The wind generator is quite simple and reliable design in terms of a source of autonomous electrical energy. The type of generator described in this article operates on permanent magnets and is a converted model from an asynchronous motor. The generator is made from an old four-pole motor. Since this is the first attempt at such a transformation, the engine power did not matter here, rather it was a matter of practical application and pure interest. The first step was to disassemble the engine. I was surprised by the condition of the parts inside the structure - they were practically new, which couldn’t help but rejoice.
Now it was necessary to sharpen the rotor. Often, such work needs to be done only if you have turning skills. Since you don’t have such skills, you had to turn to a turner you know for help.
Next, it was necessary to select magnets and calculate the bevel of the magnetic pole. The bevel is made to prevent sticking. As soon as all the calculations were carried out, I immediately printed out the template and punched the holes.
This template is needed to show where exactly the magnets need to be glued. If you correctly calculate the bevel angle, then there should be no problems when gluing the magnet. Basically, such work will take no more than two hours.
Next, I tightly wrapped the rotor with tape. This should be done from below, smoothly moving upward. And only leave a gap at the very top. Then I calmly filled it all in epoxy resin, to achieve greater tightness and reliability. When the process of turning the rotor is carried out, it is necessary to take a reserve of 1.5 - 2 times more than the calculated one. The whole point is that if you don't grind enough, the rotor simply won't be able to enter. You can, of course, grind off the magnets, but in the future this can lead to overheating of the generator, so it’s better to take care of all the nuances in advance.
Now you should put the generator together and check its speed. Simply turn the rotor with two fingers. Turns should be easy, without sticking or friction. Now that the design is completely ready, you can begin the process of taking characteristics.
Naturally, during the first measurements it is impossible to guarantee the exact characteristics of the generator, but it is still enough to roughly estimate. After all the characteristics have been taken, you can begin to manufacture the blades.
According to the characteristics, it can be noted that the turbine diameter will correspond to 1.7 meters, and the speed will be Z 5.
Having manufactured the entire structure, it is necessary to check its functionality. It is enough to check its operation by replacing a regular weather vane. A small wind is enough here for the generator to come into action. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully install the structure instead of the weather vane and put it into operation. As already mentioned, the presence of wind will only add spectacular speed to this design, but the main thing is that at this time the generator is already secured.
This design can easily operate for several months, without repair or replacement of structural parts. Of course, provided that everything is done correctly. After several months of operation, the generator should be completely checked.
Stage 1: familiarization with components
Electricity is an expensive resource, and its environmental safety is questionable, because... Hydrocarbons are used to generate electricity. This depletes the mineral resources and poisons the environment. It turns out that you can power your home with wind energy. Agree, it would be nice to have a backup source of electricity, especially in areas where there are frequent power outages.
Conversion units are too expensive, but with some effort they can be assembled yourself. Let's try to figure out how to assemble a wind generator with your own hands from washing machine.
Next, we will tell you what materials and tools you will need for the job. In the article you will find diagrams of a wind generator from a washing machine, expert advice on assembly and operation, as well as videos that clearly demonstrate the assembly of the device.
Wind generators are rarely used as the main sources of electricity, but they are ideal as additional or alternative ones.
This good decision for dachas, private houses located in areas where there are often problems with electricity.
Assembling a windmill from old household appliances and scrap metal is a real action to protect the planet. Garbage is as pressing an environmental problem as pollution environment products of hydrocarbon combustion
Homemade wind generator from a screwdriver or a washing machine motor will cost literally pennies, but will help save decent amounts on energy bills.
This is a good option for thrifty owners who do not want to overpay and are willing to make some efforts to reduce costs.
Car generators are often used to make windmills with their own hands. They don't look as attractive as designs industrial production, but they are quite functional and cover part of the electricity needs
A standard wind generator consists of several mechanical devices, whose function is to convert wind kinetic energy into mechanical, and then into electrical. We recommend that you look at the article about its operating principle.
Largely modern models are equipped with three blades to increase efficiency and begin to work when the wind speed reaches at least 2-3 m/s.
Wind speed is a fundamentally important indicator on which the power of the installation directly depends.
The technical documentation for industrial wind generators always indicates the nominal wind speed parameters at which the installation operates with maximum efficiency. Most often this figure is 9-10 m/s.
What energy costs can the installation cover?
Installing a wind generator is cost-effective if the wind speed reaches 4 m/s.
In this case, almost all needs can be met:
- A device with a power of 0.15-0.2 kW will allow you to switch room lighting to eco-energy. You can also connect a computer or TV.
- A wind turbine with a power of 1-5 kW is enough to ensure the operation of the main household appliances, including refrigerator and washing machine.
- For battery life All devices and systems, including the heating system, require a 20 kW wind generator.
When designing and assembling a windmill from a washing machine engine, the instability of wind speed must be taken into account. Electricity can disappear at any second, so equipment should not be connected directly to the generator.
Previously, we have already considered, based on the popularity of this topic, we propose to create a wind generator from an asynchronous motor. It is necessary to slightly alter the electric motor; read on to find out how to do this.
How to make a wind generator with your own hands from an asynchronous motor
To make a generator for a wind generator, we will use an asynchronous motor.
To change the engine, you need to machine the rotor for the magnets, glue the magnets to the rotor and fill it with epoxy. In addition, the stator must be rewound with a thicker wire in order to lower the voltage and increase the current. But we decided to leave the engine untouched and just rework the rotor. We used a three-phase unit, its power is 1.32 kilowatts.
The motor rotor is machined on a lathe. Note that in the case of this rotor we did not use a sleeve, which is usually worn under magnets. Its presence is explained by the need to strengthen the magnetic induction; the magnets close the fields through the sleeve, the magnetic field does not dissipate, everything is directed towards the stator. This system involves the use of very strong magnets, the size of which is 7.6x6 millimeters. 160 pieces are taken, with their help they provide sufficient electric motor force even without a sleeve.
Initially, before gluing the magnets, the rotor is marked into 4 poles, and the magnets are arranged with a bevel. The motor had four poles, due to the fact that there was no rewinding of the stator, 5 magnetic poles must be present. Each pole is alternated, “south” and “north”. The poles need certain pauses; the magnets are located more densely here. After we placed the magnets, they were wrapped with tape and fixed with epoxy.
The rotor was sticking, and there was also a problem during shaft rotation. We made some changes, removed the magnets and resin, and then re-placed the elements. At the same time, emphasis was placed on greater uniformity during installation. After filling, we realized that the sticking became less noticeable, in addition, the voltage during the rotation of the generator at the same speed became less, and the current indicator increased slightly.
We assembled a wind generator and decided to attach one or another device to it. It was decided to attach a lamp of 60 watts and 220 volts; at speeds from 800 to 1000 it became completely heated. In addition, to test the capabilities, we attached a light bulb whose power is 1 kilowatt. Half heating level was provided. At 800 rpm the voltage level was 160 volts. In addition, we tried to connect a 0.5 kilowatt boiler, the water heated up very quickly.
Let's take a closer look at the screw. The material for the blades was a polyvinyl chloride pipe, the diameter of which was 160 millimeters. In the photograph you can see the propeller, its diameter is 1.7 meters; here is the information on the basis of which the blades were made.
A little later we made a stand that has a swivel axis to allow the tail and generator to be attached. The system has a design in which the wind head moves away from the wind using tail folding. That is why there is a certain offset from the axial center of the system, with the pin located at the rear (the pin intended for the tail).
We attached the wind generator with our own hands to a mast whose length is nine meters. The generator provided voltage idle move, which reached 80 volts. We tried to connect a two-kilowatt tenn, after a certain period of time it heated up, accordingly, we can conclude that the windmill has a certain power.
Then we assembled a special controller, and then connected the battery to charging using it. A good current indicator was provided, but noise appeared, similar to what happens when using charging devices.
In accordance with the data on the electric motor, the indicators were equal to 220-380 volts, with a current strength of 6.2 to 3.6 amperes, respectively, the resistance of the unit was equal to 35.4 ohm triangle / 105.5 ohm star. In the case of a twelve-volt battery charged according to a pattern such as a “triangle” (the most common option), it turns out that at a wind speed of 8 to 9 meters per second, the current is about 1.9 amperes, which is equal to only 23 watts per second. hour.
Such a significant drop is explained high level resistance of the generator, it is for this reason that the stator is rewinded with a wire of greater thickness, thanks to which a decrease in the resistance of the unit is guaranteed, on which the current indicator also depends.
We hope our instructions on how to create a wind generator for your home with your own hands from an asynchronous motor will help you make a wind generator.
A homemade wind generator is an installation for generating electrical energy using wind. Such devices are usually used as alternative source electricity. A homemade wind generator for a home can fully provide electricity to a family of several people. Such installations are effective way electricity generation in populated areas, which are remote from central power grids. A wind generator is driven by wind force, which is then converted into rotational energy. 30 kW installations can be used as an autonomous source of electricity to meet the needs of industrial and residential facilities.
Features of homemade wind generators
To provide electricity a private house can be used vertical wind generator power up to 2 kW. The operating principle of a wind-electric installation is to convert the kinetic energy of the wind flow into mechanical energy of the blades. Mechanical energy in turn rotates the rotor and generates electric current.
A standard wind generator consists of the following components:
- rotating blades
- turbine rotor
- generator and its axis
- inverter that converts alternating current into direct current
- battery
The wind generator can be additionally equipped with a controller. A homemade controller for a wind generator is used to charge the battery and monitor the battery condition. When the battery is fully charged, the controller stops the windmill.
Job wind generator is carried out as follows. When the rotor rotates, a three-phase alternating current is generated, which is sent through the controller and then recharges the battery direct current. The inverter then converts the current for consumption and turns it on to provide lighting and power for the TV, refrigerator and other household appliances.
Types of wind generators
Wind turbines can differ in the following parameters:
- number of blades
- manufacturing materials
- orientation of the axis of rotation relative to the surface of the earth
- screw pitch sign
Multi-blade models are more efficient than two- or three-blade models because they are driven in the smallest air flows. The blades can be rigid or sail-like. Rigid ones are usually made of metal or fiberglass. In the direction of the axis of rotation, vertical and horizontal modifications are distinguished.
Wind generators with a horizontal axis of rotor rotation have become more widely used. Such installations are characterized by high efficiency, improved protection against hurricane gusts of wind and simple power adjustment. Vertical models are easy to install, silent and can operate even in light gusts of wind.
Model with neodymium magnets
Homemade wind generator using neodymium magnets is becoming increasingly popular in many Russian regions. As the basis for such a device, it is necessary to use a hub from a car with brake discs. It is better to disassemble the part and check for serviceability by lubricating the bearings and removing rust.
Neodymium magnets are glued to the rotor disks. For example, you can take twenty small magnets. When choosing the number of magnets, you need to remember that in a single-phase generator the number of poles must match the number of magnetic elements. For a three-phase model, this ratio can be 2 to 3 or 4 to 3. During the installation of magnets, you need to alternate their poles. To avoid mistakes, it is advisable to use rectangular magnets. To attach magnets you need to use the most reliable glue.
A video on assembling such a generator can be viewed here:
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A magnetic generator will work efficiently if the stator coils are correctly sized. It is known from experience that to charge a 12 V battery, about 1000 turns should be equally distributed in the coils. The coils are wound with thick wires to reduce resistance. The wind generator mast must be six meters or more in height. You need to dig a hole under the mast and then pour concrete. The blades for the device are made of polyvinyl chloride pipes.
Model from a car generator
A homemade wind generator from a car generator must be made from components (battery, relay, etc.) from one car. At the same time, to create a windmill, it is better to use a car generator from powerful equipment (for example, from a tractor).
Since consumers need alternating current, it is necessary to provide an inverter or converter. In regions with high speed wind, wind generators can be installed to generate greater power.
To assemble this model you will need the following:
- 12V car generator
- battery
- voltmeter
- battery charging relay
- blades
- fastening material
First, the rotor is made. The optimal solution would be to create a rotor wheel of four blades. This element is made from sheet iron. If possible, you can use an iron barrel.
The finished windmill is connected to the generator axis. To do this, a hole is drilled and the connection is secured with bolts. After this it is going electrical diagram and the mast is installed. Then you need to secure the car generator with wires that connect to the battery and voltage converter. For proper assembly, it is better to use prepared drawings.
Such an installation can be installed quickly enough without any particular difficulties. This wind generator is good for its simplicity, reliability and silent operation.
A video of the assembly of such a wind generator can be viewed here:
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Model from an asynchronous motor
Homemade wind generators from an asynchronous motor up to 10 kW have found wide application for domestic purposes. To manufacture such a device, first of all, it is necessary to select a low-speed electric motor that has three or four pairs of poles.
To change the engine to suit the needs of the generator, it is necessary to machine the rotor and glue the magnets to it using epoxy glue. The stator is rewound with thicker wire to increase the current. The rotor can be turned on a lathe.
Before gluing the magnets, the rotor must be marked with poles. In order to calculate required amount magnets, you need to determine the circumference of the rotor after grooving. This length corresponds to the height of the sleeve. The thickness of the magnets should be in the range (0.1-0.15) D, where D is the diameter of the rotor circumference. After this, the number of sections where magnets with one pole will be glued is calculated. The number of sections will be L/p, where p is the number of poles of the electric motor, and L is the height of the sleeve.
The magnets should be located under slight bevel. The poles must alternate. The magnets are placed tightly to each other and, after gluing to epoxy, are wrapped with tape.
A video with such a wind generator model can be viewed here:
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Once the wind generator assembly is complete, it should be tested for power output. To do this, the rotor is rotated at a speed that corresponds to the rated speed of the modified electric motor. Such tests can be done using a drill and light bulbs with different wattages.
The optimal wind generator option must be selected based on the required power and the climatic conditions of a particular region.
For homemade windmill convenient to use asynchronous generator. It produces AC immediately and there is no need to connect an inverter, which simplifies the assembly circuit. This means that all household appliances can be used directly from the windmill. Making an asynchronous generator with your own hands is not difficult. It is enough to find an old asynchronous motor (IM) from any household appliance and use it as the basis for a windmill. It will, however, require a simple alteration.
Operating principle of an asynchronous motor and generator
An asynchronous motor is an alternating current electric motor. Its peculiarity is that the magnetic field, which is produced by the current in the stator winding, and the rotor rotate at different frequencies. In synchronous motors their frequency is the same. The most common design of an IM includes a wound rotor and a stator, between which there is an air gap. But there are also engines with a squirrel-cage rotor. The active part of the IM is the magnetic circuit and windings. The remaining elements provide structural rigidity, rotation and cooling. The current in such a motor appears due to electromagnetic induction, which occurs when the magnetic field rotates at a certain speed.
In its turn, asynchronous wind generator- This is an engine that operates in generator mode. The drive wind turbine rotates the rotor and the magnetic field in the same direction. In this case, negative rotor slip occurs, a braking torque appears on the shaft, after which the energy is transferred to the battery. To excite the EMF, the residual magnetization of the rotor is used, and the EMF is amplified by capacitors.
To adapt the IM to a windmill, you need to create a moving magnetic field in it. To do this, carry out a number of transformations:
- Select neodymium magnets for the rotor. The strength of the magnetic field depends on their strength and quantity.
- Grind the rotor under the magnets. This can be done using lathe. Remove a couple of millimeters from the entire surface of the core and additionally make recesses for the magnets. The thickness of the groove depends on the selected magnets.
- Mark the rotor into four poles. Place magnets on each (from eight per pole, but more is better).
- Now you need to fix the magnets. This can be done using superglue, but then hold the elements with your fingers until the glue sets (the magnets will change their position upon contact with the rotor). Or secure all elements with tape.
- The next step is to fill the free space between the magnets with epoxy resin. To do this, wrap the rotor with magnets in paper, wrap tape over it, and seal the ends of the paper cocoon with plasticine. After making such protection, resin can be poured inside. When the epoxy is completely dry, remove the paper.
- Clean the surface of the rotor with sandpaper. To do this, use medium-grain paper.
- Identify two rotor wires that lead to the work winding. Cut the remaining wires to avoid tangling.
This completes the main transformations. Additionally, you can purchase a controller and use silicon diodes to make a rectifier for your wind generator. Also, check the rotation of the motor. If movement is stiff, replace bearings. Quick tip: if you want to increase the current and also reduce the voltage in your unit, then do not be lazy and rewind the stator with thick wire.
Generator testing
Before installing the finished generator on an axial structure or mast, it must be tested. For testing, you will need a drill or screwdriver, as well as some kind of load, for example, an ordinary light bulb that you use in everyday life. Connect them to your unit and see at what speed the light glows brightly and evenly.
If testing shows good results, then you can begin installing the windmill. To do this, it is necessary to manufacture blade elements, an axial structure, and select a battery. You can read more about how to assemble a wind generator.
Rules for operating an asynchronous wind generator
This windmill has a number of features that need to be taken into account during operation:
- Be prepared that efficiency finished device will fluctuate constantly (within 50%). It is impossible to eliminate this drawback; this is the cost of the energy conversion process.
- Take care of high-quality insulation and grounding of the wind generator. This is a mandatory safety requirement.
- Make buttons to control the device. This will greatly simplify its use in the future.
- In addition, provide places for connection measuring instruments. This will provide you with data on the operation of your unit and allow you to carry out diagnostics.
If we compare asynchronous and synchronous wind generators, then asynchronous ones have both advantages and disadvantages.
The benefits are as follows:
- Powerful devices with a simple design, small in size and weight.
- High level of efficiency in energy production.
- There is no need for an inverter because this wind generator produces alternating current (220/380V). It can directly power household devices or work in parallel with the centralized power supply network.
- The output voltage is very stable.
- The output frequency does not depend on the rotor speeds.
- It is highly resistant to short circuits, protected from moisture and dirt.
- It can serve for many years, as it contains few wearing parts.
- Operates on capacitor excitation.
The disadvantages are:
- In the absence of a battery, the asynchronous generator may die out during moments of overload. This is a limitation for the use of such a unit. But for a windmill, such a drawback is irrelevant, because its design involves an energy storage device. You can read about how to choose a battery for a windmill.
- Capacitor banks have a high cost, so reworking an old IM is a optimal solution question.
- The generator speed is inversely related to its mass.
Thus, a do-it-yourself wind generator from an asynchronous three-phase motor is inexpensive and convenient solution for home.
