subject: Wind Power Kits: Does The Blade Type Really Matter? [print this page] With wind power kits there are a number of variables that can really effect performance. These kits are designed to be efficient in a particular wind environment only - not in every wind environment, so there is a tradeoff that the manufacturer always makes between performance and marketability.
The blades on wind turbine kits are especially important to their performance obviously. There are a number of factors that play into how efficiently the blades operate.
Blades are always a conundrum for manufacturers. The questions of how much they weigh and their aerodynamic qualities are weighed against the cost to produce them. Manufacturers are slave to market forces and make decisions about cost and efficiency that we as consumers wish they didn't have to make.
The blade design really does matter. However, it is simply not as straightforward as it might seem at first glance.
It would seem logical that you would want to make wind power kits with blades that would allow the unit to put out the most power, right? Well, not exactly. If they were to make the wind turbine kit optimally efficient from the perspective of power output, then it might not withstand the ravages of high winds or bursts of wind.
It is certainly a tightly controlled balancing act that is being done when a wind turbine blade is designed. The "tip speed ratio" is an important concept in blade design. Basically that means that speed of the tip of the blades and the wind. Most modern wind turbine designers shoot for 6-7 as being the proper ratio to strike a good balance. Three blades versus five or two blades has been found to be not only more efficient but more aesthetically pleasing.
Although it really does not have to be done that often, there a number of factors that need to be simultaneously considered when designing blades
The strength and connection to the foundation - if the blades do not adequately govern themselves, speeds can get out of control in a hurry.Centrifugal force limits of the rotor and hub itself need to be adhered to.
Noise is also a factor in design of blades for wind power kits - the faster the blades turn, the louder they are.In conclusion, superior blade technology is essential for wind power kits to optimize their performance.
There are a number of factors involved in their design that need to be considered when calculating the right blades for particular wind turbine kits.
