Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations |
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HAWT |
Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine |
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VAWT |
Vertical Axis Wind Turbine |
TSR |
See_ Tip Speed Ratio |
Tip Speed Ratio |
The speed of the propeller tip compared to the winds speed that drives it. _ More |
A of A |
See_ Angle of Attack |
Angle of Attack |
Angle between the relative wind and the prop blade _ More |
Relative wind |
The angle of the wind relative to a moving surface(plane of a rotating prop) _ More |
Apparent wind |
See_ Relative Wind |
Blade Angle |
Angle between the blade and the plane at 90deg to the prop shaft. (also called Pitch) _ LINK |
Pitch |
Angle between the blade and the plane at 90deg to the prop shaft. (also called Blade Angle) _ More |
cct |
Circuit |
MPP |
Maximum Power Point. The point in the Volt Amp ratio where maximum power is transferable. |
MPPT |
See_ Maximum Power Point Tracking (Wind). |
Maximum Power Point Tracking (Wind) |
An electronic device that adjusts power levels and their Volt Amp ratio to cause the maximum transfer of wind power to the battery. MPPT(Solar) is less complex and robust. |
flux |
Magnetic force. The path/shape of this force is the magnetic field. |
PMG |
Permanent Magnet Generator. |
pole |
Magnetic Pole eg. North/South also the protruding laminated finger the coils are wound around. |
core |
Material inside a coil to concentrate magnetic flux. Laminates of steel and air most common, ferrite rare. |
cogging |
Magnetic attraction between the rotor magnets and the steel core laminations that resists initial starting forces. |
clogging |
Frustrated bashing of wind generator with a Dutch wooden shoe. Actually any piece of wood or solid item at hand will do. (joke) |
magic smoke |
The stuff that makes anything electrical work - so long as it stays within the wire. (joke) |
SOC |
State of Charge of a battery. |
Furl |
The deliberate movement of the prop from full exposure to the wind to the minimal side on/in-line exposure to make the prop slow or stop. _ More |
Yaw |
Rotational movement about a vertical axis(mast). This movement allows the prop to point at the wind when it changes direction. |
Yaw Bearing |
The mast bearings that allows yaw movement. |
Star |
An AC generator phase wiring arrangement giving a higher voltage with lower current output for a given RPM. Also called wye in the USA. |
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wye |
See_ Star. |
Delta |
An AC generator phase wiring arrangement giving a lower voltage for a higher current output for a given RPM. |
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Inde |
See_ Independent. _ More |
Independent |
Configuration that independently rectifies each phase before series/paralleling to give final DC output. (also called Jerry Rig on the USA windmill forums). _ More |
Jerry Rig |
A USA forum term for independently rectifying each coil output before combining for total DC output. See_ Independent. |
Swept Area |
The area covered by the rotating propeller on a HAWT or rotor on a VAWT. On a VAWT the cubic nature is considered beyond the mere wind frontage area as in the case of the HAWT. |
Shunt Regulator |
Battery protection device, fitted across a battery for turning on a dump load also across the battery and so prevent overcharging. |
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Controller |
A term often used for either a Shunt Regulator or Diversion Controller. |
Diversion Controller |
Battery protection device fitted between the generator and the battery to divert excess power from the battery to a dump load and so prevent overcharging the battery. |
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Regulator |
See_ Shunt Regulator |
EMF |
Electro Motive Force. The unit of measurement is the Volt. |
Back EMF Braking |
A deliberate short circuiting of the generators output to cause maximum load and so (usually) stop it turning. |
Buck Converter |
Electronic arrangement that converts/transforms the Volt Amp relationship of power. It reduces The Voltage and increases the current for a final reduced power due to conversion losses. |
Boost Converter |
Electronic arrangement that converts/transforms the Volt Amp relationship of power. It increases the Voltage and decreases the current for a final reduced power due to conversion losses. |
Stall |
The state of a propeller when the power required (generator loading) exceeds the props driving force (derived from the wind). |
MMF |
See_ Magnetomotive force |
Magnetomotive force |
Also known as magnetic potential, is the property of certain substances or phenomena that gives rise to magnetic fields. The unit of measurement is the AmpTurn (AT). |
Dump Load |
Any load, but usually resistive, that dissipates the excess power that would otherwise overcharge a battery. Control of the dump load is by a Shunt Regulator or Diversion Controller. |
VFD |
See_ Variable Frequency Drive |
Variable Frequency Drive |
Is an electronic device for controlling the rotational speed of an alternating current (AC) electric motor by controlling the frequency of the electrical power supplied to the motor. |
Islanding |
A small section of a power grid that is still 'LIVE' despite the overall grid shut down. Caused by a back-yarder's generator illegally feeding into the grid. **DEADLY** . |