Hi Windmill constructors.
I am living in Northwest Holland . Average wind 5-5.5 m/sec . Building windgenerators several years .
Have some experience with making blades ( fixed- and passive pitch and active pitchcontrol )
I see that some of you ( Menelaos ) and other friends on Fieldlines are thinking about pitchcontrolled blades .
For the time of 3 months I have running a DIY active pitch controlled windgenerator.
Must say I am very content about it .
It is controlled by an actuator wich can be switched automatic and manual.
Blade angle from zero to 90 degrees in 8 seconds.
Propeller diam. 290 cm .
Controllable max speed 330 rpm . (adjustable)
Feathering and electrical brake in case of storm.
Generator disc type ( Hugh Piggott design ) 9 coils and 2x 12 neo magnets. 24 volt.

I see some advantages : Never overspeed , No overheat stator, No dumpload , No overload of batteries , controllable voltage and amps for inverters for batteries and grid tied ones.

http://www.youtube.com/user/mi…sr2BLBQ6rc

and other uploads Midwoud1 on YouTube

Regards Frans.

HI Frans,

That looks great,

I did think about an electronic way of doing it as well...but I just do not trust those electronic components. For me, something electronic beeing outside in salty moisture could too easily fail in hard conditions. This is why I stick to the mechanical ways. But that is just my personal point of view and might be out of date...

Nice construction anyways. What kind of motor did you use?
How do you take the rpm and in which way does the controller work out what to do...which parameters are needed for the setup?

LG

Max

Hi Max.
Dont worry about the electronics , it is reliable , Satellites ,Airplanes , Gps, and cars are working with it .Even lowtech laundry machines for many years..
The basic circuit I found at Hugh's homepage navigation.Very simple circuit . There is a chip that counts pulses on 1 phase of the generator,the output is a variable Dc voltage.
In my case between 0 and 2.5 volt . As soon as there is 2.5 volt I have 330 Rpm . Than a trigger commands a relay and there is 10 volt on the actuator for half a second and the blade angle is changing about 2 degrees. If there is another windgust this will repeat .
The actuator is an old cordless handdrill ( Makita ) ,I can run it fore- and backwards with a switch in my shack manually .
All the electronics and switch relays are in the shack . On the film you see also a digtal readout but that is not necessary.
I used it for callibration.
The backward movement is also commanded with the trigger relay. The Makita has a M6 Threaded rod M6 with a travelling nut, distance 90 mm, and it also has limit switches to stop at end positions. The actuator has a freerunnig bearing connected with a push pull rod 6 mm inside the hollow mainshaft ,at the end it is connected with a lever system that commands the blade-angle ,possible 90 degrees. Mainshaft is 25 mm dia. The propeller root-shafts are 20 mm . Their bearings are sort of nylon ( POM ) anti wearout .
It is quite a bit of work but the result is amazing. I am sure that you and Chris Olsen can make this . Because you are working on a hightech level.
I have a bit of a problem with uploading images on this forum .Its the first time I work with it.
If you want more information ,just ask me . My mail adres windmill3@hetnet.nl
Good luck .Regards Frans

The problem with electronics is still that they fail when their power supply fails.

Hallo Frans,
Can you tell us about your next steps to improve the blades suspention
and pitch system?
Greetings Rinus

Windmühlefreunde,

Auch international möchten wir recht gern zusammenarbeiten bei unsere Hobby

http://www.ecologieforum.eu/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=2566

www.gewiekste.nl

Mit freundlichen Grüßen,
Rinus
[img][/img]

An einer pitchcontrol Lösung wäre ich auch sehr interessiert.
Hat den schon jemand Erfahrungen damit gemacht
Und eine Steuerung gebaut die zum Beispiel im
Spinner untergebracht werden kann?

Grüße

Cumulusbums.

I have a windgenerator 1000 watt wih Active Pitchcontrol successful working. Two other machines are under construction,in NL
Menelaos is making a pitchcontrolled winmill in Germany .He is on the site as webmaster.
You can see my posts on Fieldlines http://www.fieldlines.com/inde…9de089f161
It has 13 pages.
Another post is at Forum/cf3/topic.php?t=4147 ( Fbm midwoud1 )

Rgds. - F -

Windmühlefreunde,

2013
Lass uns einander Möglichkeiten fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit wünschen.

http://www.ecologieforum.eu/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=2566

Freundlichen grüßen

Rinus www.gewiekste.nl

Windgenerator in highwind 12-15 m/sec.
Max. 350 Rpm.
Arduino microcontroller.
Batteries 24 Vdc
Power 750 Watt
Safe system for: Propeller, TowerLoad, Batteries, Protected input inverter max 32 Vdc.
Rgds. - Frans -

great,

what is the logic behind the automatic feathering?
I mean how did you setup the hysteresis and how much of an angle does it feather in various situations...?

Hi Max.
I take voltage from 1 phase of the generator. With a simple circuit a variable Vdc of 0-2 volt is made
That goes into the micro-controller.
At 350 Rpm. the controller gives a 1 sec. signal to a relay board .From there 12 volt to the actuator.
1 sec. signal is 9 degrees blade angle increment. ( 10 seconds is full feathered parking.)
Another windgust makes a new 9 degrees increment etc.
In decreasing windspeed (230 Rpm) it's going the other way reverse.
This is working ful automatic.
The hysteresis is adjustable by software changeable parameters. ( laptop )
I also have a manual switch to set the blades fully feathered in storm and full batteries.
With switched off controller ,prop speed revs up and power is raising to 1000 watt.
Rgds. - Frans -

really nice Frans,

I am also still working on my design and I have a few options to chose from and cannot really make up my mind

Excellent work!
Would you share your software for the controller?

Max

Okay.

You need the volt converter circuit.
Arduino Uno M-controller with shield board.
Relays .
Actuator. actuator stroke ?
Are you wellknown with electronics ?
Electronic diagrams and software,I can send you PM.
Rgds .Frans.

PS, What size of mill have you , how many volt and amps ?

Hi Frans,

My friend is really good with electronics and Arduino in special...
The machine will have about 6.3m diameter, geared up with servomotor as generator, automotive car hubs serving as blade bearings...I am not sure yet about the voltage as I can change it with the gears..but probably I will not need more that 50 Amps.

Max

Hey!

My current windmills are just to get deeper into the topic. My final plan is a fully controlled windmill with the same features like the big archetypes. (electronic pitch, yaw and so on...)
I'm workin in the software department of a considerable automation company. We equip also big turbines with our stuff (main control!). >> these are currently turbines up to 3MW...
I think i have to talk to these guys to get some info about realizing the main control...

greetz

Hey Kredo01

Perhaps we can make the hardware for you. ( www.gewiekste.nl )
Let's get in touch.

Rinus

Hey Rinus!

Thanks for your offer, but as a "do-it-yourselfer" I want to build it myself.
But we can share the knowledge about pitching, ... in this forum.

greetz

Kredo01 and other Windmillfriends,

The moment the "do-it-yourselfers" are becoming "do-it-togethers" we see nice results in small windenergy.

Regards Rinus

Security at high Rpm,
With a small lineair actuator ,the tail is retractable 90 degrees.
The actuator is activated by a switch
The generator stator has no burn-out in high wind and storm.
Now I have automatic active pitchcontrolled blades ,doing very well regulated by a microcontroller.

- Frans -