how long can it be by Richardphotos
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took this yesterday in Oklahoma.finally seen one parked.I was across a 4 lane expressway plus a ditch
can you imagine how high these things would be in a set of three?
thanks for viewing and any comments
Efficiency is important for windmills, because the entire cost is in the technology, not the source of energy, which is wind.
The most significant factor determining the efficiency of windmills is the number of blades. This is because more blades capture more energy.
But large windmills must use few blades due to stress on the metal. When the diameter of rotation is 300 ft (100 m), two blade systems must be used. When the diameter is 150 ft, three blade systems can be used.
Yet windmills are unnecessarily large or too few in blades. Over sea coasts, they must be large; but most places, they could be smaller and use more blades. For homeowners, they are small, yet they are not using the large number of blades which would create high efficiency.
The overall efficiency of a windmill has to be directly measured, it cannot be calculated, because there are too many interacting factors. A good guess at design efficiency can be made by direct observation. Only measurements under operating conditions can improve upon direct observation.
. Three blade systems are used on wind farms.
Overall efficiency means the amount of electricity that can be generated over time on a cost basis. In other words, will a kilowatt hour cost ten cents, twenty cents, or what?
Two factors are important in determining overall efficiency of a windmill. One is its ability to use low velocity wind, and the other is its conversion efficiency.
The ability to use low velocity wind determines whether the windmill is working or doing nothing while wind velocities are low, which is a large part of the time.
For example, an locale might have wind of 15 miles per hour (mph) or greater 20% of the time, and 10 mph or greater 40% of the time. A windmill that can use 10 mph wind is operating 40% of the time, while one requiring 15 mph wind is only operating 20% of the time.
To utilize low velocity wind effectively, there has to be more blades. The researchers studied two blade systems. They never even made comparisons to systems with more blades.
Conversion efficiency also requires more than two blades. More blades allows lower rpms, which results in less turbulence, so conversion is more efficient.
A quagmire of technicalities does not change these overall facts. Arguers will talk about torque and velocity trying to prove something, but it proves nothing, because there are infinite options in integrating all of those factors.
For example, they repeatedly say high rpm rotors are needed for generating electricity. That's mindlessness, because the rpms (revolutions per minute) are determined by diameter—the larger the slower.
The tip speed of the blade increases as the circular diameter of motion increases. In the government experiments, two blade systems were used, with rotors up to 300 ft long. Tip speeds were in excess of 200 mph, which created problems with noise and vibrations. Normal rotation was 18 rpm. This means more than 3 seconds per revolution.
Notice that the rpms have to decrease as the diameter of motion increases. Otherwise tip speeds would be excessive. So the rpms are determined by the diameter of motion, not the number of blades.
Comments (86)
eekdog Online Now!
dang nab that's a big haul, very cool shot and panorama. steve
NekhbetSun
Wowwweeee ! cool shots Richard ! H u g s
npauling
Great shots and great patience taken to get the comparison with the three trucks. We are starting to get more windfarms here now too.
babuci
Fantastic find, you did a great job capture a size of it. Truly fascinating stuff.
Blush
I bet this would be tricky trying to make a turn... Like everyone else has said "Only in America" You don't see this everyday.... Great capture sweetie Hugs Susan~
amota99517
What an amazing find and capture. That must some large blade. Awesome shot!
Minda
OH mY!! this is great shot..
clydedough
Were the keys in the truck? hehee! I want one to put on my roof! Thanks for the interesting info. bro!
praep
Great shot - thanks for sharing, Richard.
mbz2662
My brain just exploded... lol ... I just passed a windmill farm a couple of weeks ago on the start of my vacation (that's how you know you're seriously headed outta town: you pass the windmills) I took photos. (Of course). I've never seen a blade detached, that thing is ~WOW~ gigantic. Great shot of it on the truck bed, to give us an idea of the size!
moochagoo
Five years ago, I've seen hundred of those trucks on the North Highway of Oregon. Stunning !
tetsu-pino
Fantastic capture!!!!
B_PEACOCK
I was wondering what the heck those things were.They make them in Longview Wa.So I would see them on the highway all the time.Cool shot and thanks for helping my dumb but figure out what I had been seeing LOL
LBJ2
Fascinating shot, Richard. Enormous :) And very interesting technical facts on windmills too. I do approve windmills... they are nececary to keep polution down. The only unfortunate thing about windmills is...that.. When idiots place them in areas with rich natural life... Etc... big birds of prey, like eagles and falcons... and some birds close to extinction... Those big rare birds get their head and wings chopped of.... I saw a documentary on it lately... it was terrible to see. But i guess every good side contains a bad side too.. But i do approve windmills.. But not those that place them close to areas with rich natural birdlife.
sharky_
Pretty dam long. Interesting information.... Excellent shot. Aloha
allnaydi
Great capture and interesting background. Excellent work Richard!
schonee
OMG!!! Greay SHot!
sema_fox
Impresses the size, well and certainly founders of these windmills. Exact balancing, up to micron, huge bearings and universal system of fixture, and certainly work of masters. The difficult transportation demanding calculation and patience. Remarkable documentary photo.
loligagger
That's big,great shot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
bmac62
To coin an old phrase, "Holy Mackerel!" That thing is tremendous. Glad you happened by at the right time. I have a whole new respect for windmills now. Bet you are having fun with all these comments too, aren't you? You hit a jackpot. Bill
jif3d
Wouldn't like to negotiate any sharp bends while trucking this blade ! Amazing capture and bonus size comparison ! ~Cheers~
mickuk50
wow all that just to turn a blade round .interesting info there richard mick
lwperkins
I always wondered if maybe the little prarie windmills might be as good as these elegant monsters..you'd need more of them but they would be easier for constructing and repairing!
CavalierLady
Amazing!!!!!! I have seen these wind farms many times from a distance but I had no idea that each blade was this long! The second capture with the three army trucks is a fabulous comparison of scale! Wonderful collage and post, Richard!
three_grrr
I'd love to see the blades being assembled on the windmill!! What a cool capture, and my head was spinning reading all the facts about windmills, and how they can be more efficient!
amirapsp
Wow it's long ;-0