How Do Wind Turbines Work?

Today, wind turbines are common in many countries and regions around the world, but have you ever wondered how wind turbines work? This article will help you understand the different components of a wind turbine and how they come together to convert wind energy into electricity.

 

The working principle of a wind turbine is very simple: the wind turns the blades, which causes the shaft to rotate, and the generator is connected to the generator, which produces direct current, which is then converted to alternating current by an inverter, which can then be passed on to power your home. The stronger the wind, the more electricity the motion generates.

 

That's why we tend to see industrial-scale wind farms with tall towers and big blades in the coolest parts of the countryside (including the sea). The turbine's efficiency comes from its ability to capture wind energy and turn it into rotational torque, which can then push electrons out of the generator and into the grid. Towers are usually made of steel, but the blades can be made of fiberglass or reinforced polyester, which are both strong and light enough to turn in the wind.

 

A wind turbine is essentially an electric fan in reverse. Instead of using electricity to generate wind power, wind turbines use wind power to generate electricity.

When the wind is strong enough, it can blow the blades of a rotating wind turbine. The blades of the wind turbine are connected to the generator by means of a low speed shaft, a gearbox and a high speed shaft.

The different components of a wind turbine

A wind turbine has many components, some visible from the outside and some hidden in the turbine bay (housing).

The visible components of a wind turbine

Wind turbines have multiple externally visible components. Here are the externally visible components

 

(1) Pylon

One of the most notable components of a wind turbine is its tall tower. What is commonly seen is a tower wind turbine more than 200 feet high. And that doesn't take into account the height of the blades. The height of the wind turbine blades on top of the pylon easily adds another 100 feet to the total height of the wind turbine. 

A ladder is attached to the pylon for maintenance personnel to access the top of the turbine, and high-voltage cables are installed and laid on the pylon to carry the electricity generated by the generator at the top of the turbine to its base.

 

(2) Engine Room 

At the top of the tower, one enters the engine compartment, a streamlined housing that houses the wind turbine's internal components. The cabin looks like a square box and sits on top of the tower. 

The engine room protects the important internal components of the wind turbine. These components will include generators, transmissions and low and high speed shafts.

 

(3) Blade/Rotor 

Arguably the most striking component of a wind turbine is its blade. Wind turbine blades can exceed 100 feet in length, and it is common to find three blades on commercial wind turbines that form the rotor. 

The blades of wind turbines are aerodynamic so that they can harness wind energy more easily. When the wind blows, the blades of a wind turbine begin to turn, providing the kinetic energy needed to generate electricity in a generator.

 

(4) Anemometer and Weathervane 

Other external components of a wind turbine include an anemometer and a wind vane. These components are not easy to spot from a distance on a commercial wind turbine because they are relatively small in size compared to the turbine.

 

Anemometers and wind vanes are usually installed at the rear of the engine room and are used to measure the current wind speed and direction. This data can then be fed to the wind turbine's internal control system, which can then adjust the turbine's yaw Angle and blade pitch in order to maximize its efficiency. It should be noted that not all commercial wind turbines have yaw and pitch mechanisms.

 

The hidden components of a wind turbine 

The wind turbine also has many parts hidden inside the engine room. Here are the internal components:  

 

(1) Low Speed Shaft 

When the wind turbine blades rotate, the low speed shaft drives the rotation through the rotation of the wind turbine blades. The low-speed shaft transfers kinetic energy to the gearbox.

 

(2) Transmission 

A gearbox is a heavy and expensive piece of equipment that connects a low-speed shaft to a high-speed one. The purpose of the gearbox is to increase the speed enough for the generator to produce electricity.

 

(3) High Speed Shaft 

The high-speed shaft connects the gearbox to the generator for the sole purpose of driving the generator in order to generate electricity.

 

(4) Generator 

The generator is driven by a high speed shaft and produces electricity when the high speed shaft transmits sufficient kinetic energy.

 

(5) Pitch and Yaw Motor 

Some wind turbines feature pitch and yaw motors that help maximize wind turbine efficiency by positioning the blades in the best possible direction and at the best Angle. 

Variable paddle motors are usually seen near the hub of the rotor, which will help tilt the blades to provide better aerodynamics. The yaw paddle motor will be located in a tower below the nacelle and will position the nacelle and rotor to face the current wind direction.

 

(6) Braking System 

The key component of a wind turbine is its braking system. Its purpose is to prevent wind turbine blades from turning too fast and damaging components. When braking is applied, some of the kinetic energy will be converted to heat.

 

(7) Control System 

Wind turbines have internal control systems that can be used for a variety of purposes. It has the ability to turn on a wind turbine if the wind speed is high enough, and to shut it down if the wind speed is too high.

 

The control system is also the mechanism for calculating the most efficient pitch and yaw of the turbine based on wind speed and direction.

 

How Do Wind Turbines Generate Electricity?

 

Now that you have a good understanding of the components of a wind turbine, here's a look at how a wind turbine operates and generates electricity. The process of generating electricity is as follows:

 

(1) This process is started by the turbine blades/rotors. As the wind blows, the aerodynamic blades begin to rotate. 

(2) As the blades of a wind turbine rotate, the kinetic energy of that motion is transferred to the inside of the turbine by means of a low-speed shaft, which rotates at a speed of approximately 30 to 60rpm. 

(3) The low speed shaft is connected to the gearbox, which is a transmission device responsible for increasing the speed of rotation from approximately 30 RPM to 60 RPM to the required rotation speed of the generator (usually between 1,000 and 1,800 RPM). 

(4) The high-speed shaft transfers kinetic energy from the gearbox to the generator, which then starts to turn and produce electrical energy. 

(5) Finally, the electricity generated will be fed down the turbine tower via high-voltage cables, and will usually be fed to the grid or used as a local power source.