Revisiting the Single Blade Turbine Idea

Hello there reader!!! For quite a very long time(2 years ago) I have been trying to figure out how we can make the usual HAWT(Horizontal axis wind turbine) more unique. This is where this Idea comes into play! My solution to this thought of mine was to make a turbine with just one blade. This was also the very first instructable hat I had posted about! So, after multiple iterations and complete failures, I finnaly have my first working prototype. I was quite busy regarding my academics... and hence was not able to post more beacuse of that.

Basic Idea of a HAWT:

1. Hawt are pretty simple, the wind comes from one direction(say from front) and hits the blades of the turbine, which makes it rotate due to certian forces(bernouli's principle and Newtons law of equal and opp reaction), which further rotates the shaft that is connected to it and THAT rotational mechanical energy is converted into whatever type of energy we desire(electrical in this sense by connecting this shaft to a generator).
2. no matter what the wind speed, the ammount of energy that can be extracted from the incomming column of air is governed by the 'betz limmit'. Basically, it says that the 'theoretical' maximum power that can be extracted is 59.3% of the total energy the wind carries (or any other fluid) provided there are infinite no of blades.
3. Hence if we know our wind turbines blade length, wind speed and the Power coefficient of the turbine(How efficiently we can extract the power from wind, max of 59.3%), we can easily calculate the power it will generate in that fuid medium.
4. The formula is given as:

P = 0.5 × ρ × A × V³ × C_p

Where 'P' is power, 'ρ' is density of the medium(for air it is 1.22Kg/m^3{simply take 1.22}), 'A' is the cross sectional area of the incoming wind(Hor HAWT it is pi x r^2, here 'r' is blade length taken from center of the shaft to tip of blade), 'V' is the air velocity and 'Cp' is the power coefficient.

The Problem:

Conventional multi bladed HAWTs are highly efficient, but they also come with certain disadvantages such as increased material usage, higher manufacturing cost, aerodynamic interference between blades and increased rotational inertia. These factors can make small scale experimentation and prototyping more difficult and expensive. In addition, traditional designs are already heavily optimized, leaving little room for unconventional exploration. Hence, this project attempts to explore whether a single blade configuration can reduce some of these limitations while still maintaining stable and useful operation. This may or maynot be the next future turbine, but I wanted to see if expirimentally if this idea is feasible or not.

My Solution:

The solution I propose is a Single Blade Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine(HAWT) combined with a proper counterweight balancing system. By reducing the number of blades to just one, the design aims to decrease material usage, reduce rotational inertia and minimize aerodynamic interference. At the same time, the counterweight helps maintain rotational balance and smoother operation. This creates a unique turbine design that is lightweight, cost effective and highly suitable for experimentation and research purposes.

Advantages of a Single blade turbine:

1. Reduced Material and Manufacturing Cost:
2. Since only one aerodynamic blade is used instead of multiple blades, the amount of material required reduces significantly. This lowers manufacturing cost, reduces weight and also makes prototyping much easier and faster.
3. Higher Rotational Speed(RPM):
4. A single blade turbine has lower rotational inertia because there is less rotating mass. Due to this, the turbine can accelerate faster and achieve higher RPM under the same wind conditions.
5. Good for Research and Experimentation:
6. Of course! for research and finding something new! This type of turbine is kind of unique and helps in studying aerodynamics, balancing systems and rotational dynamics. It is an excellent platform for learning and experimentation.(and fun!)

Disadvantages of a Single blade turbine:

1. Balancing Becomes Very Difficult:
2. Unlike traditional turbines where the blades naturally balance each other, a single blade turbine requires a carefully designed counterweight system. Improper balancing can cause heavy vibrations and unstable rotation.
3. Increased Mechanical Stress:
4. Since only one blade interacts with the wind, the forces acting on the shaft and structure become uneven during rotation. This can increase stress on bearings, supports and the turbine frame.
5. Lower Starting Torque:
6. Multi bladed turbines generally produce better starting torque at low wind speeds. A single blade turbine may struggle more during startup, especially in weak wind conditions.

Hence for this project, there are a few things that I need to find out:

1. Whether the design spins in a stable manner?
2. Can power be extracted?
3. Is a single blade enough to sipn in stable rpm with generator attached?
4. does the counterweight give too much drag?
5. Does it reach a high enough rpm to be usable?
6. what is the startup wind speed?
7. are the vibrations too much?

So, we shall begin!!!

The things that I used in my project are:

1. 3d printer(bambu labs a1 mini)
2. copper wire (22 Guage 50m x 2)
3. magnets (n52 grade, '20x10x5mm' x 20)
4. glue (supper glue, LOT)
5. insulation tape (required when winding coils)
6. diodes(skhotky, 19-40V 1A x 6)
7. one slip ring.
8. Fusion360 (for designing)
9. Autodesk CFD(for CFD simulations)
10. sanding paper(to smoothen 3d prints, clear coating off the coils to prepare the ends for connections)
11. 3d fillaments (PLA for the interior parts; PETG for the outer parts like nacelle, blade, tail, fin etc... the hair straitner is my mom's)
12. multimeter (to measure readings)
13. bearings (1x 40mm id, 1x 17mm id bearing)

Energy:

Energy is the ability to perform work(almost everything around us depends on it!). From powering small electronic devices to running entire cities, energy plays a massive role in modern life. However, the methods we commonly use to produce this energy(even to this day and age!) often come with serious environmental consequences. Conventional fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas release large amounts of greenhouse gases and pollutants into the atmosphere, contributing heavily to climate change and environmental degradation. This is exactly why renewable energy systems are becoming increasingly important. Every unit(here KWh- kilo Watt Hour) of clean energy generated from natural resources like wind or sunlight helps reduce our dependence on polluting energy sources and moves us one step closer towards a more sustainable future.

bit of Reasearch:

The energy sector is currently the largest contributor to global greenhouse gas(GHG) emissions, accounting for nearly 76.7%(it increased!) of total global emissions. Within this, electricity and heat production alone contribute around 33.6% of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, making it the single largest emitting sector on the planet. In 2024, global energy related CO₂ emissions reached a record high of approximately 37.8 billion tonnes of CO₂. Atmospheric CO₂ concentration also crossed 422 ppm(parts per million), which is nearly 50% higher than pre-industrial levels. This clearly shows how heavily modern civilization still depends on fossil fuels for powering homes, industries and transportation.

In simple terms, most of the world’s carbon emissions originate from how we generate and use energy. Because of this, transitioning towards renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and hydro power has become extremely important if we are serious about reducing climate change and environmental damage.

Additionally, many sectors that currently rely directly on fossil fuels can gradually be electrified. For example, transportation can shift towards electric vehicles, and buildings can increasingly depend on electrically powered heating and cooling systems. In fact, global electric vehicle(EV) sales crossed 17 million units in 2024, showing how rapidly electrification is expanding. This helps centralize energy usage into cleaner electrical systems that can eventually run entirely on renewable energy.

But this creates another hugeee challenge... How do we generate all this additional clean electricity??? That is exactly where this projects attempt to make an impact. Developing innovative, scalable and cost effective renewable energy systems becomes absolutely essential for OUR future.

Links(of images):

1. https://www.visualcapitalist.com/visualized-global-carbon-emissions-by-sector/
2. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=994806439816237
3. https://www.nuclear-power.com/what-are-the-primary-energy-sources/

The idea behind this project is to create a Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine(HAWT) that uses only a single aerodynamic blade instead of the conventional multi bladed design. While this may initially seem unstable, a counterweight system is used on the opposite side to maintain rotational balance and smoother operation.

The turbine works on the same principle as a standard HAWT. When wind flows over the blade, aerodynamic forces are generated due to pressure differences across the blade surface, creating lift and causing the rotor to spin. This rotational mechanical energy can then be converted into electrical energy using a generator connected to the shaft.

One of the main goals of this project was to explore whether reducing the blade count could decrease material usage, reduce rotational inertia and still maintain useful performance. Since there is only one aerodynamic blade interacting with the wind, the turbine can potentially achieve higher RPM while using less material.

The blade used in this prototype has an airfoil inspired profile designed to maximize lift while minimizing drag. Blade profile is extremely important because it directly affects how efficiently energy can be extracted from the wind.

Like all wind turbines, the maximum theoretical energy extraction is governed by the Betz Limit, which states that no turbine can capture more than 59.3% of the total kinetic energy available in wind.

Using our power equation:

P = 0.5 × ρ × A × V^3 × Cp

where 'P' is power, 'ρ' is air density, 'A' is swept area, 'V' is wind speed and 'Cp' is the power coefficient, (it is quite important if in case you wish to buy a small turbine, this way we can be out of misleading adverts that say their turbines give more power than it seems!)

For my design, I made:

1. my rotor radius is 60cm (including the blade length).
2. An axial flux generator.

Using this data, at 8m/s winds, the available power is:

P = 0.5 × 1.22 × 1.13 × 8^3 × 0.59

Max power = 209 W

considering most small scale turbines have a coefficient of 0.35-0.38,

Realistic power is somewhere at 124 W.(Built as best as possible)

For My projet, it will be mostly at milliwatt range as I am building it for a proof of concept rather than a proper turbine that is product ready(that takes years of RND! but, I am working on that too!)

image link:

1. https://www.wind-energy-the-facts.org/images/3-4.jpg
2. https://www.aerotrope.com/what-we-do/wind/wind-turbine-design-case-studies/riva-calzoni.html

There are 2 main parts(or groups) to this project:

1. The turbine structure(blades, nacelle etc)
2. The Generator

From here on, I will be exlaining how I desinged the various parts using fusion360 and also how I assembled and built them per step.

First I will be showing the process of designing it, then I will be showing the assemble, winding and the testing process.

image link: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/shaping-mechanical-design-engineer-jnanesha-kanti/ (I simply liked the image...)

Note: here, if we see closely(second image from left), the type of generator I used is a radial flux generator, but after 2 itteration(shown below in "Designing The Generator" section), I chose to make it a axial flux one instead. (Also I was lazy to update the screenshot...😅)

The steps are:

1. first, create a sketch sellecting either of the vertical planes.
2. start with a circle for the root(as a circular root is easier to fix to the axial/rotor).
3. sellect the current plane and duplicate the plane of by a some distance.
4. add a canvas to that plane of an airfoil that suits the best near the root.(here I used S1223)
5. using this canvas trace out the airfoil.
6. further extend the by duplicating this plane by some distance(based on your blade length and need) and create a sketch and then using the 'project' tool, copy the sketch of the previous plane(in total there should be 3 planes).
7. then at the very tip/end of the balde length, add another canvas(by duplicating a plane and positioning it at the required distance)(Here I used the SD7037).
8. Then using the loft tool, first loft(connect) the larger sketches then the larger part near the root to the root then finally to the tip.

The Blade is Done!!!

To design the part:

1. I used basic sketch and extrude and combine to create the bearing holder, main axial and the cross axial
2. The cross-axial is used to connect the blade to the counter weight.
3. The cross-axial then goes through teh main axial and forms a T-joint.
4. The bearing holders(in the designing I made 3, but I will only be using 2) hold the main axial and the generator axail in place.
5. I used the "centre of mass" tool under the "inspect" tab to design the counter weigth.
6. The counter weight makes sure that the center of mass is exactly in the center of the main axial(little off upto 0.1-0.2mm is ok).

Designin the Support structure is Complete!!!

To design the generator, I kept a few things in my mind:

1. The Voltage required.
2. Wire thickness.
3. Number of Turns.
4. Type of winding.

For this generator, I focussed on proof of concept rather than a powerful multi watt generator.

Hence I went with:

1. 1-2V
2. 22 Gauge
3. 19 turns per phase(I went for a 3 phase design)
4. Serpentine winding

How to wind the serpentine winding from Sir Rober Murray Smith's channel:(Amazing guy and inspiring channel!)

Reference 1: 1859 A Serpentine Coil - How To Best Make it

Reference 2: 1929 Serpentine Coil Winding Jig

This allowed me to quikly assemble(tho it took 3 months...😅), wind the 3 coils and stuff them into the tight stator gaps(which was extreemly painful as I did not design it proper... and it caused some issues) as shown in the figure below:

The per phase resistance was 0.5-0.6 ohms, hence the line to line resistance was 1.4ohms.

I used star connection(connecting all of one end each 3phase together and leaving the other 3 ends as such) as it gives higher voltage rather than delta connection. The star connection diagram is given below:

Then with the remaining 3 wires, I connected it to a 3-phase rectifier(using skhotky diodes) to get a DC output. this way it is more easier to measure the voltage. There will be voltage drop accross the rectifier circuit, hence for that reason I used skhotky diodes as they have very low voltage drop.

When spunn with hand, the Voltage measured per-phase(AC) was about 2-2.3V. After rectifying it, it stayed at 1.3-1.5V(Which is a very promising result!)

Further testing is done under the "Testing The Prototype" Section/Step.

As a side note: I did not show the exact way how I made the stator, rotor etc of the generator in the vedio as I made this design as a different project(And based on different needs, the design will change. Tho I did show the basic way of how to approach such design). I originaly intended to use a radial flux generator... but that did not give the results that I was expecting, it turns out that I used tooo thin wires and the resistance was above 20 Ohms!... which means the current was extreemly tiny(in microamps) hence after a loong time, I decided to use this axial flux generator for my current single blade turbine instead. Afterall, it was the very first idea I had in my mind when I joined college, and I wanted to see if at least the concept is workable or not!

However, I have shared all of the f3d or stl files (in STEP 3) for anyone that wish to tinker or make this project better!!!

image link: https://circuitglobe.com/star-connection-in-3-phase-system.html

To design the Nacelle, there are 2 main things to keep in mind:

1. How tall are the insides?
2. How wide are the insides?

The other subpoints are: main axial diameter, how to add the fin, where the tower will be etc.

The main steps for designing a nacelle for most designs are: (these are the steps that I would take normally and may change as I learn new ways)

1. make a sketch that aprozimately covers the length and width of the base plate on the x-y plane.
2. Then extrude the sides upto 2/3 of the height of the overall parts that are on the base plate.(if the Generator is the heighest, we will take that)
3. then sellect the y-z plane and create a dome like outline.
4. then revolve that outline to make the top cover.
5. Depending on the design, we can add a bottom part that covers the underneath.
6. extrude or simply carve out the holes for the tower, axial and fin connections using the "Combine" tool.

The Nacelle is complete!!!

(I am very sorry I forgot to record for this one...)

Tail Fin Design:

One of the challenges of wind turbine is ensuring that the rotor always faces the incoming wind. To achieve this, I used a tail fin mounted behind the turbine. However, instead of placing the fin directly in line with the mounting arm, I followed a proven wind turbine design where the fin is offset by approximately one-third of its chord length. This offset causes the wind force acting on the fin to generate a restoring moment that naturally turns the turbine back into the wind whenever it begins to yaw away from it.

The tail fin works by generating an aerodynamic force when exposed to wind. Since the fin is mounted a distance away from the yaw axis, this force creates a restoring moment that turns the turbine back into the wind. The magnitude of this moment can be estimated using:

M = 0.5 × ρ × A × V² × C_D × L

Where:

M = Yawing Moment (N·m)

ρ = Air Density (kg/m³)

A = Tail Fin Area (m²)

V = Wind Speed (m/s)

C_D = Drag Coefficient

L = Distance from Yaw Axis to Fin Center (m)

This shows that increasing the fin area or tail boom length increases the turbine's ability to self-align with changing wind directions.

For my turbine, I went for 333.115cm^2 of finnage.

image link: https://www.windynation.com/blogs/articles/sizing-your-wind-turbine-tail

To design a screw:

1. make sure that the two parts that you wish to thread together is in contact with each other.
2. on the surface of one part, draw the sketch of the hloe diameter(say 1cm, 1.5cm etc).
3. then using the "Hole" tool under the "create" tab, sellect the sketch, sellect hole tap type to tapped and thread offset to full and finally drill point type to flat.
4. then make the hoe to your desired length(make sure to check the "moddeled" option or it will just show as a simple texture and won't be modelled in 3d)
5. then using a sparate plane, make a cylinder that is sligthly thicker than the tapped hole we just made, using sketch and extrude.
6. then move it to the hole and use the combine tool to etch the thread to the cylinder. This makes the cylinder into a screw.

Your required screw and hole(for the screw) is Done!!!

To test the strength, I ran the turbine in AutodeskCFD at 20m/s(simulating hurricane speeds here in kerala)

Then using the "Wall Calculator", i measured the torque and forces acting on the turbine and used this force in Newtons to do a static test in Fusion360's inbuilt software.

Simulation Setup Details:

in Autodesk CFD---

(image showing the boundary conditions)

1. Total Number of Nodes= 263258
2. Total Number of Elements= 1177397
3. 1 Inlets (Velocity 20/s), 1 Outlets (Pressure 0), 0 Unknowns.
4. Turbulent Compressible Flow is ON
5. Turbulence model: Standard k-epsilon
6. Solver Settings: 138 steps, each step 1 iteration. Temp 33degrees Celsius.

in Autodesk Fusion360---

(Image showing the loads on the turbine parts)

1. Total Number of Nodes= 706647
2. Total Number of Elements= 483635
3. Forces: (Vector)
4. Fx= -0.185 N ,Fy= 2.50 N ,Fz= 4.50 N {on Blade}
5. Fx= 0.064 N ,Fy= 2.10 N ,Fz= 2.90 N {on Blade}
6. Fx= 2.00 N ,Fy= 0.19 N ,Fz= 0.00 N {on Conter Weight}
7. Fx= -0.45 N ,Fy= 1.67 N ,Fz= 0.142 N {on Nacelle}

Results:

from CFD---

Total torque=2.438 Nm (on the main axial)

Total force along x-axis = 0.238N

Total force along y-axis = 11.4N

Total force along z-axis = 7.76N

the turbine was positioned at (0,0,0) and the nosecone facing the -y.

from Static stress test---

1. (image showing the safety factor)
2. (Image showing the stress)
3. (image showing the displacement)

Analysis:

To evaluate the structural integrity of the turbine, a static stress analysis was performed in Fusion 360 using loads obtained from CFD simulations. The CFD results predicted a maximum aerodynamic torque of 2.438 N·m acting about the main rotor axis.

The analysis showed a maximum displacement of only 19.67 mm occurring near the blade tip. Since the blade radius is 600 mm, this givs us a tip deflection of only about 3.3% of the blade length. Such deflection is expected in long cantilever-like structures and can even help reduce peak loads by allowing the blade to flex slightly under high wind conditions.

The maximum von Mises stress recorded in the model was approximately 40.5 MPa. This value is significantly lower than the yield strength of most engineering materials commonly used for small wind turbine construction, indicating that the structure remains well within safe operating limits under the simulated loading conditions.

The safety factor results further support this conclusion, showing that no critical regions approached structural failure. The highest stresses were concentrated near the blade root and hub connection, which is expected because this area transfers both aerodynamic forces and rotor torque into the main shaft and below to the tower.

Limitations of Static Stress Analysis:

It should be noted that the analysis performed was a static stress analysis, which assumes that the applied loads remain constant over time. In reality, wind turbines experience continuously changing aerodynamic forces due to wind gusts, turbulence, rotor rotation and vibration. A dynamic analysis would therefore capture additional effects such as cyclic loading, resonance and fatigue that are not considered in a static study.

The static stress analysis represents a snapshot of the worst-case loading condition. Since the turbine rotates, the direction of the aerodynamic forces continuously changes relative to the blade, making a transient dynamic analysis more realistic. However, the static study is sufficient for my initial design validation and structural reasoning.

Instead of fixing the blade at 0 degrees to the cross-axial, I decided to run a small test whether at which angle should I keep the blade with respect to the horizontal plane at the center of mass of the blade and the counter-weight. Since pitch control plays a very important role in starting, speeding up, slowing and stopping of the turbine in large industrial scale turbines, i decided to find the best angle that I can fix this permanently(since making a pitch control system using esp, motors, etc is a biiiig challenge for now...) at a rather moderate to common(average) windspeed in the area that I am going to test.

For this I copied the blade 6 times and tilted them at certian angles(0- degrees) and I also made 6 air tunnels for each of them so that I do not have to run the simulation 6 times(yup I sound lazy with this one... but for a quick check where the accuracy is not important, this method is perfectly fine). As shown in the image below:

The Blades were tilted as such: 0,5,10,15,20,25 degrees.

The wind speed was 10m/s.

The Results after the CFD was:

1. for 0 degrees, torque= 0.389Nm
2. for 5 degrees, torque= 0.468Nm
3. for 10 degrees, torque= 0.518Nm
4. for 15 degrees, torque= 0.560Nm
5. for 20 degrees, torque= 0.553Nm
6. for 25 degrees, torque= 0.550Nm

I also ran this test for 12m/s, 8m/s, 7m/s and noticed that the trend here is the same, i.e. the torque peaks arround 15degrees and then dips(stalls).

Hence the pitch I will be using is 15degrees. (which increases torque by about 69.46%!!! that a lot!)

Here is the cost list of the project:

For the Counter weight, I used our colege's CNC machining to machine it from a block of metal:

Machined:

image link: https://www.haveinfo.net/services/wealth-management/

This project was designed with FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) 3D printers in mind!!! since this is the one i have...

Before starting the printing process, there are a few important things that should be considered:

1. Printer accuracy
2. Print size and scale
3. Mating parts and clearances
4. Model detail level

Accuracy---

The accuracy of your printer determines how precisely small features can be reproduced. A more accurate printer (0.1mm tolerance)allows finer details and tighter tolerances. If your design contains small holes, thin walls or intricate features, the printer's accuracy becomes especially important. Understanding your printer's capabilities beforehand can save a lot of time and frustration later.

Size and Scale---

The overall size of the model is another important factor. Large models can be split into multiple parts and assembled later, while smaller models can often be printed as a single piece. The size of your printer's build plate also affects how much detail can be included in each part. Extremely small prints may lose fine features or become too fragile after printing, so choosing an appropriate scale is important.

Mating Parts and Clearances---

This is one of the most common mistakes made during the design stage. In CAD software, two parts can fit together perfectly because they are mathematically exact. However, real-world printers are not perfect and every print has a small dimensional error. For example, if a shaft and a hole are designed with exactly the same diameter, they will most NOT fit together after printing.

A good practice is to provide a small clearance between parts that are intended to slide, rotate or fit together. Even a fraction of a millimeter(say 0.1-0.2mm) can make assembly much easier and prevent the disappointment of reprinting large parts that do not fit.

Detail Level---

The amount of detail that can be included in a model depends heavily on the printer's resolution. For example, my printer typically prints with a layer height of 0.2 mm, so very small features may not print reliably or may break easily. To avoid this, I generally make small protrusions, pins and other delicate features at least 1.5 to 2 mm thick whenever possible.

When creating the CAD model, it is often better to focus on the overall design first rather than worrying about every dimension. Keep the final printed size in mind during modelling, and once the design is complete, use the scaling tools available in your CAD software to adjust the model to the desired size. This approach makes the design process much simpler and helps avoid having to redesign parts later because of printing limitations.

please refer to: Dougong, an Ancient Chinese Technique for a detailed guide on how to prepare the model for 3d printing.(Step 9)

The parts are 3d printed!!!

(here we can see that all the parts are not there as some I forgot to take picture...)

From This:

To This:

prototype is Assembled!!! 🥳🥳🥳

The test done here are:

1. AC phase to phase test
2. DC test

I wanted to go to the beach for testing this out... but there are restrictions as we are currently having heavy rains this month... and there are not many places I can test this out in our hostel.

The prototype was tested by connecting the generator output through a slip ring assembly and then measuring the generated voltage. During testing, a maximum phase-to-phase AC voltage of approximately 1.1 V was measurd. After rectification, the output voltage measured across the slip ring was approximately 0.1 V DC. The measured output resistance of the rectified system was about 8.2 kΩ.

Although the generated electrical output was relatively small, the results successfully demonstrate the fundamental working principle of the single-blade wind turbine. The turbine was able to convert rotational motion into electrical energy. The low voltage output suggests that further improvements in generator design, winding configuration, magnetic flux density and rotational speed may significantly enhance the overall power generation capability of future iterations.

I had a lot of fun making this project. This was my first hardware project of this scale that I had made and even tho the output was a bit... small, it was still a decent success!

Going into this project, I honestly had no idea whether this idea would actually work or not. On paper it sounded interesting, but balancing a turbine with only one blade, designing the counterweight system and making a generator that could actually produce usable voltage turned out to be much more challenging than I originally expected.

The CFD simulations showed that the blade was capable of producing useful aerodynamic torque and also helped me find a better blade pitch angle of 15°. The structural analysis further showed that the turbine should remain mechanically safe even under very high wind speeds. Most importantly, the real prototype was able to generate electricity, producing up to about 1.1V AC phase-to-phase and around 0.1V DC after rectification through the slip ring assembly. While these values are small, they confirm that the concept itself works.

Of course, there are still many improvements that can be made. The generator can be redesigned for higher voltage and lower losses, the blade profile can be optimized further and a more detailed dynamic analysis could be performed to better understand vibrations and fatigue.

Will this replace conventional multi-bladed turbines? Probably not anytime soon...😅. Those designs have been optimized over decades and are incredibly efficient. However, that was never the main goal of this project. My goal was simply to ask a question: "Can a single blade wind turbine actually work?" and then try to find the answer through experimentation.

Thank you very much for reading through this project!!. If you decide to build one yourself or improve upon the design, I would absolutely love to see what you come up with!!!

Have a nice day!!!😊