Eolienne Wind turbine

cults3d

Made for my wife who teaches technology to kids learning about renewable energy and these real wind turbines. Video available here: https://youtu.be/wRZg4CXgDV4 Three prints were made at different scales: 1/100, 1/200, and 1/400. The two largest are motorized with small gear motors found online. Power is 3 volts for the big one, powered by four AA batteries in series, while the middle one uses three batteries. The smallest one has no motor, as I couldn't find a suitable gear motor. It took a long time to print the 1/100 model, but the result was worth it. Due to the curved design, some parts look better with a 0.1 layer thickness. For added rigidity, the three blades are not printed vertically, although this can be done for a more appealing look. For the big one, you'll need two bearings and a piece of D4mm rod. As it's designed for educational purposes, the rod is connected to the motor axle with a "soft coupling" made from gasoline return pipe with a D3 interior. This allows the propeller to stop when a child tries to slow it down, while the motor continues to turn. For the smaller model, I used a scale model fuel pipe with a D2 interior, and the motor axle is 3mm in diameter. When gluing the mast, make sure to align the internal cavities that allow wiring to pass from the top to the bottom where the batteries are located. For wiring, I use old network cables with small wires inside. For assembly, I prefer wood screws – three 16mm screws should be enough, and you'll find their locations on the parts themselves. A joining rod is included to help align all the mast's parts. The rotation speed is approximately 15 rpm, similar to real wind turbines. If you want a faster rotation, simply use three AA batteries instead of two. Self-flashing LEDs were added to the top, with D5mm for the big model and D3mm for the medium one. The smallest model has free rotation of its blades. I hope some of you will be interested in this design – it's quite impressive in a classroom setting. Proudly printed on my stock CR10 with Arianeplast filament. White for most parts, blue-grey for the base. These models don't generate power as they have gear motors to simulate wind effects. Due to high interest, I'll put it back on the table soon to create another version that can generate power. The first step will be without a rotating nacelle, and new blades and generator adaptations with RPM multipliers are in the works – lots of testing ahead!