Wind Turbines: Harnessing the Wind for Electricity

As early as the 1930's, wind was used to generate electricity in rural farming areas, mostly where electric distribution systems had not yet been installed. Now we have gone full-circle with modern, “personal use” wind turbines designed to produce electricity in homes when the wind is blowing.

Systems are now available that can either store electricity or, depending on the utility company, can spin the meter backwards, sending electricity back to the grid, giving credit to the wind machine owner. When the wind is not blowing, the house is powered by the utility.

Wind turbines can also be used on a larger scale to power neighborhoods, businesses and schools. Large turbines are grouped together into “wind farms,” which provide bulk power to the electrical grid.

When mechanical energy is used directly by machinery, such as a pump used to lift water from underground, the machine is usually called a windmill. A wind turbine is a machine for converting the kinetic (motion) energy in wind into mechanical energy.
If the mechanical energy is then converted to electricity, the machine is called a wind generator.

The two types of wind turbines, based on the axis on which the turbine rotates, are horizontal axis and vertical axis. The most common, horizontal-axis wind turbines, typically have either two or three blades which operate with the blades facing into the wind. Vertical-axis turbines have the motor shaft running vertically to the ground and usually result in lower energy extraction efficiency.

Wind turbines are also classified by the location in which they are used: onshore, offshore or aerial, and each have unique design characteristics. Wind turbines may also be used in conjunction with a solar collector to extract the energy of the sun.

Not all opinions are positive regarding wind turbines, however. Noise and vibrations from the rotating blades may interfere with the tranquility of some nearby country dwellers. In Kansas, many object to the interrupted land aesthetics converting wild prairies into vast industrial areas. Radio, TV, wireless Internet, phone, anything that receives or transmits over the airways may, in some areas, be affected by wind turbines. As a result of these problems, property values could be impacted.

Putting the wind to work is not a new concept and the use of wind turbines has caused problems for some. Corralling wind power for efficient, safe use has a way to go toward perfection. But we’re getting closer to efficiently utilizing the wind’s unlimited potential.

THE WINDMILL: An American Tradition

Windmills helped define the American West. Although in many parts of the country we tend to think of windmills as an old-fashioned method of drawing water from a well, they still are widely used today in rural United States and abroad.

On a recent trip to Eastern Oregon, I was fascinated with an old Aermotor windmill on an abandoned homestead north of Grass Valley. The dilapidated house and sagging barn spoke to me of a family with long-passed dreams and plans. The windmill, however, seemed to be in good shape–a few bullet holes, but it appeared to still be operable.

I could easily make out the manufacturer’s name on the wind vane, Aermotor, Chicago. What tales of history that old machine could spin!

Aermotor is known as the most popular water pumping windmill of the 20th century. Their windmills have been called the Cadillacs of windmills because of their outstanding design and quality workmanship. Even today, old reconditioned Model 702 mills, which have been in production since 1933, can command prices almost as high as those of factory fresh mills.

The phenomenon began in 1883 when Thomas O. Perry conducted over 5,000 scientific tests on 61 different experimental wind wheels. As the result of these tests, Perry figured out a way to design a wind wheel that was 87% more efficient than those currently on the market. The company he worked for was unimpressed.

Perry partnered with an astute businessman, LaVerne Noyes, and five years later, Noyes and Perry introduced Aermotor Windmill, much to the amusement of their competitors. But, within four years, Aermotor became the dominant supplier of windmills throughout the world. Not only did these windmills efficiently pump water out of the ground, the Aermotor design reduced maintenance costs. By 1904, Perry and Noyes transformed the Aermotor Windmill of Chicago into a major American industry.

A key to Aermotor’s efficiency is its wind wheel which consists of curved galvanized steel blades which are riveted to steel wheel clips which in turn are riveted to curved steel rims.

The pumping Aermotor is governed through the action of a slightly off-center wind wheel counterbalanced by a coiled governor spring. The wheel automatically turns away from increasing wind, because of its being off center, slowing its speed. As the wind decreases, tension on the spring causes the wheel to turn back into the wind. Thus, the free energy of the wind is captured.

Below the turning wheel, a long rod moves up and down. This “sucker rod” is powered by the windmill’s motor, a unique set of mechanical gears that converts the rotary motion of the wheel into a reciprocating up-and-down motion that powers the water pump located deep underground.

Over the years, the company changed ownership and locations, moving from Chicago, Illinois to Detroit, Michigan, to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, to Argentina, back to the United States to Conway, Arkansas, returning to Illinois at Decatur and finally to its present home in San Angelo, Texas.

This remarkable windmill can be seen in many parts of North America today as well as
in many countries abroad. Many thousands of them are in service, efficiently lifting ground water for agriculture and livestock.

According to Bob Bracher, Aermotor’s President and CEO, their windmill company is the “oldest and largest water pumping windmill producer in the world.” Further, they stock replacement parts for all of their windmills dating back to 1933, and many parts for models dating back to 1915. That’s American business integrity and ingenuity at work.

Book Review: Counting the Cost by Liz Adair

Counting the Cost by Liz Adair captures the essence of love: not always practical, often destructive, but present and undeniable nevertheless.

The fast-moving story takes place in 1930s New Mexico. When eastern society lady Ruth Reynolds moves onto a ranch where cowboy Heck Benham works, sparks instantly fly. There is a big problem though--Ruth is married and Heck is as honorable as he is hard-working.

Fate draws them together, but not without pain and heart-wrenching sacrifice and challenges. Yet, their love shines through at every turn, though the cost is perhaps more than anyone would bargain for.

Adair does a magnificent job of describing the New Mexico setting–its rugged people and stark countryside at a time when nothing came easy. A New Mexico native, she paints the story with meticulous detail and historical accuracy to the ranching and social norms of the era.

Counting the Cost is available through Inglestone Publishing Bookstore www.inglestonepublishing.com, the author’s website www.lizadair.net,or Amazon.com.

CELEBRATING TRADITIONS: Our Children's Birthright

Nephew Dan Helfenberger and grandson Jacob Black. Family campout at Bumping Lake Campground, WA

Even in our past-paced world, many families maintain close and loving relationships. Their members live near each other, respond when needed, and socialize together. Other families, due to a variety of reasons, cannot be so close, but still manage to share their lives whenever possible.

Family traditions--the yearly or regular celebration and sharing of personal events-- greatly nurture such closeness. Whether they involve holidays, reunions, or sports, these ritual gatherings not only strengthen families, but also provide life-long memories.

Our grown children now have children of their own. Among the joys of being a grandparent is watching our children pass along the "customs" they enjoyed as kids.
One favorite is sharing ghost stories which their father would tell during family campouts. Years later, our son recited the same eerie tales at a campout. As one of his stories unfolded to ghastly delight, I watched with enchantment as our little granddaughter inched closer to him. The grandchildren have outgrown ghost stories, but not the campouts–they’re still a yearly favorite.

Our campouts began many years ago, starting out with our children, then expanding as they married and had children of their own. Now we include extended relatives and even relatives-to-be. The campouts have traditions of their own–special nights around a crackling campfire, roasting marshmallows and making ‘smores.

Holidays provide a wealth of family traditions. Children love to take part in rituals that commemorate religious, seasonal, or historical occasions. By adhering to certain procedures prescribed for each, precious memories are woven into their sense of belonging.

When I was young, our Christmas stockings consisted of one sock from a new pair of knee-high stockings stuffed with nuts, candy, and small gifts. I continued this tradition with our children and now, our grandchildren. This year we stuffed 13 pairs of Christmas Stockings. Many family members have told us how special these “lumpy socks” are to them and how they look forward to this tradition.

Food is another important part of family celebrations. My daughters, and sometimes granddaughters, too, and I prepare for Christmas by gathering on a chosen day and baking dozens of cookies and other delights. We're always open to trying new recipes, but tradition mandates that old favorites appear on the cookie tray. Each of us prepares cookie trays to give as gifts. For years, in whatever neighborhood my husband and I have lived, we make our rounds to our neighbors, distributing colorful plates of Christmas cookies.

Remember, not every event has to be perfect. Let other people help and add their touch. Personal involvement helps solidify traditions. Failures and challenges are a way of life–it’s how we handle them that can become opportunities for growth. Try to keep a sense of humor and a positive attitude. Who knows, maybe a deviation from the norm will pave the way toward a new tradition.

You don’t have to have a holiday in order to form a tradition. Even the simple tradition of the family eating dinner together is important. Eating together wasn't even an issue when I was growing up--to do otherwise hadn't occurred to us. But in today's on-the-go world of two working parents and conflicting schedules, it's a practice that should be revived more than occasionally. Mealtime is a good time to make family connections.

Each summer, our grandchildren, one at a time, have spent a few days with us. The visit allows us to "catch up" with each grandchild and gives that child an opportunity to soak up lots of individual love and attention. Some of our grandchildren are now on their own and it is no longer possible to carry on the tradition, but the memories remain.

Many traditions, like respect for thrift, are passed down. My husband can fix almost anything, often using materials from other discards that he has carefully dismantled and stored, as his father did before him. Mending clothes, recycling articles among siblings--these and other traditions have proven valuable to our family over the years. These practices have often freed up funds that otherwise wouldn’t be available.

Adolescents sometimes scorn or avoid the family events they loved as little children. My advice: Be patient and allow them to actively make the choice whether to participate. This ambivalence may go on for years, but more often than not, they will return to tradition when they have families of their own.

It's fun hearing our children and grandchildren recall good times from their childhood. Now, when I watch these same traditions being recreated within their own families, it is particularly gratifying. Good times, family times, are important. The magic of tradition is that it not only makes for fun and family enrichment in the present, it also creates strong bonds for future generations.

Review: The Last Cowgirl by Jana Richman

Jana Richman’s The Last Cowgirl, chronicles the Sinfield family’s move from the Salt Lake City suburbs to a small, ill-equipped ranch near Clayton, Utah. The novel spans over a forty year period, toggling from Dickie Sinfield’s career as a successful journalist in Salt Lake City to flashbacks of her childhood. A family tragedy takes Dickie from her comfortable city life to visit the family ranch, and forces her to come to terms with her childhood.

The move from city to country satisfies her father’s cowboy fantasies. Dickie’s older brother thrives and happily sheds his city skin while her mother and older sister ignore the move and manage to carry on their lives as before. Seven years old at the time of the move, Dickie finds herself excluded from either extreme. Although there are good times with a neighboring boy, Stumpy, and a wise neighbor, Bev, Dickie, accident-prone and without a shred of self-confidence, spends much of her childhood in fear of her environment.

The novel is at times hilarious with the enactment of the cowboy lifestyle, at times sad with the struggle of being placed in an environment foreign to familiar comforts. The Last Cowgirl, however, is always entertaining with its strong characterization, vivid images of the countryside, and deep personal insights. Jana Richman’s honest approach to her characters make you feel like you’ve known them for years.

The Last Cowgirl (William Morrow/Harper Collins Publishers) won the 2009 WILLA Literary Award for Contemporary Fiction.

Do We Live on the Same Planet?

For most authors, finding a publisher is the point of writing a book. Sure, we find the actual writing the most pleasurable and satisfying part of our profession. But most of us anticipate the reward of seeing the book published, holding it in our own hands, seeing it in the hands of others, and, hopefully, having it sell.

Once I finished my latest novel, Tenderfoot, a romantic suspense with a sub-plot of the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption, I thought I’d try casting it in the daunting ocean of New York publishers. I didn’t go through an agent, thinking I’d just try it on my own.

To my surprise, I received a telephone call from a New York publisher. Oh, my! She felt the story was well written, but found it confusing. “If this mountain was going to erupt, why would anyone be on it?”

“But, it’s true, fifty-seven people lost their lives as the result of that eruption.”

“Why would anyone be on a mountain that’s going to explode?”

That’s a tough question to answer. Many of those who died were scientists, some were reporters, some loggers, people who had business on the mountain. But many more were people who just wanted to be where the action was, wanted to see for themselves what all the commotion was about, people who didn’t want to miss out.

“Well,” the New Yorker replied, “I don’t understand that mentality and I personally don’t think the story is believable.”

My mind whirled. There seemed to be nothing I could say that would convince this lady that my story, although fiction, was based on the actual incidents surrounding the blast.

“Then,” she continued, “you mention ‘sheriff.’ This isn’t a western. If this story takes place in 1980, you wouldn’t call law enforcement ‘sheriff,’ it would be ‘police'."

I tried to keep out the incredulity from my voice. “Where we live in Washington State, our local law enforcement is conducted by the Sheriff’s Department.”

She sighed. “I guess I just don’t understand you people.”

Mount St. Helens: A Fitting Backdrop for Tenderfoot

News of the devastating Mount St. Helens eruption of May 18, 1980 quickly spread around the world. News wasn't the only thing that spread--500 million tons of ash rose nearly 16 miles (63,000 feet) into the atmosphere and within days encircled the earth. A lateral blast of trapped gasses traveled 650 miles per hour across nearby hills, stripping the land and killing nearly every living thing in its path.

Fifty-seven people lost their lives as the result of the eruption. Two hundred thirty-four square miles of forest lands were destroyed. Trees were either blasted away, felled like pieces of straw, or scorched while standing. Wildlife perished by the thousands. Mixtures of melted snow, rock and mud formed wet cement-like slurries which bulldozed through forests, destroying roads, bridges, homes, and livestock. The face of the mountain and surrounding area were changed forever. Lives were changed forever, too.

This true story of Mount St. Helens is the backdrop of my latest novel, Tenderfoot, a story of new beginnings through devastating endings. A story of love–love of family, of land, of life.

Corrie Stevens is looking for a new life. She’s willing to sacrifice comfortable city living for the rugged ranch life that’s always fascinated her. But she doesn’t count on it being rugged on her already wounded heart.

J McClure is tough–you have to be in the ranching business. He’s had years to wall up his feelings of loneliness and despair. When his wife died, leaving him with a little girl to raise and a ranch to run, he had little choice but to put feelings aside and do whatever he could to hold things together.

When Corrie and J run into each other–literally–sparks fly and lives change. It isn’t just the mountain that explodes.

Just released: Tenderfoot
Treble Heart Books http://TrebleHeartBooks.com/METrimble.html
Author’s website: www.MaryTrimbleBooks.com