Wind Turbine Axial Flux Generator

[Bronurstomp]

My next project is a continuation of an older project I started before I moved to Texas.

I'll try to get some pictures posted tonight.

The first task was to wind 12 coils of #10AWG solid wire... then mold them together using fiberglass and epoxy.
Here is the design drawing...



I did most of this work already.



I also have all the magnets set on the metal plates. (2 f these, one will be above and one below the coil stator)
This was a bit premature though, because there is still some machining to be done to the plates. Unfortunately, I did a real good job of attaching the magnets to the 1/4" steel plates, and now they cant be removed without damaging the magnets. Back when I bought them, they were about $3 a piece, and I bought 25 of them... 1 spare.
Now the same magnets (N50 Neodinium 1"x2"x.5") are over $10 a piece.

So the machining and welding will have to be done VERY CAREFULLY. Magnets do not like heat!

I'll try to take some pictures tonight, after I get some xmass gifts wrapped.

Bron...

[Bronurstomp]

To the right, the lower part of the two magnet rotor plates, will be under the coils on the stator. The top rotor, identical to the lower, is in the cardboard for safety. Really strong magnets here, not to mention expensive nowadays. The were not real expensive when I bought them, and I should have bought a lot more then...
The lower rotor, on the right, will be welded to lowest edge of the spindle. The spindle and hub are all assembled to keep the bearings safe, but to do it, it will be disassembled so the spindle will slide into the hole in the center of the lower rotor, magnets facing up. The stator, which is a fiberglass molded set of coils, Has to be mounted to the hub. I plan on using a 13" rim as a base. That's next.
The coils, before they were molded into the stator, had to be wound, so I built a jig to wind them, then wound them all some time ago. Another commodity, wire, was less expensive back when I started this project.
The aluminum plates are just so I could arrange everything since they aren't ferrous; and safe around the magnets.

[Bronurstomp]

I am going to use this aluminum rim to house everything. I can't believe how good it all fits together.





Now I have to decide what to do with the shaft to make sure I can interface it to what ever I decide to use for wind vanes. Maybe I could just weld a big gear to it. Anyway, I have to get my son to weld on the two rotors (magnet plates) to the spindle.
I haven't really done much with this lately. I kinda got off on a tangent building a model rocket from scratch.

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm15 ... 6ado2u.jpg

Woot, I plan on test firing it this weekend.



Randy

[Hammer]

the rocket requires its own thread!