The United States has over 52 thousand wind turbines that are used to create renewable energy. Renewable energy has become increasingly more important due to the negative impact of non-renewable energy sources such as oil and coal.
Wind turbines are a great alternative that prevents adding further damage to the earth and its finite resources. But how do wind turbines work?
It’s essential to have a general understanding of how we use this incredible renewable energy source to fuel our everyday needs.
Learning about wind turbines allows us to continue to grow the wind energy industry throughout the country.
How Do Wind Turbines Work?
The future of the environment is in danger, and it’s time to put more resources into renewable energy sources such as wind turbines. Here are the basic principals of how wind turbines work and why it’s an excellent source of natural energy.
The Basic Anatomy of a Wind Turbine
Wind turbines stand tall, generally at over 320 feet, so they can collect more wind than they would closer to the ground.
Wind turbines consist of two or three propeller-like blades that rotate around a rotor. The wind blowing against the propellers is what allows the turbines to collect energy.
The anatomy of the blades on a wind turbine is vital in the creating of energy. The blades are curved so that when the wind blows against them, they are lifted in an upward motion, leading to a rotation.
The main turbine shaft connects the blades to everything else in the turbine so the energy can move through the turbine.
Wind turbines have a gearbox inside of them that makes the blades turn faster than they usually would without the gearbox, which produces more energy.
The rotor that is spinning is connected to a generator in the main shaft. The generator is the crucial part of a wind turbine because it’s what transforms the power.
When the rotor spins, it powers the generator which produces mechanical energy.
How Wind Turbines Transform Energy
When wind hits the turbine blades, kinetic energy is pulled from the wind and put into the turbine. The larger the blades are, the more kinetic energy it will pull from the wind.
Wind provides kinetic energy that can be converted into mechanical power through the wind turbine.
The faster the wind is blowing, the more kinetic energy it’s carrying. This means that stronger winds produce more energy. The turbines can collect more kinetic energy which transforms into more mechanical energy through the generator.
An electric current is then created from the energy produced by the wind and the generator. This electric current travels through a cable inside of the turbine and down into the transformer.
The transformer increases the voltage of the mechanical energy and sends it off to either a power grid or local communities.
For More Information
Wind turbines are an excellent option for producing renewable energy that does not lead to harmful greenhouse gas emissions that damage the environment.
If you have any more questions related to “how do wind turbines work?” Please contact us today for more information.