Fabrication of Levitating Frictionless Vertical Windmill

Abstract

The rapid advancement of renewable energy technology has intensified research into small-scale wind turbines suitable for urban and semi-urban deployment. Conventional Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWTs) are mechanically constrained by frictional losses at physical bearing interfaces, demanding minimum cut-in wind speeds of approximately 4.5 m/s. This paper presents the design, computational analysis, and experimental fabrication of a magnetically levitated VAWT prototype (Maglev VAWT) that eliminates bearing friction through opposing Neodymium (NdFeB) ring magnets. A Savonius blade profile was selected for omnidirectional wind capture and low cut-in speed. The rotor was modelled in SolidWorks 2015 and aerodynamic behaviour was evaluated through CFD analysis using ANSYS FLUENT (RANS equations). Experimental results confirm rotor activation at wind speeds as low as 1.5 m/s — a 66% reduction compared to conventional designs. The optimised split-Savonius blade configuration achieved a 70% improvement in power output, while magnetic bearing support increased average rotational speed by 29.7%. Electrical output is generated via an axial flux permanent magnet generator, rectified through a diode bridge, stored in a 12V battery, and converted to AC supply via an inverter. Total prototype fabrication cost was INR 9,900, demonstrating the economic viability of this technology for decentralised energy generation in developing economies.

Introduction

Personal AI (General Overview)

Personal AI refers to adaptive intelligent systems that learn user preferences and assist with everyday tasks like scheduling, reminders, communication, and decision-making. It is widely used in smartphones, virtual assistants, and smart devices. Its key benefits include improved productivity, personalization, and convenience, but it raises concerns about privacy and data security. Future developments aim to make these systems more intuitive, emotionally aware, and integrated with technologies like IoT and AR.

Crack-it (AI Interview Platform)

Crack-it is an AI-powered interview preparation platform designed to simulate real technical interviews across coding, domain knowledge, and behavioral assessment. It combines deterministic evaluation (for domain questions), sandboxed code execution (for coding tasks), and LLM-based resume-driven interviews. The system provides personalized feedback, skill gap analysis, and adaptive difficulty progression while ensuring low latency, cost efficiency, and reproducibility through hybrid AI and local scoring models.

Medinox (AI Stroke Risk System)

Medinox is an AI-based health screening platform that predicts stroke risk using physiological, biometric, and lifestyle data. It performs risk stratification (low, medium, high) using weighted analysis of factors like blood pressure, glucose, smoking, and symptoms. The system generates automated medical reports and aims to act as a “pre-diagnostic” tool to support early detection and clinical decision-making. Future improvements include IoT integration, deep learning-based prediction, and expansion to other diseases.

Faculty Profile Management System

This system digitizes and centralizes faculty data management in educational institutions. It replaces manual or Excel-based tracking with a web-based platform for profile management, document handling, verification, and automated reporting. Built using a three-tier architecture (frontend, backend, database), it improves efficiency, reduces redundancy, enhances security through role-based access, and supports better decision-making and accreditation processes.

ChatterPal (AI Learning Chatbot for Kids)

ChatterPal is an AI-powered educational chatbot designed for children that combines learning and entertainment through NLP and speech recognition. It offers storytelling, tutoring, drawing assistance, and conversational interaction in a safe environment. The system uses a modular architecture with React frontend, FastAPI backend, and MongoDB storage. It personalizes learning, supports multilingual interaction, and enhances engagement while ensuring child-safe content.

Maglev VAWT (Wind Energy System)

This project develops a magnetically levitated vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) that reduces friction using NdFeB magnets, improving efficiency in low-wind conditions. The system lowers cut-in wind speed significantly and increases power output compared to conventional turbines. It is designed for low-cost rooftop and rural energy applications. Key limitations include structural vibration, lower aerodynamic efficiency of Savonius rotors, and exposure to ground-level turbulence. Future work focuses on optimization, scaling, and improved energy control systems.

Conclusion

This research successfully demonstrated the design, computational analysis, and experimental fabrication of a magnetically levitated frictionless Vertical Axis Wind Turbine as a viable small-scale wind energy solution. The principal contributions are: • The Maglev VAWT achieved a cut-in wind speed of 1.5 m/s, representing a >60% reduction relative to conventional bearing-supported designs, enabling productive energy harvesting in low-velocity wind regimes. • The optimised split-Savonius configuration produced a 70% improvement in power output and a 29.7% increase in average rotational speed compared to the conventional baseline. • CFD and FEA analyses validated blade aerodynamic performance and structural integrity, confirming mild steel as suitable for small-scale VAWT fabrication. • The complete prototype was fabricated at INR 9,900, demonstrating strong economic viability for decentralised energy applications in developing economies. With further development and scaling, magnetically levitated VAWT systems represent a meaningful and practical advancement in accessible small-scale wind energy technology for urban and peri-urban environments.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Dr. S. P. Daf, Aditya Angaitkar, Ayush Chaurase, Mayur Pol, Piyush Thakre. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.