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Forum Index : Windmills : VAWT Question

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MacGyver

Guru

Joined: 12/05/2009
Location: United States
Posts: 1329
Posted: 05:44am 11 Sep 2009
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Has anyone tried or does anyone know about using a VAWT and
embedding PMs in the base of the thing so they swing past a coil and
establish something on the order of a "passive" 12-volt battery charger or
am I dreaming?

I was thinking of something on the order of a "pulse" charge where the
windmill would pick up speed between passes by the pick-up coil.

I've built many VAWTs for fun, just because they're so simple and fun to
watch spin, but I've never actually tried to make them "do" anything other
than spin.

The more I think about this, the more I think it might just get hung up on
the pick-up coil, eh? Maybe I should design a VAWT that winds up a
main spring, then lets it go for some high-speed action down at the
generator.

Any thoughts?
Nothing difficult is ever easy!
Perhaps better stated in the words of Morgan Freeman,
"Where there is no struggle, there is no progress!"
Copeville, Texas
 
GWatPE

Senior Member

Joined: 01/09/2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 2127
Posted: 05:51am 11 Sep 2009
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The advertising sign type are fun to watch. As soon as you try and produce electricity, they don't do much at all. They are a bit like the whirlygig type type for roof mounts. They are really good for sucking hot air from a roof, but do little as a generator.

Gordon.
become more energy aware
 
MacGyver

Guru

Joined: 12/05/2009
Location: United States
Posts: 1329
Posted: 06:01am 11 Sep 2009
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GWatPE

I was actually thinking of using a design similar to the advertising signs
(a bit larger) and attaching the main shaft to a worm and down-gear to
wind up a big nasty spring.

Once the spring got to some pre-set tension, I'd make an escapement
mechanism that would apply it against a small generator. This would
create a charge only intermittently, thus the "passivity" noted above.

Then again, it may turn out to be just more shop time logged on the
lathe, eh?
Nothing difficult is ever easy!
Perhaps better stated in the words of Morgan Freeman,
"Where there is no struggle, there is no progress!"
Copeville, Texas
 
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