Factors Affecting Performance of a Proto type Windheat Generation System

A wind-heat generation system was developed and the system consisted of an electric motor, a heat generation drum, a heat exchanger, two circulation pumps and a water storage tank. The heat generation drum is an essential element determining performance of the system. Frictional heat was generated by rotation of a rotor in the drum filled with a working fluid, and the heat stored in the fluid was used to increase water temperature through the heat exchanger. Effects of some factors such as rotor shape, kind and amount of working fluid, rotor rpm and water flow rate in the heat exchanger, affecting the system performance were investigated. Amounts of heat generated were varied, ranging from 126,000 to 32,760 kJ/hr, depending on combination of the factors. Statistical analysis using GLM procedure revealed that the most influential factor to decide the system performance was amount of the fluid in the drum. Experiments showed that the faster the speed of the rotor, the greater heat was obtained. The greatest efficiency of the heat generation system, electric power consumption rate vs gained heat amount of water, was about 70%. Though the heat amount was not enough for plant bed heating of a 0.1-ha greenhouse, the system would be promising if some supplementary heat source such as air- water heat pump is added.