Hey! This thing is still a Work in Progress.
Files, instructions, and other stuff might change!
Cambered vertical axis wind turbine - Mk3
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Published on December 28, 2011
Description
This is the third iteration of the Vertical Wind turbine.
It has been replaced by the next version, thingiverse.com/thing:16504
Mk5 has been printed by Imitation, and sadly did not perform as expected.
New variation on source will allow solid blades, and the option to select the hole diameter in the blade...
Added optional tabs to ensure sharp end sticks to the build plate. Thickness adjustable in code.
Changes include:
* After an interesting email from my father/mentor, the wing profile changed to apply forces inwards to counteract the centrifugal forces of the turbine. This arrangement should also increase the turbine torque, while bringing the speed of the turbine down. Additionally it could also enable self starting of the turbine due to the angle of the lifting forces on the blades.
* Used the negative space reinforcement system. Skein the model with a low fill setting to take advantage of this system. The sections are actually sliced into pieces, placed very close together. The proximity will cause it to be fused together during printing, and the strength of the system will depend on the shell thickness.
* Improved the wing mounting on the top and base supports
* Support and support-less atomic wing sections. This will allow balanced placement of the sections.
It has been replaced by the next version, thingiverse.com/thing:16504
Mk5 has been printed by Imitation, and sadly did not perform as expected.
New variation on source will allow solid blades, and the option to select the hole diameter in the blade...
Added optional tabs to ensure sharp end sticks to the build plate. Thickness adjustable in code.
Changes include:
* After an interesting email from my father/mentor, the wing profile changed to apply forces inwards to counteract the centrifugal forces of the turbine. This arrangement should also increase the turbine torque, while bringing the speed of the turbine down. Additionally it could also enable self starting of the turbine due to the angle of the lifting forces on the blades.
* Used the negative space reinforcement system. Skein the model with a low fill setting to take advantage of this system. The sections are actually sliced into pieces, placed very close together. The proximity will cause it to be fused together during printing, and the strength of the system will depend on the shell thickness.
* Improved the wing mounting on the top and base supports
* Support and support-less atomic wing sections. This will allow balanced placement of the sections.
Instructions
Do not print this turbine - Mk6 is now available.
Print Top and base sections, and at least 2 atomic wing sections.
As with the previous turbines, assemble on M8 threaded rod, tuning the sections to tighten. Add additional nuts to secure.
Glue, using the guide holes in the blades to reinforce using printer filament or steel rope. An alternative could be flexible steel rods, like bicycle spokes.
Stick it in the wind, and enjoy the forgotten energy so cunningly harvested by our forebears...
Print Top and base sections, and at least 2 atomic wing sections.
As with the previous turbines, assemble on M8 threaded rod, tuning the sections to tighten. Add additional nuts to secure.
Glue, using the guide holes in the blades to reinforce using printer filament or steel rope. An alternative could be flexible steel rods, like bicycle spokes.
Stick it in the wind, and enjoy the forgotten energy so cunningly harvested by our forebears...
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License
Cambered vertical axis wind turbine - Mk3 by qharley is licensed under the Creative Commons - GNU GPL license.
More from qharley
I've been watching the previous iterations and always wanted to build one for actual energy harvesting, but didn't realize it wasn't self-starting. :'(
If you'd attach hemispherical cup anemometer (copy-pasted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A... ), i would assume the torque generated by the anemometer could get the turbine started.
Once i get my printer running again, i'll definitely desing a base and some electronics for it.
There are commercial ones out there that are definitely self starting, or has clever electronics to give it a little boost. With this wing profile I feel very positive about self starting. There are many forces at work here, but if you look at the blades now, the concave form of it could double as a weak savonius turbine just to get it running.
The "wing" now should apply a force approximately 5 to 10degrees in front of the spindle, if the profile gets wind from straight ahead. This is different than the "going nowhere" of the previous design.
This is something I always wanted to designing/build for myself since I could remember, but a
lways had to give up on budget / material / time constraints. 3D printing will solve all of these issues in one fell swoop.