Functions

To start this off, we will first explain what wind power is. Wind power is power derived from wind: used to generate electricity or mechanical power. Wind is produced by the uneven heating of the Earth’s surface. The movement of air is from convection currents. Convection current is when warm air rises and cool air sinks. The cool air then takes the place of the rising warm air. The process of convection currents is what makes the wind blow. 

Convection current: The transfer of heat by the mass movement of heated particles into an area of cooler fluid

          Wind is the fastest growing renewable source of electricity in the world.

            There are two types of wind turbines: there are some that have rotors that turn on the vertical axis, and some who rotate horizontally. The most commonly found wind turbines are the horizontal ones.

            Here is the structure of the wind turbine: The rotor (usually 3 blades) with a shaft behind, a mechanical drive train, and an electrical generator are all on top of the tower. "The height of the tower is normally at least twice the length of the blade. The blades need to be far enough from the ground to minimize turbulence and to maximize the energy capture of the wind turbine" (Northern Ireland Planning Portal). The turbines also have an interior computer system that controls it. The computer system within the turbine must align the turbine with the wind.

Components of a wind turbine

        A wind turbine today uses the flow of air to generate electricity. Before any electricity is made, it goes back to the turbines. Blowing air passes around both sides of the turbines blade. The shape of the blade causes the air pressure to be uneven; making it higher on one side and lower on the other.  The uneven air pressure is what makes the blades spin around the center of the turbine. 

The inside structure of a wind turbine

The outside structure of a wind turbine

        There is a weather vane on the top of the wind turbine. Like previously said, the weather vane is connected to a computer to keep the turbine turned into the wind so it captures the most energy. Behind the blades is a shaft. The blade is attached to the shaft which only turns about 18 times a minute. 18 times a minute is not nearly fast enough to generate electricity by itself. So the rotor shaft behind the blades spins several gears that increase the rotation up to about 1,800 revolutions per minute. With the shaft at that speed, the generator can produce a lot of electricity. The higher up the wind turbine is the windier.

The relationship between sizes of turbines and MWh/year (Mega Watt Hours per Year)

         Also, larger turbines can capture wind energy more efficiently. This therefore means more electricity being produced. 

         There are many factors that can affect how much power is going to be produced by the turbine. Some include, but are not limited to (STELR):

•  The number of blades
• The length of the blades
• The shape of the blades
• The weight/mass of the blades
• The angle of the blades
• The height of the tower  

         There are energy transformations happening as a wind turbine is transforming kinetic energy into electrical energy. Some of the kinetic energy from the wind is transformed into mechanical energy when the wind causes the blades to start spinning. The shafts and gears inside the turbine transfer the mechanical energy to the generator, which then transforms it into electrical energy.