Calculating rotational g force

[1953greg]

i observed a wind turbine w/ 253' diameter rotor (according to website http://www.hcpd.com/powerresources/wessingtonspringswindfarm/ ) and timed rotation was 3.3 seconds. if my calculations are correct the tip speed was a whopping 229 mph!

is this enough info to calculate g forces at the tip?

any insight appreciated 1953greg

 

[sophiecentaur]

The acceleration is omega squared times the radius, where omega is the angular velocity.
OR you can use velocity squared divided by radius.
Be careful to keep your units right - use SI units and you are less likely to go wrong.

 

[astrokreng]

Yes, this information is sufficient to calculate the g forces at the tip of the wind turbine. The formula for calculating rotational g force is given by g = (v^2)/r, where g is the g force, v is the tangential velocity (tip speed in this case), and r is the radius of rotation (half the diameter of the rotor). Using this formula, we can calculate the g force at the tip of the wind turbine as follows:

g = (229 mph)^2 / (253 ft/2) = 2,910 g

This means that the tip of the wind turbine experiences a force 2,910 times the force of gravity due to its high rotational speed. This is a significant amount of force and indicates the strength and durability of the wind turbine's design. However, it is important to note that this calculation assumes a uniform rotation and does not take into account other factors such as wind resistance, blade design, and weight distribution. Therefore, the actual g forces experienced by the wind turbine may vary.