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Optimized Blade Design for Homemade Windmills
Windmills have many functions and can be operated wherever there is access to wind. Windmills use their blades, or sails, to convert the energy in wind into rotational motion. This rotational motion can either be used for direct work or converted again into electricity. Originally, windmills were used to perform the grinding at mills. Today, they are still used for this purpose but have extended their range of uses to pumping water and primarily for electricity generation, In lesser economically developed countries, the electricity generated by homemade windmills are often used to charge batteries and cell phones or operate lighting, radios and irrigation pumps.
Modern, commercially available wind turbines are tailored to address specific wind speeds and are capable of generating megawatts of electricity from each turbine. However, homemade solutions are often low-tech and have undergone little scrutiny in terms of optimization. This report intends to identify to best angle to tilt the blades in relation to the oncoming wind and what length of blade is best suited for electricity generation.
William Kamkwamba is a fantastic example of who could benefit from the analysis presented in this report. His ambition for a better life and access to scrap materials was transformed into a working device that provides both light and irrigation to his community and inspiration to the rest of the world. As more people begin to develop solutions for their own energy needs, there is great value in optimizing these devices to maximize their social benefit.