The YouTuber behind the channel “Let’s Print” has developed two different wind energy projects and implemented them using 3D printing. Both vertical wind turbines are based on a different aerodynamic principle.
The first construction uses the buoyancy effect to turn. A total of nine 90-centimetre-long rotor blades were printed from ABS plastic and assembled into three complete rotors. These are mounted on aluminum rods in the vertical axis.
The second model rotates due to air resistance according to the so-called Savonius principle. The rotor consists of three blades arranged one above the other, which “catch” the wind on one side. The YouTuber provides the 3D model files for both wind turbines free of charge on Thingiverse (Model 1 und Model 2).
Practical tests showed that the Savonius design performed better despite less effort. The buoyancy rotors barely got going. According to the YouTuber, however, this design is generally better suited to higher speeds.
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