Introduction to Wind Energy

A device used to measure wind speed that often incorporates wind direction as well Correct Answers Anemometer the theoretical limit of 59.3% of the available wind power that a rotor can capture. The theory is named for its German developer, Albert Betz Correct Answers Betz limit Devices that use centrifugal force to open or close hydraulic valves in response to rotor speed Correct Answers Centrifugal release unit An apparatus that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy, typically in the form of direct current Correct Answers Dynamo The actual surface that air movement is passing across, as opposed to actual ground level. For example, this for a wind blowing over a dense forest would be the tops of the trees rather than the ground itself Correct Answers Effective ground level One method of preventing excessive wind turbine rotor speed through yaw control by turning the rotor blades away from a direct wind facing Correct Answers Furling A wind turbine that spins on an axis which is horizontal or nearly so, much like the early windmills of the western and mid-western U.S. Also referred to as a conventional turbine or propeller-style, they are directional by design, i.e. the rotor must face into the wind for maximum performance Correct Answers Horizontal-axis wind turbine (HAWT) The energy contained in a mass or body caused by its motion Correct Answers Kinetic energy Running lengthwise, or extending along the length of an object. A line drawn the length of an object would indicate its longitudinal axis Correct Answers Longitudinal