Wind turbine
device · 1887 · Electric age
A windmill that drives an electric generator.
What it is made of
- Electric generator — has part. A generator.
- Planetary gear — has part. A gearbox raises the speed.
- Neodymium magnet — has part. Direct-drive generators.
Principles and materials it uses
- Lift — uses. The blades are wings that create lift.
- Wind power — uses. Wind energy.
- Fibreglass — is made of. Blades made of fibreglass.
- Wood — is made of. The blades of Blyth’s wind turbine (1887) were wooden.
- Steel — is made of. The mast is steel.
History: what it evolved from and what it influenced
- Windmill — evolved from. A windmill with a generator instead of millstones.