Wind turbine speed against distance from hoover Essay Example
Wind turbine speed against distance from hoover Essay Example

Wind turbine speed against distance from hoover Essay Example

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  • Pages: 5 (1284 words)
  • Published: September 19, 2017
  • Type: Laboratory Work
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Wind turbines utilize airfoils to capture the wind's kinetic energy.

The amount of air captured can vary depending on the variable being changed. A similarity between a blade and an airplane wing is their similar function. When the wind blows, both the downwind side of the blade and an airplane wing form a pocket of low-pressure air. As a result, this air pocket exerts a pulling force on the blade or wing, causing rotation.

The rotor spins similar to a propeller because of lift, which is more powerful than drag from wind on the blade's front side. This spinning makes the shaft turn and operate a generator to produce electricity.
Before commencing the experiment, preliminary tasks must be completed.
To conduct this experiment, I will require an air-blowing vacuum cleaner.

This represents the wind. To make a small

...

fan, I need four cardboard long pieces of paper that are accurately measured and have the same shape and size. They should also be aerofoil to allow air to pass through quickly. Whether it is building wind turbines or helicopters, it is crucial to carefully consider the strength, dynamic behavior, and fatigue properties of the materials and the entire assembly.

When creating a wind turbine rotor, the blade angle will change based on the apparent wind angle. The main objectives are to manage lift and drag. Hence, it is important to slightly incline the blades upwards to enable air passage and generate pressure. The airflow occurs over both sides of the blade, with higher speed experienced on the upper side of the airfoil shape. This leads to a region of lower pressure above the airfoil.

The pressure difference between the top and bottom surfaces

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of an aircraft wing creates aerodynamic lift, allowing the aircraft to take off. At the same time, drag force opposes this lift and reduces speed. In wind turbine design, a high lift-to-drag ratio is crucial for blade performance.

To optimize the energy output of the turbine at various wind speeds, it is essential to adjust the blade length ratio. The turbines will be constructed using lightweight cardboard, which is suitable for this purpose. To facilitate proper support and smooth rotation of the turbines, a long needle will be utilized. Furthermore, measuring results will necessitate a stopwatch and ruler. Consistency must be maintained throughout all aspects of the experiment except for the variables being tested.

The variables to be manipulated are the distance between the fan and the hoover and the size of all the turbines. After every 30 cycles, both the distance between the hoover and the fan and the time on the stopwatch will be noted, represented by a black mark on one of the turbines. In addition, various turbine sizes will be examined for their speed. It is crucial to maintain a consistent airflow from the hoover without any changes in speed. Likewise, it is important to keep the variac constant.

This is the setup of the investigation, including the various variables involved. 1. Speed of air blowing out. A. Altering the speed of air blowing out affects the experiment by increasing the fan's speed.

B. Both the fan and the hoover may encounter air disturbances. C. Additionally, other breezes or wind present in the room can mix with the blowing air from the hoover, causing a slight acceleration.

Slower performance can be caused by weather conditions

that result in dense air and increased air pressure on fans.

Measuring the distance between the Hoover and the fan using a ruler lacks precision. Additionally, increasing this distance results in the transfer of some of the wind's kinetic energy to the air not in contact with the fan. This happens as the moving wind's kinetic energy is transferred to the rotating fan.

4. The hoover and fan need to have their turbines correctly adjusted for optimal performance.

The positions of the fan and Hoover must remain unchanged for all results to maintain fairness. Additionally, the size of the fan blades - a larger area - results in the trapping of more kinetic energy.

The number of blades a fan has determines its ability to intercept moving air. Prediction: I already know that the smaller fan will rotate, but I want to determine its rotation speed and the position where it spins the fastest. The turbines need a certain amount of trapped air to move. My hypothesis is that as the fan moves further away from the air, it will rotate faster because more air from the hoover will push the turbines to rotate. On the other hand, if the fan is closer to the air (in the middle), it will move faster but won't spread out. Do I expect the fan to rotate? No, I believe it won't rotate as fast because instead of directing towards the turbines,

The speed of rotation increases as the distance from the fan to the hoover decreases, until the fan is too far away. In addition, I conducted an extra investigation to determine the effect of cutting 1 mm off the turbines. I

believe that removing a small portion of the turbines will not increase the speed because larger turbines capture more air, leading to faster rotation. This is because larger blades can trap more kinetic energy from the moving air.

Method:

To test my hypotheses, I set up the experiment as shown in the picture on the top page and placed my fan at a specific distance from the hoover.

I used centimeters to measure the distance. To determine the speed of rotation, I marked one turbine with a large black felt tip pen. I waited until the black mark had made 30 complete rotations before stopping the timer. This allowed me to determine the fan's speed.

Initial Experiment:

I began by holding the fan in a stationary position and measuring its diameter.

To ensure fairness, it is crucial to position all measurements precisely at a distance of 15 cm from the hoover. The subsequent step involves measuring each turbine and allowing it to rotate for 30 cycles while maintaining their previous positions. This process is repeated by reducing each turbine's length by 1 mm, with the results being documented for every millimeter decrease starting from an initial length of 8mm until reaching lengths of 7mm, 6mm, and so forth.

Results The size of the turbine affects its speed. An 8mm turbine completes 30 cycles in 14 seconds (128 cycles/min). In comparison, a 7mm turbine takes 20 seconds to complete the same number of cycles (90 cycles/min), while a smaller 6mm turbine requires 23 seconds (78 cycles/min). These results show that larger turbines allow more air to enter and rotate at higher speeds, whereas smaller turbines trap less air and rotate at slower speeds.

Main

Experiment I conducted an experiment to investigate how the distance between the fan and hoover affects the rotation speed of the fan.

I conducted measurements at 2cm intervals, noting the time it took for 30 cycles to occur.

Results

The distances from the Hoover (in cm) and their corresponding speeds in cycles per minute are as follows:

  • 2 cm: Minimal movement
  • 4 cm: Very slow movement
  • 6 cm: 66 seconds / 30 cycles (27 cycles / min)
  • 8 cm: 60 seconds / 30 cycles (30 cycles / min)
  • 10 cm: 62 seconds / 30 cycles (29 cycles / min)
  • 12 cm: 51 seconds / 30 cycles (35 cycles / min)
  • 14 cm: 44 seconds / 30 cycles (40 cycles / min)
  • 16 cm: 25 seconds / 30 cycles (72 cycles / min)
  • 18 cm: Unmeasurable speed due to excessive velocity
  • 20 cm: Unmeasurable speed due to excessive velocity

These findings indicate that when there is more space for air flow between the Hoover and the fan, a larger amount of air will enter the turbines. This leads to an increase in kinetic energy and subsequent movement of air. In essence, as the distance between the fan and Hoover increases, more air becomes trapped in the turbines. Repeated Results
Distance from hoover (cm) Speed in cycles per minute
2 cm - no movement
4 cm - no movement
6 cm - 77 seconds / 30 cycles (23 cycles per minute)
8

cm - 58 seconds / 30 cycles (31 cycles per minute)
10 cm - 34 seconds / 30 cycles (52 cycles per minute)
12 cm - 28 seconds / 30 cycles (64 cycles per minute)
14 cm - 31 seconds / 30 cycles (58 cycles / minute)
16 cm - too fast
18 cm - too fast
20 cm - too fast

The repeated results indicate that as we move away from the hoover, the fan continues to move at a faster pace. However, there are some unusual outcomes, particularly at a distance of 14cm, which could be influenced by errors in black dot counting.

Average of both results

They are the basic summary results of what I obtained for both experiments. Conclusion The speed of the fan increases as the distance from the hoover increases. However, the speed decreases as the length of the turbines decreases. Analyzing the first graph (Distance VS Speed) indicates that at 0 cm, the fan will rotate at a speed of 20 cycles per minute. As I continue moving away from the hoover, the fan will gradually slow down due to the dispersal of air from the hoover and a decrease in concentration.

Kinetic energy disperses across larger areas. When observing the second graph, (Distance VS Speed), it becomes apparent that longer blades may be less effective since they could create more resistance, causing the fan to slow down. Additionally, the turbine's weak and flimsy end section may contribute to this outcome.

Assessment

The obtained results may lack accuracy due to the dependency on visual observation in determining the number of rotations made by a black dot. Furthermore, the turbines should be

adequately secured and positioned consistently.

For the purpose of reducing by one millimeter, I took out and reinstalled the turbines. A ruler was utilized to gauge the gap between the fan and hoover. It is possible that the measurement deviated slightly from its typical value, which could affect the outcomes. Upon analyzing the graph depicting speed plotted against the distance between fan and hoover, a consistent decrease in values was observed until reaching 8 mm; at this point, it rose to 66, then declined to 60, before finally increasing to 62.

The 62-second experiment may have been influenced by my poor counting skills. To increase the reliability of the results, it is suggested to conduct the experiment multiple times and calculate the average of all outcomes.
Instead of solely relying on visual observation to count the rotations made by the black dot, it would be more reliable to use a device or tool for accurate counting.
It is important to ensure that all blades are as aerodynamic as possible and have the same shape and height. This will ensure a fair test. Additionally, the angle at which the blades are connected to the propeller should be consistent.

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