“When the wind blows, a pocket of low pressure air
form;, pulling the
blades towards it. Thus causing the rotor to turn. This is called lift
The turbines
that use a new, low wind speed technology.
The sweep twist adaptive bladeautomatically twists to reduce stress on the
turbine from the mechanical load produced during high wind.
Today,
a standard HAWT (Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine) captures
the wind’s energy with three propeller-like blades mounted on a rotor. The
turbine sits more than 200 feet atop a tower to take advantage of stronger and
less-turbulent wind. Elevated so high above the surface makes maintenance and
repair costly; bearings and shafts that transfer wind power from the turbine
blades must be to withstand exceptional rigors in various weather conditions.
Newer
HAWTs can make use of wind at lower velocities; such
advanced design has meant the addition of utility scale wind turbines in less
windy (Class Four*) areas
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Wind power classes
designate a range of mean wind power density of approximate wind speed at
specified heights above the ground. Areas designated as “Excellent” have wind
power Class Five or greater, and are suitable for utility-scale wind energy
applications. These areas represent regions where the wind power density
exceeds 500 watts/m2 at 50m above the ground. Areas designated as “Good” have
wind power at four or better, and are also suitable for utility scale wind
energy applications.Nevertheless, these advanced designs can have increased
stress at higher velocities requiring the turbine to be stopped or the drive
train disengaged. The innovative wind blade, which CARE's Wind Blade Division
has developed, can operate over a wider range of wind speed thereby increasing
the amount of energy that a low wind speed turbine can produce.
Sized at 27.2 (85 ft)
meters x 2.4 meters (7 ft), the Adaptive Sweep Twist Blade is designed both
for maximum
efficiency at lower-speed wind conditions and to automatically adjust to higher
wind gusts when necessary.
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