The windmill generates electricity in a very simple way.

The basic principle behind electricity generation

using a windmill is the conversion of mechanical energy to electrical energy. A windmill has large blades,
multiple blades per windmill, that moved as the wind acted on them. Once the wind blew the blades
started swivelling. The blades move based on the different air pressures - high and low - created on their
surface. The blade of a windmill is basically connected to a shaft. This shaft is connected to a generator.
The movement of the blades produces the mechanical energy, which in turn is converted
into electrical energy courtesy the electrical generator.

Though there was lot of enthusiasm regarding using a windmill to create electricityearlier on, the interest
died out over a period of time as the windmill was found to be not as efficient as required to
generate electricity steadily. However, nowexperiments have shown that it is possible to generate
electricity efficiently using a windmill, and it is back in contention as a very viable alternative source of
energy.

How Do Windmills Work?

Windmills have blades that rotate as the wind blows. These windmill blades are connected
to a drive shaft, which is then connected to an electric generator.

When winds enable the blades to rotate, the blades will also automatically turn the drive
shaft. This process will generate the electricity. Current is then sent through the wires
within the device. The energy that the windmill produces will then be distributed to a group
of houses or just a single house. Just one windmill can create 100 kilowatts while a series of
windmills can simultaneously produce more megawatts of energy.

What Is a Windmill

Basically, a windmill is an engine that makes use of the wind as its power source. It is
designed to gather wind energy and convert it into something that can be utilized. Its large,
sail-like blades function to catch the wind. The stronger the wind, the faster the rotation of
the blades.

Types of Windmills

How do windmills work will depend on the type of windmill. There are many types of
windmills and they are classified according to the direction in which their blades rotate.

• The horizontal axis turbine and the vertical axis turbines are the two most common
windmills used.

• The most traditional type of windmill is the horizontal turbine. It is actually similar to
the propeller of an airplane.
 • On the other hand, a vertical turbine has blades which resemble an egg beater.

When it comes to windmills, size does matter. The amount of electricity generated will
depend on the size of the windmill. The larger the windmill, the stronger it is and the
greater capacity it has to produce electricity. A small windmill is enough to power one
household.

The term windmill may also refer to its original purpose. In Eastern Asia and Europe,
windmills were primarily used to grind grain, hence the word “mill.” As the blades would
rotate because of the wind, a shaft would then turn a heavy stone grinding wheel to crush
the grain to produce flour. Eventually, the windmill was revolutionized into engines for
pumping water and electricity.

Wind Turbines

Some windmills today are also referred as wind turbines and are situated in wind farms or
positioned off shore. Turbines generate approximately 40 percent of the earth’s total
electricity. Wind turbines also produce zero emissions and are renewable power sources.
However, they are not entirely self-sufficient. Some turbines are steered by steam, or use
fossil fuels or nuclear fission.

How Does A Windmill Work?

Windmills that pump water are called wind pumps and are used in dry and arid places to pump water from
under the ground. The wind pump has blades, a pump rod and a piston. When the blades catch the wind
they rotate. This causes the pump rod to rise and fall. The pump rod makes the piston rise drawing water
from below ground. A special valve in the piston closes and does not allow the water out. As the piston
rises it pumps water into a collection tank, trough or hose for use. As the piston lowers the valve opens so
that more water can be collected. This continues to happen as long as the blades are rotating.
A windmill that produces power is often called a wind turbine and these are the type that you see in wind
farms. Wind turbines work very similarly to wind pumps. The blades catch the wind and begin to rotate.
This in turn rotates a drive shaft which runs down to a gearbox connected to a generator at the windmill
base. The gearbox converts the slow turning of the windmill into quicker revolutions creating more kinetic
energy. The generator turns this kinetic energy into electricity which is collected and distributed through
wires

Working Principle of Wind Mills

A wind turbine is a machine that coverts wind energy into electricity. The generators are connected to
battery charging circuits and finally to large utility grids. In windmills the wind passes through the airfoil
section of the blades and the lift produced generates a torque which is then transformed to electricity in
the generator. It is basically the conversion of the wind energy into the mechanical energy of the turbine
and then finally to electricity. As the output of the wind turbine is dependent on the availability of the winds
it is intermittent and undependable. They can however be used along with conventional generators in a
large grid and can reduce the loads of these generators when they are generating. The other option is to
use storage devices like batteries and then discharge the electricity uniformly.
The main parts of the windmills are as follows:

1. The rotors consisting of the blades and the hub.

2. The drive train and gears along with the mechanical brakes. The brakes are used in the
maintenance work and when a storm is coming.
3. The generator which generates electricity.
4. The yaw system which rotates the housing toward the direction of the wind.
5. Tower and foundation.
6. Battery and the electrical system to transmit to the grid.

The working principle is that when the wind passes through the blades, the blades experience a lift due to
the aerodynamic airfoil shape. Due to the lift produced, the blades move and start rotating. The yaw unit
aligns it towards the incoming wind direction when the winds change. The rotation of the blades is
transmitted through the gear train and couplings to the generator that generates electricity. The electricity
is then transmitted through the wires to the storage batteries or directly to the grid.

Working of the Windmill

Wind turbines are used to produce electricity. The machines that generate electricity are the most
conventional type with airfoil propeller employing two to three tapered blades. Electricity can be produced
by rotating an armature in between the poles of a strong magnet. The shaft of the armature of a generator
is connected to the wind turbine by a connecting rod. When the wind rotates the blades of the wind
turbine, the shaft rotates, and this in turn rotates the armature, thereby producing electricity.