Alternative Energy Institute: TXDOT Installations
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Alanreed, TX area HWY I-40 Safety Rest Stop |
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AEI and USDA Bushland research center personnel, with the help of a crane and TXDOT bulldozer, installed this turbine in September, 2003. This is a 50 Kw Atlantic Orient. After installation, it was discovered that the hydraulic oil which operates the tip brakes was not designed for the temperature our summers produce. With the additional temperature, air bubbles and expansion occurred causing a tip brake malfunction. After much back-and-forth with AOC the company, we have now got the turbine going with a different design of tip brakes. Besides a few minor controller glitches, the turbine is commissioned and producing power. AEI is currently(9-18) designing a display system to install which will show weather conditions as well as the power output of the turbine. This will be viewable by the public from the rest stop main building. |
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Pine Springs, TX area US-180 Rest Stop |
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| AEI with the help of local crane operator
Jimmy Fuson(Carlsbad), installed this 10 kw Bergey in the fall of 2002.
Soon after installation we had to make a repair trip to replace a nosecone
that had fallen off. The high winds had broken the fiberglass around
the bolts. When we arrived at the site, we discovered that the
inverter had also quit working. We then sent in the inverter to
Xantrex/Trace and they said that the problem was a defect in their
transformers in which the insulating material would conduct under certain
conditions. Since then Bergey has redesigned the nosecone to fix their
problem and Xantrex/Trace has improved their supplier for the internal
transformers.
This turbine is currently running, fulfilling about 1/3 to 1/4 of the parks energy needs. We have also installed a display system that shows travelers the power output from the turbine as well as the current weather conditions. Click here for detailed information on this system.
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These projects possible through funding and assistance by:
and
