Wind is the natural movement of air or other gases relative to a planet's surface. Wind occurs on a range of scales, from thunderstorm flows lasting tens of minutes, to local breezes generated by heating of land surfaces and lasting a few hours, to global winds resulting from the difference in absorption of solar energy between the climate zones on Earth. The two main causes of large-scale atmospheric circulation are the differential heating between the equator and the poles, and the rotation of the planet (Coriolis effect). Within the tropics and subtropics, thermal low circulations over terrain and high plateaus can drive monsoon circulations. In coastal areas the sea breeze/land breeze cycle can define local winds; in areas that have variable terrain, mountain and valley breezes can prevail.
Winds are commonly classified by their spatial scale, their speed and direction, the forces that cause them, the regions in which they occur, and their effect. Winds have various aspects: velocity (wind speed); the density of the gas involved; energy content or wind energy. The wind is also a critical means of transportation for seeds, insects, and birds, which can travel on wind currents for thousands of miles.
In meteorology, winds are often referred to according to their strength, and the direction from which the wind is blowing. Short bursts of high speed wind are termed gusts. Strong winds of intermediate duration (around one minute) are termed squalls. Long-duration winds have various names associated with their average strength, such as breeze, gale, storm, and hurricane. In outer space, solar wind is the movement of gases or charged particles from the Sun through space, while planetary wind is the outgassing of light chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into space. The strongest observed winds on a planet in the Solar System occur on Neptune and Saturn.
In human civilization, the concept of wind has been explored in mythology, influenced the events of history, expanded the range of transport and warfare, and provided a power source for mechanical work, electricity, and recreation. Wind powers the voyages of sailing ships across Earth's oceans. Hot air balloons use the wind to take short trips, and powered flight uses it to increase lift and reduce fuel consumption. Areas of wind shear caused by various weather phenomena can lead to dangerous situations for aircraft. When winds become strong, trees and human-made structures are damaged or destroyed.
Winds can shape landforms, via a variety of aeolian processes such as the formation of fertile soils, such as loess, and by erosion. Dust from large deserts can be moved great distances from its source region by the prevailing winds; winds that are accelerated by rough topography and associated with dust outbreaks have been assigned regional names in various parts of the world because of their significant effects on those regions. Wind also affects the spread of wildfires. Winds can disperse seeds from various plants, enabling the survival and dispersal of those plant species, as well as flying insect populations. When combined with cold temperatures, the wind has a negative impact on livestock. Wind affects animals' food stores, as well as their hunting and defensive strategies.
I have read some of the responses to the question of why a wind turbine would not be a useful source of energy for a car. Why could it not be used as a supplemental source to extend travel?
Hi,
I want to express a wind pressure of 2400 Pascals in terms of km/h (speed) ?
The context here is Aluminium Openings having to resist such pressure.
Thanks in advance,
Regards,
Nicolas.
Across the street from my apartment there is a building under construction and a large jib crane is right outside my window. Today we have 20-30mph winds. All construction workers have gone home for the day. I see that the crane is rotating back and forth. It's very unnerving, but as I read...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuYFcjBmMJ0&feature=relmfu
at time 34:35. He says it depends on how fast the air is flowing by? So does that mean the velocity of sound in the equation f=nv/2L change? How are the different sounds produced?
Homework Statement
If a big star gives of wind , forming shock and then a bubble .. And then this bubble is driven by pressure
Also as the bubble expands the surrounding mass gets added to it
Does it make sense for the Total energy to increase ?
Homework Equations
The Attempt at a Solution
Homework Statement
You are a pilot on an F-16, waiting on a still aircraft carrier. You must fly to another aircraft carrier 1450 at 45* from your position, moving at 56 km/h due east. The wind is blowing from the south (To the north) at 72 km/h. Calculate the heading and air speed needed to...
Hi was wondering if anyone knows how to calculate the tension in a overhead conductor say 'Dog' conductor over a 100m Span with a wind of 900Pa given its properties are as below
'Dog' Conductor properties
Diameter = 14.15mm
Weight = 0.3965kg/m
Area = 118.8mm^2
CBL = 32.7kN
Expansion...
I don't know much on these kinds of things but I was just sitting here thinking with my fan on...
So particles or atoms or whichever heat up when they move faster/shake faster right? Why is it when the wind hits me I cool off? I assume the wind would speed them up even more right? I feel...
Homework Statement
Homework Equations
P = 0.3*rho*A*V^3
F = 0.44*rho*A*V^2
From what I know that may help:
Shear Stress (Torsion) = T*radius/(Moment of Inertia)
The Attempt at a Solution
When we were given this problem no one in the class had the slightest clue how to...
Hey community! First I'd like to say that this is just a concept. There are probably many faults in this idea since I'm only 16.
Basically, I was wondering if it would be possible for a car that runs purely off of wind/electricity. My concept would completely eliminate the need for gas...
Dear All,
I'm in a bit of a pickle. I have recently booked out the local wind tunnel in order to run some simulations on three home made model wind turbines. I am aware of how to theoretically calculate the available power (0.5*p*A*V^3) and that P=Tw (Torque * Angular Velocity).
Angular...
I am planning on building an above ground storm shelter that will be 16' x 16' by 8'. The footers will be 24" W by 12" D with 4-#4 rebar. Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) will be used for the walls then a 5" floor slab. Concrete space of the ICFs is 6.5" or 8" or 10" defending on someones...
It is a puzzle to see so many of the wind turbines that are idle.
Even in active wind farms, such as at Altamount Pass, it is usual to see at least 20% of the turbines idle. Older installations are usually idle as well.
Why is this?
Hydraulic turbines routinely run flawlessly for decades...
Against the Wind
One windless day you ride your bicycle at 25 km/h for one hour on a flat road. The next
day, you ride 5 km/h into a 20-km/h headwind for one hour on a flat road. Assuming that
the force of the wind (the primary "friction" in this case) scales with the square of the...
Hello,
a friend of mine has a "revolutionary" idea about harvesting wind power by using a "translational turbine". however, it all sounds silly to me. this is what it should look like:
is this a good idea for a wind "turbine"?
If i use a certain amount of energy/work - let's say 0,36 J - to wind up an old alarm clock, will the mass of the clock increase, or will the clock just get hotter somehow?
I am mechanical engineer and working on a project of electric car havin a wind mill on the top.
i am using 7 lead acid batteries and a DC series wound motor. The car has a wind mill for the recharging of the batteries.
I have read other thread on this forum which states that the wind mill on...
Homework Statement
Hi
I need help in calculating the forces on a domestic wind turbine that is retracted/extended by a hydraulic ram. It is very simular to the following photo:
I need to calculate the forces at the hinge and where the ram attaches. I have all the relevant dimensions and...
Hello,
i am Fluent beginner..im doing thesis about aerodynamics on solar race car..
have to study about its drag and lift coeeficient..
i need help about how to 3D mesh the car and the wind tunnel..
now i have draw the car model as one part and the big square as wind tunnel as another...
Homework Statement
Assume all speeds are constant.
(a) A plane flies at speed vstill = 203 km/h in still air. Now, there is a wind blowing at speed vw = 77.6 km/h, with its direction at 30.4 degrees to the east of north. If the pilot wishes to fly due north with the wind blowing, find:
- θ...
Hello everyone, I've found these forums extremely helpful in the past and I've decided to create an account in order to answer a question that has been going in my mind and I can't seem to find the answer.
The power a wind turbine can generate can be derived from the equation:
Power =...
Hello!
As part of a project related to dam overtopping induced by wind (wave run-up and wave set-up), I am looking for information on how to calculate fetch lenghts for a reservoir.
I would appreciate any information about it.
Thanks!
Hey I am making a game with basic a projectile that includes gravity and wind and I don't know how I can control the wind direction and power. Here is what I've got without wind:
Setup:
x = 0 /// x starting position
y = 0 /// y starting position
r = 10 /// radius of projectile
time = 0...
Howdy -
We're a small nonprofit that hosts a single annual event. For advertising this event we construct a large sign on a hilltop that's visible from the nearby highway. In years past this sign would last a few weeks before it would be destroyed by wind. Obviously our guess on how strong...
Homework Statement
Two sites are being considered for wind power generation. In the first site, the wind blows steadily at 7 m/s for 3000 hours per year, whereas the second site the wind blows at 10m/s for 2000 hours per year. Assuming wind velocity is negligible at other times for simplicity...
Hello,
I am doing research on on wind turbines and especially on offshore wind turbines for my MSc dissertation. My first degree is on electrical engineering so I have a basic knowledge on the matter I believe. I am looking for some books that can provide an in depth analysis on the...
Homework Statement
A large kite of mass 3.8kg is flying through the air on a windy day. Currently, the tension from the string on the kite has a magnitude of 8.7N at an angle θ=33.7 degrees. The current acceleration of the kite has a magnitude of a=6.28m/s/s at an angle \Phi=38.7...
Hi
What is the minimum kgf (or N) of a magnet to hold a 4m x 2.5m door?
The door will be outdoor and wind can hit it. The function of the magnet is to keep it open.
Best regards
josh
In a tube (open at both ends) that's vibrating at its fundamental frequency, is the air pressure the ambient air pressure at both ends and higher in the middle, lower in the middle, or can it be either higher or lower in the middle? Why?
If the same tube is vibrating at the frequency of its...
I understand that in theory one can adjust the blade pitch or the speed or the yaw to control a wind turbine. Every time I do a search on turbine control this is all I come across. However I want to ask the question at a more "actual" level. What actually happens.
Do they use PI control...
Hello,
As we know, when you blow over the neck of a bottle, it resonates at a certain frequency.
I want to build a cylinder that will resonate at a certain wind speed: 4 mph or about 1.78 m/s
I definitely know how to find the resonant frequency of a cylinder. However, I'm not sure what...
Hi guys,
I have been trying to measure the drag characteristics of a wind tunnel model by using a pitot-static tube set up. From which the transducer will output to me the stream-wise velocity profile based on the pressure differential measured.
Following which, in order to evaluate the...
the problem is with b. and c. but I would like verification on a if possible, thanks!
Homework Statement
A cabin lays on a smooth track (so friction can be disregarded)
the wind exerts a pushing force F=\gamma u u is the relative velocity between
the cabin and the wind. the wind's velocity is...
I am doing a wind tunnel experiment on aerofoil.
So i need some idea to mount my aerofoil in the test section.
The aerofoil is made of acrylic.
So which type of stick will suitable for my aerofoil mounting.
The configuration as shown in picture that attached. (Picture taken from google image).
i don't know if i am in right part of forum.
i want to build some sort of wind turbine for a school project. all the diy project are 6 or 9 coils with 8 or 12 magnets. the coils are on non magnetic board and the magnets on steel plate.
why on steel, the steel plate increase the total...
For my research purpose, I made a wind tunnel which has 0.6m rectangular section [0.2X0.2sq. meter] and 1.4m long diffuser section having porous top [top wall angle is 20deg] as follows:
Wind tunnel speed is 15m/s. Even using 20deg inclination of porous top wall, there is no flow...
My friends and I were having a discussion about falling and new the whole rate of acceleration and what not, but where unsure how to account for A) wind resistance and B) the act of jumping.
So assuming that we "jump" from a 7th story building, and assuming that each story is 10 feet, and all...
I've read about the rayleigh distribution representing the mean speed and the Kaimal Spectrum modelling the wind turbulence. But I don't really see the big picture.
I've looked through plenty of other ideas too but started with those as those are the ones that are from my notes.
I'm...
Michelson Morley experiment was sought to find out Earth's motion through ether, which allegedly produced ether wind. Thus the time required for two rays of light would be different, thereby producing interference pattern. Since Earth revolves arouns sun, and sun revolves around something else...
Homework Statement
Imagine yourself seated at the center of a spherical shell of radius 3 X 10^8 meters the inner surface being diffusely reflecting. A source at the center of the sphere emits a sharp pulse of light, which travels outward through the darkness with uniform intensity in all...
Hello All,
I'm currently in the process of designing a numerical model for a vertical axis wind turbine, more specifically, a straight blade giromill. I'm currently having trouble because depending on the variables I choose, I can produce more power than available from the wind.
My...
Belts and pulleys for WIND TURBINE ?
Hi, I have been working on a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine. The blades I am able to fabricate produce more torque than speed. I am adding a synchronous belt drive transmission. The current configuration is 1 rpm at the input and 7 rpm at the output. I have...
Homework Statement
If wind blows at 35m/s over a house, what is the net force on the roof if its area is 240m^2 and is flat?
Homework Equations
P=F/A and P1 + 1/2pv^2 = constant
The Attempt at a Solution
I have no idea on how to find pressure, because if I sub it into P1 + 1/2pv^2 =...
Homework Statement
In a tornado or hurricane, a roof may tear away from the house because of a difference in pressure between the air inside and the air outside. Suppose that air is blowing across the top of a 2200 ft2 roof at 136 mph. What is the magnitude of the force on the roof...
Please Help!
In dealing with wind induced forces, caused by vortex shedding action over a circular cylinder, we must calculate the parameter "Kw" (effective correlation factor), which depends on "L/b", "L" beeing the "correlation lenght" (Eurocode).
Is there any method, analytical (or...