Design and Performance Evaluation of Low-Cost, Innovative, Efficient Small-Scale Wind Power Generation for Rural Community of India

Abstract

The prospects for rural electricity needs to be met by conventional approaches may be limited. Indeed from an economic perspective, non-conventional forms of rural electrification may least-cost, especially when villages are some distance from the existing grid. So, there is need to develop small wind machines for remote area. Wind power system is one type of renewable energy, and small wind energy system is widely used in a home-use system. Small wind energy system can be constructed with materials which can easily get within a local market. The average domestic consumption of rural India is estimated at 4–6 kWh/day i.e. a load of 1.5 kW/day. At Department of Energy Technology, Shivaji University, Kolhapur to match the local winds, a lightweight 500 W horizontal axis wind machine is developed, averaged to its availability to 2–6 m/s during the year. The machine is designed to give the annual average yield of 1850 kWh. The horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT) developed is having rotor blades with aerodynamic profile NACA 4415 (FRP blade weight 500 g each) to fit into Aluminum hub with rotor radius of 550 mm. The generator is of PMG type with 16 no. of poles. The wind direction is controlled by accurately balancing triangular shaped tail end. The 500 W HAWT was under trial runs of 180 h continuous and was evaluated for its power curve. Interestingly due to its light weight and aerodynamic rotor blades, it could run at a cut-in speed of 2.7 m/s and developed more rated power during the testing.