After two years of work and two days of onsite preparation, the Brown Building Society (BBS) raised and tested its wind turbine for the first time in Seekonk, Mass., on Saturday, May 5. Once raised, the turbine began turning in the light breeze, marking the successful conclusion of the first test.
Over the past two years, more than thirty students have been involved in the design and construction of the turbine. The turbine features a 3-blade 16 ft. diameter fiberglass rotor turning a permanent magnet axial flux alternator. The turbine is mounted on 22 ft. tall, guy wire supported, steel monopole tower with a built in winch system. The entire system, including the blades, alternator, and tower, has been designed and built from scratch by BBS members.
BBS is a Brown University engineering student group dedicated to undertaking undergraduate extracurricular group building projects. More information about BBS can be found on the BBS website and on the newly created BBS Facebook page.
Date
May 6, 2013