Let's make a wind generator with our own hands. DIY wind power plants Homemade wind generator

A wind turbine does not require fuel or fuel to generate electricity. solar energy. This feature makes many people think about how to build a wind generator with their own hands, because the purchase and installation finished equipment are not cheap.

Operating principle and types of wind generator

You can make a windmill yourself only if you understand its structure. The prototype of this unit is an old windmill. With the pressure of air flows on its wings, the shaft began to move, which transmitted torque to the mill equipment.

Wind turbines to produce electricity use the same principle of using wind energy to rotate the rotor:

The movement of the blades when exposed to wind causes the input shaft with gearbox to rotate. Torque is transmitted to the secondary shaft (rotor) of the generator, equipped with 12 magnets. As a result of its rotation, an alternating current appears in the stator ring.
This type of electricity cannot charge batteries without a special device - a controller (rectifier). The device converts alternating current into direct current, allowing it to be accumulated so that household appliances can operate without interruption. The controller also performs another function: it stops charging the battery in a timely manner, and transfers the excess energy generated by the windmill to units that consume a large amount of it (for example, to heating elements for heating a house)
To provide a voltage of 220 V, current is supplied from the batteries to the inverter, and then goes to the points of electricity consumption.

To ensure that the blades are always in the best position to interact with the wind, a tail is installed on the wing devices, which allows you to turn the propeller towards the wind. Factory models of wind turbines have braking devices or additional circuits for folding the tail or retracting the blades from wind blows in unfavorable weather.

There are several types of wind generators, classifying them by the number and material of the blades or propeller pitch. But the main division occurs according to the location of the axis or input shaft:

The horizontal type implies that the shaft is located parallel to the surface of the earth. Such generators are called vane generators.
For vertical windmills, the axis is perpendicular to the horizon, and the planes are located around it. Vertical generators can be called orthogonal or carousel.

Regardless of the location of the rotation axis, the operating principle of the unit remains the same.

Wind turbine models can have a propeller or a wind wheel of 2, 3 or several blades. It is believed that multi-blade devices are capable of generating current in light winds, while propellers with 2-3 wings require a greater air flow. When choosing a model, it is necessary to take into account important rule that each blade creates resistance to the wind flow and reduces the rotation speed, so it is quite difficult to spin a multi-bladed wheel to operating speed.

Among the types of windmills there are sailing and rigid ones. These names indicate the material from which the wings are made. At self-assembly the sail type will be simpler and more economical, but blades made of plastic material (fabric, film, etc.) are not durable and wear-resistant.

Vertical option

It is easier to make a vertical type wind generator than a horizontal one. The design does not require a weather vane and is placed at a low height (up to 2 m). Reviews from those who use vertical wind turbines (wind-electric installations) indicate insignificant noise during rotation and ease of maintenance of the working units of the units. The generator is located at the bottom of the structure and maintenance can be carried out without working at height or lowering the mast to the ground.

A bearing is installed at the upper end of the axle, which also serves as a mast. This part requires virtually no maintenance and can serve for several years without repair.

Unlike a bladed wind turbine, vertical wind turbines do not require the installation of a high mast. They operate regardless of wind direction, which simplifies the design of the moving part. For the blades of a compact wind generator, you can use a large-diameter PVC pipe (for example, a sewer pipe), and for a more powerful wind turbine, thin galvanized steel is suitable. These materials are available to anyone home handyman and relatively cheap.

You can choose the design of the wind wheel yourself from the many available options:

Dornier design with 2 flat blades;
Savonius system with 4 semi-cylindrical wings;
orthogonal multi-bladed windmill with 2 rows of planes;
helicoidal wind turbines with a curved blade profile.

All vertical wind turbines use the Savonius principle. At home, you can make blades from steel or plastic barrels, cut in half lengthwise. The design feature is that the efficiency of the unit reaches its maximum when the blade speed is 2 times less than the wind speed. Therefore, you should not try to increase the speed for a vertical wind turbine.

Horizontal models

Unlike vertical generators, homemade wind generators with a propeller have greater efficiency as the blade speed increases. But numerous and narrow propeller elements do not contribute to better job: with strong wind pressure, they do not have time to spin the shaft due to the air cushion formed in front of the propeller.

Do-it-yourself multi-blade wind generators for home are best made in areas with not too strong winds. If the wind force in the region often exceeds 10-15 m per second, it makes sense to build a wind turbine with 2-3 blades. Both types are capable of starting work at an air flow speed of about 2-3 m per second.

The horizontal model requires the installation of a high mast (6-12 m). To avoid high-altitude work during maintenance, craftsmen install a simple folding mechanism at the base of the mast - an axle. To ensure the stability of the structure under strong wind loads, cable-stayed braces are required to hold the rack in a vertical position.

The nacelle with the generator and propeller must be mounted on a bearing and provided with a feathering so that the propeller always occupies an advantageous position relative to the wind. The cables through which the current will be discharged should be positioned so that they do not twist when the nacelle rotates, do not create interference, or are torn. Therefore, they are carried out inside a tubular mast.

How to make a 220V wind generator?

Work on creating a wind turbine should begin by determining the required power of the unit:

to illuminate several rooms, it is enough to have a generator with a power of less than 1 kW; it will provide power to incandescent or energy-saving lamps, and in addition it will be possible to connect a laptop or TV to the network;
a homemade wind generator with a capacity of 5 kW will provide electricity to household appliances (refrigerator, washing machine, stove, etc.);
To completely switch a house to autonomous power supply, you need a powerful generator with a capacity of more than 20 kW.

You can make a generator yourself or adapt the corresponding unit removed from an old car. In this way, it is possible to ensure the production of current up to 2-3 kW. To make a more powerful 220V wind generator with your own hands, you will need to make accurate calculations of the number of coils and turns of wire, the size and number of magnets on the rotor and the parameters of the blade wings.

Simple design

For simplest design with a power of about 1-1.5 kW you will need:

car generator (12 V);
acid battery (12 V);
push-button switch (12 V);
current converter 700-1500 V and 12-220 V;
metal large container;
bolts, washers, nuts;
clamps for attaching the generator (2 pcs.).

In the pulley car generator you need to make symmetrical holes for the bolts. Divide the circumference of the container into 4 equal parts. Cut the blades:

on the side of the container, mark rectangles according to the circle division marks;
find the vertical middle of each element;
mark the top and bottom of the container with solid rims 3-5 cm wide;
cut the metal between individual rectangles to the rim line;
make cuts along the upper and lower boundaries of the markings so that the middle of the rectangle remains intact and connected to the rims;
rotate each blade relative to the central axis;
determine the center of the round bottom, mark the locations of the holes for the bolts in accordance with their location on the generator pulley.

When unfolding the wings, it is worth determining the direction of rotation of the wind wheel in order to bring out the necessary parts of the planes. To ensure equal load on all blades, their rotation angles should be measured.

Assembly of the structure consists of bolting the generator pulley and the bottom of the container. After this, a base is prepared for installing a wind generator (a mast made of a thick pipe about 2 m high). The easiest way to attach the generator to it is with clamps of the appropriate diameter. To charge the battery, the current from the generator must be passed through a rectifier; the connection must be made using the car’s electrical circuits.

Homemade generator for a bladed wind turbine

The unit for a horizontal wind generator can be assembled from wheel hubs from a car or use an electric motor from washing machine. To work, you will need to purchase magnets made of neodymium (niobium alloy). It is better to take rectangular elements.

Their number can be determined by the number of coils if a motor is used. For a three-phase generator, the number of magnets should be 2/3 of the number of coils, and for a single-phase generator it should correspond to it. Practitioners advise choosing a three-phase generator.

When using a washing machine motor, magnets must be glued to the motor rotor. If a wheel hub is used, the magnets are placed on a circle of sheet steel about 5 mm thick. When assembling the rotor, follow the following rules:

The distance between the magnets must be the same. Rectangular elements on the hub have their long sides along the radii of the circle, and on the engine shaft - along its longitudinal axis.
Before work, you need to identify and mark the poles of the magnets. They are installed so that the opposing elements have different polarities. When placing magnets, the positive and negative poles of adjacent parts alternate.
To keep the magnets firmly on the rotor surface, it is recommended to fill them with epoxy.

When using the motor shaft as a rotor, the part is installed in its place in the winding and the functionality of the structure is checked by applying voltmeter probes to the wire terminals and rotating the shaft using a drill.

If a hub is used, then independently wind coils of enameled copper wire with a cross-section of 1 mm. Each coil should consist of 60 turns and have a height of 9 mm. The coils should be mounted on the flat part of the wheel hub.

For a three-phase generator, connect the ends of the wires as follows:

Leave the outer terminal 1 of the coil free, and connect the internal one to the outer one at 4;
connect the inner wiring of 4 coils with the outer one at 7 and continue until the end, connecting winding parts every 2 pieces; on the latter there should be a free inner end, which can be easily twisted with the lead already left or marked differently;
repeat the process from 2 coils, connecting the wires according to the same principle every 2 elements;
do the same with coil 3 and the remaining ones not connected.

At the end of the work, the master will have 6 separate pins. The winding must be filled with epoxy and dried.

Then you need to clamp the shaft in the hub bearing, onto which you place a rotor ring with magnets. The gap between the planes of the parts is 1-1.5 mm. Check the presence of current at the terminals, assemble the windmill and install it on the mast.

Equipment service

When operating a windmill, once a month you need to conduct a general inspection of the fasteners, check the electrical system for voltage imbalance, serviceability of the controller and uniform tension of the cables. For uninterrupted operation, once every 3-4 months it is worth inspecting the terminal connections of the battery, checking the electrolyte and oil levels at the generator gearbox.

The annual inspection includes checking the surfaces of the blades, determining the performance of the bearings and replacing them. During this time, the electrolyte level is also replenished and oil is added to the gearbox. Annual maintenance involves checking all components for functionality.

Content:

It's no secret that the cost of utility services in our state is constantly growing, although there seem to be no prerequisites for this. Well, at the same time, the number of consumers who are trying to somehow reduce this expense column is increasing. Some people save water, others save gas, but still the greatest interest is in alternative light sources, such as a solar battery or an electric generator that uses wind to operate.

Of course, savings are felt in such cases, but the main problem is that such installations are not cheap, and in order to experience real savings, more than one year must pass. After all, the installation must first pay for itself.

Exactly for the reason high cost Questions began to arise about how to make a wind generator with your own hands. After all, such installations were invented and created by man, which means it becomes possible to recreate it at home. Therefore, let’s try to understand how realistic it is to make a generator for a windmill with your own hands from available materials, whether any additional equipment is needed for its uninterrupted operation, and how much energy savings are possible when using such a device for a home, apartment or cottage.

Possible restrictions

The main thing when installing a wind generator is, naturally, our state’s attempts to make some profit even in this area. In order not to certify a homemade installation, i.e. without paying separate taxes, it is worth assembling a low-power wind generator that produces no more than 5 kW. Although at home homemade device It is quite problematic to produce more power.

You should also check the availability of regulations and documents on the height of buildings in the installation area, so as not to exceed it for the best wind.

It is also worth remembering about your neighbors - they may be disturbed by the noise made by the blades and the gearbox that homemade wind generators are equipped with. Of course, such installations make little noise, but envy has not yet been canceled, and in case of complaints, fines are possible, as well as a dismantling order. The advantage here is the factory-made option, because it is low noise, but due to its high cost, such a device is not currently being considered.

Also, do not forget about protection against radio interference - when self-production windmill, it is necessary to provide for the installation of a filter. Well, when purchasing such a device, check its presence in the diagram.

Wind generator device

Regardless of the type of such device, made with your own hands at 220 volts, its components will be the same. Any wind generators consist of the device itself that generates electricity, blades, batteries, a mast and an electronic unit - an inverter.

In any case, the first thing to start with in the production of such a device is the choice of type, electrical circuit and design of the appearance. By type, wind generators are divided into sail and blade, or horizontal and vertical. For middle latitudes, where there are no sharp gusts of wind, as well as in installations with a power of up to 5 kW, the best option would be a wind generator such as a “sailboat”, and therefore we will try to understand it in more detail.

The very essence of the operation of such devices is as follows: the blades, rotating with the help of wind power, transmit torque directly or through a gearbox to the generator rotor, resulting in the generation of electricity, which is supplied to the battery through the electronic unit. Energy is stored in the battery and can later be used for household needs.

Let's try to figure out what types of wind generators can be made at home and what is needed for this.

Rotary installation

Such a DIY wind generator is capable of generating enough electricity to illuminate a small garden house, outbuildings, as well as several lanterns in the yard. Such windmills are made from a car generator or starter, and therefore, in order not to purchase expensive equipment for its manufacture, we will consider a device that will generate up to one and a half kilowatts. For this it will be necessary to have the following materials:

12 volt car generator;
gel or acid battery (you also need a 12-volt one);
sealed switch;
voltage converter from 12 to 220 V and 700–1500 watts;
large container made of stainless steel or aluminum for making blades. A plastic pipe with a diameter of 20–25 cm may also be suitable;
battery charging relay with voltmeter;
fastening fittings, i.e. bolts and nuts;
wires having a cross-section of 4 and 2.5 square meters. mm;
two clamps for mounting on the device mast;
a metal pipe of sufficient length to be used as a mast;
and, of course, various tools: metal scissors, grinders, keys, screwdrivers and a drill with a set of drill bits.

Manufacturing algorithm

The first step is to make the fan blades of the future wind generator for a private house with your own hands. An old big one works well for this. aluminum pan, but there are options here. You need to mark it with a pencil, and then cut the container along the marked lines using a grinder or metal scissors, leaving small sections uncut at the top and bottom, i.e. as shown in the picture. The blades should be the same, and their number depends only on the preferences of the master.

The cut blades are bent in the desired direction. It must be remembered that the direction of rotation depends on the direction in which the blades are turned, and the speed at which the propeller will rotate the generator depends on the angle of rotation and size. Cut them out more convenient with an angle grinder, but if the metal is thin, metal scissors will do just fine.

The situation is a little more complicated with a plastic pipe. It must be divided lengthwise into four parts, after which “plugs at the top and bottom” must be made for each of the semicircular sections, and then assembled into one screw to make something similar to the first option.

Next, using a drill, mounting holes are made in the generator shaft and the finished propeller, after which the blades are fixed to the rotor shaft with bolts. You can do similar work using a gearbox, increasing the rotation speed of the generator - this is at the discretion of the master himself.

After the work has been done, all that remains is to secure the wind generator using clamps to the mast and stretch the wires along it.

Assembly of equipment on the ground

Because The optimal length of a wind power plant mast is 5–13 meters; its base must be filled with concrete for good stability. It also makes sense to think through options for how to lower the wind generator for your home or get to it in the event of a breakdown.

The wires coming from the wind generator itself are connected through a charging relay to the battery. Next in the circuit there is a converter, from which a voltage of 220 volts will already flow into the distribution board.

All equipment must be protected from precipitation and direct access by children. The switch is installed on the mast, at an accessible height, and breaks the positive wire from the wind generator to the charging relay. Thus, if it is unnecessary or there is weak wind, you can relieve the load by allowing the blades to rotate “idle”.

It is very important to disconnect the load when too strong wind, which can damage both the generator itself and the battery charging relay.

But there is a more powerful option for making a wind generator with your own hands at home. Of course, it is a little more complicated, but still, if you follow the rules and operating procedures, it is quite possible to make such a device.

Axial wind generator

Such a device (one might even say a do-it-yourself wind power plant) is made on the basis of neodymium magnets that recently appeared on our market. It is due to them that higher generator power is achieved. If you take a similar installation using ordinary ferrite magnets, you won’t be able to get more than one and a half kilowatts out of it. Some time ago, when neodymium elements first appeared on the shelves, the price for them was quite high, but now there is already a decrease in cost, and therefore such magnets have become more affordable.

So, in order to make an axial wind generator for your home with your own hands, you will need a hub with a brake disc from a car. Moreover, its wear is not important here, and therefore such a part can always be found in any car service center. It will need to be thoroughly cleaned, the bearings lubricated, and generally brought into good working order. The optimal number of magnets will be 20 pieces, with dimensions 25 x 8 mm. They will be glued to the inside of the brake disc.

Having marked the disk into sectors, you should glue the magnets, alternating their poles - this is very important. For a stronger connection, the use of epoxy glue is recommended. Well, after the glue has dried, the same epoxy resin all the magnets are poured in, and to prevent the glue from draining, you can make a small rim around the circle of the disk from plasticine.

Winding coils

It is well known that before you start winding, you need to calculate required amount coil turns. Based on the fact that the wind generator must operate at low speed, it is necessary to charge the battery at 100–150 rpm. Therefore, the total number of turns in all winding coils should be 1200–1500; a larger number is unnecessary. Well, calculating the number of turns of one coil is very simple. With 20 coils and a total number of turns of 1400, one should contain 70 turns.

The greater the number of coils, the more power can be achieved at low speeds. At the same time, the larger the cross-section of the wire when winding, the lower the resistance, and therefore the greater the current.

Of course, the best option would be to use a special machine for winding coils, but if you don’t have one, it is quite possible to do similar work manually.

To check the output power, one winding is enough. When scrolling in the generator, it will be possible to measure the parameters of the future device.

The stator itself can be made of plywood, reinforced with fiberglass and epoxy resin for reliability. But the connection of the coils is made according to one of two schemes, at the choice of the master. It can be either a triangle or a star. Next, the coils are fixed and the wires are brought out. To check the functionality of a wind generator for a private house, turn it manually at stable speeds and take voltage readings from the output wires.

Mast and propeller

As for the mast, there are no differences from the manufacture of a rotary wind generator. The requirements for it are the same. But the propeller blades for such an installation are made differently. For this, a 16 mm polyvinyl chloride pipe is used. The shape of the blades is experimental, i.e. everyone determines the optimal one, as they say, by trial and error.

In this case, the length of the blade on a windmill with your own hands must be at least a meter in order to be able to spin the generator, and it is also necessary to balance the finished propeller to eliminate noise, runout and damage to bearings during operation.

With a little thought, you can design the blades of a wind generator so that in very strong winds they can be folded and then unfolded. This will save the device from failure in the event of storm warnings and sudden gusts.

Installation of equipment on the ground is carried out similarly to the previous version of the rotary wind generator.

Service

Of course, an air generator, like any other equipment, requires attention, periodic inspections and, of course, sometimes repairs. The main thing that needs to be constantly checked, cleaned and lubricated with a special graphite lubricant is the generator brushes, because they tend to wear out during use.

At the slightest suspicion of imbalance, vibration, loosening of screw fastenings and connections, the generator must be lowered to the ground and adjusted or repaired.

Approximately every 2-3 years it is necessary to paint the device. And it’s better if the paint is special, i.e. anti-corrosion. It is also necessary to regularly check the tension and fastening of the holding cables.

Conclusion

Some may say that the price of electricity is not high enough to do such work by making homemade windmills. In addition, also for an inverter, etc. you'll have to spend money. But if you think about it, if the work is done well, there will be enough electricity not only to heat the house, but also for buildings, heating a barn with animals in the winter. In general, with the right approach to making such a homemade product, i.e. wind generator, and electricity consumption can be completely eliminated from paid electricity, and this is a good saving.

One of the most affordable options for using renewable energy sources is the use of wind energy. To learn how to make calculations, assemble and install a windmill yourself, read this article.

Classification of wind generators

Installations are classified based on the following wind turbine criteria:

location of the axis of rotation;
number of blades;
element material;
propeller pitch.

Wind turbines, as a rule, have a design with a horizontal and vertical axis of rotation.

Version with a horizontal axis - a propeller design with one, two, three or more blades. This is the most common design of air power plants due to its high efficiency.

Version with a vertical axis - orthogonal and carousel designs using the example of Darrieus and Savonius rotors. The last two concepts should be clarified, since both have some significance in the design of wind generators.

Darrieus rotor is an orthogonal wind turbine design, where aerodynamic blades (two or more) are located symmetrically to each other at a certain distance and mounted on radial beams. Enough difficult option wind turbine requiring careful aerodynamic design of the blades.

Savonius rotor is a carousel-type wind turbine design, where two semi-cylindrical blades are located one against the other, overall forming a sinusoidal shape. The efficiency of the structures is low (about 15%), but can be almost doubled if the blades are placed in the direction of the wave not horizontally, but vertically and a multi-tier design is used with the angular displacement of each pair of blades relative to the other pairs.

Advantages and disadvantages of wind turbines

The advantages of these devices are obvious, especially in relation to living conditions operation. Users of wind turbines actually have the opportunity to generate free electrical energy, not counting the small costs of construction and maintenance. However, the disadvantages of wind power plants are also obvious.

So in order to achieve efficient work installation, the conditions for stability of wind flows must be met. Man cannot create such conditions. This is purely the prerogative of nature. Another technical drawback is the low quality of the generated electricity, as a result of which it is necessary to supplement the system with expensive electrical modules (multipliers, chargers, batteries, converters, stabilizers).

The advantages and disadvantages in terms of the features of each modification of wind turbines, perhaps, balance at zero. If horizontal-axial modifications are characterized by a high efficiency value, then for stable operation they require the use of wind flow direction controllers and devices for protection against hurricane winds. Vertical-axis modifications have low efficiency, but work stably without a mechanism for tracking wind direction. At the same time, such wind turbines are distinguished by a low noise level, eliminate the effect of “spreading” in conditions of strong winds, and are quite compact.

Homemade wind generators

Making a "windmill" with my own hands- the problem is completely solvable. Moreover, a constructive and rational approach to business will help minimize inevitable financial expenses. First of all, it is worth sketching out the project, carrying out necessary calculations balancing and power. These actions will not only be the key to the successful construction of a wind power plant, but also the key to maintaining the integrity of all purchased equipment.

It is recommended to start by building a micro-windmill with a power of several tens of watts. In the future, the experience gained will help create a more powerful design. When creating a home wind generator, you should not focus on obtaining high-quality electricity (220 V, 50 Hz), since this option will require significant financial investments. It makes more sense to limit ourselves to the use of initially obtained electricity, which can be successfully used without conversion for other purposes, for example, to support heating and hot water supply systems built on electric heaters (TEH) - such devices do not require stable voltage and frequency. This makes it possible to create a simple circuit that operates directly from the generator.

Most likely, no one will argue that heating and hot water supply in the house are inferior in importance household appliances And lighting fixtures, to power which they often try to install home windmills. The construction of wind turbines is precisely for the purpose of providing the house with heat and hot water- minimum costs and simplicity of design.

Generalized design of a home wind turbine

Structurally, a home project largely replicates an industrial installation. Is it true, household solutions often based on vertical-axis wind turbines and equipped with low-voltage DC generators. Composition of household wind turbine modules, subject to high-quality electricity (220 V, 50 Hz):

wind turbine;
wind orientation device;
animator;
DC generator (12 V, 24 V);
charge module batteries;
rechargeable batteries (lithium-ion, lithium-polymer, lead-acid);
DC voltage converter 12 V (24 V) to AC voltage 220 V.

Wind generator PIC 8-6/2.5

How it works? Just. The wind turns the wind turbine. The torque is transmitted through the multiplier to the shaft of the DC generator. The energy received at the output of the generator is accumulated in batteries through the charging module. From the battery terminals, a constant voltage of 12 V (24 V, 48 V) is supplied to the converter, where it is transformed into a voltage suitable for powering household electrical networks.

About generators for home windmills

Majority household structures Wind turbines are usually designed using low-speed DC electric motors. This is the simplest generator option that does not require modernization. Optimally - electric motors with permanent magnets, designed for a supply voltage of about 60-100 volts. There is a practice of using car generators, but for this case the introduction of a multiplier is required, since car generators produce the required voltage only at high (1800-2500) speeds. One of possible options- reconstruction asynchronous motor alternating current, but also quite complex, requiring accurate calculations, performing turning operations, installing neodymium magnets in the rotor area. There is an option for a three-phase asynchronous motor with the connection of capacitors of the same capacity between the phases. Finally, there is the possibility of making a generator from scratch with your own hands. There are a lot of instructions on this matter.

Vertical-axis homemade “windmill”

A fairly efficient and, most importantly, inexpensive wind generator can be built on the basis of a Savonius rotor. Here, as an example, a micro-energy installation is considered, the power of which does not exceed 20 W. However, this device is quite sufficient, for example, to provide electrical energy some household appliances operating on 12 volts.

Set of parts:

Aluminum sheet 1.5-2 mm thick.
Plastic pipe: diameter 125 mm, length 3000 mm.
Aluminum pipe: diameter 32 mm, length 500 mm.
DC motor (potential generator), 30-60V, 360-450 rpm, for example, electric motor model PIK8-6/2.5.
Voltage controller.
Battery.

Manufacturing of the Savonius rotor

Three “pancakes” with a diameter of 285 mm are cut out of an aluminum sheet. Holes are drilled in the center of each aluminum pipe 32 mm. It turns out something similar to CDs. From plastic pipe two pieces 150 mm long are cut and cut in half lengthwise. The result is four semicircular blades 125x150 mm. All three aluminum “CDs” are put on a 32 mm pipe and fixed at a distance of 320, 170, 20 mm from the top point strictly horizontally, forming two tiers. Blades are inserted between the disks, two per tier, and fixed strictly one against the other, forming a sinusoid. In this case, the blades upper tier are shifted relative to the blades of the lower tier at an angle of 90 degrees. The result is a four-bladed Savonius rotor. To fasten elements, you can use rivets, self-tapping screws, corners, or other methods.

Connection to engine and installation on mast

The shaft of DC motors with the above parameters usually has a diameter of no more than 10-12 mm. In order to connect the motor shaft to the wind turbine pipe, a brass bushing having the required internal diameter is pressed into the lower part of the pipe. A hole is drilled through the wall of the pipe and the bushing, and a thread is cut to screw in the locking screw. Next, the wind turbine pipe is put on the generator shaft, after which the connection is rigidly fixed with a locking screw.

The remaining part of the plastic pipe (2800 mm) is the mast of the wind turbine. The generator assembly with the Savonius wheel is mounted at the top of the mast - it is simply inserted into the pipe until it stops. A metal disk cover mounted on the front end of the motor, having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the mast, is used as a stop. Holes are drilled on the periphery of the cover for attaching guy wires. Since the diameter of the electric motor housing is smaller than the internal diameter of the pipe, spacers or stops are used to align the generator in the center. The cable from the generator is passed inside the pipe and exited through the window at the bottom. During installation, it is necessary to take into account the protection of the generator from moisture by using sealing gaskets. Again, for the purpose of protection from precipitation, an umbrella cap can be installed above the connection of the wind turbine pipe with the generator shaft.

The entire structure is installed in an open, well-ventilated area. A hole 0.5 meters deep is dug under the mast, Bottom part The pipes are lowered into the pit, the structure is leveled with guy wires, after which the pit is filled with concrete.

Voltage controller (simple charger)

A manufactured wind generator, as a rule, is not capable of producing 12 volts due to the low rotation speed. The maximum rotation speed of the wind turbine at a wind speed of 6-8 m/sec. reaches a value of 200-250 rpm. At the output it is possible to obtain a voltage of about 5-7 volts. To charge the battery, a voltage of 13.5-15 volts is required. The way out is to use a simple pulse voltage converter, assembled, for example, based on the LM2577ADJ voltage regulator. By supplying 5 volts of DC to the input of the converter, the output is 12-15 volts, which is quite enough to charge a car battery.

Ready-made voltage converter based on LM2577

This micro-wind generator can certainly be improved. Increase the turbine power, change the material and height of the mast, add a DC-to-AC converter, etc.

Horizontal-axis wind power plant

Set of parts:

Plastic pipe with a diameter of 150 mm, aluminum sheet 1.5-2.5 mm thick, wooden block 80x40 1 m long, plumbing: flange - 3, angle - 2, tee - 1.
DC electric motor (generator) 30-60 V, 300-470 rpm.
Wheel-pulley for an engine with a diameter of 130-150 mm (aluminum, brass, textolite, etc.).
Steel pipes with a diameter of 25 mm and 32 mm and a length of 35 mm and 3000 mm, respectively.
Charging module for batteries.
Batteries.
Voltage converter 12 V - 120 V (220 V).

Manufacturing of a horizontal-axis “windmill”

A plastic pipe is needed to make wind turbine blades. A section of such a pipe, 600 mm long, is cut lengthwise into four identical segments. The windmill requires three blades, which are made from the resulting segments by cutting part of the material diagonally along the entire length, but not exactly from corner to corner, but from the lower corner to the upper corner, with a slight indentation from the latter. Processing the lower part of the segments is reduced to the formation of a fastening petal on each of the three segments. To do this, a square measuring approximately 50x50 mm is cut along one edge, and the remaining part serves as a fastening petal.

The wind turbine blades are secured to the wheel-pulley using bolted connections. The pulley is mounted directly on the shaft of a DC electric motor - generator. A simple wooden block with a cross-section of 80x40 mm and a length of 1 m is used as a wind turbine chassis. The generator is installed at one end wooden block. At the other end of the bar, a “tail” made of an aluminum sheet is mounted. At the bottom of the block, a 25 mm metal pipe is attached, intended to act as the shaft of the rotating mechanism. A three-meter 32 mm metal pipe is used as a mast. Top part The mast is the bushing of the rotating mechanism into which the wind turbine pipe is inserted. The mast support is made from a sheet of thick plywood. On this support, in the form of a disk with a diameter of 600 mm, a structure is assembled from plumbing parts, thanks to which the mast can be easily raised or lowered, or mounted or dismantled. Guys are used to secure the mast.

All wind turbine electronics are mounted in a separate module, the interface of which provides for connecting batteries and consumer loads. The module includes a battery charge controller and a voltage converter. Such devices can be assembled independently if you have the appropriate experience, or purchased on the market. There are many different solutions on the market that allow you to obtain the desired output voltages and currents.

Combined wind turbines

Combined wind turbines are a serious option for a home energy module. Actually, the combination involves combining a wind generator, solar battery, diesel or gasoline power plant into a single system. You can combine in every possible way, based on your capabilities and needs. Naturally, when there is a three-in-one option, this is the most effective and reliable solution.

Also, the combination of wind turbines involves the creation of wind power plants that include two different modifications at once. For example, when a Savonius rotor and a traditional three-blade machine work in one combination. The first turbine operates at low wind speeds, and the second only at nominal ones. This preserves the efficiency of the installation, eliminates unjustified energy losses, and in the case of asynchronous generators reactive currents are compensated.

Combined systems are technically complex and expensive options for home practice.

Calculation of the power of a wind power plant

To calculate the power of a horizontal-axial wind generator, you can use the standard formula:

N = p S V3 / 2
N— installation power, W
p- air density (1.2 kg/m3)
S— blown area, m2
V— wind flow speed, m/sec

For example, the power of an installation with a maximum blade span of 1 meter at a wind speed of 7 m/sec will be:

N= 1.2 1 343 / 2 = 205.8 W

An approximate calculation of the power of a wind turbine created on the basis of a Savonius rotor can be calculated using the formula:

N = p R H V3
N— installation power, W
R— impeller radius, m
V— wind speed, m/sec

For example, for the design of a wind power plant with a Savonius rotor mentioned in the text, the power value at a wind speed of 7 m/sec. will be:

N= 1.2 · 0.142 · 0.3 · 343 = 17.5 W

A wind generator made from a car generator can help in a situation where a private home does not have the ability to connect to a power line. Or it will serve as an auxiliary source of alternative energy. Such a device can be made from scrap materials, using developments craftsmen. Photos and videos will demonstrate the process of creating a homemade wind turbine.

There is a huge variety of types of wind generators and drawings for their manufacture. But any design includes the following mandatory elements:

generator;
blades;
storage battery;
mast;
the electronic unit.

With some skills, you can make a wind generator with your own hands

In addition, it is necessary to think through the control and distribution system of electricity in advance and draw an installation diagram.

Wind wheel

The blades are perhaps the most important part of a wind generator. The operation of the remaining components of the device will depend on the design. They are made from different materials. Even from plastic sewer pipe. Pipe blades are easy to manufacture, inexpensive and not susceptible to moisture. The procedure for manufacturing a wind wheel is as follows:

It is necessary to calculate the length of the blade. The diameter of the pipe should be equal to 1/5 of the total footage. For example, if the blade is one meter long, then a pipe with a diameter of 20 cm will do.
Using a jigsaw, cut the pipe lengthwise into 4 pieces.
From one part we make a wing, which will serve as a template for cutting out subsequent blades.
We smooth out burrs on the edges with abrasive.
The blades are fixed to an aluminum disk with welded strips for fastening.
Next, the generator is screwed to this disk.

Blades for wind wheel

After assembly, the wind wheel needs balancing. It is mounted horizontally on a tripod. The operation is carried out in a room closed from the wind. If the balancing is carried out correctly, the wheel should not move. If the blades rotate on their own, then they need to be sharpened until the entire structure is balanced.

Only after successful completion of this procedure should you proceed to checking the accuracy of rotation of the blades; they should rotate in the same plane without distortion. Please allow 2mm error.

Generator assembly diagram

Mast

An old one is suitable for making a mast. water pipe with a diameter of at least 15 cm, a length of about 7 m. If there are buildings within 30 m of the intended installation site, then the height of the structure is adjusted upward. For efficient operation of the wind turbine, the blade is raised above the obstacle by at least 1 m.

The base of the mast and the pegs for securing the guy wires are concreted. Clamps with bolts are welded to the stakes. For guy wires, galvanized 6 mm cable is used.

Advice. The assembled mast has considerable weight, with manual installation you will need a counterweight from a pipe with a load.

Generator conversion

To make a windmill generator, a generator from any car is suitable. Their designs are similar to each other, and the modification boils down to rewinding the stator wire and making a rotor with neodymium magnets. Holes are drilled in the rotor poles to fix the magnets. Install them alternating poles. The rotor is wrapped in paper, and the voids between the magnets are filled with epoxy resin.

Car generator

In the same way, you can remake the engine from an old washing machine. Only the magnets in this case are glued at an angle to avoid sticking.

The new winding is rewound along the reel onto the stator tooth. You can make a random winding, depending on who you are comfortable with. The greater the number of turns, the more efficient the generator will be. The coils are wound in one direction according to a three-phase circuit.

The finished generator is worth testing and measuring data. If at 300 rpm the generator produces about 30 volts, this is a good result.

Generator for a windmill from a car generator

Final assembly

The generator frame is welded from profile pipe. The tail is made of galvanized sheet. The rotary axis is a tube with two bearings. The generator is attached to the mast in such a way that the distance from the blade to the mast is at least 25 cm. For safety reasons, it is worth choosing a calm day for the final assembly and installation of the mast. When exposed to strong winds, the blades can bend and break against the mast.

To use batteries to power equipment that operates on a 220 V network, you will need to install a voltage conversion inverter. The battery capacity is selected individually for the wind generator. This indicator depends on the wind speed in the area, the power of the connected equipment and the frequency of its use.

Wind generator device

To prevent the battery from being damaged by overcharging, you will need a voltage controller. You can make it yourself if you have sufficient knowledge in electronics, or buy a ready-made one. There are many controllers available for sale for alternative energy production mechanisms.

Advice. To prevent the blade from breaking in strong winds, install a simple device - a protective weather vane.

Wind generator maintenance

A wind generator, like any other device, requires technical monitoring and maintenance. For uninterrupted operation of the windmill, periodically carry out following works.

Wind generator operation diagram

The current collector requires the most attention. Generator brushes need to be cleaned, lubricated and preventatively adjusted every two months.
At the first sign of a malfunction of the blade (shaking and imbalance of the wheel), the wind generator is lowered to the ground and repaired.
Every three years, metal parts are coated with anti-corrosion paint.
Regularly check the fastenings and tension of the cables.

Now that the installation is complete, you can connect devices and use electricity. At least while it's windy.

Do-it-yourself generator for a windmill: video

The activities of both individual people and all of today's humanity are practically impossible without electricity. Unfortunately, the rapidly increasing consumption of oil and gas, coal and peat is leading to a decrease in the reserves of these resources on the planet. What can be done while earthlings still have all this? According to the conclusions of experts, it is the development of energy complexes that can solve the problems of global economic and financial crises. Therefore, the search and use of fuel-free energy sources is becoming the most urgent.

Renewable, ecological, green

Perhaps it is not worth reminding that everything new is well forgotten old. People learned to use the power of river flow and wind speed to generate mechanical energy a very long time ago. The sun heats our water and moves our cars, powers spaceships. Wheels installed in the beds of streams and small rivers supplied water to fields back in the Middle Ages. One could provide flour to several surrounding villages.

At the moment we are interested in a simple question: how to provide your home with cheap light and heat, how to make a windmill with your own hands? 5 kW power or a little less, the main thing is that you can supply your home with current to operate electrical appliances.

Interestingly, in the world there is a classification of buildings according to the level of resource efficiency:

conventional, built before 1980-1995;
with low and ultra-low energy consumption - up to 45-90 kWh per 1 kW/m;
passive and non-volatile, receiving current from renewable sources (for example, by installing a rotary wind generator (5 kW) with your own hands or a system solar panels, this problem can be solved);
energy-efficient buildings that generate more electricity than they need earn money by passing it on to other consumers through the grid.

It turns out that your own home mini-stations, installed on roofs and in courtyards, can eventually become a kind of competition to large power suppliers. Yes and governments different countries strongly encourage the creation and active use

How to determine the profitability of your own power plant

Researchers have proven that the reserve capacity of winds is much greater than all the accumulated fuel reserves of centuries. Among the methods of obtaining energy from renewable sources, windmills have a special place, since their production is simpler than the creation of solar panels. In fact, you can assemble a 5 kW wind generator with your own hands, having the necessary components, including magnets, copper wire, plywood and metal for the blades.

Experts say that the design can become productive and, accordingly, profitable not only correct form, but also built in the right place. This means that it is necessary to take into account the presence, constancy and even speed of air flows in each individual case and even in a specific region. If the area periodically experiences calm, calm and windless days, installing a mast with a generator will not bring any benefit.

Before you start making a windmill with your own hands (5 kW), you need to think about its model and type. You should not expect a large energy output from a weak design. And vice versa, when you only need to power a couple of light bulbs in your dacha, there is no point in building a huge windmill with your own hands. 5 kW is a power sufficient to provide electricity to almost the entire lighting system and household appliances. If there is a constant wind, there will be light.

How to make a wind generator with your own hands: sequence of actions

At the location chosen for the high mast, the windmill itself with the generator attached to it is strengthened. The generated energy is supplied through wires to the desired room. It is believed that the higher the mast structure, larger diameter wind wheel and the stronger the air flow, the higher the efficiency of the entire device. In reality, everything is not quite like that:

for example, a strong hurricane can easily break the blades;
some models can be installed on the roof of a regular house;
a properly selected turbine starts easily and works perfectly even in very low wind speeds.

Main types of wind turbines

Designs with a horizontal axis of rotation of the rotor are considered classic. They usually have 2-3 blades and are installed at a high height from the ground. The greatest efficiency of such an installation is manifested at a constant direction and its speed of 10 m/s. Significant disadvantage This blade design is a failure of rotation of the blades with frequently changing, gusty conditions. This leads to either unproductive operation or destruction of the entire installation. To start such a generator after stopping, a forced initial rotation of the blades is necessary. In addition, when the blades actively rotate, they produce specific sounds that are unpleasant to the human ear.

A vertical wind generator (“Volchok” 5 kW or another) has a different rotor placement. H-shaped or barrel-shaped turbines capture wind from any direction. These structures are smaller in size, start even at the weakest air flows (at 1.5-3 m/s), do not require high masts, and can be used even in urban environments. In addition, self-assembled windmills (5 kW - this is real) reach their rated power at wind speeds of 3-4 m/s.

Sails are not on ships, but on land

One of the popular trends in wind energy now is the creation of a horizontal generator with soft blades. The main difference is both the material of manufacture and the shape itself: self-created windmills (5 kW, sail type) have 4-6 triangular fabric blades. Moreover, unlike traditional structures, their cross-section increases in the direction from the center to the periphery. This feature allows you not only to “catch” weak winds, but also to avoid losses during hurricane air flow.

The advantages of sailboats include the following indicators:

high power at slow rotation;
independent orientation and adjustment to any wind;
high weathervane and low inertia;
no need to force the wheel to spin;
completely silent rotation even at high speeds;
absence of vibrations and sound disturbances;
relative cheapness of construction.

DIY windmills

The 5 kW of required electricity can be obtained in several ways:

build a simple rotor structure;
assemble a complex of several sailing wheels arranged in series on the same axis;
use an axle design with neodymium magnets.

It is important to remember that the power of a wind wheel is proportional to the cubic value of the wind speed multiplied by the swept area of the turbine. So, how to make a 5 kW wind generator? Instructions below.

You can use a car hub and brake discs as a basis. 32 magnets (25 by 8 mm) are placed parallel in a circle on the future rotor disks (the moving part of the generator), 16 pieces per disk, and the pluses must alternate with the minuses. Opposing magnets must have different meanings poles. After marking and placement, everything on the circle is filled with epoxy.

Coils of copper wire are placed on the stator. Their number should be less than the number of magnets, that is, 12. First, all the wires are taken out and connected to each other in a star or triangle, then they are also filled with epoxy glue. It is recommended to insert pieces of plasticine inside the coils before pouring. After the resin has hardened and been removed, there will be holes left that are needed for ventilation and cooling of the stator.

How does it all work

The rotor disks, rotating relative to the stator, form a magnetic field, and an electric current arises in the coils. And the windmill, connected through a pulley system, is needed in order to move these parts of the working structure. How to make a wind generator with your own hands? Some people start building their own power station by assembling a generator. Others - from the creation of a rotating blade part.

The shaft from the windmill is engaged by a sliding connection with one of the rotor disks. The lower, second disk with magnets is placed on a strong bearing. The stator is located in the middle. All parts are attached to the plywood circle using long bolts and secured with nuts. Between all the “pancakes”, minimum gaps must be left for free rotation of the rotor disks. The result is a 3-phase generator.

"Barrel"

All that remains is to make windmills. You can make a 5 kW rotating structure with your own hands from 3 circles of plywood and a sheet of the thinnest and lightest duralumin. Metal rectangular wings are attached to the plywood with bolts and angles. First, guide grooves in the shape of a wave are hollowed out in each plane of the circle, into which the sheets are inserted. The resulting double-decker rotor has 4 wavy blades attached to each other at right angles. That is, between each two plywood pancakes fastened to the hubs there are 2 duralumin blades curved in the shape of a wave.

This structure is mounted in the center on a steel pin, which will transmit torque to the generator. Self-made windmills (5 kW) of this design weigh approximately 16-18 kg with a height of 160-170 cm and a base diameter of 80-90 cm.

Things to consider

A “barrel” windmill can even be installed on the roof of a building, although a tower 3-4 meters high is sufficient. However, it is imperative to protect the generator housing from natural precipitation. It is also recommended to install a battery energy storage device.

To obtain alternating current from direct 3-phase current, a converter must also be included in the circuit.

If there are enough windy days in the region, a self-assembled windmill (5 kW) can provide current not only to a TV and light bulbs, but also to a video surveillance system, air conditioning, refrigerator and other electrical equipment.