Troubled Times: Energy Energy Click on the icons above to go to your area of interest. http://www.zetatalk2.com/energy/tengy01.htm[2/5/2012 6:29:23 PM] Troubled Times: Windmill TOPIC: Windmills Windmills act as a pollution free power source that is nearly as cost effective as conventional sources. Efficiency must be increased to support Hydroponics. Innovative windmill designs such as the low wind Satec or low priced Saronan or the wind turbine EcoQuest are coming on the market. For information consult windmill manufacturers, the American Wind Energy Association, or sources such as Bergey Windpower, Whisper Generators which offers Small/Portable windmills, or Home Power magazine. A number of Portable windmill options exist. Placement in order to Catch the Wind or having a Wind Focus is also important, as are factors such as Wind Speed and blade size. Tilt-up Towers provide flexibility, as De-Mounting is necessary in High Wind. Information on the wind energy potential within the US is available, and being Promoted by the DOE. People Power and windpower for Communities is the trend in Europe. High Winds can cause problems unless a Brake or Lock or Mount/Dismount mechanism is in place. Ice in winter is also a concern. Cost, choice of 2 or 3 Blades, size and weight options such as a 20 kW output mill, the availability of Replacement Parts are all factors in the Make or Buy decision. Used Windmills are available. http://www.zetatalk2.com/energy/tengy202.htm[2/5/2012 6:29:24 PM] Troubled Times: Home Made TOPIC: Home Made Make Shift windmills could be made from Existing Technology. Car Parts could be used to construct a Paddle Wheel windmill, using such parts as the Generator, Water Pump, and Tire Rim. Axle Paddles using a 12V Series can be used, as has been suggested by VITA and done with a Model T Ford. Variations are a Tire Prop, or an Axle Prop using Axle Math with great Results, or a Horizontal windmill. Quite Doable as the Savonius Rotor demonstrates. Lawn Mower blades could form a windmill. A Wind Gauge can be constructed, as can Battery Charging controls such as a Voltage Regulator. Battery Banks need to Stay Charged. Generators such as the Servo Motor are available. Plans for a build-your-own Alternator exist, can be a converted Aircraft or Lawnmower generator, and Books or other Web Sites such as Hugh Piggott's or Homebrew Windpower can help. Plans for a Woodcrafted windmill exist. Blade Design is explained. A Downwind generator gets less stress, as an Overdriven generator will burn out, as will an Alternator, and Balance counts. Old Fashioned plans are also available for mills such as the Nebraska Windmill, which can be built using Sails and operates at Ground Level as this Sketch shows, which can present Problems. A dedicated Troubled Times member from Sweden has provided a Home Made wind turbine design and outlined the Factors to Consider, specifying the Supplies Needed, how to calculate the Wing Diameter, how to calculate the Natural Force of the wind and expected Output, how to calculate the Wing Width and a wing Width Example, how to calculate a Wing Profile with NACA points and a Profile Example. A Troubled Times TEAM has been formed to find inexpensive ways to build windmills. http://www.zetatalk2.com/energy/tengy022.htm[2/5/2012 6:29:24 PM] Troubled Times: Pelton Wheel Pelton Wheel Hydro Electric Power ADVANTAGES Can be more cost effective than either solar or wind power. Costs approximately one tenth as much as solar systems of similar power. More consistent continuity of supply (24 hours a day rather than just daylight hours). Need for large battery banks can be alleviated through intelligent water catchment and slow release over a long period. THERE ARE FOUR TYPES OF HYDRO SYSTEMS High Head Turbines The Turgo and Pelton Wheel are impulse turbines which use a high head to extract a greater potential energy from the same amount of water. Dependent on a fall of more than 20 meters, they need a relatively small flow rate, the water being piped down to the turbine to create the required head (pressure). Medium Head Reaction Turbines With a lower head, greater volume is required to produce the same amount of power. The Francis turbine is a medium head turbine ideal for small scale applications. Low Head Turbines These systems require a much larger volume of water to generate a useful amount of power. They are therefore more limited to locations in or on the edge of a stream or creek. A Kaplan propeller is an example of a low head turbine. Flow of Stream Turbines Gear pumps can be used as turbines. Although they have high frictional and leakage losses, they are otherwise suitable for small scale hydro power applications. Gear pumps used as turbines need a medium to high head. Banki (cross flow) turbines can be used for heads as low as 1 metre, up to heads as high as 200 metres. They can be manufactured in the back yard workshop and are good for small scale hydro power applications. A banki is in fact a two stage turbine. Where there is a fast flowing stream but virtually no head a floating propellor driven turbine may be used. The Tyson Turbine is ideally suited for such situations. The Tyson is suspended in the water by two pontoons, tethered to the banks, bridge or pier by means of a steel cable. The flow of the river rotates the submerged turbine head which is attached to a right angle gear box. This transmits the power above water level to an electric generator via a pulley. This system can generate low voltage DC for charging batteries or higher voltages to transmit power up to 5 kilometres in distance. Power can be unregulated AC which is transformed and rectified to low voltage DC where required. Outputs up to 1500W can be generated depending on water flow rate. Power generation and water pumping http://www.zetatalk2.com/energy/tengy03a.htm[2/5/2012 6:29:25 PM] Troubled Times: Pelton Wheel can be performed simultaneously. Power output (depending on water flow): 130 amps at 12v or 65 amps at 24v using automotive alternator or permanent magnet DC generator. WHERE CAN I GET THESE SYSTEMS? The Rainbow Power Company of Nimbin Australia are recognised both in Australia and internationally for their expertise in renewable energy production systems and particularly for their hydro systems. The Rainbow Micro Hydro is the result of 20 years of experience in the field, incorporating state of the art design and materials. It is a low maintenance system with an exceptional service life.Installation is simple and requires no special skills. It is easily integrated into any battery centred electrical system. Power output is exceptional for a micro hydro unit. It will produce 20 amps (12v) with a head pressure of 13 metres and 7 litres per second flow rate. With a greater head, less flow rate is required to produce the same performance. More to follow in future updates. In the meantime, contact Rainbow Power Company Tel: +61 66 89 1430 Fax: +61 66 89 1430 The Pelton Wheel and other earth friendly technologies are carried by: QDC Solutions Phone: +61 66 841100 Fax: +61 66 843600 PO Box 875 Mullumbimby NSW 2482 http://www.zetatalk2.com/energy/tengy03a.htm[2/5/2012 6:29:25 PM] Troubled Times: Hydroelectric TOPIC: Hydroelectric When one Compares Costs of hydroelectric power to other off-the-grid electric sources such as solar power or gasoline generators, hydroelectric power is quite inexpensive! A Troubled Times member has worked up the requirements for a Model System, and calculated the costs for a Micro-Hydro Installation. If one lives near a small mountain stream, a High Head system can take advantage of the altitude drop. The altitude drop can also Pump Water through simple mechanical means. The ram pump can pump Standing Water uphill with no power required. Even a small stream can generate power with an Aquagen. Components for hydroelectric systems can be Purchased, and one can even build their own Ram Pump with a Back-to-Basics approach. Cordless Drills can be used as DC Generators when Modified to convert Water Wheel turning power to electricity with RPM and Batterydetails and Power Output availble. This information is also Available as PDF file for Adobe Readers. Even the tide can be captured to create hydroelectric energy, as Blue Energy explains! A low power output can be Boosted. http://www.zetatalk2.com/energy/tengy122.htm[2/5/2012 6:29:25 PM] Troubled Times: Crank-Up Electronics TOPIC: Crank-Up Electronics During times when batteries may be in scarce supply, crank-up products may be just the thing. This is a technology in use in the recent past, when phone calls were placed only after an energetic cranking. Crank Radios such as BayGen are On the Market. Shaking a Flashlight or just a Squeeze can create energy to replace batteries. Short wave Internet transmissions can be sustained by crank power. Generators can be powered by hand or foot, or could use Gravity. Cordless Drills can be used as DC Generatorswith a Hand Crank when Modified. This information is also Available as PDF file for Adobe Readers. http://www.zetatalk2.com/energy/tengy042.htm[2/5/2012 6:29:26 PM] Troubled Times: Bike Power TOPIC: Bike Power In a pinch, or just for good exercise, Ordinary Bikes or exercycles can be converted to an energy machine from Car Parts, as one dedicated Troubled Times member attests! Key parts are the Alternator and Batteries.