TOPIC:

Wind Turbines
BY:
RAHEEL AHMAD
Mech Engg.
06-mech-28(RCET GJW)
Outline
• Wind Turbines
• Why Wind – causes?
• How Wind Works?
• How Wind Turbine Works?
• Types & Sizes of Wind Turbines
• Inside the Wind Turbine
• Potential Turbine Power
• Terms used in Wind Turbine
• Advantages & Disadvantages
Wind Turbines

A wind turbine is a rotating machine which 
converts the kinetic energy in wind into mechanical 
energy. 

If the mechanical energy is used directly by 
machinery, such as a pump or grinding stones, the 
machine is usually called a windmill. 
If the mechanical energy is then converted 
to electricity, the machine is called a wind
generator, wind turbine, wind power unit
(WPU), wind energy converter (WEC), or aero
generator.
Why wind Energy – Causes?
Energy

Most of our electricity is 
generated with non-
renewable resources:

-Coal
-Natural Gas
-Uranium for nuclear
-power
Why ?
• COAL
– Mine & transport coal → burn coal → 
boil water  → make steam → steam 
pushes turbine  → turbine coupled to 
generator
• NATURAL GAS
– Drill for & transport gas → burn gas → 
push turbine → turbine coupled to 
generator
• NUCLEAR POWER
– Mine & transport uranium  → uranium 
gets hot & boils water  → make 
steam → steam pushes turbine  → 
turbine coupled to generator
• WIND POWER
– Wind pushes turbine → turbine 
coupled to generator
Wind Turbine
Wind
Wind is a form of solar energy. Winds 
are caused by the uneven heating of 
the atmosphere by the sun, the 
irregularities of the earth's surface, 
and rotation of the earth. 

Wind Energy

The terms wind energy or wind power 
describes the process by which the wind is 
used to generate mechanical power or 
electricity. Wind turbines convert the kinetic 
energy in the wind into mechanical power 
 How Wind Turbine Works ?
So how do wind turbines make electricity? 
A wind turbine works the opposite of a fan. 

The wind turns the blades, which spin a 
shaft, which connects to a generator and 
makes electricity. 

This aerial view of a wind power 
plant shows how a group of 
wind turbines can make 
electricity for the utility grid. The 
electricity is sent through 
transmission and distribution 
lines to homes, businesses, 
schools, and so on.
Aerodynamics of Wind Turbine Blades
•Forces are transmitted from a moving
fluid to an object in the flow stream
–Lift = the force component perpendicular
to the original flow direction
–Drag = the force component in line with
the original flow direction

Lift

Drag

http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/newton3.html
How Wind Works ?
LIFT AND DRAG
• Old-fashioned windmills 
use DRAG
• DRAG devices are 
pushed by the wind
• Modern wind turbines 
(not windmills) use LIFT
• LIFT devices work like 
airplane wings
• This is why modern 
wind turbines have 3 
blades
Wind – what causes it ?
Wind Flow Over an Air Foil Generates LIFT
Inside Wind Turbine
Inside Wind Turbine
Yaw system
 Types of Wind Turbine
Turbines can be categorized into two overarching 
classes based on the orientation of the rotor.

1.Vertical Axis 2.Horizontal Axis
Types of Wind Turbine
1.Vertical Axis Wind Turbine

A type of wind turbine in which the axis of 
rotation is perpendicular to the wind 
stream and the ground .
Vertical axis turbines work whatever direction 
the wind is blowing, but require a lot more 
ground space to support their guy wires than 
horizontal axis wind turbines.
Vertical-axis wind turbines fall into two 
major categories:  

•  Savonius
• Darrieus
Savonius Wind Turbine
The Savonius is a drag-type VAWT which 
operates in the same way as a cup
anemometer
•15 % efficiency 
•Applications
Cup Anemometer
An Anemometer is a wind speed 
measuring device.

Cup Anemometer 
Darrieus Wind Turbines
A Darrieus is a type of vertical axis wind
turbine (VAWT) generator. 

Unlike the Savonius wind turbine, the Darrieus 

is a lift-type VAWT. Rather than collecting the 
wind in cups dragging the turbine around, a 
Darrieus uses lift forces generated by the wind 
hitting aerofoil to create rotation.
Lift vs. Drag VAWTs
Lift Device
“Darrieus”
– Low solidity, 
aerofoil blades
– More efficient 
than drag device
Drag Device
“Savonius”
– High solidity, cup 
shapes are 
pushed by the 
wind
– At best can 
capture only 15% 
of wind energy
Horizontal Axis wind Turbine
A wind turbine in which the axis of 
the rotor's rotation is parallel to the 
wind stream and the ground. 

Horizontal axis turbines (more common) need to 
be aimed directly at the wind. 

The wind passes over both 
surfaces of the airfoil shaped blade 
but passes more rapidly over the 
upper side of the airfoil. The 
pressure differential between top 
and bottom surfaces results in 
aerodynamic lift like aeroplane 
blades 
HAWT
Main Components

•Foundation
•Tower
•Nacelle
•Rotor
•Turbine blades
Common HAWT Construction

Rotor

• Blades are connected to a hub, which is connected to a shaft

• Rotational speed will depend on blade geometry, number of blades,
and wind speed (40 to 400 revolutions per minute typical speed
range)
• Gear box needed to increase speed to 1200-1800 RPM for generator
Towers
Lattice tower Tubular steel 
towers
Guyed Pole 
Tower

Concrete 
tower
Nacelle
Types Of HAWT
It has two basic types

• Upwind Wind Turbine
• Downwind Wind Turbine
Upwind Wind Turbine
• A type of wind turbine in which the rotor faces the 
wind. The wind starts bending away from the tower 
before it reaches the tower itself.

• The power from the wind turbine drops slightly. 
• The basic drawback of upwind designs is    
that the rotor needs to be made rather 
inflexible, and placed at some distance from 
the tower.

• In addition an upwind machine needs a yaw 
mechanism to keep the rotor facing the wind. 
 Downwind Wind Turbine
• A horizontal-axis wind turbine in which the rotor is   
downwind (i.e. on the lee side) of the tower. 

• They may be built without a yaw mechanism.

• The rotor may be made more flexible. So the  
blades will bend at high wind speeds. 
 Number of Blades
Single Blade

Captures 10% less energy 
than two blade design

Double Blade

 Capture 5% less energy 
than three blade designs
Number of Blades - Three
Increase in Number of Turbine Blade
•Number of blades
–Increasing the number
of blades tends to
increase the
aerodynamic efficiency
–Increasing the number
of blades increases the
cost (material and
manufacturing
–Turbines with fewer
blades
tend to run most
efficiently
at lower tip speed ratios
(ratio of tip speed to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_turbine_design

wind speed)
Blade Composition
Wood
-Strong, light 
weight, cheap, 
abundant,
 flexible
-Popular on 
do-it yourself 
turbines
Blade Composition
Metal

• Steel
– Heavy & expensive
• Aluminum
– Lighter-weight and 
easy to work with
– Expensive
– Subject to metal 
fatigue
Development of HAWT
Horisontal-Axis Wind Turbines
HAWT vs. VAWT
Multibrid M5000
•Power output: 5 MW
•Diameter:   116 m.
•Turbine speed: 5,9 
-14,8 rpm

•Masses:  
•Blade:  16.500 kg 
•Hub: 60.100 kg 
•Nacelle:  199.300 
kg 
Old Fashioned Turbines

The Persian windmill

The Chinese wind wheel
Wind Turbine Sizes
• “SMALL”
– Residential use
– 20 kW or less
• “MEDIUM”
– Commercial use
– 20 kW – 660 kW
• “LARGE”
– Utility-scale use
– 660 kW – 2+ 
MW
Wind Energy and Power
• Atmospheric pressure differences
accelerate and impart kinetic energy into
the air
• Wind energy conversion machines (WEC)
convert wind energy into electrical or
mechanical forms
• How much power can we extract?
K.E. 12 ( mass ) × (velocity ) 2
Power = =
time time
mass
= density × area × velocity
time
ρAV 3
Power = 1 2 (density ) × area × (velocity )3 =
2
Wind Turbine Size-Power Comparison
Power output

10 000

9 000

8 000

7 000
]
Growth of Wind Energy Capacity
Worldwide
45000
Actual Projected Jan 2003 Cumulative MW
40000
Rest of World Rest of World Rest of World   =  2,803
35000 North America North America North America =   5,018
MW Installed

30000 Europe Europe Europe             = 21,319

25000

20000

15000

10000

5000

0
90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06

Year
Sources:  BTM Consult Aps, March 2001
                Windpower Monthly, January 2003 
Tip-Speed Ratio
ΩR
Tip-speed ratio is the ratio of the 
speed of the rotating blade tip 
to the speed of the free  R
stream wind.
There is an optimum angle of 
attack which creates the 
highest lift to drag ratio.
Because angle of attack is 
dependant on wind speed, 
there is an optimum tip-speed 
ratio 
ΩR
TSR =
Where, V
Ω = rotational speed in radians /sec
R = Rotor Radius
V = Wind “Free Stream” Velocity
 Rotor Solidity
Solidity is the ratio of total rotor
planform area to total swept
area
R
Low solidity (0.10) = high speed, low
torque a

A
High solidity (>0.80) = low speed,
high torque
Solidity = 3a/A
Swept Area
The area through which the rotor blades of a wind 
turbine spin, as seen when directly facing the center 
of the rotor blades. The power output of a wind 
turbine is directly related to the swept area of its 
blades 
Advantages Of Wind Turbine

 Environmental
 Economic Development
 No air pollution
 Wind energy is renewable 
 No greenhouse gasses 
 Expanding Wind Power development  
brings jobs to rural communities
Disadvantages

May create a lot of noise.
Wind can never be predicted.
 Wind energy depends upon the wind in 
an area and therefore is a variable source 
of energy.
It covers a large area.