Free 186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook:  
Get tool plans

User Tag List

Results 1 to 10 of 10

Thread: Wind turbine explodes and topples - GIF

  1. #1
    Jon
    Jon is online now Jon has agreed the Seller's Terms of Service
    Administrator
    Supporting Member
    Jon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Colorado, USA
    Posts
    26,495
    Thanks
    8,126
    Thanked 40,363 Times in 11,800 Posts

    Wind turbine explodes and topples - GIF

    Wind turbine explodes and topples.




    Previously:

    Wind turbine blade counterweight - GIF
    Flat packing a wind turbine - GIF
    Enormous wind turbine blade transported over stone arch bridge - GIF

    186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook
    New plans added on 12/06/2024: Click here for 2,617 plans for homemade tools.

  2. The Following 6 Users Say Thank You to Jon For This Useful Post:

    dubbby (Mar 9, 2020), high-side (Dec 23, 2018), PJs (Dec 26, 2018), rgsparber (Dec 22, 2018), Seedtick (Dec 22, 2018), tuchie (Jan 24, 2024)

  3. #2
    Supporting Member rgsparber's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Phoenix, AZ
    Posts
    1,324
    Thanks
    780
    Thanked 2,848 Times in 672 Posts

    rgsparber's Tools
    The fact that it was captured on video tells me they wanted to record this failure.

    Rick

    2,000+ Tool Plans
    Rick

  4. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to rgsparber For This Useful Post:

    bigtrev8xl (Dec 23, 2018), Frank S (Dec 23, 2018), PJs (Dec 26, 2018)

  5. #3
    Supporting Member toma's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Serbia
    Posts
    124
    Thanks
    80
    Thanked 65 Times in 44 Posts

    toma's Tools
    Before the blade failure..one explosion on the ground happened..!

  6. The Following User Says Thank You to toma For This Useful Post:

    PJs (Dec 26, 2018)

  7. #4
    Supporting Member Philip Davies's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Reading, Berks, UK
    Posts
    938
    Thanks
    1,276
    Thanked 1,055 Times in 357 Posts

    Philip Davies's Tools
    There seems to be a vehicle close to the base explosion, which narrowly escaped destruction.

  8. #5
    Supporting Member astroracer's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Byron, Michigan
    Posts
    311
    Thanks
    20
    Thanked 576 Times in 174 Posts

    astroracer's Tools
    Quote Originally Posted by toma View Post
    Before the blade failure..one explosion on the ground happened..!
    The impact on the ground is from a piece of one of the blades as it starts to come apart. And I agree with Rick on the "wanting it to happen" speculation. Insurance maybe? Letting it spin itself apart is cheaper then demolition costs?... Who knows...
    Mark

  9. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to astroracer For This Useful Post:

    Frank S (Dec 23, 2018), PJs (Dec 26, 2018)

  10. #6
    Supporting Member mklotz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    LA, CA, USA
    Posts
    3,537
    Thanks
    362
    Thanked 6,565 Times in 2,162 Posts

    mklotz's Tools
    If the mechanism that feathers the blades in high winds fails, the blades will spin faster and faster. Folks living nearby might notice the speedup and anticipate what the results might be.

    Recently I watched a TV documentary that described the problems they're having with erosion of the leading edges of the blades and the efforts required to repair said damage before a blade fracture occurs. While blade weakening may certainly be a factor here, I think the real culprit is malfunction of the feathering equipment and the resultant overspeeding of the blades.
    ---
    Regards, Marv

    Failure is just success in progress
    That looks about right - Mediocrates

  11. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to mklotz For This Useful Post:

    astroracer (Dec 23, 2018), Frank S (Dec 23, 2018), PJs (Dec 26, 2018), that_other_guy (Jul 17, 2024)

  12. #7
    Supporting Member astroracer's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Byron, Michigan
    Posts
    311
    Thanks
    20
    Thanked 576 Times in 174 Posts

    astroracer's Tools
    That makes sense to me... thanks Marv.

  13. The Following User Says Thank You to astroracer For This Useful Post:

    PJs (Dec 26, 2018)

  14. #8
    Supporting Member Toolmaker51's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Midwest USA
    Posts
    5,336
    Thanks
    7,044
    Thanked 3,012 Times in 1,901 Posts

    Toolmaker51's Tools
    All good analyses, including insurance. The explosion at base might be fracturing bolts and footing. Interesting to me; two lowest blades about 120° and 240° fly off at their respective angle. Third blade however launches good as vertical, not re-entering GIF frame til 3-4 seconds later. If the speed shown by the lower blades any indication, #3 near certainly flew up 1 blade length, because it appears to have flipped end for end! Holy Moley!
    So Marv, what altitude can be calculated as attained?
    Sincerely,
    Toolmaker51
    ...we'll learn more by wandering than searching...

  15. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Toolmaker51 For This Useful Post:

    Philip Davies (Dec 25, 2018), PJs (Dec 26, 2018)

  16. #9
    PJs
    PJs is offline
    Supporting Member PJs's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Northern CA
    Posts
    1,844
    Thanks
    8,431
    Thanked 1,129 Times in 725 Posts

    PJs's Tools
    As I pecked through the vid it appears to me that the blade that first shreds at the tip actually hit the staunchion causing the shred, possibly from a high powered gust. The pieces that hit the ground in front of the truck appear to me to be blade fragments...but could be base bolts/anchors exploding as well.

    Also interesting to see the truck jump up as the head hits the ground behind it.
    Last edited by PJs; Dec 26, 2018 at 02:00 PM.
    ‘‘Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.’’
    Mark Twain

  17. The Following User Says Thank You to PJs For This Useful Post:

    Toolmaker51 (Dec 26, 2018)

  18. #10
    Supporting Member KustomsbyKent's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    South Dakota
    Posts
    250
    Thanks
    2,509
    Thanked 185 Times in 110 Posts

    KustomsbyKent's Tools
    I agree with PJ's about the blade hitting the stauntion, and that's what caused it to disintegrate. A high gust of wind and/or over speeding of the blades likely caused that.
    When my dad was alive in the late 1980's, he built some of his own wind generators, and he built his own blades. As a kid, I saw a few of these disintegrate when the blades flexed, hit the pole and blew apart just like this one. When his worked, they generated a lot of electricity for base board heaters.
    I'm always happy to see the modern wind generators... It reminds me of my dad and what he was trying to accomplish on a personal level.



    2,000+ Tool Plans

  19. The Following User Says Thank You to KustomsbyKent For This Useful Post:

    PJs (Jan 3, 2019)

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •