Do wind power generators work with centripedal force?
September 28th, 2009 | by Michael |
Oklahoman asked:
I know that the wind is what gets them moving.
I know that the wind is what gets them moving.
But are there weights in the tips of the ‘windmill’ blades that keep them spinning?
Knowledgeable persons only, no rude responses or I’ll report you.
GUS
10 Responses to “Do wind power generators work with centripedal force?”
By Pancakes on Sep 29, 2009 | Reply
No. If there were, it would take more wind to get them to spin. In the long run, it would make no difference.
By tomz17 on Sep 30, 2009 | Reply
Nope… adding weight to the blade would not increae efficiency.
By xoman on Sep 30, 2009 | Reply
Well you spelled “centripdal” I think is spelled centrifecal if I am not mistaken, but your question is no.
By CRJPILOT on Oct 1, 2009 | Reply
There are no weights in the windmills. It would require energy from the wind to spin up the blades with weights, energy that would be wasted do to aerodynamic drag when the windmill was acting like a flywheel so a windmill with weights would be less efficient than one without them
By cdf-rom on Oct 2, 2009 | Reply
No, I hope this doesn’t sound too simplistic, but the blades KEEP spinning, because the wind KEEPS blowing! If the wind stops, the windmill stops turning! This is why many windmills use a power storage system, such as pumping water into an elevated tank while the wind is strong, so that the flow of water will do the work of generating electricity when the wind dies down.
By Mr. Logic on Oct 4, 2009 | Reply
Hmm…. The weight of the tip is for balancing, inertia and specially design to give the best efficiency on the windmill, when wind blow directly to the windmill “flaps”. In a way that you are right, the tips of the windmill blades keep them spinning. But without the existence of continuous Wind (or source of energy / force) in the first place, the blade won’t move.
Newton’s law, thing won’t move unless if acted by external force. Thing won’t stop if no opposite force acted upon.
By Kiowa1 on Oct 6, 2009 | Reply
Works on centipedal force… using thousands of centipedes…
By montor on Oct 6, 2009 | Reply
wind mills have no weights in their wing tips in fact keeping the weight down is an advantage, strength and durability vs. economy and preformance, there are different types of systems to keep wind mills running, the most common today is pitch and stall regulation, this adjusts the angle of the blade to suit the wind conditions creating optimal drive (torque) for the generation of electricity.
By jlsmith92104@sbcglobal.net on Oct 9, 2009 | Reply
With a question like this, I always suggest that you take out a dictionary and look up the term. In doing so you have answered your own question and given your brain a little exercise.
By Phantom on Oct 13, 2009 | Reply
it’s called Centrifugal Force, and no.