UK Wind turbines, if somebody was attached to a fast spinning blade for 5 minutes would it prove fatal?

Question

We are looking out of the office window, and my colleague has offered me £10k (I don't think he's serious) to be attached to one of the blades that is on the wind turbine to the West of the building. It is doing one full circle in just over 3 seconds. If I was 'on' for 5 minutes, would I survive?

Not bothered which way I'm pointing, I'm 6'4" and ~100kgs, reasonable level of fitness. I've been snacking all day.

A hypothetical question for a medical professional, or possibly an engineer.

Cheers.

Answer 1

An interesting but rather hypothetical question.



My speculative answer is that it would not be fatal. Wind turbines do not spin anywhere near as fast as the fight test centrifuges that military jet aircraft pilots routinely must get to ride. Jet pilots frequently experience stomach upset (and lose their lunch), and there are occasional instances of pilots passing out, but I've never heard of any fatal reactions.



Obviously, a key requirement is that you would have to be firmly attached to the turbine blade. If you were merely hanging on and slipped off, the results would almost certainly be fatal. Not from the speed, but rather from the fall and impact with the earth.

Answer 2

they do no longer circulate at 60Hz. that must be 60 revs according to 2d. suited turbine blade speed is ruled by the value of the blade tip. you frequently choose the suited ratio of tip speed to wind speed for optimum capability catch. till presently, maximum wind generators ought to in effortless terms circulate at one speed, so which you picked the top speed that replaced into suited on your predicted wind speed, and then desperate how long the blade replaced into, and that advised you the way quickly it would spin. The longer the blade, the slower the rotation value. then you opt for a gearbox to get to mains frequency interior the alternator (50Hz or 60Hz, counting on which element of the pond you're) in recent times maximum wind generators are variable speed so as that they regulate their rotation speed to the windspeed to strengthen the capability catch - they circulate slower at low windspeeds. they're additionally getting bigger, meaning they must clearly decrease the rotation value interior the layout. That comes out at some thing around 15 revs according to minute. you additionally can decrease the rotation value by having greater blades - yet there are engineering problems with that. enormously, the little bit of wind generators it is likely to fail is the gearbox. the better the gearbox ratio, the greater circumstances you will ought to nurse it. So ideally you opt for the quickest rotor speed - and which skill the smallest sort of blades. A single bladed device is in simple terms about impossible to stability (nevertheless an italian enterprise did manufacture one for a on an identical time as) and a twin bladed device continues to be very frustrating to stability (and twin blades spook people for some reason). it quite is why 3 blades is now accepted - the so-called "Danish sort". and finally: I have been given a letter from the RSPB some years in the past helping rather a proposed wind turbine. the explanation? worldwide warming will kill one heck of a lot greater birds than some generators (which the birds can see!).

Answer 3

A large wind turbine?

I think you take the dare, but put a time limit on it, say 2 hrs. Make sure the wind is blowing, just in case.

I seriously doubt you colleague would have the resources to get you tied to one, or even get you up to it.

He will probably then renege on the dare.

Answer 4

i don't know about UK but in the USA the velocity at the tip of the blade approaches the speed of sound, which is why there are so many bird strikes, no hawk can out fly it. if you simply mean attached at the hub, then it would get you dizzy but not likely fatal.