wind power- wind energy advantages and disadvantages

                                                               

                                                  Wind Power

Wind power or wind energy is the process in which wind current used to generate electricity. Air flow through wind turbines which is connected to generator with the help of shaft which spin a generator to create electricity.

Types of wind turbine :-

1.Horizontal axis wind turbine

2.Verticle axis wind turbine

3.Ducted wind turbine

1.Horizontal axis wind turbine:- in Horizontal axis turbine blades rotating on an axis parallel to the ground. This type of turbine most commonly used. Wind currents hits the bladse and rotate the turbine, which connected to generator through shaft. The shaft has a gear on the end which turns a generator and produces electricity and send to power station.

2. Verticle axis wind turbine:- in vertical axis turbines blades rotating on an vertical axis to the ground. All main components are near to ground. Two type of vertical axis turbines (lift based) and (drag based). But lift based vertical axis turbine used more frequent as compare to drag based. Drag based vertical axis turbine is much efficient than lift based.

3.Ducted wind turbine :- ducted turbines are used at the edge of the roof of the building, The air flows upwards, building wall then enters the front of the duct. The diameter of blade is around 600 mm.

                                                wind power components

Wind energy->  is a Kinetic energy of air in motion is called wind, total wind energy passes through a surface with area A and time t is given by,

We know that,

   E = ½ mv²   = 1/2 (Avtρ)v² = ½ At ρv³

   ρ = density of air

   v = wind speed

  Avt = volume of air passing through A

  So, power is energy per unit time,

   P = E/t = 1/2Aρv³

Wind power in an open air stream which is proportional to the third power of the wind speed, when speed is double than available power increases.

Wind Farms :- it is a group of wind turbines at any particular location used to generate electric power.

Offshore and Onshore Wind Farms :-  in offshore turbines located out at sea or in fresh water where in onshore turbines located on land.

Largest operational offshore wind farms :-

     Wind farm                                      Capacity (MW)                                     Turbines 

London Array (UK)                                   630                                       175 × Siemens                                                                                                                   SWT- 3.6-120

Gemini Wind Farm (Netherlands)              600                                       150 × Siemens                                                                                                                   SWT-4.0

Gode Wind (Germany)                             582                                         97 x Siemens                                                                                                                    SWT-6.0-154

Some operational onshore wind farms:-

         Wind farm                                               Capacity (MW)                                    

Alta Wind Energy Center(USA)                                    1,548 

Buffalo Gap Wind Farm (USA)                                     523.3                             

Bayannur Wulanyiligeng Wind Farm(China)                  300

Advantages of wind power:-

1. Cost efficient source of energy

2. No harmful gases produced

3 .wind energy is cheaper than new generation available today

Disadvantages of wind power:-

1. Noise produced by rotor blades

2. Death of birds that fly into the rotor

3. spoil the view for people living near them