"Wind Furnace I" experimental wind-powered electrical generator
date: label: date made
content: 1976
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: This wind-powered experimental electrical generator, known as “Wind Furnace 1" (WF1) was designed, built and operated at the University of Massachusetts–Amherst. Part of a project to study residential energy conservation techniques, particularly with regard to space heating, the unit could produce an output of 25 kilowatts. WF1 was constructed in 1976 adjacent to the experimental “Solar Habitat 1" and was operated for about 10 years. Power was transmitted from the blades to the generator via a recycled power train from a Ford pickup truck. The electricity heated water in a storage tank in the house. The system worked, but too well. One former student who lived in the house reported having to open all the Solar Habitat's doors and windows during a blizzard because the system produced so much heat.
label: Description (Brief)
content: One of the key researchers was Professor William E. Heronemus, founder of the renewable energy program at U Mass. A US Navy captain and naval architect who worked with Adm. Rickover's nuclear program, Heronemus became convinced that wind power (and especially off-shore wind installations) could help the US overcome its dependence on fossil fuels. Many of the students who worked with the WF1 during their time at U Mass went on to work for a variety of turbine makers in the US.
label: Description (Brief)
content: Professor James Manwell wrote: “in many ways [the WF1] was more advanced than many [units] built afterwards in the late 1970's, 1980's and even 1990's. The turbine has 3 blades [with] a nearly optimum shape. The rotor turned at variable speed, and with a near constant tip-speed ratio so that it was maximally efficient over a wide range of wind speeds. Power control was done by changing the blade pitch. The turbine was controlled by a computer [and] was the forerunner of the turbines built by US Windpower of Burlington, MA."
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Electricity
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2010.0108.01
label: accession number
content: 2010.0108
label: catalog number
content: 2010.0108.01
objectType: label: Object Name
content: generator
label: Object Name
content: wind turbine
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: crate 1: 35 in x 45 in x 209 in; 88.9 cm x 114.3 cm x 530.86 cm
label: Measurements
content: crate 2: 69 in x 44 in x 115 in; 175.26 cm x 111.76 cm x 292.1 cm
label: Measurements
content: crate 3: 35 in x 40 in x 208 in; 88.9 cm x 101.6 cm x 528.32 cm
label: Measurements
content: crate 4: 84 in x 52 in x 122 in; 213.36 cm x 132.08 cm x 309.88 cm
label: Measurements
content: crate 5: 66 in x 44 in x 112 in; 167.64 cm x 111.76 cm x 284.48 cm
label: Measurements
content: crate 6: 4 in x 4 in x 288 in; 10.16 cm x 10.16 cm x 731.52 cm
label: Measurements
content: mast section 1: 194 in; 492.76 cm
label: Measurements
content: mast section 2: 70 in; 177.8 cm