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small wind Success StoriesCase Studies A Mechanical Wind Mill to Operate a Small Oil Well in Kansas Roger Brown and his family are a wind energy success story complete with all the trimmings: creativity, persistence, and teamwork. This family of four defied their neighbors and colleagues by building a mechanical windmill to operate a small oil well in Kansas. "A lot of people think it’s a joke," said Brown, noting that folks come out to watch his wind system work during their lunch hours. The machine is a novelty which saves Brown between $150 and $300 every month by eliminating "lifting costs" (costs associated with pumping oil with a conventional propane or electric motor) at their small stripper well. According to Brown, lifting costs are the biggest threat to small, low-production wells. Installing economical pumping systems (like his wind machine) can save wells which might otherwise be plugged and ignored, he said. "Everyone thought I was nuts when oil was selling for $20 a barrel," he explained. "Now that oil’s $11 a barrel, they’re not laughing. They’re all paying the electric company, but not me . . . When the wind blows, I'm making oil—and that’s all the time in Kansas!" Brown built several wind machines before he went "back to the drawing board" using existing technology as a foundation. He bought an Aerolite turbine (manufactured in the early 1980’s and marketed through a distributor in Syracuse, Kansas) from an area farmer. He customized the Aerolite, first removing all the electronic components and then attaching a hydraulic tank and pump to capture the machine’s mechanical power. As the wind turbine blades turn, pressurized fluid is pumped through a hose to a hydraulic motor. The motor powers a pumping unit which lifts oil from a depth of 3,000 feet. The machine pumps three to four barrels of oil a day, but Brown said it is capable of pumping even more. "The unit will produce way more power than I need to pump this little well," he explained, noting that by experimenting with the turbine’s components and set-up, he has built a machine that suits his needs very well. The turbine was installed in August 1997 at a stripper well located two miles south and 1.5 miles west of Russell, Kansas. It is mounted on a 60-foot tripod tower, and has three blades with a 24-foot radius. Initially, the system required 18 mph winds to get started and 8 to 10 mph winds to continue running. However, in March, Brown adjusted the blades (giving them a greater pitch) and began using a different hydraulic oil in the turbine. Now it can start in 8 to 10 mph winds, making power available nearly all the time. "It’s been a lot of trial and error, but it looks like it’s gonna work," he commented. "It’s been very successful so far!" Success Stories Home | Small Wind Home _______________________________________________________________
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