Different Wind Turbine Blade Designs
Wind turbines are one of the oldest devices in existence used for generating power. Although the basic idea behind wind generators has lasted, wind turbine blades in particular have changed drastically over the years, from the easily broken windmill blades of yore to the sleek blades of today. The basic benefit of modern blade design is that it allows wind turbines to generate more power from less wind now than ever before, which in turn makes it possible to use smaller and quieter turbines.
Early wind turbine blades were basically nothing more than large mats made from reeds. Their main weak point was a lack of durability. The short lifespan of this kind of blade led inventors to look for other options.
Reed blades were eventually discarded in favor of lighter and more durable cloth sails. Along with an improved vertical axis style design, many early windmills utilized this type of blade in order to use wind power for grain processing purposes.
The next phase in the evolution of wind turbines came with the introduction of wood blades and horizontal axis blade configurations. This development reflected those seen in the world of aeronautics, as improving rotors often shared similar characteristics. Wooden blades were stronger yet lighter than previous models, and therefore they could spin faster and provide greater power to the connected machinery.
Electricity was produced from wind turbines for the first time thanks to these designs. It wasn’t long before large scale wind turbines would be used to for commercial purposes.
At this time, the difference between horizontal axis turbine blades and vertical axis ones became even more distinct. For the most part, the shape and materials of the blades as well as the number of blades used per rotor would be the main area of variation to come for horizontal axis blades.
3-blade designs came to be the standard for horizontal axis wind turbines, as they usually provide a good balance of stability and rotor speed. In most modern turbines, composite blades are used, which are extremely strong and flexible as well as being lightweight, making them ideal for both residential and commercial uses. Composite blades allow wind turbines to spin faster and produce more power as well as pick up low-speed winds, making them immeasurably more efficient.
For vertical axis wind turbines too, there are many new designs available currently, which are suitable for a wide variety of purposes. These types of wind turbines tend to take advantage of either wind drag or wind lift in ingenious ways in order to provide significant amounts of rotation.
Vertical axis turbines are able to harness the power of the wind regardless of its direction. Horizontal axis turbines usually aren’t able to provide quite the same consistency of production. Residential users will find vertical axis turbines especially appealing, as they generally don’t require a tower or an open landscape in order to work their best.
For information about the advantages and disadvantages of wind power, go to Advantages and Disadvantages of Wind Power.
For the best guide I have found for building your own wind turbines with step by step videos, go to Best DIY Solar and Wind Guides.
For another guide to building a diy wind turbine, visit Homemade Wind Turbine.
