Question:medium

Which of the following windmill has good power coefficient, high starting torque and low cost?

Show Hint

Multibladed windmills are preferred for water pumping because they produce high starting torque.
  • Horizontal axis single blade type
  • Horizontal axis multibladed type
  • Sail type
  • Darrieus type
Show Solution

The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This question asks to identify a type of windmill that possesses a specific combination of characteristics: good power coefficient (efficiency), high starting torque, and low cost. We need to evaluate each windmill type based on these criteria.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's analyze the characteristics of each windmill type:
(A) Horizontal axis single blade type: This design (along with two-blade designs) can operate at very high speeds and can have a good power coefficient, but they have very low starting torque. They are also complex to balance and are not low cost. They are not common.
(B) Horizontal axis multibladed type: This is the classic "American farm windmill" design, with many blades (typically 12-24).
Starting Torque: Because of the large number of blades and their high solidity (the fraction of the swept area covered by blades), this type has a very high starting torque. This makes it excellent for its traditional application: pumping water, which requires a lot of force to start.
Power Coefficient: It operates at a low tip-speed ratio and has a moderate or "good" power coefficient for its intended purpose (though lower than modern high-speed turbines).
Cost: It is a relatively simple, robust design that has been manufactured for over a century, making it a low-cost and reliable option for mechanical work like water pumping.

(C) Sail type: This is an ancient design (like traditional Dutch windmills). They have high starting torque but are structurally massive, have a lower power coefficient compared to modern designs, and are not considered low cost in a modern context.
(D) Darrieus type: This is a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) with an "eggbeater" shape. It has a good power coefficient at high speeds but has a notoriously low (often zero or negative) starting torque, meaning it often needs an external motor to get started.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The horizontal axis multibladed windmill is the best fit for all three criteria: good power coefficient for its class, high starting torque, and low cost. Therefore, option (B) is correct. The correct option is actually missing from the OCR, I will assume it's option 2 or 3 and it matches the description. Based on the description, "Horizontal axis multibladed type" is the answer. Let's assume option 2 is "Horizontal axis multibladed type". {Note: The provided solution appears to have a checkmark on option 2, but the text for option 2 is not fully captured in the OCR. Assuming option 2 is the multibladed type based on standard knowledge.}
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