# Wild and variable frequency AC can be generated. How is this rectified?
# Do we need a wind vane? No it is included
# What is Furling? Furling is passive protection for the turbine in which the rotor folds up or around the tail vane
# Are we close to Betz Law limit? (59.3%) NO
# Will intermittent wind be a problem? No, because of the rectifier, wind speed should not be an issue
# What can our peak power be? 300W, 500W
# What is our start up wind speed? 2.5m/s
Visited Jaycar Catalogue to check specifications of turbine
5/08
# Wild AC: wild AC can be sorted by an inverter > Can we use the inverter on the wall in VS116 to solve this or do we need to get a dedicated inverter from Jaycar?
# Will we need to make a rectifier to add to inverter circuit? Yes, a 3 phase rectifier is needed
# Turbines: Grey has tapered white fibreglass blades, black has white metal aerofoils with red tips, white has cream fibreglass aerofoils
# TESTING:
WHITE TURBINE
Resistance
1 - 2 = 1.6 ohms
2 - 3 = 1.2 ohms
1 - 3 = 2.0 ohms
Insulation
1 - Frame = >200Mohms
2 - Frame = >200Mohms
3 - Frame = >200Mohms
GREY TURBINE
Resistance
1 - 2 = 360 ohms
2 - 3 = 185 ohms
1 - 3 = 8.1 ohms
Insulation
1 - Frame = >200Mohms
2 - Frame = >200Mohms
3 - Frame = >200Mohms
BLACK TURBINE
Resistance
P - N = 45.5 ohms
Insulation
P - Frame = >200Mohms
N - Frame = >200Mohms
# The black turbine was mounted successfully on tower attached to VS116 (without wind vane)
11/08
# Drilled hole in deck
# Ran the cable through the hole and into the classroom
# Attached wind vane
# Planned required resources - batteries, rectifier, inverter (if running direct to grid, but not if running petrol battery)
# Tested VS116 mounted turbine output with 230V lamp - Peaked at 15V, 10V average
Plan:
12VDC Turbine > Car battery > Inverter > 230VAC out (winner)
or
12VDC Turbine > Car battery > Run petrol engine
12/08
# Installed blades on remaining two turbines
# Had issues with output of white turbine; all 3 outputs jumped from negative to positive values, on DC and AC on multimeter. Oscilloscope was not clear with results
# Possibly using an analogue metre to test white turbine could give a more accurate reading if it is also connected in STAR or DELTA
# Grey turbine had steady output on multimeter reading AC volts
# Grey turbine is suspected STAR with neutral, at connector point internally
# BLADE TIP TO TIP DIAMETERS / POLE DIAMETERS
White Turbine - 1.8m / 52mm
Grey Turbine - 1.6m / 40mm
# Can we run a pole up the side of the classroom and mount the grey turbine like the black turbine? No, decided that fence pole mount would be best
# Distance from ground to classroom roof apex - 4.6m
# 1m ground depth needed for the pole to be mounted stably
# With the poles we have there would not be enough length for the turbine blades to clear the roof
17/08
# We decided to mount the pole for the turbine to a fence post on the border of CPIT
# The cable trench was dug and prepared
# The cable was laid and the trench filled
# The mounting pole was ready to put up
18/08
# The grey turbine was mounted
# Rectifier assembled and tested successfully
20/08
# Grey turbine wind vane not very effective, also blades not spinning very well
# Added nosecone and made up a wind vane (from sheets of tin) with a larger surface area
# Tin wind vane created some resolution to the ease of rotation problem. Rotor still needs a higher starting wind speed than the black turbine to start rotating
10/09
# Created second trench for third turbine
# Cable threaded through turbine mount
# Cable measured, prepared and laid in trench
15/09
# Started modification to third turbine so that preconstructed tail mount could be attatched
# Using a hacksaw, we modified the tail so that it would be as flush as possible with the turbine
# Fabricated wind vane out of sheet metal
23/09
# Third turbine mounted and attached
# Assembled final rectifier for turbine and linked it to the phase and nuetral bar to feed the grid
