WIND TURBINE

Materials Required
  • Galvanometer
  • Propeller about 6 inches long
  • 2 nails 1 inch long
  • 2 nails 3 inches long
  • 4 small nails
  • Small bar magnet , 1 inch long
  • 2 brass strips 1 ½ by 4 inches
  • 300 cm of uninsulated copper wire
  • Germanium Diode
  • Piece of plywood for mounting the materials
  • Drill to pierce
  • Electrical tape
  • Glue

Wind Turbines

Wind turbines are elegant application of the faradays principle.

In a wind farm each wind mill is an electric generator, since movement of a powerful magnet attached to the propeller creates electrical energy in a coil. A small electronic apparatus the diode keeps the current flowing through in a single direction.

Construction

Wrap about 200 turns of wire around one of the 3 inch nails for the coil .Leave 1 inch of space at the nail’s bottom to hammer it into the wood base. Remember to leave a few inches of free wire at the coils beginning and end for connections. Twist the wires ends together once or twice to prevent unraveling.

Hammer the large nail to the centre of the wooden base and hammer two smaller nails behind it so that the three nails form a triangle. Loop the free ends of coil wire once around each smaller nail and connect them with the diode at the base of this triangle of nails.

With glue attach the bar magnet to the head of the other 3 inch nail. Allow the glue to dry. Center the magnet on the nail head so that it spins cleanly when the nail – now a propeller shaft – revolves.

For the supports, measure ¾ inch from the bottoms of the brass strips , and bend each strip 90 degrees at that place . Hold one of the strips, with bend side down, against the wooden base to determine where to drill holes for the propeller shaft.

Make sure the end of the shaft with the attached magnet just clears the coils top.

If your magnet is a little longer than 1 inch , you may need longer strips for supports or need to build up existing supports with thin sheets of masonite .

Carefully drill holes in both supports, making sure the holes line up .Then screw the supports to the wooden base directly in front of the coil, with bent ends facing inward. Poke the shaft through the holes so that the magnet sits directly above the top of the coil. Wrap a little electrical tape around shaft on both sides of each hole so that both shaft and magnet stay in position. Finally attach the propeller to the end of the shaft. There should be a little hole in the back of the propeller. If it slips use tape for a spacer.

To test the turbine , connect the wires of the galvanometer to the small nails. Position an electric fan in front of the propeller and switch it on. Watch the compass needle jump as your turbine creates electricity from the wind.