Roland Valckenborg
| Proposal number: | 09 |
| Revision number: | 00 |
| Proposal owner: | Roland Valckenborg |
| Date: | 09/02/2013 |
| Background:Describe the background situation that leads to this project proposal – why should we do this? | Following the recipe book, one assembles the wooden blades with a front plane (triangle shape) and back plane (circle shape) made out of plywood. After finishing this rotor-blade assembly, one pushes it on the threads coming out of the rotor-magnet assembly.
It is the experience of I Love Windpower – Tanzania(ILWPT), that normally some extra balancing is needed with extra pieces of metal. And some fine-balancing is needed with a spokeshave and paint layer. This is the last part of manufactuing the Piggott-turbine. Now, the turbine needs to be transported into a rural off-grid area. The span of the 3m-model is just larger then the width of a normal pickup. Therefore the drive from the workshop to the rural customer is awkward. Moreover, a larger turbine is not possible to install because of this transport issue. The alternative to do the final manufacturing & balancing at the rural off-grid customer has appeared to be very frustrating; the environment of the customer is not conducive at all for this purpose. |
| Objective: | The objective of this project proposal is to desgin a blade assembly that allows the blades to be transported to the customer seperated from the finished turbine. One should realize that the customer is living rural and off-grid. Therefore the new design should make it possible to
1) assemble the blades on the turbine in the workshop for balancing purposes 2) dissamble the blades for transport 3) final re-assemble again at the rural off-grid site using non-power tools only, like spanners, screwdrivers, etc. It is no problem and even common practice to carry the 2.5 meter long testing pole to the customer, on which the fine-balancing is performed, before final erection on the tower. |
| Description deliverable: Describe the product outcome of the project – what will be delivered, and in which format? | The primary deliverable of this project is a detailed description of a new manufacturing/assembling procedure. This description can be made in the same style as the recipe book; using the same assumption of background knowledge that is expected.
Next to this, ILWPT would appreciate it very much if the assembly steps are also provided in the ‘LEGO-sketches’ of the format of Piet Willem Chevalier, because these technical drawings are used more by Tanzanians then the recipe book itself. If possible, it would be fantastic if one demonstration set of blades and front&back-planes of the new design are delivered. |
| Approach: Described the methodology to be used in the project – how are we going to achieve our targets? | ILWPT is convinced that the knowledge to make this ‘new design’ is available within WindEmpowerment. Therefore the approach to this project would be very much focussed on using the capacity and resources within our organisation, instead of inventing a completely new design. ILPWT would like to communicate with the project workers via skype, e-mail and telephone during the actual designing and prototyping phase. An instruction movie of this prototype can be published on the website of WindEmpowerment. |
| Estimated capacity & competences needed: | Capacity from the following stakeholders would lead to an efficient and fast project implementation:
1) Hugh Piggott himself 2) Noam Dotan/Comet-me has such kind of blade assembly, if I remember well. 3) other WindEmpowerment members that have experience with this kind of blade assembly. 4) Of course, I Love Windpower – Tanzania will provide all specific details for Tanzania to project team. 5) The project team itself |