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How Wind Mills Generate Electricity

By Dexter C Figg

Article posted by Rabbi Yitzhak Miller

In order to generate electricity a windmill needs to have an apparatus called a generator. Technically put a generator is a mechanism that converts mechanical energy into electric energy. A generator can be of two types – Direct Current (DC) and Alternating Current (AC) generators – also called ‘Alternators.’

In a nutshell, the current produced by a DC generator flows constantly in the same direction, the polarities of the connection – the positive point and the negative point – never change. Where as in an AC generator the direction of the current constantly changes, typically 50 to 60 times each second. Modern appliances are all designed and engineered to operate on AC power.

An electric generator is much like an electric motor; it has a set of fixed coils inside a metal casing called a stator and a set of rotating coils inside the stator called the armature. When an electric current is passed through the armature coils the coils get magnetized. When these coils rotate the magnetic flux produced by the coils generates an electric current in the stator coils, which is the electric current we put to use. The faster the Armature rotates the greater the current produced in the stator coils. However, there is a limit to the quantity of current that can be produced by a generator. This limit is determined by the size and quality of the coils. Generally speaking, the more the quantity of copper in the coils the greater the power factor of the machine.

Earlier generators had magnets in place of the armature coils. However, the magnetic field produced by the back electromotive force (EMF) of the Stator coils created a strong magnetic field of it’s own and neutralized the magnets of the Armature over a period of time rendering the generator useless. This is why armature coils were introduced.

Armature coils retain a very miniscule degree of magnetism when they are charged for the first time. This minor magnetic flux is enough to generate a small current in the stator when the armature is rotated initially. This current from the stator is then passed through the armature coils creating a stronger magnetic field in turn producing a stronger current in the stator. This is called the start-up current of a generator and also explains why the amateur coils do not need an external electric source to get magnetized in order to produce an electric current in the stator.

Conventionally steam is produced in boilers by burning follies fuel. This steam is then allowed to force its way out of the high-pressure boiler through a turbine containing rotating blades. The high pressure of the steam in the turbines spins the blades around an axis, which in turn spins a generator producing electric power. Hydro power, the process of generating electric power from water follows the same principle of steam. Instead of steam in a turbine water is passed through it and this turns blades connected to a generator creating electric power.

The blades of a windmill are fixed to an axle, which in turn is connected either directly to the armature shaft or to a gearbox that is then connected to the armature. When the wind turns the blades the axle turns and thus the armature turns generating electric current. This is basically how a windmill generates electric power..

Rabbi Yitzhak Miller
Rabbi Yitzhak Miller
Rabbi Yitzhak Miller
Rabbi Yitzhak Miller
Rabbi Yitzhak Miller