Landscape with Windmill. A windmill is a structure that converts wind power into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades,specifically to mill grain, but the term is also extended to windpumps, wind turbines and other applications.
Windmills were used throughout the high medieval and early modern periods; the horizontal or panemone windmill first appeared in Greater Iran during the 9th century, the vertical windmill in northwestern Europe in the 12th century. Hero of Alexandria in first-century Roman Egypt described what appears to be a wind-driven wheel to power a machine.
His description of a wind-powered organ is not a practical windmill, but was either an early wind-powered toy, or a design concept for a wind-powered machine that may or may not have been a working device, as there is ambiguity in the text and issues with the design. Another early example of a wind-driven wheel was the prayer wheel, which is believed to have been first used in Tibet and China, though there is uncertainty over the date of its first appearance, which could've been either circa 400, the 7th century, or after the 9th century.
Main article: Panemone windmill Further information: Vertical axis wind turbine The first practical windmills were panemone windmills, using sails that rotated in a horizontal plane, around a vertical axis. Made of six to 12 sails covered in reed matting or cloth material, these w
Windmills were used throughout the high medieval and early modern periods; the horizontal or panemone windmill first appeared in Greater Iran during the 9th century, the vertical windmill in northwestern Europe in the 12th century. Hero of Alexandria in first-century Roman Egypt described what appears to be a wind-driven wheel to power a machine.
His description of a wind-powered organ is not a practical windmill, but was either an early wind-powered toy, or a design concept for a wind-powered machine that may or may not have been a working device, as there is ambiguity in the text and issues with the design. Another early example of a wind-driven wheel was the prayer wheel, which is believed to have been first used in Tibet and China, though there is uncertainty over the date of its first appearance, which could've been either circa 400, the 7th century, or after the 9th century.
Main article: Panemone windmill Further information: Vertical axis wind turbine The first practical windmills were panemone windmills, using sails that rotated in a horizontal plane, around a vertical axis. Made of six to 12 sails covered in reed matting or cloth material, these w
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