Development of wind-electric prime mover using roof ventilator turbine

Abstract

This project is about the development of wind electric prime mover using roof ventilator turbine. The roof ventilator used in this project is a vertical axis type of turbine and will be used as wind turbine to drive the generator rotation. Roof ventilator is basically use as the tool to help air circulation inside building or houses. The main objective of this project is to increase the ventilator ability as a turbine and it a one step further to generate clean and renewable energy. The only weakness of the ventilator as a wind turbine is the transient speed. Basically, generator needs to be turn at high and constant speed to get enough electric power. To enhance the ability of this ventilator as a turbine, a gear system is studied and developed for this reason. The type of gearbox that has been developed in this project is increasing speed type and will be connected between the ventilator and the generator. With this gearbox, it will dramatically increase the speed and thus make the generator generate more electric even when the ventilator spins at low speed. Because of the transient speed of the ventilator, the speed at the output shaft of the gearbox is also transient. The generator still generates more electric with the gearbox help but the output is also transient when different speed is applied at the generator. Thus make the output voltage not suitable to be used. To make the generated voltage stabilize, a regulator is needed. The regulator is use to make the output voltage always at a constant value. To make the system more effective, the output from the generator and regulator will be not directly use to electrical appliance. The output voltage will be used to charge a battery and the output from the battery then can be used any time when the battery is fully charge.