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Vertical Axis Wind Turbines vs Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines

By Editor | November 10, 2009

In the wind turbine business there are basically two types of turbines to choose from, vertical axis wind turbines and horizontal axis wind turbines. They both have their advantages and disadvantages and the purpose of this article is to help you choose the right system for your application.

Horizontal-Axis-Wind-Turbine

Horizontal axis wind turbine

Horizontal axis wind turbine dominate the majority of the wind industry. Horizontal axis means the rotating axis of the wind turbine is horizontal, or parallel with the ground. In big wind application, horizontal axis wind turbines are almost all you will ever see. However, in small wind and residential wind applications, vertical axis turbines have their place. The advantage of horizontal wind is that it is able to produce more electricity from a given amount of wind. So if you are trying to produce as much wind as possible at all times, horizontal axis is likely the choice for you. The disadvantage of horizontal axis however is that it is generally heavier and it does not produce well in turbulent winds.

Vertical axis wind turbine

Vertical axis wind turbine

In comes the vertical axis wind turbine. With vertical axis wind turbines the rotational axis of the turbine stands vertical or perpendicular to the ground. As mentioned above, vertical axis turbines are primarily used in small wind projects and residential applications.Vertical-Axis-Wind-Turbine This niche comes from the OEM’s claims of a vertical axis turbines ability to produce well in tumultuous wind conditions. Vertical axis turbines are powered by wind coming from all 360 degrees, and even some turbines are powered when the wind blows from top to bottom. Because of this versatility, vertical axis wind turbines are thought to be ideal for installations where wind conditions are not consistent, or due to public ordinances the turbine cannot be placed high enough to benefit from steady wind.

Comments

  1. AvatarVithal H Jadhav says

    November 5, 2020 at 11:57 am

    Good information which enables to choose proper type of air turbine to produce electric power more efficiently. It helps me to design moni air turbines.

  2. AvatarCaleb Conner says

    February 18, 2016 at 5:30 pm

    Windmills do work, wind turbines produce electricity. If you’re planning on putting a windmill on a roof, it might not do you much good. As for the design, it sounds completely doable

  3. AvatarA.M.Oke says

    October 11, 2015 at 4:38 am

    I am thinking of making a rotor for Vertical axis wind mill which will appear just like the rotor of an exhaust fan. It will be made odAcrylic sheets and vanes may be of FRP or Acrylic. If it works I hope it may be suitable to mount on almost every building roof top. Has any one tried it? Is it practcable?
    A.M.Oke.FIE

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