Subject: Re: Anyone has plans to build a wind powered electrical generator.

From: Greg Doty <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 11 Apr 1997 00:20:40 -0700

> Yes, you could do that, but it would work very poorly since there is
> no way to regulate the rotational speed of a wind machine.

That somewhat depends on how closely you want to regulate the rotational
speed. There is a spring-loaded device known as a wind-break. The spring
holds th break in and centrifical force forces the break into the wind
causing a drag thus slowing it down again. Not perfect, but does tend to
save the device during gusty breezes.

Greg

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From: [email-masked] (Mark Stetz)
Date: Fri, 11 Apr 1997 16:49:44 GMT

>I have often wondered why the design of automotive alternators is
>insufficient for low RPM generation. Is it because of the number of
>windings, or the number of turns of wire per winding? If the latter,
>would an increase in the number of turns (with a corresponding reduction
>in wire size) solve the problem? In short, why can't an automotive
>alternator be made to generate at slower RPMs?

>Greg

What counts in electrical generation is not RPM but the velocity at
which a winding passes through a magnetic field. If you want  a
generator to produce electricity at low RPM, it helps to have a large
diameter. Automobile alternators have too small a diameter to operate
well at low speeds. 

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Mark Stetz, Energy Engineer
Denver, CO
Board Member of Colorado Renewable Energy Society
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