Charles Mitchell Doug Manofsky Josh Goben Trey Field GeneratorX! Charles Mitchell Doug Manofsky Josh Goben Trey Field

Vertical-Axis Aerogenerator GeneratorX is designed to have the maximum amount of surface area available to capture wind. Constructed out of poster board, wooden skewers, and quite a bit of duct/aluminum tape. Connected to a vertical aluminum rod which is supported by two bearings. A cardboard gear is connected at the bottom of the shaft which turns the generator.

Physics The energy is first in the form of wind speed. The more wind that is captured, the more energy that can be harnessed. The heavier the turbine, the more momentum it will have after moving. This gives a more stable current from the generator. The larger the gear ratio, the faster the generator can spin which will increase the amount of power generated.

Design Issues We first tried using bearings only at the bottom, but the system was too unstable. We tried several different methods of gearing before reaching the final product. We went through a few variations of the design of the blades.

Conclusion A wind turbine constructed with a budget of $40 is inefficient. On a larger scale, and with better materials, a wind turbine may generate electricity somewhat efficiently. The basic design of a wind turbine is actually quite simple.