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NeilTheCop · 08-05-15, 01:34 PM

I have been mulling an idea for a while now and wondered if anyone could give any input as to whether I’m wasting my time.
My idea is to have a turbine, vertical or horizontal, doesn’t matter which but it needs to have a fair mass for a flywheel effect, geared up by pulleys and a Gates type toothed belt (97% efficient if their PR is to be believed), driving a car or truck alternator, depending on the size of the turbine.
I know all about the inefficiency of this type of alternator in turbine applications but my idea is to have no load on the alternator until the turbine gets to a specific RPM, then using PWM controlled by a micro-controller gradually apply current to the field windings, which will slow the turbine down and the pulse width would be reduced, reducing the field current, and the turbine would speed up again until it got to its set speed when the field windings would be activated again.
So the turbine will spin within a narrow RPM range all the time there is enough wind to turn the blades, no matter the wind speed, so you will generate power, however slight, whenever the turbine is turning, and it should turn at very low wind speeds with no load other than bearing friction and the belt losses.
Add to this if the turbine is generating it’s maximum power and begins to over speed the micro-controller can active the dump load until it slows.

Comments?

08-05-15, 01:34 PM	#1
NeilTheCop Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Roswell NM Posts: 43 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Bouncing a idea around I have been mulling an idea for a while now and wondered if anyone could give any input as to whether I’m wasting my time. My idea is to have a turbine, vertical or horizontal, doesn’t matter which but it needs to have a fair mass for a flywheel effect, geared up by pulleys and a Gates type toothed belt (97% efficient if their PR is to be believed), driving a car or truck alternator, depending on the size of the turbine. I know all about the inefficiency of this type of alternator in turbine applications but my idea is to have no load on the alternator until the turbine gets to a specific RPM, then using PWM controlled by a micro-controller gradually apply current to the field windings, which will slow the turbine down and the pulse width would be reduced, reducing the field current, and the turbine would speed up again until it got to its set speed when the field windings would be activated again. So the turbine will spin within a narrow RPM range all the time there is enough wind to turn the blades, no matter the wind speed, so you will generate power, however slight, whenever the turbine is turning, and it should turn at very low wind speeds with no load other than bearing friction and the belt losses. Add to this if the turbine is generating it’s maximum power and begins to over speed the micro-controller can active the dump load until it slows. Comments?