How Wind Turbines Work

Do you know how wind turbines work? This article will explain clearly how wind turbines work to generate the electricity that helps to power our world.

Wind power is nothing new, we've been using it for hundreds or even thousands of years to grind our grains and pump water and the actual concept hasn't changed that much in fact since the early times. Back then they were referred to as windmills, because their main purpose was to mill or grind corn, wheat and other grains by harnessing the power of the wind.

These days we call them wind turbines, it's a different name but the same idea.

How wind turbines work is they act rather like a fan does, but instead it’s the opposite way around. A fan uses electricity to generate the power to turn the blades which are designed in such a way as to create as much air movement as possible.

Wind turbines do the reverse in that the wind turns the turbine blades which then generate electricity.

Basically the head of the turbine is mounted on to a tall post or shaft, the taller the better as the higher up it is mounted, the windier it is. The head of the turbine itself consists of 3 or 4 propeller blades which are designed in such a way that the air passes around it creating uneven pressure which forces them to turn.

The blades are fixed to a spindle which is housed in to a rotor. This rotor then attaches in to a series of gears which increase the speed of movement from 1800 rpm to 18000rpm which is fast enough to turn a generator which can create electricity.

This electricity is stored in batteries and then sent out to the national grid or converted in to useable energy for the owner of the turbine.

How wind turbines work to reduce carbon emissions is that they are non polluting, they burn no fuels and they are long lasting, so the cost and pollution caused in their creation is quickly offset by the end of
their lifetime.

It's possible to use a wind turbine on its own or it can be connected to the power grid of the country they are located.

It's unlikely that many countries will be powered entirely by wind energy because they rely too much on nature providing us with the source of movement, which is too unpredictable.

How wind turbines work is they use the freely available sources of wind. Without that wind however, there is no power. So wind power will only ever be part of an overall energy strategy for that reason, but nevertheless a very environmentally friendly and cost effective one at that.