Wind Energy for Human Needs.

摘要

A review of the history of wind utilization is presented. Wind machines that are in use or have been considered are categorized as small when the power output is up to 2kW;medium,up to 100kW;and large,when output is over 100kW. The largest wind machine that ever operated was the 1250-kW Smith--Putnam wind turbine;the largest factory-produced machine today is a 6-kW model. A 100-kW test unit is being erected near Sandusky,Ohio by NASA to be operational in 1975. Environmental and engineering aspects,application areas,and geographical regions of greatest promise are discussed. To fully utilize the intermittent wind energy,an interruptible load,an energy storage system,or a standby source able to respond on demand is required. Examples of these alternatives are: interruptible load (pumping water for livestock or irrigation,driving refrigeration compressor for large-thermal-capacity cold-storage plant);energy-storage system of electrochemical storage batteries,flywheels,or pumping water for later generation of electric power through a hydraulic turbine;or a standby source of hydroelectric power dam,diesel generator,gas or steam turbine. Using wind-generated electricity to electrolyze hydrogen is interruptible load if the hydrogen is used for cooking fuel;it is an energy storage system if the hydrogen is stored to be reconverted to electricity with a fuel cell or an engine generator set. A 5-kW wind -hydro scheme is analyzed for Amarillo,Texas in Appendix A. It is concluded that the system is expensive and cumbersome,requires a large reservoir and a lot of equipment for providing only a small amount of firm power,but provides reliable electric power with zero fuel consumption and minimal maintenance.