The ancestors of windmills appeared almost four thousand years ago in Egypt. Initially windmill had a constant direction of the blades and a belt drive to the axis of the stone millstone. Later, gears and bearings appeared in the design, rotating mechanisms. Such a device was successfully used without radical changes until the beginning of the last century and is also used now.

Reasons for the success of wind energy

The characteristics of wind energy are unique. The properties that have contributed to the long-term success of windmills deserve special mention. Comparison of the characteristics of energy sources allows us to understand such a long-lasting and geographically widespread use of wind energy:

But wind also has disadvantages. For example, the proverbial impermanence. The direction of the wind changes so often that it was even necessary to create mills with a rotating body. And the change in wind strength from hurricane to calm does not allow us to count on the stability of energy supply. Other natural springs energies are also unstable and have their own shortcomings. The sun does not provide energy at night, and during the day it can go behind the clouds. There are not rivers everywhere, and where there are, they can dry up or freeze for months.

Another disadvantage is the low wind density - 1.29 kg/m3. For example, the density of water is almost a ton. To obtain the same amount of energy, the area of ​​the blades of a windmill must be 750 times larger than that of a water mill. And for such structures there must be a corresponding housing.

But, nevertheless, for almost four thousand years, wind has been in demand as a source of energy on the European, Asian and African continents. And now they don’t forget about him.

How the wind turns the blades

Since air has mass, air movement has kinetic energy. When an object appears in the path of wind blowing in a certain direction, their interaction can be described using force vectors. The wind will push the obstacle and push itself in the opposite direction. In this case, the blade, fixed to the axis of the structure, will bend along the axis of rotation and spin on it. Graphically it looks like this:

After contact, the wind is reflected from the blade, leaving it with some energy:

1. to bend the blade in the direction of the wind, which the structure resists with the force Fl2-1, creating potential energy. The wind force vector Fв2-1 will decrease by the amount of this force;
2. creating kinetic energy of rotation, the force Fl2-2 acts on the blade. At the same time, the wind force vector Fв2-2 decreases, changing its direction.

Magnitude kinetic energy transmitted by the wind through the blades depends on the mass of air interacting with the blade, the speed of its movement, the direction relative to the blades - the more perpendicular, the better.

In the mill itself, in addition to the design of the blades, it is possible to minimize friction losses by using bearings on the axis and gears in the transmission mechanism, or by installing the generator directly on the axis of the blades.

Knowing how a mill works, you can try to make one yourself. At least in decorative purposes.

How to calculate the wings of a mill

First you need to decide why and where to build a mill. Usually the wind machine is installed in an open area, for example - at the dacha. If trees grow close and densely around the fence, you will have to make a high casing for the windmill. In this case, a foundation will be required.

Low but heavy buildings also need a foundation. For summer cottages, it is enough to lay concrete or dense rows of bricks around the perimeter of the future building to a depth of 0.7 meters. For decorative structures, it is enough to scaffold and compact one layer of brick, which insulates the structure from moisture.

Now we need to decide why the mill should be built. There are many options:

• for lifting water from a well;
• to generate electricity;
• to repel moles;
• for storage garden tools;
• for decorative purposes.

The order of options is presented to reduce the power requirements of the device, i.e. to simplify the mechanism. Determining design requirements remains the right and responsibility of the owner.

Let us immediately remember that the real power of a household windmill does not exceed 500 W at a wind speed of 5-8 m/s. However, electricity can be accumulated, including, if necessary, powerful consumers for a short period of time. For example, a pump for lifting water.

The main thing in a windmill is the blades. First of all, to determine the design of the blades, you need to know that the greater the power, the larger the projection area on the plane of rotation the blades should have. This is achieved by increasing the number, length, area and angle of rotation of the blades.

To calculate the average power of a structure, you will need to know the strength of the usual winds for the construction area. In addition, the mill blades must be perpendicular to the prevailing wind directions. This information should be found on the Internet by searching for “wind speed statistics” and “wind rose” for your region.

All that remains is to calculate the size of the blades. For example, the average wind is 5 m/s, and the power consumption of an electrical appliance is 100 W. Losses for converting the kinetic energy of rotation of the mill axis into electrical energy will be about 20% - 40%.

The efficiency can be calculated taking into account the exact passport values ​​of the efficiency of the generator on the axis, rectifier, stabilizer, converter direct current into alternating voltage 220 V. When calculating, the percentages of losses are not summed up; it is necessary to sequentially multiply the efficiency of each device to obtain the efficiency of the system for converting rotation into electricity. Another half of the wind power is lost on the blades.

Conversion losses can be reduced by eliminating, for example, a DC-AC converter if the actuator can be powered by a battery. The absence of any other device is also possible if the voltage and current are not of great importance for the operation of the device - for example, a small incandescent light bulb, or even more practical - an LED light bulb.

The power of a wind generator is directly proportional to air density, multiplied by the wind speed to the third power (for 5 m/s - 125). If you divide the result by twice the projection area of ​​the blades on the plane of rotation, you get the power that the generator can generate on the axis of rotation of the blades.

For example, you can calculate the projection area for 4 blades 0.5 m wide, forming a circle with a diameter of 2 m during rotation, fixed at an angle of 60 degrees to the plane of rotation. The area according to the formula d/2*sin(30)*0.5*4 is equal to 2/2*0.25*4=1 square meter.

This design, with the most common average wind speed in Russia being 5 m/s, receives energy from the wind in the amount of 1.29*125/2*1 = 80 W. Withdraw half for conversion to rotational movement, remove 25% for conversion to electricity and you will be left with about 30 W for consumers. The maximum wind power in such a wind on blades that completely cover the area of ​​the circle in projection can increase by 3.14 times. As a result, the consumer will get a maximum of about 100 W. Not too bad.

If LEDs are used for decorative purposes, the size of the mill will change to ridiculous levels, if there was a low wind along the ground.

Without conversion to electricity, wind energy is used to repel small insects living underground. It is enough to lower a wooden axle rotating from a windmill 15 centimeters into the recess, and the vibration of the soil will scare them away several meters without disturbing the owners.

Types of wind turbine blades

Blade designs come in not only vertical rotation, but also with horizontal. The blades may have screw design , variable windage. Mills were built to last for centuries and so that each building was unique. Modern designs also amaze with their diversity.

Statistics and prospects

In Russia at the end of the 19th century, about 200,000 flour mills operated. A regular wind turbine produced a power of 3.5 kW, a large one with a blade diameter of 24 meters - up to 15 kW. The total power they generated at that time reached 750 mW. Now wind power generators and a few mills for other purposes are used. And they all produce 50 times less energy than 100 years ago, as much as 15 mW. Development plans. Certainly. are being created, because the wind potential over our country is tens of billions of kilowatts.

Until the plans are realized, one can paraphrase the famous expression of Vladimir Mayakovsky and say: “If mills are being built, does that mean someone needs it? Does that mean someone wants them to exist?” The mesmerizing beauty of working mills has become a powerful inspiring factor for craftsmen creating masterpieces in their yards and summer cottages.

At one time, the windmill was an important structure that allowed a large number of operations. With its help, it was possible to easily grind grain into flour or feed for livestock. Today, no one uses mills that would operate from the flow of wind or water, but they are successfully used in landscape design. What is the working principle of the mill and is it possible to assemble it yourself? This will be discussed in the article.

Principle of operation

The operating principle of a windmill can be described quite simply. As driving force air flows are used that are constantly moving. The wind affects three main nodes:

• blades;
• transmission mechanism;
• mechanism that does the work.

In mills that were used before, the blades could be several meters long each. This was done to increase the wind capture area. The dimensions were selected depending on what function the mill performed. If more mill power was required, then the propeller was larger. The mills that ground flour were equipped with the largest blades. This is due to the heavy millstones that had to be rotated. The shape of windmill blades has improved over time, and they were created in accordance with the laws of aerodynamics, which made it possible to increase their efficiency.

The next module of the windmill, which follows the blades, is the gearbox or transmission mechanism. Sometimes only the shaft on which the blades were mounted served as such a module. At the other end of the shaft there was a tool that did the work. But such a windmill mechanism is not particularly safe and reliable. It is simply impossible to stop the mill if necessary. In addition, the shaft could easily break if something jammed it. A gearbox is a more efficient and elegant solution. It is suitable for converting the rotation of the blades into useful work of various nature. In addition, by disconnecting the gearbox components, the interaction can be easily stopped.

The equipment that could be used and is used with the mill is very diverse. In addition to millstones, these can be various blade-based grinders, thanks to which you can prepare feed for livestock in a short time. The mills could have installed carpentry equipment, which was driven by the force of the wind.

Where can the mill be used?

Mills are experiencing a rebirth, but this is not due to a return to production methods that were used before. All more people wonders about the principle of operation of such a design. Those who saw with one eye a small windmill that was installed in someone’s garden wanted to have a windmill on their property. The mill can be exactly the highlight that was missing for the garden area with trees. The mill adds personality to any area. It is difficult to find two identical mills that were made by hand. Each master brings his own achievements.

The windmill can be modified and used as a generator electrical energy. This will allow you to illuminate the yard using LED bulbs and not pay for electricity. This will require certain knowledge of physics and ingenuity. In a similar way, you can use a mill if a small stream flows through the area.

The approach to landscape design should be moderate. You can plant a variety of flowers and other plants without much difficulty, but it will look tasteless. Each project should have its own highlight. You can rarely surprise anyone with an evenly trimmed lawn. A mill on the site will provide an opportunity to stand out. Near it you can set up a small corner for relaxation after a hard day; it can be a hiding place for little things dear to your heart. Other possibilities for using such a mill are described below.

Additional uses

A windmill can be not only a generator and simple element which will decorate the site. It may have other practical uses. That is why it is worth thinking carefully about where exactly it can be installed. For example, if an automatic watering system is installed in the garden area, then most likely there may be a hatch in which all the water supply units are located. Such a hatch cannot be hidden under lawn grass, but if this is not done, then it will stand out and spoil the look. Just in this case, a mill will come to the rescue. It can be mounted directly on the hatch cover, thereby hiding it. At the same time, visitors will not have any suspicion that something is wrong.

Sewerage elements are not always hidden in hatches. In addition, there may be other elements on the lawn that need to be hidden. Due to the fact that the material selected for the mill is light, it cannot damage the elements. The housing is also made in the form of a cap, so it can be installed on top. If you build a mill of large dimensions, then the children will be endlessly happy about it. They will be able to use the mill to play with friends. If the structure is to be used in this way, it must be well strengthened so that it does not injure the children. In addition, you will need an entrance, which must be made from the back side.

Many tools are used to care for the garden and lawn. It is more convenient if it is located directly on the site and you do not have to return to the storage room near the house for it. A mill can help with this too. Inside the mill you can equip an excellent room for storing equipment. To keep it as compact as possible, you can build various garden organizers. The mill can be built from natural stone or refractory bricks. In this case, you can think through everything so that it serves as a barbecue. You can also build a small table for this.

Note! A problem for many are moles, which constantly dig into the garden. This issue can be partially resolved using a mill. It is capable of transmitting vibrations from rotation. This is done due to the fact that the legs are dug into the ground at least 20 cm. Additionally, vibration motors can be mounted in the windmill structure, which will scare away animals.

DIY making

Making a mill should not be taken lightly. Although the design of a windmill may seem quite simple, everything must be calculated correctly. Only in this case can you get a truly worthwhile product that can decorate the site. The first step is to select the area where the wind turbine structure will be installed. If you place the product between trees, it will get lost there and will not be pleasing to the eye, in addition, the wind force between the trees is less, so the rotation of the blades may be practically absent, which will be bad if there is a generator inside.

Note! It is easier to deliver the required materials to open areas, and it is also easier to assemble the windmill blade structure.

After selecting a site for a windmill, it is cleaned and prepared. The first step is to clean up various elements, which may interfere. This applies to old branches, bushes or large weeds. If a tree previously grew on the site, you will need to uproot the stump. After harvesting, the grass is removed and a small section of soil is removed in the place where the mill will be located. Next, the foundation is prepared on which the windmill will be mounted.

Drawing

No strict rules for assembling your own version of the mill. The main task will be to draw a good schematic drawing. It should show all the details of the mill. Depending on the selected area and the purposes assigned to the mill, the dimensions are selected. They must be indicated directly on the sketch. An example is visible in the photo above. The next step is the selection of material for the mill. Wood is suitable as a material, but it must be treated with an antiseptic and also varnished so that it does not swell from exposure to moisture and is not eaten away by pests.

Note! An excellent solution for the design of a wind turbine would be pine. It is impregnated with resins, so it perfectly repels moisture. The cost of such wood is relatively low, so it is perfect for the intended purpose.

Foundation preparation

When everything is clear with the dimensions, you can move on to making a foundation for the windmill. This is an optional procedure, but it is required if the windmill is of significant size and is used as Staff only. Is being dug up small hole to a depth of 50 cm. A layer of crushed stone is added in a layer of 15 cm, and medium-grained sand is laid in the same layer. It must be well compacted and leveled so that the windmill stands level. Next, the formwork is set to the height to which the foundation for the wind turbine will rise. In most cases it is not required.

A reinforcing mesh is placed inside the hole under the windmill foundation. It is made of reinforcement, which is intertwined with knitting wire. Concrete is poured from above. It must be compacted well so that there are no voids that could cause cracks in the windmill foundation. Installation of the windmill on the foundation can be done after a few weeks.

Assembly

First of all, you will need a frame for the mill. It can be made from wooden beam with dimensions 5x5 cm. It must be attached not to a concrete base, but to a small grillage. It can be made from timber with a size of 10×10 cm. A square or rectangle is made from timber. Everything will depend on the chosen design. The elements are firmly connected to each other. It is necessary to check whether each goal corresponds to 90°. After this, a layer of roofing felt waterproofing is laid on the foundation under the mill. It is necessary to prevent moisture from the concrete from damaging the wood. Placed on roofing felt wooden structure the base of the windmill and screwed to the base with anchors.

The next step is to install a frame made of logs. Stands for the mill are attached to the four corners. Most often, the mill walls have trapezoidal shape, so the bars are not attached at a right angle, but with a slight slope. To do this, they must first be trimmed. Fixation to the base is carried out metal corners. When the four mill stands are in place, it is done top harness. Additionally, transverse struts are attached, which will increase the strength of the entire mill structure. This is exactly the moment when it is necessary to strengthen the places where the window and doors will be located.

The next step is to construct the roof of the mill. A small one looks great in windmills gable roof. They are built from bars triangular trusses, which are mounted on top of the mill. After this, all the walls of the windmill, except the front one, are covered. Windmill casing can be done wooden clapboard or block house. Closer to the roof with front side windmill, the mechanism on which the blades will be installed is fixed. This could be a pipe into which several bearings are pressed. You can attach it to the horizontal crossbars of the windmill frame using clamps. A metal shaft from the blades is inserted into the bearings. It can be made from a piece of reinforcement.

One of the most complex elements of a wind turbine is the propeller. Above is an approximate design of windmill blades. The dimensions can be increased proportionally depending on the dimensions of a particular wind turbine design. After this, the propeller is installed on the previously prepared shaft. Now you can sew up the front wall of the windmill. Next, a window and doors are installed in the windmill, and the internal space is organized. Corrugated sheeting or metal tiles are suitable as roofing for a wind turbine. A video about assembling a decorative windmill is below.

Note! It is important to provide a mechanism that will lock the windmill shaft. This will be needed during strong winds so that the windmill blades are not damaged.

Summary

As you can see, a windmill or windmill can be quite a useful addition to the garden. Thanks to its unique appearance, the windmill will definitely attract the attention of passers-by and guests. In addition, a windmill will greatly simplify the task of garden maintenance. Inside the mill you can place pump equipment and main control units, which will protect them from adverse weather conditions.

Buildings located on the plot or summer cottage, are usually created in strict functional style. As a rule, they do not have any specific decorative elements and look appropriate for their purpose. At the same time, the desire to somehow decorate and enliven the territory of the site is common to most owners. There are many options for solving this issue. Most commonly used technologies landscape design, with the help of which absolutely any piece of land can be decorated.

One of the options for creating an unusual look is construction of a windmill. The solution is somewhat unexpected, but invariably effective, requiring detailed consideration.

Design and principle of operation

A windmill is a device that transforms the operation of a flour-grinding mechanism. This is the traditional purpose of mills, which performed almost the only work - grinding grain and making flour. The blades (wings) of the mill received the wind flow onto their planes and began to rotate. It was transferred to the millstones, which ground the grain and produced flour. The design of a windmill is a prototype of pumps and other mechanisms of today that use flows.

Nowadays, it is rare to find a working windmill; they are mainly kept in ethnographic reserves as exhibits. At the same time, they are quite serviceable and can do their job quite effectively.

Decorative element or practical structure?

It is impossible to use a windmill as a full-fledged structure for grinding flour. Firstly, the size of such a structure is not suitable for relatively small areas. In addition, there is currently no need to grind grain. That's why windmills built on garden plots, perform a decorative role. At the same time, a rotating rotor, if it is capable of performing its functions, can be used for various household needs:

• power generation;
• activation of the water pump;
• The windmill housing can be adapted to store various equipment.

The choice of how to use a windmill is the prerogative of the owner of the site, but the most common purpose of such structures is to decorate the site and introduce folklore motifs into the design style. This point cannot be considered secondary or unimportant, since appearance just as much as practical application requires a competent and creative approach.

What might it be needed for?

IN in this case key point independent production of the structure becomes. In addition to certain practical goals that are pursued when creating a windmill, it is important creativity, the opportunity to make an effort to self-registration plot.

Such a structure can be used in different ways, for example, using a windmill you can decorate a water well. Often, such structures cover the exit to the surface of sewer collectors. The use of a windmill for its intended purpose is not excluded - for the purpose of driving mechanisms or generating electric current, for example, to illuminate an area.

Important! Decorating the territory is an important factor in itself, but if possible practical application windmill for household needs, its value increases many times.

Another possible use for such an element is a place for children's games. Children enjoy playing in various houses, and if it is stylized as a mill, it becomes even more interesting.

Selecting an area for installation

The choice of location is influenced, first of all, by the owner’s plan and the purpose of the structure. If planned purely decorative use, then the mill is placed based on considerations of picturesqueness, external effect, that is, in an open area that provides good review structures. If the device is functional, then the choice will be influenced by the level of the site and the absence of large buildings nearby that can cover the blades from wind flows.

In addition, the location must be taken into account engineering communications, buildings or structures that could be interfered with by the rotating wings of the mill. If they are located opposite the window, the constant flickering in the eyes will create significant inconvenience for the people in the room.

It should also be taken into account that you will need to have a normal approach to the construction, especially if you plan to make it an element of a children's room playground. Taking into account all these considerations, the optimal location for the construction of the mill is selected.

Step-by-step instruction

Creation of a mill happens by the usual scheme, used in the construction of any structures:

• creation of a project (working drawing)
• purchase of materials, selection of tools
• site preparation
• housing and rotor assembly
• installation of mechanical elements (if planned)
• launch, debugging operating modes

Some steps in this list may be unnecessary; sometimes, on the contrary, additional actions may be necessary. The final action plan can only be drawn up after considering the specific structure, its operating conditions, dimensions and other parameters.

Important! In no case should you neglect the creation of a project. It is often at this stage that significant errors or additional factors are discovered that radically change the approach to the work being performed. Making at random can result in a waste of time and materials.

Required materials and tools

For creating a decorative windmill It is best to use traditional materials:

• beam,
• boards,
• turned logs,
• nails,
• self-tapping screws

In addition, depending on the size and purpose of the mill, materials may be needed to create a foundation:

• cement,
• sand,
• reinforcing bar.

It is equally important to have the necessary tools:

• electric saw,
• electric plane,
• hand saw,
• chisel, chisel,
• pliers,
• hammer,
• electric drill with a set of drills,
• ruler, roulette.

Depending on the construction project, other tools or devices may be used if the need arises.

Foundation

The first steps you will need to take to initial stage, this is preparing the site for construction. If the construction is planned to be quite large, for example, under a mill it is necessary to decorate a storage for tools, equipment, engineering devices, then a foundation will be required.

The most in a simple way pouring the foundation will create a strip type foundation. To do this, a ditch is dug along the perimeter of the future walls, formwork is installed inside, reinforcement cage and concrete is poured. The foundation is maintained right time for sufficient crystallization of concrete, after which further work can be carried out.

Note: For small decorative structures, a foundation is not required; it is enough to raise them slightly above ground level to prevent contact with groundwater.

Once the foundation is completed, construction of the windmill body begins.

Choosing the type of walls and roof

The construction of the walls and roof of the mill is carried out in strict accordance with the working drawings, completed in advance at the very beginning. Various options are possible:

• construction of walls from turned logs. Performed when creating a large mill designed to perform certain economic functions.
• construction of walls from timber. This method is somewhat simpler, since fitting timber is much easier than fitting logs. The size of the mill is also quite large.
• creating a frame followed by cladding with boards. This type of construction is suitable for smaller mills.

The options considered involve the construction of a structure directly on site. There may be options when the entire structure is assembled in one place, for example, in a garage or workshop, and installed ready-made in its intended place. This approach can be used to create small decorative mills, which can be transported within the site.

The construction of the walls is completed when the creation of the roof begins. Traditionally it is made in two or hipped design. As roofing material any of the ancient, traditional roofing coverings- tiles, shingles, etc.

Wood is a material that is not resistant to atmospheric moisture and rain. The finished structure must be protected from water by applying a layer of varnish or drying oil. The best option There will be preliminary impregnation with an antiseptic and fire retardant to protect the walls from insects or fire.

Features of building a functional mill

If a windmill is going to do useful work, it is designed in a rather complex way. The design consists of a rotating rotor that transmits movement to a generator, from which the resulting voltage is transmitted to the battery and inverter. This is the most difficult one, there may be simpler options. But they are all united by one feature: the rotor shaft is connected to a specific mechanism.

This circumstance forces us to approach construction from a different angle:

• first the working mechanism is mounted;
• walls or a protective box are built around it with the possibility of access to equipment for repair or maintenance.

In such situations, construction is carried out so that the walls and roof of the mill do not impede the rotation of the wings or block access to the mechanics. Otherwise, the work is carried out in a similar way using the same materials and tools.

Wind generator installation

Installation of a windmill is necessary in cases where it was made in a workshop. Typically such structures have small sizes and are quite accessible for transportation within the site. This option is good for repairs, modernization or Maintenance. The ability to carry out work in a normal workshop, and not under open air, gives many advantages and provides high quality repair or maintenance.

The mill is installed on a dry, prepared site. If necessary, the device is attached to it using anchors. If the structure is horizontal and does not have the ability to be installed in the wind, then care should be taken in advance to choose a location that allows you to use the prevailing direction of flow for the given region.

When it comes to windmills, one immediately remembers the famous literary hero of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra - Don Quixote, in whose fevered brain they appeared as giants. The first windmill appeared on the banks of the Nile (about three thousand years ago); it was in these parts that wheat was produced bountiful harvest. The first designs were quite primitive. It took at least five to six hours of work to grind a bucket of grain. Hand millstones in the presence of one physically strong man allow you to grind a bucket of wheat in an hour and a half.

Principles of grinding grain into flour

The process of turning grain into flour modern mills takes place in several stages. Before grinding, the grain is cleaned in special installations. Sieves allow you to separate the mass by size, and special triers remove impurities from it. This is a rather clever machine, it recognizes the configuration of individual grains and discards anything that differs in shape. Next, the mass is soaked. This operation is necessary to make the surface layer (called bran) easier to remove. The bran contains the husk and germinal zones of the grain. Now comes the most crucial moment - cutting is performed. It allows you to speed up the process of grinding grain on millstones. Modern millstones are in many ways reminiscent of those that were used in ancient times. This is two circles. One of them is stationary, and the other rotates relative to the first. There is a feeding hole in the top one; grains enter here. The grain moves from the center to the periphery, in contact with the surface of the millstones. They press with a certain force, tearing off a thin layer, which turns into flour. As the whole grains wear away, nothing remains but flour, which falls off the surface of the motionless millstone. The finishing operation is the separation of flour on sieves. Flour passes through the thinnest premium, then other varietal fractions are separated. On the coarsest sieve, relatively large particles remain - this is semolina, beloved by many (but some do not like it).

How to catch the wind

The nature of wind is the movement of a stream air masses. Somewhere the wind blows at high speed every day, but there are places where they cannot wait for it for a long time. The sailors were the first to catch it; the sails easily caught the light breeze and pulled the ships in the direction of the stream. Somewhat later, they learned to set oblique sails; it became possible to move at angles, tacking; experienced sailors could sail against the wind. To drive the rotating millstones, several sails had to be positioned differently. They were sewn to radial guides sitting on the shaft. Then they converted it into blades. Now the pressure of the air flow forces each blade to move, here the forward movement of the air is converted into a rotational movement of the shaft. A simplified drive windmill had millstones that rotated in a horizontal axis. The inventors of antiquity overcame many difficulties to find ways to press a stationary millstone against a rotating one. Among the drawings of the Egyptian pyramids there are those that show how the wind in a mill grinds grain into flour.

Classic windmill

The question of how to transfer rotation from the horizontal to the vertical axis could not be resolved for a long time. Repeated attempts were made to change the direction of rotation of the shafts. But a technical solution was never found. The manuscripts contain diagrams of devices for converting rotation directions. The most common design is attributed to Archimedes (the windmill according to Archimedes is depicted in frescoes taken by the Romans from Syracuse). He came up with gears made from logs attached to wheel rims. The brilliant idea was embodied in tens of thousands of mills scattered around the world. In them, the wind forces a horizontal shaft to rotate, at the end of which a wheel is installed. On its rim there are firmly fixed teeth (round bars), installed with a certain pitch. A vertical shaft is installed perpendicular to the horizontal shaft. It also has a wheel with similar teeth. The result is an analogue of a gear mechanism that transmits torque at a given angle (in this case, 90°). A vertical shaft rotates a movable millstone, grain is evenly poured into it, which turns into flour. The result was a flour mill.

How does a modern mill work?

IN modern designs Instead of a complex gear mechanism made of wood, other devices are used to transmit rotation. Today, several dozen mills operate on the coast of the Iberian Peninsula alone. They use friction variators - gearboxes that convert the direction of rotation and also provide desired speed rotation of the working shaft. In Norway and Iceland, a slightly different drive is used; bevel gears made of bronze work there. It's the 21st century, but the windmill still finds use in our time.

What mills are in use today?

Large volumes of industrial grain processing cannot be accomplished using wind alone. To drive the rotation of the millstones, synchronous electric motors with a phase rotor are used. They can smoothly change the shaft rotation speed. Grain and flour are characterized by thermoplastic properties - melting when heated. During the grinding process, the surface temperature of the millstones increases, so the rotation speed is limited to reasonable limits. If not limited, the flour may ignite, and its presence in the air may lead to an explosion. Modern millstones have a rather complex cooling system inside them. Temperature sensors are installed in their operating area that monitor the progress of technological process. The introduction of computers into technology has not spared milling. In modern mills, sensors for monitoring various parameters are installed throughout the entire technological chain: from receiving grain into a warehouse to packing flour into containers and loading it into a vehicle that will deliver it to a bakery or store.

DIY mill

Mini-mills are used in farms for preparing feed using coarse flour. It is known that the animal body absorbs crushed grain rather than whole grain. For this purpose, small grain crushers or coarse grinding machines are used. A do-it-yourself mill is created in the following sequence. We need to make millstones. For this, two thick-walled disks are used, their working surfaces are cut with a beard or chisel. The result is millstones. A hole is then drilled in the top millstone. A cone made of thin-walled sheet metal is welded to it (a feeder that supplies grain to the grinding zone). They organize the drive of a rotating millstone, it is easiest to use here V-belt transmission. Therefore, a pulley is bolted to the upper disk. A pulley is also installed on the electric motor shaft. Now the rotation of the motor shaft will be transmitted to the millstone of the mill. All that remains is to enclose the entire structure in the housing and start producing flour.

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Educational program: How a mill works

Have you ever wondered how flour is made from grain? I've always been interested in how ancient mills worked. In Suzdal everything was explained to us in detail.

It is clear that the wind rotates these blades. They had a wooden frame, and they were covered with fabric, canvas.

Do you know what these sticks at the back of the mill are for? Do you think it won't hit? ;)

And here are the figurines. With their help, the entire mill was TURNED to catch the wind, isn't that funny? :-))

The mechanics of the mill were explained to us using this model, which was located inside the real mill and, unlike the last one, was in working order ;-))

Well, in general, the wind rotates the blades, the blades rotate this horizontal log:

A horizontal log, with the help of ancient gears, rotates a vertical log:

The vertical log, in turn, with the help of the same gears, rotates these kind of stone pancakes - millstones, down there, see?:

And from above, grain poured into the holes of the millstones from these boxes, similar to inverted pyramids. The finished flour fell through holes in the wood of the front wall into a special box called a “bottleneck.”

Remember the fairy tale about the bun? ;) “Grandma swept the barn with a broom, scraped the bottom ends...” As a child, I always wondered what kind of bottom ends were there in which you could spread flour onto a whole bun? In our apartment, flour wasn’t just lying around in boxes. ;-)) Well, not even forty years have passed since the riddle was solved! 8-)))

Mill - wind and water

The most ancient devices for grinding grain into flour and peeling it into cereal were preserved as family mills until the beginning of the twentieth century. and were hand-held millstones made of two round stones made of hard quartz sandstone with a diameter of 40-60 cm. The oldest type of mills are considered to be structures where millstones were rotated with the help of domestic animals. The last mill of this type ceased to exist in Russia in the middle of the 19th century.

Russians learned to use the energy of water falling on a wheel with blades at the beginning of the second millennium. Water mills have always been surrounded by an aura of mystery, covered in poetic legends, tales and superstitions. Wheel mills with a whirlpool and a whirlpool are in themselves unsafe structures, as reflected in the Russian proverb: “Every new mill will take a water tax.”

Written and graphic sources indicate the wide distribution of windmills in the middle zone and in the North. Often large villages were surrounded by a ring of 20-30 mills, standing on high, windy places. Windmills ground from 100 to 400 pounds of grain on millstones per day. They also had stupas (grain grinders) for obtaining cereals. In order for the mills to work, their wings had to be turned according to the wind changing direction - this determined the combination of fixed and moving parts in each mill.

Russian carpenters have created many diverse and ingenious versions of mills. Already in our time, more than twenty varieties of their design solutions have been recorded.

Of these, two main types of mills can be distinguished: “post mills”

Post mills:
a - on pillars; b - on the cage; c - on the frame.
and "tent tents".

The first were common in the North, the second - in the middle zone and the Volga region. Both names also reflect the principle of their design.
In the first type, the mill barn rotated on a pillar dug into the ground. The support was either additional pillars, or a pyramidal log cage, cut into pieces, or a frame.

The principle of tent mills was different

Tent mills:
a - on a truncated octagon; b - on a straight octagon; c - figure eight on the barn.
- their lower part in the form of a truncated octagonal frame was motionless, and the smaller upper part rotated with the wind. And this type had many variants in different areas, including tower mills - four-wheel, six-wheel and eight-wheel.

All types and variants of mills amaze with their precise design calculations and the logic of cuttings that withstand winds great strength. Folk architects also paid attention to the appearance of these only vertical economic structures, the silhouette of which played a significant role in the ensemble of villages. This was expressed in the perfection of proportions and grace carpentry work, and in carvings on pillars and balconies.

Water mills

Windmill diagram

Donkey-powered mill

Mill supply

The most essential part of a flour mill - the mill stand or gear - consists of two millstones: the upper, or runner, A and - lower, or lower, IN .

Millstones are stone circles of considerable thickness, having a through hole in the middle, called a point, and on the grinding surface the so-called. notch (see below). The lower millstone lies motionless; his asshole is tightly closed with a wooden sleeve, a circle g , through the hole in the center of which a spindle passes WITH ; on top of the latter there is a runner mounted by means of an iron rod CC , strengthened with its ends in a horizontal position in the runner's goggle and called paraplicea, or fluffball.

In the middle of the paraplice (and, therefore, in the center of the millstone), on its lower side, a pyramidal or conical recess is made, into which the correspondingly pointed upper end of the spindle fits WITH .

With this connection of the runner to the spindle, the first rotates when the latter rotates and, if necessary, can be easily removed from the spindle. The lower end of the spindle is inserted with a spike into a bearing mounted on a beam D . The latter can be raised and lowered and thus increase and decrease the distance between the millstones. Spindle WITH rotates using the so-called. lantern gear E ; these are two disks, put on a spindle at a short distance from each other and fastened together, along the circumference, with vertical sticks.

The pinion gear rotates using the winding wheel F , which has teeth on the right side of its rim that grab the pins of the lantern gear and thus rotate it together with the spindle.

Per axis Z a wing is put on, which is driven by the wind; or, in a water mill, a water wheel driven by water. Grain is introduced through a bucket A and the runner's point in the gap between the millstones. The ladle consists of a funnel A and troughs b, suspended under the runner's point.

Grinding of grain occurs in the interval between the upper surface of the lower surface and the lower surface of the runner. Both millstones are covered with a casing N , which prevents the scattering of grains. As grinding progresses, the grains are moved by the action of centrifugal force and the pressure of newly arriving grains) from the center of the bottom to the circumference, fall from the bottom and go along an inclined chute into the pecking sleeve R - for sifting. Sleeve E is made of wool or silk fabric and placed in a closed box Q , from which its underlying end is exposed.

First, the fine flour is sifted and falls into the back of the box; the coarser one is sown at the end of the sleeve; the bran lingers on the sieve S , and the coarsest flour is collected in a box T .

Millstone

The surface of the millstone is divided by deep grooves called furrows, into separate flat areas called grinding surfaces. From the furrows, expanding, smaller grooves called plumage. Furrows and flat surfaces distributed in a repeating pattern called accordion.

A typical flour mill has six, eight or ten of these horns. The system of grooves and grooves, firstly, forms a cutting edge, and secondly, ensures the gradual flow of finished flour from under the millstones. With constant use of a millstone? require timely undermining, that is, trimming the edges of all grooves to maintain a sharp cutting edge.

Millstones are used in pairs. The lower millstone is installed permanently. The upper millstone, also known as the runner, is movable, and it is the one that directly produces the grinding. The movable millstone is driven by a cross-shaped metal "pin" mounted on the head of the main rod or drive shaft, which rotates under the action of the main mill mechanism (using wind or water power). The relief pattern is repeated on each of the two millstones, thus providing a “scissors” effect when grinding grains.

The millstones must be equally balanced. Correct mutual arrangement stones are critical to ensure high quality flour milling.

The best material for millstones is a special rock - viscous, hard and incapable of polishing sandstone, called millstone. Since rocks in which all these properties are sufficiently and evenly developed are rare, good millstones are very expensive.

A notch is made on the rubbing surfaces of the millstones, that is, a series of deep grooves are punched, and the spaces between these grooves are brought into a rough-rough state. During grinding, the grain falls between the grooves of the upper and lower millstones and is torn and cut by the sharp cutting edges of the grooves into more or less large particles, which are finally ground upon leaving the grooves.

The notch grooves also serve as paths along which the ground grain moves from the point to the circle and leaves the millstone. Since the millstones, even from best material, are erased, then the notch must be renewed from time to time.

Description of the designs and operating principles of mills

Mills are called pillar mills because their barn rests on a pillar dug into the ground and lined on the outside with a log frame. It contains beams that keep the post from moving vertically. Of course, the barn rests not only on a pillar, but on a log frame (from the word cut, logs cut in not tightly, but with gaps). On top of such a ridge, an even round ring is made of plates or boards. The lower frame of the mill itself rests on it.

The rows of pillars can be of different shapes and heights, but not higher than 4 meters. They can rise from the ground immediately in the form of a tetrahedral pyramid or first vertically, and from a certain height they turn into a truncated pyramid. There were, although very rarely, mills on a low frame.

The base of the tents can also be different in shape and design. For example, a pyramid may start at ground level, and the structure may not be a log structure, but a frame one. The pyramid can rest on a frame quadrangle, and can be attached to it utility rooms, vestibule, miller's room, etc.

The main thing in mills is their mechanisms.

In tents, the internal space is divided into several tiers by ceilings. Communication with them goes along steep attic-type stairs through hatches left in the ceilings. Parts of the mechanism can be located on all tiers. And there can be from four to five. The core of the tent is a powerful vertical shaft, piercing the mill right through to the “cap”. It rests on a metal bearing fixed in a beam that rests on a block frame. The beam can be moved in different directions using wedges. This allows you to give the shaft a strictly vertical position. The same can be done using the top beam, where the shaft pin is embedded in a metal loop.

In the lower tier, a large gear with cam-teeth is placed on the shaft, fixed along the outer contour of the round base of the gear. During operation, the movement of the large gear, multiplied several times, is transmitted to the small gear or lantern of another vertical, usually metal shaft. This shaft pierces the stationary lower millstone and rests against a metal bar on which the upper movable (rotating) millstone is suspended through the shaft. Both millstones are covered with a wooden casing on the sides and top. The millstones are installed on the second tier of the mill. The beam in the first tier, on which a small vertical shaft with a small gear rests, is suspended on a metal threaded pin and can be slightly raised or lowered using a threaded washer with handles. With it, the upper millstone rises or falls. This is how the fineness of grain grinding is adjusted.

From the millstone casing, a blind plank chute with a board gate at the end and two metal hooks, on which a bag filled with flour is hung.

A jib crane with metal gripping arcs is installed next to the millstone block. With its help, the millstones can be removed from their places for forging.

Above the millstone casing, a grain-feeding hopper, rigidly attached to the ceiling, descends from the third tier. It has a valve that can be used to shut off the grain supply. It has the shape of an overturned truncated pyramid. A swinging tray is suspended from below. For springiness, it has a juniper bar and a pin lowered into the hole of the upper millstone. A metal ring is installed eccentrically in the hole. The ring can also have two or three oblique feathers. Then it is installed symmetrically. The pin with the ring is called the shell. Running along the inner surface of the ring, the pin constantly changes position and rocks the slanted tray. This movement pours the grain into the jaw of the millstone. From there it falls into the gap between the stones, is ground into flour, which goes into the casing, from it into a closed tray and bag.

The grain is poured into a hopper embedded in the floor of the third tier. Bags of grain are fed here using a gate and a rope with a hook. The gate can be connected and disconnected from a pulley mounted on a vertical shaft. This is done from below using a rope and a lever. A hatch is cut into the floor boards, covered with inclined double-leaf doors. The bags , passing through the hatch, they open the doors, which then slam shut randomly. The miller turns off the gate, and the bag ends up on the hatch covers. The operation is repeated.

In the last tier, located in the “cap,” another, small gear with beveled cam-teeth is installed and secured on the vertical shaft. It causes the vertical shaft to rotate and starts the entire mechanism. But it is made to work by a large gear on a “horizontal” shaft. The word is in quotation marks because in fact the shaft lies with a slight downward slope of the inner end. The pin of this end is enclosed in a metal shoe wooden frame, hat basics. The raised end of the shaft, extending outward, rests quietly on a “bearing” stone, slightly rounded at the top. Metal plates are embedded on the shaft in this place, protecting the shaft from rapid wear.

Two mutually perpendicular bracket beams are cut into the outer head of the shaft, to which other beams are attached with clamps and bolts - the basis of the lattice wings. The wings can receive the wind and rotate the shaft only when the canvas is spread out on them, usually rolled into bundles in a flat, not work time. The surface of the wings will depend on the strength and speed of the wind.

The "horizontal" shaft gear has teeth cut into the side of the circle. Brake hugs her from above wooden block, which can be released or tightly tightened using a lever. Sharp braking in strong and gusty winds will cause high temperature when rubbing wood against wood, and even smoldering. This is best avoided.

Before operation, the wings of the mill should be turned towards the wind. For this purpose there is a lever with struts - a “carriage”.

Small columns of at least 8 pieces were dug around the mill. They had a “drive” attached to them with a chain or thick rope. With the strength of 4-5 people, even if the upper ring of the tent and parts of the frame are well lubricated with grease or something similar (previously they were lubricated with lard), it is very difficult, almost impossible, to turn the “cap” of the mill. “Horsepower” doesn’t work here either. Therefore, they used a small portable gate, which was alternately placed on posts with its trapezoidal frame, which served as the basis of the entire structure.

A block of millstones with a casing with all the parts and details located above and below it was called in one word - postav. Typically, small and medium-sized windmills were made “in one batch.” Large wind turbines could be built with two stages. There were windmills with “pounds” on which flaxseed or hempseed were pressed to obtain the corresponding oil. Waste - cake - was also used in the household. “Saw” windmills seemed to never occur.

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