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Forum Index : Windmills : What’s it called?
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Tinker Guru  Joined: 07/11/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1904 |
I'm hoping somebody with a better memory than myself knows the name of a windmill which has curved thin blades that look like an egg beater  .
I would like to look it up on Google but without the right name.... 
Am particularly interested what blade profile is used, the mill I saw whizzed around too fast to check. It also has a little savonius built in, I assume its to start the thing spinning? Any info is welcome. Thanks in advance. Klaus |
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Gizmo Admin Group  Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
Darrieus They have problems with the torgue peaks and dips as they rotate, fatigue in the blades and the bottom bearings tend to fail. Also, hard to control, brakes overheat. Look very cool though. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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MacGyver Guru Joined: 12/05/2009 Location: United StatesPosts: 1329 |
Tink Was it like this one? 
OR This one? 
Here's a hot link to a post back in 2006, which looks to me to be similar to the second picture. About a year ago, this eggbeater variety was the rage. It was all over the Internet, but now, a year later, it's pretty hard to find. Must have been just a flash in the pan. Still, it's a cool-looking design. . . . . . Mac Nothing difficult is ever easy! Perhaps better stated in the words of Morgan Freeman, "Where there is no struggle, there is no progress!" Copeville, Texas |
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| Tinker Guru Joined: 07/11/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1904 |
Neither Mac. The blades were parallel to the vertical shaft and they began and ended at the shaft not on spreaders. Looked just like an egg beater with nicely curved blades that were furthest from the shaft at their centers. The one I saw was on top of a street light and supposed to power it with a tiny solar panel below the turbine fitted as well. It was not a big affair, about 600mm from top to bottom of the blades. The plaque said it was on trial and supposed to generate 400W (hrs?) per day. Its at a reasonably windy little coastal town. I was interested as it might work on my trailer sailer if the blades are thin enough to stretch to lay along the shaft for easy packing it away. Can't have a permanent turbine on the boat, solar is fine during the day but wind at night might help to keep the fridge cold. Klaus |
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| Tinker Guru Joined: 07/11/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1904 |
Thanks Glenn, I knew it was an odd word , looking it up now.Klaus |
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| MacGyver Guru Joined: 12/05/2009 Location: United StatesPosts: 1329 |
Tink From memory, I believe the curve the blades follow is called a troposkein curve. It's the same shape a rope suspended between its ends takes from gravity. Making the blades this shape evens out the centrifugal forces on them as they spin about the central axis. I remember seeing a big one of these out in the desert near Barstwo, CA or Victorville, CA (don't remember exactly; desert anyway) that had center support booms from the main shaft to the center of each blade. That one was a monster and it had to be spun up with a motor until the blades started 'flying'. After that, it stayed going by itself. May still be there, I dunno. . . . . . Mac Nothing difficult is ever easy! Perhaps better stated in the words of Morgan Freeman, "Where there is no struggle, there is no progress!" Copeville, Texas |
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| MacGyver Guru Joined: 12/05/2009 Location: United StatesPosts: 1329 |
Tinker Hey, check this out: V Rotor It's a VAWT with the blades set in a "V" fashion about the center. I don't see why you couldn't make blades either side of the center. It might be a way to increase the amount of wind seen by each blade. From the video on the link, it appears the blades actually "fly" and are not merely dragging in the breeze. Maybe not exactly what you're looking for, but it might be worth investigating. . . . . . Mac Nothing difficult is ever easy! Perhaps better stated in the words of Morgan Freeman, "Where there is no struggle, there is no progress!" Copeville, Texas |
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| Tinker Guru Joined: 07/11/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1904 |
Thanks Mac, looks interesting & small enough for my application. I'll keep it on my list Klaus |
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