Proceedings of the ASME 2018

International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition

IMECE2018
November 9-15, 2018, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

IMECE2018-88455

MINI WIND TURBINE FOR SMALL SCALE POWER GENERATION AND STORAGE
(ARCHIMEDES WIND TURBINE MODEL)
Michael Ozeh1, Ashreet Mishra1 and Xiuling Wang1
1
Department of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Purdue University Northwest, Hammond, IL

ABSTRACT sustainable [10, 11]. Building large wind turbines can be quite
capital intensive, with a long payback period [12, 13]. This
The Archimedes wind turbine boasts an innovative blade
setback can, however, be overcome with mini wind turbines that
design with the potential of harvesting energy from wind with
cost a fraction of the cost for large turbines to build. Besides, the
much more efficiency. The blade design utilizes both lift and
cumulative power it can generate can substantially reduce the
drag forces, and boasts several other advantages over
load on state/national power grids [14], besides more appealing
conventional horizontal axis and vertical axis wind turbines,
payback periods [15, 16].
which implies higher power production efficiency and a
But then, to run a mini wind turbine under a wind regime
possibility of being used in urban areas with attendant low wind
dominated by relatively low wind speeds, efficiency is crucial: a
speed regimes for small scale power generation, being more
more efficient mini wind turbine would produce more power
portable. However, there exists a dearth of experimental reports
under same conditions than a less efficient one. The primary
on the Archimedes wind turbine besides CFD simulations, to
component of a wind turbine for extracting power from the wind
observe and study its real-life performance and power
is its blades, so the quest for efficiency has led to different
production potential. This paper is an experimental report on the
innovative blade designs, of which the most notable is the blade
design and wind test of the Archimedes wind turbine prototype,
design of the Archimedes wind turbine.
together with calculations made to gauge its tip speed ratio,
The Archimedes wind turbine has generated a lot of interest.
power output and energy production potential. To show the
Timmer and Toet (2009) [17] investigated the potential and
viability of the prototype, the power produced is used to charge
optimal power output of the Archimedes mini wind turbine and
a HTC Desire cell phone, which proves that it can be relied upon
reported a 12% efficiency for the turbine; Lu et al. (2012) [18]
to meet the title objective of small scale power storage with a
went further to numerically simulate a design method for the
power bank. Results are thereafter compared to other published
Archimedes spiral wind turbine blade they developed, using
work and show relatively good agreement. Minor deviations are
ANSYS CFX v12.1. Their work focused on the aerodynamic
attributed to the challenges encountered during the fabrication
characteristics of the blade model.
process.
Several other researchers have investigated mini wind
turbines in general -- the aerodynamics [19], low wind speed
INTRODUCTION behavior [20], wake rotation [21] and the effect of blade
Growing world population has led to an increase in global thickness [22]. Howell et al. (2010) [23] and Herbert et al. (2007)
energy demand [1], a fact concurred by Chen and Wu (2017) [2], [24] whose studies covered the performance coefficient
Kevin and Glenn (2017) and others [3, 4]. However, the current, predictions of small wind turbines through experimental and
top three widely used energy sources are finite and harms our numerical studies, and an economic analysis [25].
environment [5], a view shared by Dongsuk and Duk in their Hirahara et al. (2005) [26] investigated mini wind turbines
work on energy and environment efficiency [6]. Working of 500mm diameter blades and reported obtaining the most
towards sustainable and renewable energy is prudent for any efficiency at a TSR of 2.7. Ragheb et al. (2011) [27] also stated
economy [7, 8]. It is currently common knowledge that the that in order for a wind turbine to extract as much power as
rational solution to ensuring energy security is to turn to clean, possible from the wind stream, it has to be designed to operate at
renewable energy sources, and wind energy is an excellent its optimal wind tip speed ratio. Various studies have also
example [9]. Wind energy is ubiquitous, renewable and examined the viability of a mini Archimedes wind turbine using

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 CFD simulations, but to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no The blade profile was thereafter formed on the helical path using
report has involved a prototype built and tested for performance the boss/base feature (Fig. 1c). From this, the blade was cut so as
or power production potential. to form the required profile and then the single blade was formed
In this study, a mini Archimedes wind turbine is fabricated into three blades using the circular profile command (Fig. 1d).
with a blade diameter of 100mm and tested, then several The blades were all at 120o to each other, giving a total sweep
performance analysis carried out based on obtained experimental angle of 360 degrees. Fig. 1e shows the finished design.
data.
Table 1: COMPARISON OF ARCHIMEDES WIND TURBINE WITH OTHER WIND TURBINE TYPES.

NOMENCLATURE After being designed in SOLIDWORKS the file was 3D

printed, but then the length had to be shrunk to 75% due to
C Blade length along the shaft, similar to chord length. printer limitations. Hence the actual blade length is 75mm (the
Re Reynolds number diameter remains 100mm).
Si Scaling factor
ip Product size
im Model size
Vw Wind speed
R Radius
RPM Revolutions per minute
Ω Wind turbine rotor rotation
λ /TSR Tip speed ratio
v Kinematic viscosity of air (at 25oC)
HAWT Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine

METHODOLOGY
Fig. 1a: Shaft
DESIGN OF THE ARCHIMEDES WIND TURBINE
The design consists mainly of the rotor blade and the shaft.
A helix was used to form the three blades and they twist at a 120o
angle so as to obtain a 360o sweep. The blade length was
designed to be equal to the base diameter at 100mm; with the
total shaft length being a little bit longer at 118mm.
The turbine is designed using SOLIDWORKS. First the
shaft is designed being the support on which the blades would be
built (Fig. 1a). From the base, a reference plane was placed and
then a circular profile describing the overall diameter of the blade
was made along with the rectangular profile which would make
up the blades (Fig. 1b).
A helical path was thereafter generated with a pitch of
100mm and 1 revolution, which completed the helical profile.
Fig. 1b: Helix on shaft

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 MATERIALS
To test the prototype, several equipment were used,
including a MABUCHI 3R 12V DC Motor, a Multimeter for
measuring the voltage and a digital wind anemometer. A
Supreme Air LV unit served as wind source.
After 3D printing the prototype, it is attached to the DC
motor, which is held horizontally in place with a clamp. Wires
are attached to the motor and connected to a voltmeter to
measure the voltage obtained. The digital wind anemometer is
used to measure the velocity of the incoming air into the blades.
The obtained voltage and power are noted down for different
values of the incoming velocity of the air. The values are used to
generate a power curve and determine cut-in and cut-out
velocities. The rated power is also determined for the prototype
as well as the tip speed ratio, which is an important parameter in
the study of wind turbines.
Fig. 1c: Extrusion of single helix on shaft

Fig. 2: Schematic of the experimental setup. The motor

was held to the stand and wires are attached from the motor
Fig. 1d: Final output of 3 helixes to the voltmeter to measure the value of the induced EMF.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Below are results on voltage variation with wind speed and
the power curve output based on the turbine’s performance over
a range of wind speeds (0.5m/s to 35m/s):

Table 2: VOLTAGE AND POWER OBTAINED WITH

INCREASE IN WIND SPEED

Fig. 1e: Finished design

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 From Fig. 5, the optimum TSR for this turbine is
approximately 1.48 at a wind speed of 4m/s. This result shows
6 that lift forces are prevalent at lower wind speeds, which agrees
5 with literature on one of the advantages of the Archimedes wind
4 turbine -- efficiency in low wind speeds. Beyond this optimum
tip speed ratio, drag forces seem to dominate and the TSR
Voltage

3 plunges below 1.0.

2 Table 3: TIP SPEED RATIO AT DIFFERENT WIND SPEEDS
1 Vw (m/s) Volts Ω (calculated RPM) Ω (rads-1) λ
0 2.90 1.40 700 73.30 1.26
3.90 2.16 1080 113.10 1.45
0 10 20 30 40 7.30 2.52 1260 131.90 0.90
Wind speed 10.00 3.00 1500 157.10 0.79
Fig 3: Experimental data on the variation of voltage at 14.00 3.80 1900 199.00 0.71
different wind speeds. 20.20 4.35 2175 227.80 0.56
25.00 5.20 2600 272.30 0.54
30.00 5.20 2600 272.30 0.45
35.00 5.30 2650 277.50 0.40

Fig 4: Power output curve of the turbine.

Cut in and rated wind speeds of 2.9m/s and 25m/s, Fig. 5: Graph of λ against Vw, showing transition of lift to drag
respectively, were recorded, with 35m/s as the design cut out dominance.
wind speed, as that speed was observed to have approached the
The yearly average wind speed of 5 cities in the
structural limitations of the prototype (Table 2). Based on these
geographical zone (Fig. 6) underscores the potential of this
values, further analysis were carried out.
turbine for urban usage considering its remarkable efficiency at
TIP SPEED RATIO wind speeds of around 3.5m/s to 6m/s according to the TSR chart
The tip speed ratio is one of the most important parameters in figure 5. And this is just a small prototype. The data is
in gauging the aerodynamic quality of a wind turbine. TSR refers obtained from a weather website: weatherspark.com.
to the ratio of the blade tip speed to the free stream wind speed
and is given by:
(ΩR)
λ=
Vw

Maximum motor RPM = 6000RPM.

Rated voltage on the motor at maximum RPM = 12V.
So 5.2V was obtained at xRPM at a rated wind speed of 25m/s,
hence:
x ≈ (5.2V x 6000RPM)
12V
Hammond Chicago Schererville Lansing Michigan City
Similarly, the RPM for the other wind speeds were obtained for
Yearly avg. (m/s)
the voltage values (Table 3), and a graph of Vw against λ plotted
to determine the optimum TSR (Fig. 5). Fig. 6: Average yearly wind speeds of 5 cities in the
prototype’s geographical area.

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 REYNOLDS NUMBER Table 4: PARAMETERS OF THE JINGYUAN 50W HAWT [30]

This is another important non-dimensionless parameter in

the aerodynamic study of wind turbines. A Reynold’s number of
over 106 signifies a turbulent domain, which translates to more
stress on the blades, amongst other challenges that turbulence
presents.
The Re is given by:
Vw × C
[28]
𝑣

For the point where the optimum TSR was achieved, Vw = 4m/s;
C = 0.075m; v = 15x10-6 m2/s. This results in a Reynolds number
of approximately 2x104, which is laminar.

ENERGY POTENTIAL USING A SCALED UP VALUE

To put the results obtained in perspective, the power
production potential of the prototype was compared to an
arbitrarily chosen horizontal axis wind turbine, which is the
Jingyuan 50W Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (Table 4). This
turbine was chosen because at 3m/s cut-in wind speed, it has
approximately the same cut-in wind speed with the prototype.
Scaling is a mathematical representation of another object
such that a particular physical attribute can be deemed similar
Table 5: PARAMETERS OF THE ARCHIMEDES WIND TURBINE
and examined without a need for the original object. In this case,
MODEL
the important aspect scaled was the blade diameter. For the
scaling factor:
ip
Si = [29]
im

The diameter of the Jingyuan 50W HAWT is 0.8m, and its

maximum power output is stated as 75W on the product’s
website. On the other hand, the diameter of the Archimedes wind
turbine prototype is 0.1m. Using the scaling formula above,
0.8
Si = = 8.
0.1
Hence, scaled power output = 10W x 8 = 80W.

ENERGY
Continuing from the scaled value, an approximate total
energy that could be produced by the model per year at this size
and at an assumed capacity factor of 0.3 is given by:
Rated power x Capacity Factor x 8760
This results in, CHALLENGES
80 x 0.3 x 8760 = 210.24KWh. This prototype has the potential to perform much better than
reported. The size of turbine originally designed was not what
80W represents over 106% of the power of this commercial was obtained due to the limitations of the 3D printer, so the
horizontal axis wind turbine manufactured with more expensive motor size was found to be a bit too heavy for the turbine.
materials, despite the energy losses in the Archimedes mini wind Attaching the motor to the turbine was problematic due to
turbine during operation. The same conclusion applies to the the shaft being hollow. When it did get attached, it was not
yearly energy output, assuming equivalent capacity factor. perfectly horizontal. This resulted in another force component
The turbine was also used to power a cellphone when it and subsequent greater torque for the small turbine to deal with.
exceeded the 5V mark during testing, which proves that the The absence of a second grip on the other side of the turbine
objective of using this for power storage is viable. Table 5 lists caused it to wobble at higher speeds, which led to loss of energy
the parameters of the Archimedes wind turbine prototype. (high speed translational motion in addition to the rotation).
Further loss of energy occurred in the form of sound due to this.
This led to drag forces increasing dramatically with increase in
wind speed because the energy losses got more marked.

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 CONCLUSION [12] Deolalkar S. P., (2016), Chapter 8 - Capital Costs,
Savings, and Payback Period, In Designing Green Cement
Results on the Archimedes mini wind turbine prototype
Plants, Butterworth-Heinemann, pp 197-198.
show that it is indeed a viable design for enhanced wind energy
[13] Heysel C.S., Filion Y.R., (2014), “Estimating the Payback
harvesting efficiency. It is quite efficient at low wind speeds and
Period of In-line Micro Turbines with Analytical
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Probabilistic Models”, Procedia Engineering, Vol. 70, pp
typical mini horizontal axis wind turbine for the same operating
815-822.
conditions, despite the design challenges the prototype endured
[14] Ikeda T., Tanaka H.,Yoshimura R., Noda R., Fujii T., Liu
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H. (2018), “A robust biomimetic blade design for micro
As a mini wind turbine prototype, this turbine design can
wind turbines”, Renewable Energy, Vol. 125, pp 155-165.
indeed be used to extract power from the wind in areas with low
[15] Abhishiktha T., Ratna K. V., Dipankur K. S., Indraja V.,
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Krishna V. H., (2016) “A review on small scale wind
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in a 5V rated power bank for later use. Therefore, it can be used
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