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Harnessing Wind Energy

Harnessing Wind Energy. Hayley Norris Dept. of Chemical Engineering The University of Texas at Austin. Why Wind?. Wind Power No ambient air pollution No fuel needed Unlimited wind supply Installed wind capacity sharply increasing 2002 – 4,685 MW 2005 – 9,149 MW

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Harnessing Wind Energy

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  1. Harnessing Wind Energy Hayley Norris Dept. of Chemical Engineering The University of Texas at Austin

  2. Why Wind? • Wind Power • No ambient air pollution • No fuel needed • Unlimited wind supply • Installed wind capacity sharply increasing • 2002 – 4,685 MW • 2005 – 9,149 MW • U.S. % increase in 3 yrs = 95% • Global capacity (2005) = 35,000 MW

  3. A Brief History of Wind • Western wind technology begins 1180 with the first Dutch wind mill • Windmills seem to have fueled great social upheavals and thus social activism • Early English windmill pioneers • 1970s • Now?? • Early windmills-lightened physical load • Grind grain, shred tobacco, pump water

  4. Modern Wind Turbines

  5. Wind Potential - US • Wind class of 3 or better for current technologies • Based on average wind speed and wind power density • 6% of US land area class 3 or better • Can supply 1 ½ current electricity consumption • US electricity consumption (2003) • 3.669 billion kWh • If tapped all of US good wind potential • 5.504 billion kWh produced

  6. Texas Wind Potential Map Classes: Green-3, Yellow-4, Orange-5, Red-6

  7. Texas Wind Potential • Best regions for wind development • Panhandle and W. TX • Potential electrical generation of these regions • 1.143 billion kWh • Wind can generate 493% of current electrical consumption in TX

  8. Wind Turbine Main Components • Rotor • Only part uniquely manufactured for wind power • Transmission system • Generator • Yaw system • Control system

  9. Blade Design • Aerodynamic lift drives turbine • Constant tip-speed ratio • Higher tip-speed, more noise • Important concept: as radius increases, blade speed increases • Taper and twist blades • Twist – optimizes lift • Taper – constant lift along length • Better torque for self-starting

  10. Turbines Currently • 3 blades • Best efficiency • Aesthetically pleasing • Minimal fluctuations • Self-starting • Fiberglass blades • Strong, inexpensive • Good fatigue characteristics • Carbon fiber if price decreases

  11. Conclusions • Plenty of wind energy around to support world’s electricity needs cleanly • Horizontal-axis turbines most commercially viable • Blade design based on complex aerodynamics • Current turbine design • Taper and twist blades • 3 blades • Fiberglass

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