that such engineering can be implemented in space, for example on Mars.

Snakes are power generators

As you can see, the future prospects are quite optimistic, it remains only to wait for all this to come true. Not only does the space agency come up with innovative methods, but many companies already have plans to place such structures in the right geographic areas of the Earth. Some of them have made amazing progress and their offspring are already being exploited.

What are the twin towers in Bahrain, where two giant buildings are like one power plant. The height reaches 240 meters. Such a project generates 1,130 MW per year. There are a lot of examples, the bottom line is that every year the number of interested companies to participate in the development of the industry is growing.

Energy distribution scheme: 1 - wind generator; 2 - charge controller; 3 - battery; 4 - inverter; 5 - distribution system; 6 - network; 7 - consumer.

Alternative wind energy in the CIS

Naturally, the wind power industry of the CIS countries lags behind the advanced countries. This is due to many reasons, primarily economic. Government departments are developing programs, "green tariffs" are being introduced that contribute to the development of the industry.

There is a huge potential for this, but there are a lot of obstacles to implementation. For example, Belarus has recently begun to develop in this direction, but the main problem of the republic is the lack of its own production, having to order equipment in partner countries. Speaking about Russia, this production is in a "frozen" state, since the basic sources are: water, coal and atom. As a result, 64th place in the ranking of electricity production. For Kazakhstan, a favorable geographical location should contribute, but the technical base is very outdated and requires major modernization.

Development of wind energy in northern Europe

Norway is located on the Scandinavian Peninsula, most of the territory is washed by the sea, where strong north winds blow. The possibilities for generating electricity are endless. In 2014, the park was put into operation with a design capacity of 200 megawatts. Such a complex will provide 40,000 residential buildings. Do not forget that Norway and Denmark are closely cooperating in the energy market. Denmark is the world leader in offshore energy.

Most power plants are located offshore, more than 35% of electricity is generated by such complexes. Without nuclear power plants, Denmark easily provides itself and Europe with electricity. Proper use of alternative sources has made this progress possible.

Complete set of windmills

Vertical, as a rule, consists of the following parts:

• turbine
• tail
• upwind rotor
• guyed mast
• generator
• accumulators
• inverter
• battery charge controller

Wind turbine blades

Separately, I would like to touch on the topic of blades, the efficiency of the installation directly depends on their number and the material from which they are made. Based on their number, they are one-two-three and multi-bladed. The latter are characterized by more than five blades, they have high inertia and efficiency, due to which they can be used to operate water pumps. To date, it has already been developed quite efficient in operation, capable of catching air flows without blades. It works on the principle of a sailboat, it catches gusts of air, because of which the pistons move, which are located in the upper part, immediately behind the plate.

According to the materials from which the blades are made in installations, rigid and sail structures are distinguished. Sailboats are a cheaper option made of fiberglass or metal, but during active work they break very often.

Additional elements of the windmill

Some of the modern models have a module for connecting a DC source for solar panels. Sometimes the design of a vertical windmill is complemented by unusual elements, for example, magnets. Ferrite magnets are very popular. These elements are able to accelerate the rotor speed, and, accordingly, increase the generator power and efficiency.

It is in this way that performance improvements are obtained on a hand-made assembly, for example, from an old automobile autogenerator. It is necessary to note the principle of a wind farm made of ferrite magnets - it allows you to do without a gearbox, and this minimizes noise and increases reliability several times._

Vertically axial Rotor Darier. Rotor features

In new designs of vertical windmills, the Darrieus Rotor is used, it has a wind flow processing factor twice as high as all installations of this type known so far. Vertically axial with a Darrieus rotor, it is advisable to install for the equipment of pumping stations, where a powerful moment is needed on the axis of rotation when extracting water from wells and boreholes in the steppe.

Savonius rotor new vertical generators

Russian scientists have invented a new generation of vertical generator, which runs on the Voronin-Savonius rotor. It is two half-cylinders on a vertical axis of rotation. In any direction and squalls, the “windmill” based on the Savonius rotor will fully rotate around its axis and generate energy.

Its main disadvantage is the low use of wind force, since the half-cylinder blades function only in a quarter of a turn, and it slows down the rest of its circle of rotation with its movement. The long-term operation of the facility will also depend on which rotor you choose. For example, helicoidal windmills can rotate evenly due to the twist of the blades. This moment reduces the load on the bearing and increases the service life.

Wind generator with different power

The “mill” device must be selected depending on how much power it should have at the output. Power up to 300 W is one of the simplest types of equipment. These models fit easily in the trunk of a car and can be installed by one worker in minutes. It very quickly catches the passing air flow and provides charging of mobile devices, lighting and the ability to watch TV.

5 kW is the best option for a small country house. With a power of 5-10 kW, it can fully function at low wind speeds, therefore they have a wider geography for their installation.

Pros and Benefits of Using

If we consider the pros, then first of all I would like to note that it provides conditionally free electricity, which in our time is not cheap. To provide a small house with electricity, you have to pay huge bills. Importantly, modern windmills are well compatible with alternative sources. For example, they can operate in conjunction with diesel generators, creating a single closed cycle.

• Efficiency directly depends on the choice of space where it will be placed.
• Low energy losses during transportation, because the consumer can be at a close distance from the source
• Environmentally friendly production
• Easy operation, no need to constantly train staff
• Long-term use of components, no frequent replacement required

The optimal high-speed flow is considered to be the level of 5 - 7 m/s. There are a lot of places to achieve such an indicator. Very often, a wind farm is used on the high seas at a distance of 15 km. from the shore. Every year the level of energy production increases by 20%. If we consider further prospects, in this vein, the natural resource is endless, which cannot be said about oil, gas, coal, etc. Also, the safety of such an industry should not be discounted. Man-made disasters associated with the atom cause fear of all mankind.

Before your eyes is a terrible picture of the explosion of a nuclear reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986. And the accident at Fukushima was described as a deja vu of Chernobyl. The destructive consequences for all living things after such situations are forcing many countries to abandon the splitting of the atom and look for alternative methods of producing kW.

Once you pay a certain amount, you can use free electricity for several years. An indisputable plus is also that it is possible to buy already used ones, and this allows you to save even more.

Cons and disadvantages

Despite all the positive qualities of WES, there are also negative aspects. In most cases, the shortcomings are similar to propaganda and are controversial. Consider the most replicated in all TV programs, newspaper articles and Internet resources:

• The first of the shortcomings is that a person has not learned to control natural phenomena, so it is impossible to predict how the generator will work on a given day.
• Another disadvantage of windmills is their batteries. They have a relative durability and, as a result, they must be changed every 15 years.
• Financial investments are expensive. In fact, new technologies tend to decrease
• Dependence on the strength of the horizontal air flow. This minus is more adequate, because it is impossible to influence the strength of the vortex
• Negative impact on the environment by noise effect. As recent studies on this issue have shown, there are no good reasons to say so.
• Destruction of birds that fall into the blades. According to statistical analysis, the probability of a collision is equivalent to a power line
• Signal reception distortion. Estimates are very unlikely, especially since many stations are located near airports
• They distort the landscape (unconfirmed)

This is only a small part of the myths - horror stories that are trying to scare people. This is a reason and nothing more, because in practice the operation of a wind farm with a capacity of 1 MW allows saving approximately 29,000 tons of coal or 92,000 barrels of oil in 20 years. Leading countries are mastering an alternative source at a record pace, abandoning the nuclear complex. Germany, USA, Canada, China, Spain are actively installing equipment in their areas.

It is also necessary to be reminded that some types of installations generate a lot of noise. The greater the power of the installation, the stronger the noise will come from it. It is necessary to mount at a distance where the noise level from the station does not exceed 40 decibels. Otherwise, you will constantly have a headache. They also interfere with TV and radio broadcasting.

Vertical and solar wind turbines, design and efficiency, new generation hybrids

A new generation vertical, as mentioned above, may differ in the type of its blades. A striking example is a hyperboloid wind turbine, in which the turbine has a hyperboloid shape and is significantly superior to a vertical-axis vane windmill. For example, its functional area is 7...8% of the area, and the hyperboloid has a working area of ​​65...70%. On the basis of such turbines in the United States, two alternative sources of wind and sun were connected. WindStream Technologies has launched a 1.2 kW SolarMill roof-mounted hybrid power system on the market.

Bolotov's wind generator and its independence from weather conditions

Recently, much attention has been paid to small installations. One of the most successful is the version of the Bolotov windmill. It is a power plant with a vertically placed generator shaft.

A feature of the equipment is that it does not have to be adapted to different weather conditions. The Bolotov generator is capable of receiving flow from all directions without the corresponding options and the need to turn the unit in the other direction. The rotary is able to force the incoming flow, due to which it can fully function with wind of any power, including storm.

Another advantage of this type is the convenient location of the generator, electrical circuit and batteries in them. They are on the ground, as a result, the maintenance of the equipment is very convenient.

Single blade on mast

An innovative development, it is considered to be single-bladed, its main advantage is the high frequency and speed of revolutions. It is in them that, instead of the optimal number of blades, a counterweight is built in, which has little effect on the resistance to air movement.

Windmill Onipko

Continuing to discuss unusual options for propellers, it is impossible not to mention the Onipko windmill, which is distinguished by cone-shaped blades. The main advantage of these plants is the ability to obtain and convert to kW at a flow rate of 0.1 m/s. Bladed ones, in contrast, start revolutions at a speed of 3 m / s. Onipko is silent and completely safe for the external environment. It has not found mass distribution, but according to research results, it will be an excellent option for large production facilities that are looking for alternative sources, as it has a lot of power.

In the form of a snail shell.
An innovative breakthrough is considered the invention of the company Archimedes, which is located in the Netherlands. She brought to the attention of the public a silent-type design that can be installed directly on the roof of a multi-storey building. According to research, the unit can work in conjunction with solar panels and reduce the dependence of the building on the external power grid to zero. The new generators are called Liam F1. The equipment looks like a small turbine with a diameter of 1.5 meters and a weight of 100 kilograms.

In its form, the installation resembles the shell of a snail. The turbine turns in the direction of capturing the air flow. Agustín Otegu, the inventor of the world-famous Nano Skin helical turbine, sees the future of mankind not in huge solar panels and turbines with large propellers. He recommends mounting them in the outer parts of buildings. The turbines will start spinning with the wind and create energy that will be transferred directly to the building's electrical grid.

Sailing the fastest flow catcher

An alternative to paddle is sailing. The tailwind in the blade catches very quickly and instantly adjusts to it, as a result, it can operate at all speeds from the smallest to the storm. This type of equipment does not create noise and radio interference at all, it is easy to operate and transport, and this is an important factor.

Unusual devices, wind energy and its projects

There are still many designs of an unusual type at the development stage. Among them, of particular interest are:

• Sheerwind resembles a musical instrument in its appearance
• wind turbines from the TAK company, reminiscent of self-supporting street lamps
• windmills on bridges in the form of a pedestrian crossing
• wind swings that receive air currents from all directions
• "wind lenses" with a diameter of 112 meters
• floating windmills from FLOATGEN Corporation
• development of the company Tyer Wind - a wind turbine that imitates the flapping of the wings of a hummingbird
• in the form of a real house in which you can live from the company TAMEER. An analogue of this development is Anara Tower in Dubai

The world's first installations capable of operating without wind will soon be installed. The German company Max Bögl Wind AG will present to the attention of mankind. They will consist of turbines 178 meters high. They will also serve as water reservoirs. The principle of operation of the system is quite simple, when there is wind, the equipment will operate like a wind generator, and when the weather is not windy, hydro turbines will be put into operation. They generate energy from the water that has to flow down the hill from reservoirs. When it reappears, water will start pumping back into the tanks. This will ensure the operation of the power plant in continuous mode.
The era of the “mills”, with which Don Quixote fought in the story of Cervantes, goes into the distant past. Today, industrial facilities are more like unique works of art than industrial installations.

Airship from Altaeros Energies

Every day there are more and more ideas regarding the development of alternative sources, and one of the newest is the airship generator. Bladed traditional ones are quite noisy, and the coefficient of wind flow utilization reaches 30%. It was these shortcomings that Altaeros Energies decided to correct by developing an airship. This innovative type will operate at altitudes up to 600 meters. Ordinary bladed wind turbines do not reach this height limit, but it is here that the most powerful winds can ensure the continuous operation of generators. The equipment is an inflatable structure that looks like a cross between a windmill and an airship. It has a three-blade turbine on a horizontal axis.

The peculiarity of such a floating wind farm is that it can be controlled remotely, it does not require additional maintenance costs and is very easy to operate. According to the developers, in the future, these installations will not only be sources of electricity, but will also be able to conduct the Internet to remote parts of the globe, which are far from infrastructure development. According to the data obtained, it can be argued that the mass production of this power generation plant will be a huge breakthrough in the world of technology. And the power reserve of the airship is enough for "two".

Wind generator "Flying Dutchman" and other flying installations.
This device is a hybrid of an airship and a windmill. During the tests, the airship was raised to a height of 107 meters, and was there for some time. The results showed that these types of installations are capable of producing twice as much power as conventional installations that are installed on high-rise towers.

Wavestalk Project

It is interesting to know that in order to convert the force of waves and ocean currents into electricity, an alternative to the Windstalk project, Wavestalk, was proposed. The device is a bladeless, sail type. In its shape, it resembles a large satellite dish, which, under the influence of the wind, tilts back and forth, thereby creating vibrations in the hydraulic system.

In this design, the wind is harnessed to the sail, this allows you to convert large amounts of kinetic energy.

Project Windstalk

The bladeless mast has long been regarded as the most successful alternative source of electricity. In Abu Dhabi, in the city of Mansard, they decided to build a Windstalk power plant. It is a collection of stems reinforced with rubber, with a width of 30 cm and up to 5 cm at the top. Each such stem, according to the project, contains layers of electrodes and ceramic discs that are capable of generating an electric current. The wind shaking these stems will compress the disks, as a result of which an electric current will be generated. Such wind turbines do not create any noise and danger to the environment. The area occupied by the stems in the Windstalk project covers 2.6 hectares, and in terms of power it far exceeds the identical amount of bladed type that can be located in the same area. The developers were prompted to create a similar design by reeds on a bolt, which evenly sway in the wind.

Windmill in the form of a tree

Observation of nature, as is clear from the above example, is very inspiring to modern engineers. Another confirmation of this is this design resembling the shape of a tree. Presented this unusual concept, representatives of the company NewWind. The development was called Arbre à Vent, its height is three meters, and the device is equipped with 72 vertical mini-turbines that can even operate in wind speeds of 7 km / h or 2 m / s. The windmill in the form of a tree works very quietly, besides it looks quite realistic, without spoiling the surrounding exterior of the city or suburban area with its appearance.

The biggest wind catcher

The largest in the world is considered to be the brainchild of Enercon. The capacity of the power plant is 7.58 MW. The height of the carrier tower can vary depending on the requirements of the consumer, in the standard version, the height is 135m, and the span of the blades is 126m. The total mass of this design is about 6000 tons.

Armored batteries are manufactured using a unique technology, are considered to be a new generation of batteries and have improved properties. Long service life from 800 to 2 thousand charge-discharge cycles. Batteries are affected by ambient temperature. A decrease of 1ºС leads to a decrease in the capacity of the device by 1%. This parameter of the battery in frost -25 ºС will be half of its values ​​at +25 ºС.

Which device to stop on and what to consider when choosing

As can be seen from the above models, new electrical installations are constantly being invented in the world that can work on natural resources. Each of them you can successfully use in your suburban area. Having become well acquainted with the principle of operation of wind turbines, you can even try to make your own home station, which will become an excellent analogue of the central electric main and, perhaps, even make a breakthrough in the world of electronics.
The classic scheme of a power plant using a controller, batteries and an inverter in the circuit.

Equipment selection rule

• The amount of power in kW that would provide energy to your home. Power must be taken with a margin. Calculate the number of batteries for accumulation in case of calm weather.
• The average annual speed of air flows. Climatic features of the place of residence. Installation does not justify itself in a strip where there are severe frosts, and it also constantly rains and snows.
• Blades, or rather their number. Less blades - more efficiency. The intensity of noise during operation of the installation. View reviews of manufacturers of wind turbines, reviews about them, as well as technical specifications.

Sailing windmills designed by Gravio can be implemented with both horizontal and vertical axis of rotation of the windwheel. And the main feature of windmills (wind turbines) Gravio is that these windmills are sailing.

It's no big deal that sailboats "visually" pull us into the past and are not as aesthetic as beautiful modern paddlers! BUT WHAT DO WE NEED? Beauty and aesthetics? Or the OPERATION of the unit (electricity) in a light wind ??? And all the more so because the sailboats are assembled for this, so that where the blades will simply stand and please the eye with their aesthetics (at 3x-4x m / s), they (sailboats), despite their bulkiness and NON-aesthetics, have already POWED and WORKED power!

Despite the fact that Gravio himself can be regarded with suspicion, since he is not completely “transparent” on his website and forum, nevertheless, the question is not about the personality of Gravio, but about the ideas that he sets out in his short articles, responses and comments on the forums.

The bulk of Gravio land sailboats are the heirs of the ancient Cretan wind wheel, various variants of which continue to be used in windmills in Spain, Greece and other Mediterranean countries. Given that the civilization of Crete is one of the directions of the Proto-Russian civilization, we can assume that the sailing windwheel is one of the great inventions of the Russian people. once living in Crete.

Compared to the blades of classic mills, such as Dutch or Russian ones, sail blades are easier to manufacture, operate or repair. The sail has one important feature that the classic blade does not have. The sail almost instantly adjusts to the strength and direction of the wind, which makes it possible to operate the sail windmill in a wide range of wind speeds, from the smallest to the storm (50-60 m/s). Since the sails are located along the periphery of the wind wheel, even with a weak wind, such a wind wheel transfers noticeable power to the axis of the electric generator, while the blade cross section of a classic bladed windmill decreases from the center to the periphery, therefore bladed windmills are not able to utilize a weak wind.

These sailing wind turbines are inventions of Gravio, such a nickname was probably taken by Kapliy Vladimir Ivanovich, some of whose inventions lie on the Moon and Venus.

There are many positive qualities in the design of Gravio sail windmills. They differ from traditional bladed wind turbines in their low cost, absolute environmental friendliness, the ability to use the energy of weak winds (2 ... For example, a classic small-sized bladed turntable cannot be placed in an apiary because of the likelihood of killing bees and other living creatures. There are no sound disturbances, vibrations and other negative aspects of traditional wind systems.

The sail wind turbines offered by Gravio are best suited for rural areas. A villager who has a farmstead constantly has to steam food for animals or heat greenhouses. In addition, for the needs of the economy, mechanical energy is also needed, for example, for lifting water or pressing adobe. Depending on the configuration, sailing wind turbines are supplied in single-phase and three-phase versions. Typical models: 1kW, 4kW, 10kW. Maximum power - up to 100 kW. Kit: swivel support (mechanism for attaching to the bar), motor-reducer, wind wheel, two spare blades (sails). Output voltage: 380V. Additional equipment: rechargeable batteries, charger, inverter, electronics, mast, fasteners.

This information gives a fairly complete idea that Gravio sail wind turbines could, with mass application in rural areas and in small towns, solve many of the problems that arise more and more often due to poor management of the Russian energy grid. It is possible that the cost of a kWh at such installations will be higher than that received from the general network, but who will compensate for the losses in the event that the settlement is disconnected from the general network? Why, when calculating the cost of a kilowatt-hour, is never taken into account the lost profit, and sometimes the direct losses of those whose electricity is cut off? Something was not heard that Chubais covered the losses of Moscow and Muscovites during the well-known energy disaster in Moscow. People suffered a little, and that was it. We have a kind people in a ruthless state with unscrupulous officials and businessmen.

Gravio himself spoke very well about the dignity of wind turbines with a horizontal axis of rotation. But Gravio has options for wind turbines with a vertical axis of rotation. And again, instead of a rigid blade, a “flexible” sail is used in the wind wheel. As a device that transmits rotation from the axis of the wind wheel to the axis of the electric generator, the rear axle of the car is used: from UAZ to KAMAZ. Accordingly, the power of such wind turbines reaches 100 kW or more.

Naturally, the options for sailing wind turbines proposed by Gravio are not the only ones. Many authors, both in Europe and in the USA, are working on various options for sailing wind turbines.

The main advantages of its designs are that they are available for self-production by rural residents from widely used components. An electric generator is an asynchronous motor of suitable power, which is connected according to schemes well known to any competent electrician. The sails have a simple fastening and anti-storm protection, which is a steel cable of a pre-calculated diameter, which, when the critical wind force is reached, simply breaks, leaving the sails to rinse in the wind. To bring the wheel into “combat” readiness, it is enough to replace the torn cable with a new one.

The wheels of sailboats rotate slowly, but have a lot of power and torque. The location of the sails, remote relative to the axis of rotation, makes it possible to utilize trickles of weak wind. The sailboat does not need forced promotion. The fabric of the sail very flexibly "adjusts" to any wind, which allows you to extract power (energy) from the wind with the highest possible efficiency without the use of a special control system. The wind wheel orients itself along the wind independently, and due to the low inertia and high "vane" the wind wheel does this quickly and without loss of power. With a large radius of the sailing wheel, he is not afraid of uneven wind speed along the height, since each sail, working on a common axis, flexibly adjusts itself to the strength and direction of the local air flow. In addition, the sails in the "working" state create a system of air channels between themselves, the air in which is redirected in such a direction, which ensures an increase in the power of the wind wheel, including due to the effect of added masses, since an increase in air speed between the sails leads to a fall pressure between them, which means that air flows “flying” next to the wind wheel will rush into these zones. Those. the effective cross-sectional area of ​​​​the air flow, which will form the final power of the wind turbine, is greater than the cross-section swept by the sailboat, if we take into account the diameter of the wheel. And all this air flow is "intercepted" by the sails with high efficiency.

It is known that the power of a windmill is directly proportional to the swept area and the cube of the wind speed. The maximum power of a wind turbine with a swept area of ​​1 sq.m. at a wind speed of 10 m/s, it is approximately 600 watts. Since a sailing windmill turns faster in the wind than a classic blade, rotates independently in winds weaker than 1 m / s, then for the same operating time, a “sailboat” with the same swept area will remove more energy from the wind than a classic blade. A sailboat will simply not notice this fact when the wind direction changes by 180 degrees, since its wheel will rotate in one direction in both cases. A classic blade simply misses half of the wind gusts due to its high inertia, and is not able to respond to weak gusts of wind, even blowing along the axis of the wind wheel. When the direction of a strong wind changes by 180 degrees, the blade will reverse its rotation. And this is already very bad. Here no weather vane will help.

When choosing an energy source, i.e., a network or a sailboat, it is necessary to take into account not only the parameters of the wind turbine, but most importantly, it is necessary to find out in advance whether it makes sense to install a windmill at all. The power of the windmill must correspond to the power of the winds on the selected piece of land and a given height. In the presence of a large number of sunny days, opt for solar batteries and solar collectors. But in any case, it is always useful to have your own fuel-free source of energy in our turbulent and difficult times. It is important that the state at least does not interfere with this process. And then the land sailing flotilla will be able to solve the energy security problems of many Russian citizens, especially in rural areas. Excess energy in our time is the same as a horse and a sword in the Middle Ages.

Thus, the Sailing Wind Generator:
* Allows efficient use of wind energy with high efficiency due to the use of a large area of ​​wind flow;

* Due to the relatively slow movement of sailing elements (compared to wind turbines), it is safe for humans and animals, does not create noise infrasounds and radio interference;

* Works in surface air currents. Ground airflow turbulence has little effect on operational efficiency;

The purpose of using the technology of "Sailing Wind Generators" is:
1. In the maximum use of the power of the wind flow, that is, the wind of 10 m / s enters the installation, and after the energy is taken off, the wind of 2-3 m / s comes out.

2. In compactness, safety, and in the simplification of installation and maintenance.

3. Noise reduction, absence of harmful infrasounds, safety for birds and humans.

4. In reducing the cost of generated electricity

5. Eliminating the need for ultra-high technologies at the level of aircraft construction, as is the case when creating bladed wind turbines.

6. In the availability of the Sailing wind turbine for general consumption.

7. In ground-based installations, which also affects the ease of maintenance and, as a result, the price of a kilowatt.

It is difficult not to notice how the stability of electricity supplies to suburban facilities differs from the provision of urban buildings and enterprises with electricity. Admit that you, as the owner of a private house or cottage, have repeatedly encountered interruptions, inconveniences and damage to equipment associated with them.

The listed negative situations, together with the consequences, will no longer complicate the life of lovers of natural spaces. And with minimal labor and financial costs. To do this, you just need to make a wind power generator, which we describe in detail in the article.

We have described in detail the options for manufacturing a system that is useful in the economy, eliminating energy dependence. According to our advice, an inexperienced home craftsman will be able to build a wind generator with his own hands. A practical device will help to significantly reduce daily expenses.

Alternative energy sources are the dream of any summer resident or homeowner whose site is located far from the central networks. However, when we receive bills for electricity consumed in a city apartment, and looking at the increased tariffs, we realize that a wind generator created for domestic needs would not hurt us.

After reading this article, perhaps you will make your dream come true.

A wind generator is an excellent solution for providing a suburban facility with electricity. Moreover, in some cases, its installation is the only possible way out.

In order not to waste money, effort and time, let's decide: are there any external circumstances that will create obstacles for us in the process of operating a wind turbine?

To provide electricity to a summer house or a small cottage, it is enough, the power of which will not exceed 1 kW. Such devices in Russia are equated to household products. Their installation does not require certificates, permits or any additional approvals.