Magnetic levitation or maglev technology is a technique which is used to lift the objects with the help of magnetic fields. Pressure of magnetic field is used to suppress the effect of gravitational and other forces. As wind is a form of renewable source of energy, it can be used to generate electricity by converting kinetic energy into electric energy with the help of wind turbine. The advantage of maglev windmill over a convectional one is, mechanical friction is reduce significantly as the rotor is floating in air due to levitation.

1. GUJARAT TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
Chandkheda, Ahmedabad
LJ INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
A Project Presentation on
MAGLEV WINDMILL
Submitted By:-
1. Patel Abhishekkumar Jagdishbhai
Mr. Pratik Moradiya
Faculty Guide
Mr. Tushar Thakkar
Head of the Department

2. Sr. No Topics
1. Problem Statement
2. Current Available Solutions
3. Proposed Solutions
4. Features Of Proposed Solutions
5. Timeline And Key Milestones
6. Research And Development Done Till Date
Presentation Flow

3. Problem Statement
 Friction is more in the components of the conventional
windmill which results in greater noise, less efficient and
reduce life of the windmill.
 Stronger tower construction is required to support the
heavy blades, gearbox, and generator.
 They require an additional yaw control mechanism to
turn the blades toward the wind.
 It can cause vibrations, stresses and bending moment on
the shaft due to the weight of the blades. Also due to the
more height sturdy design of the tower.
Domain
Windmill

4.  When the turbine turns to face the wind, the
rotating blades act like a gyroscope. As it pivots,
gyroscopic precession tries to twist the turbine
into a forward or backward somersault. For each
blade on a wind generator’s turbine, precessive
force is at a minimum when the blade is
horizontal and at a maximum when the blade is
vertical. This cyclic twisting can quickly fatigue
and crack the blade roots, hub and axle of the
turbines.
 Cyclic stresses fatigue the blade, axle and
bearing; material failures were a major cause
of turbine failure for many years.
 Due to its height it obstructs visibility across
large areas. (Above figure shows friction losses
due to gear train and stresses
developed due to the weight of the
blade.)
Horizontal axis wind
turbine

5.  Increase in maintenance cost
and service cost
 There are around 100
windmills working in an area
occupying acres of land.
 Though wind is a renewable
source of energy but its not
able generate more
electricity from available
wind i.e. its less efficient.

6. Vertical axis wind turbine(VAWT) instead
of Horizontal axis wind turbine(HAWT)
 Accepts wind from any side in case if
wind changes its direction.
 No gyroscopic effect as in HAWT.
 Maintenance is easy compared to
HAWT as its on ground level.
 Produces less noise as compared to
HAWT.
 Strong support is not needed.
 Low Production cost compared to
horizontal axis wind turbine.

7.  Low Production cost
compared to horizontal axis
wind turbine.
 Easy installation and easy to
transport.
 Can be installed in urban
areas. Low risk for human and
birds as blades move relatively
low speed.
 They are particularly suitable
for areas with extreme weather
conditions, like in the
mountains where they can
supply electricity to mountain
huts.

8. Concept Implementing Of Magnetic Levitation In
VAWT
 Magnetic levitation (maglev) or magnetic
suspension is a method by which an object is
suspended with no support other than magnetic
fields. Magnetic force is used to counteract the
effects of the gravitational acceleration and any
other accelerations.
 Due to absence of mechanical contact in Magnetic
bearing , there will be no wear and tear and will be
suitable for long term use
 It produces less noise while working, also it doesn’t
require lubrication
 Less maintenance.
 As friction is eliminated as much as possible, which
results into less power loss than conventional
windmill.

9. Best Features Of Our Solution
 Compared to a normal windmill, the maglev windmill would be 1,500 times
more powerful. An average windmill now has the power to supply energy to
500-700 homes. The maglev wind turbine would be able to supply power to
nearly 600,000 - 750,000 homes.
 This huge step forward comes from the fact that each blade operates in a
frictionless environment. This is possible because powerful magnets suspend
the blades in the air.
 So far, magnetic bearings have only been used for smaller pumps and turbines,
but the technology was not to the point to handle this technology on a bigger
scale. Replacing conventional bearings in the design of a wind turbine by
magnetic levitation technology could be the missing link to make this project
work, offering almost no friction between the moving parts which means the
blades would float above the base. This maglev technology improvement
would boost efficiency hundreds of times.

10.  Other advantages of the magnetic levitation windmills is that a maglev turbine
can use wind starting from small velocities: the mills have starting speed as low
as 1.5 meters per second, and can operate with winds exceeding 40 meters per
second.
 This improvement would add thousand of operational hours annually to
windmills in areas with a low average wind speed. Also cool to know is that the
maglev model will use less space. This isn’t any ordinary windmill, you know:
today, 1000 windmills take 65 million sqm. A maglev windmill producing the
same amount of energy would only need 400,000 sqm – a huge difference. Even
more promising/unbelievable… the estimated lifespan would be 500 years!

12. Timeline And Key Milestones
Selection of domain
and problem
statement
Research and
study about wind
turbine
Researching about
solutions that are
available and how
can it be made
better
Concept of magnetic
levitation in the wind
turbine and how it
reduces friction to
minimum with its
effect on power
generation
Calculating other
factors that affect
magnet to remain
stable as well as
powerful enough like
neodymium
permanent magnet
Calculating starting
speed, load on the
magnets, power
generation, stable
and efficiency

13. Research and development
Development of the
aerofoil blades used
in the turbine to
make it lighter and
improvement in
aerodynamics
Improvement in the
design of the
vertical axis turbine
to improve
efficiency
Development in the
design of the
maglev windmill to
be more compact

14. References
1. Dinesh N Nagarkar and Dr. Z. J. Khan ,” Wind Power Plant Using Magnetic Levitation
Wind Turbine”, International-Journal of Engineering and Innovative Technology (IJEIT)
Volume 3, Issue1, July 2013
2. Liu Shuqin ,”Magnetic Suspension and Self-pitch for Vertical-axis Wind Turbines”,
ISBN: http://www.intechopen.com/books/fundamental-andadvanced-topics-in-wind-
power/magnetic-suspensionand-self-pitch-for-vertical-axis-wind-turbines.2011.
3. Maglev Wind Turbine Technologies, Inc. (MWTT) & Off Grid Technologies, Inc. (OGT),”
Vertical Axis Wind Turbine 200 Mega Watt off Shore Wind Farm (VAWT Off Shore JV)-
City of Evanston, Illinois Lake Michigan Project”.
4. M. A. Mueller and A. S. McDonald ,” A lightweight low speed permanent magnet
electrical generator for direct-drive wind turbines”, Institute for Energy Systems,
Institute for Energy Systems, Edinburgh University, Edinburgh University, Edinburgh,
UK.