H – Wing: Horizontal Windmill Generator

Team: Devon Higgs

Project

Though recent years have brought many improvements in wind power, it still has problems low efficiency, unreliable power generation, and the requirement of large tracks of land. There are still places in the US where citizens cannot have electricity in their home because it is too costly.

The project uses a modified version of Wayne Baum’s patented windmill design to create an electric windmill generator for remote power generation that is more efficient than traditional windmill generators.

System

System flow diagram

Methods

Planning & Blueprinting

Planning & Blueprinting

Purchase Equipment

Purchase Equipment

Build Windmill

Build Windmill

Build Frame

Build Frame

Wire Generator

Wire Generator

Program Sensors

Program Sensors

Testing and Verification

Testing and Verification

Conclusion

This project is a success. The goal was to create a windmill generator for remote power generation. The windmill generator produces power, has a working braking system, and spins in the wind. The power generation is lower than expected, but that is likely due to the extra weight on the windmill and the bearings not being placed perfectly. Overall, the project was successful in its goals.

Moving forward I would like to do more testing on the windmill and its efficiency. I would like to consider multibladed designs and designs where the braking is integrated into the frame so it doesn’t slow the windmill’s operation. With more time and refined building techniques a second iteration would be vastly superior to the first.