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Historical development of the windmillThroughout history, windmill technology represented the highest levels of development in those technical fields now referred to as mechanical engineering, civil engineering, and aerodynamics. Key stages are described in the technical development of windmills as prime movers; from antiquity to construction of the well known Smith-Putnam wind turbine generator of the 1940's, which laid the foundation for modern wind turbines. Subjects covered are windmills in ancient times; the vertical axis Persian windmill; the horizontal axis European windmill (including both post mills and tower mills); technology improvements in sails, controls, and analysis; the American farm windmill; the transition from windmills to wind turbines for generating electricity at the end of the 19th century; and wind turbine development in the first half of the 20th century.
Document ID
19910012312
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Contractor Report (CR)
Authors
Shepherd, Dennis G.
(Sverdrup Technology, Inc., Brook Park OH., United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
December 1, 1990
Publication Information
Publisher: NASA
Subject Category
Energy Production And Conversion
Report/Patent Number
NASA-CR-4337
NAS 1.26:4337
E-5664
DOE/NASA/5266-2
Accession Number
91N21625
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: DE-AI01-76ET-20320
PROJECT: RTOP 776-33-41
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS3-25266
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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