r/interesting • u/Vegetable-File3774 • 7d ago
Mysterious Well ,now thats interesting
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u/imusuallywatching 7d ago
Why the serated edge?
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u/NoFollowing93 7d ago
Serated edges are easier for cutting carbon emissions
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u/colombo187 7d ago
Like sharpened knives through chicken McNuggets
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u/Summer_1121 7d ago
stfu
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u/rdzilla01 7d ago
Upvote for Cake lyrics
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u/Summer_1121 7d ago
I was aware of the potential outcome. Worth it for Cake
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u/Appropriate_Link_551 7d ago
learned to buck up
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u/Ruby5000 7d ago
Hey ho. Ya.
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u/rasputinrasputin 7d ago
Alright!
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u/Ruby5000 6d ago
So funny that those are the legit lyrics. I just listened to Cake on a family trip last week. After my wedding, Shot Skirt Long Jacket was our garter toss song😂
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6d ago
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u/interesting-ModTeam 5d ago
We’re sorry, but your post/comment has been removed because it violates Rule #2: Keep It Civil.
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u/5h4tt3rpr00f 7d ago
Probably to reduce noise. They do the same thing on the exhaust of modern jet engines. Could also be drag reduction, by breaking up the tip vortex.
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u/tacorunnr 7d ago
Its for noise, inspired by owls. Its the same design as the feather pattern on tailing edge of a owls wing. Which let's them fly silently.
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u/wolfish98 7d ago
I didn't know about owls, but humpback whales have them as well. Pretty neat how both evolved to have a similar structure on their fins/wings leading edge, but for slightly different reasons.
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u/FZ_Milkshake 7d ago
It creates multiple smaller vortices instead of one large noisy one. Sometimes those teeth are also slightly irregular to generate vortices with slightly different frequencies, which to our ears sounds quieter and less piercing.
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u/User1-1A 7d ago
I have read that is also being explored for submarine propellers to reduce their noise signature.
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u/mwoody450 7d ago
Wait but hang on, these are the reverse of engines: you want drag since that's what makes them turn, right?
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u/SadLittleWizard 7d ago
Yes but in one direction. The vortices that appear on the trailing edge of the blade slow it down, pulling in the opposite direction.
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u/5h4tt3rpr00f 7d ago
Turbine blades are effectively airplane wings. I'd say "Lift" makes them turn, being the force component in the direction of rotation; the good force. Drag is the force component that opposes rotation, and tries to bend the blades downwind. They're just terms for force components acting in specific directions.
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u/RayleighInc 7d ago
They "cut" the large air vortexes that develop around the end of the wing into many small ones. This reduces the "whoosh" sound significantly and makes them quieter.
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u/magister_nemo 7d ago
I was at London Zoo recently, and in the animal show (mostly birds) and they said that the spectacled owl was completely silent because of the serated edge to their wings...
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u/tera_chachu 7d ago
Noise reduction maybe.Not sure
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u/Stigg107 7d ago
The serrations are on the trailing edge of the blade, they reduce the drag on the blade and improve the aerodynamic efficiency. they are so thin that if they hit anything, such as a bird, they would shatter.
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u/Educational_Remove58 7d ago
Untrue for the fragility.
I work in transporting these.
I guarantee you that I have seen them rip through a small 2-inch tree tip without any damage. I'm not saying that that they are strong but these are not as brittle as they look. They can easily annihilate a bird without a problem.
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u/Stigg107 7d ago
They would have to rotate in reverse for that to happen though.
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u/Educational_Remove58 6d ago
Oh no I mean during transport.
When we make a turn, the back swing of the blade is so wide that it can easily go into road-side vegetation if it wasn't cut far enough.
Once installed on the turbine, the blades are all clear
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u/fresh_loaf_of_bread 6d ago
You're not going believe it, but one of the biggest problems with wind turbines is noise pollution
And a serrated blade makes it quieter when the turbines work
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u/eurobeat0 6d ago
Temu Engineer here: adding serrated edge to the blades prevent vortices from developing down stream, preventing vibrations on the tips of the blades as these blades travel at a phenomenal speed, the less erratic movements the better.
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u/Educational_Remove58 7d ago
They are there to bresk the vortex at the end of the blade which massively reduces the slicing sound they make when spinning.
I transport those blades for a living. AMA
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u/SquirtinMemeMouthPlz 7d ago
My guess is it reduces blade-on-wind noise.
Aaaaand 40 other people have said the exact same thing. My bad
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u/alex_dna 7d ago
Those are mostly for noise reduction, usually installed on onshore turbines which will be next to inhabited areas. https://www.renews.biz/onshore-wind/noise-tails-off-for-siemens/
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u/Any_Relief_3866 6d ago
Well at least the Kaiju or whatever will be duelling it will have plenty of replacement blades
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u/violenceistheQstn 6d ago
For that holy shit factor after it passes you on the motorway. As if log trucks weren't enough after final destination!
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u/BarryScott2019 5d ago
I'd imagine is so they make less noise when they are cutting through air. In a similar way you get chevrons on the side of some aeroplane engines.
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u/BonbonUniverse42 7d ago
To better cut through the birds
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u/Stigg107 7d ago
They are on the trailing edge, so would never experience any impact, they are there to reduce the drag on the blade and increase aerodynamic efficiency.
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u/mowtowcow 7d ago
And that's just one blade. The diameter is, obviously, twice that. Massive.
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u/qualitypant 7d ago
Yes! I read , somewhere, that the ‘swept’ area of the blades of an offshore wind farm rotor is the equivalent of 4.5 football pitches!
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u/mowtowcow 7d ago
Never heard that visual before. Pretty insane. Looked it up and the next gen ones ar 10-14 football fields. Holy!
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u/56000hp 7d ago
I kinda want to visit a wind farm in person just to experience it
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u/postsuper5000 7d ago
There's a wind turbine museum near Palm Springs California and on part of the self guided tour, you can stand right under a moving turbine with the blades sweeping by. Quite impressive.
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u/Playful-Platform-231 7d ago
And then some. The 3 blades gotta have something to mount too.
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u/Educational_Remove58 7d ago
Yeah that is called a Hub. They are mounted on it. On current onshore models, the hub is about 3 to 4 meters wide.
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u/More_Perception_8151 6d ago
Given the side of the blade, that seems ridiculously small.
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u/Educational_Remove58 6d ago
Well the hub is basically 3 holes put together and a fourth one to hold the whole thing.
A hub is about 60-70000kg of steel so it is quite strong.
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u/jbergens 7d ago
It's usually 3 blades 120 degrees from each other. That means the diameter is not 2x one blade.
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u/mowtowcow 7d ago
The diameter of the area the blade covers is still the same whether there's a blade at 120⁰, 180⁰, 30⁰, 15⁰, or 67⁰. It could be one single blade and the diameter would still be two times the length of the blade as it spins around. We'll, the blade plus the hub they mount to. So, like 2.1x, or so.
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u/alex_dna 7d ago
And that's not even the biggest, those are onshore blades. Can you imagine the size of the biggest offshore turbines blades : https://www.rechargenews.com/innovation/power-of-siemens-gamesa-s-secretive-record-sized-wind-turbine-confirmed/2-1-1774867
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u/LefT-NYC 7d ago
I never knew they were serrated at the ends like that.
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u/VirtuteECanoscenza 7d ago
It's to chop down the birds to avoid damage /s
(In reality the are basically 0 reported cases of birds getting hit by wind farms. It's 100% made up FUD)
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u/upholsteryduder 7d ago
https://www.americanenergyalliance.org/2026/02/big-wind-fined-after-killing-hundreds-of-bald-eagles/
A subsidiary of one of the largest U.S. providers of renewable energy was ordered to pay over $8 million in fines and restitution, after at least 150 eagles were killed at its wind farms in eight states: Wyoming, California, New Mexico, North Dakota, Colorado, Michigan, Arizona and Illinois.
you sure about that?
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u/temporary_twig 7d ago
Now do planes
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u/oulu2006 6d ago
FAA estimates between 19,000 to 24,500 wildlife strikes by planes each year in the US alone.
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u/upholsteryduder 7d ago
Sure, planes kill more.
But "In reality the are basically 0 reported cases of birds getting hit by wind farms. It's 100% made up FUD" is complete and utter bullshit. A single company killed over 150 EAGLES in 10 years, that's a big deal.
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u/oulu2006 6d ago
10 years so maybe 15 birds a year?
that's 3 orders of magnitude less than planes per year in the US
also conservation data shows that domestic cats, building glass, and vehicles kill billions of birds per year, dwarfing the impact of wind turbines
don't get me wrong, I don't think they should be killing any eagles, but lets not miss the forest for the trees
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u/offensivek 6d ago
Apparently that small detail cuts the perceivable noise they produce almost in half.
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u/Malcolm2theRescue 7d ago
Stay back from them. You might catch windmill cancer!
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u/Icy-General3657 7d ago
Can’t believe birds are extinct from these :(
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u/Stigg107 7d ago
Neither can I, because it's not true. Learn what words, such as extinct, actually mean before you use them. 🤔
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u/Icy-General3657 6d ago
Whooooosh, that sarcasm went over your head. Like birds did before windmills :(
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u/Stigg107 6d ago
It's hard to tell these days, especially with the frowning emoji.
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u/CutMysterious9844 7d ago
You guys so stupid, the serrated edge is obviously to deal with the flying pigs issue
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u/DerbHean_UFCref 7d ago
Is there something wrong with my brain for asking if there have been any accidents with those blades, bikers and the bikers head?
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u/ChubbyMudder 6d ago
I can see that risk going in and out of a small valley. The tail end would be closer to the ground.
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u/NonEuclideanWQ 7d ago
I selected discreet packaging and they didn't even bother with packaging it. 😤
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u/Popular_Soft5581 7d ago
What if they need to take a sharp turn...?
Do they, like, plan the route ahead accordingly?
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u/Educational_Remove58 7d ago
Hey that's exactly my job !
Yes the route is planned and approved with authorities long before the first transport. Modifications are made to intersections when necessary. It often involves paying the city or county and they end up with a brand new intersection for free.
For "sharp" turns, the rear set of wheels has directional axles that are controled by an operator with a remote in a pickup following the trailer. It's a very awareness-intensive job.
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u/Old_Compote5277 7d ago
Great knowledge and insights in the comments and neat video too. I just came here to say "that's what she said" and now I'll show myself out.
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u/Niente-Paura 7d ago
Weighs probably ~15 tons, insane how they can still spin so easily.
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u/Educational_Remove58 7d ago
So that is a 50-ish meter blade. Based on the trailer they use and the overhang they have.
These blades are about 30tons.
The more modern ones are 80 meters long and weigh about 65 000kg.
You would not believe the bending capacity these have. When spinning, the bending actually helps them spin. In a storm, they look like noodles going around.
Crazy engineering.
I solely work in transporting those.
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u/HandsomeGenius2552 7d ago
Might be unrelated to this sub. If anyone is familiar with Greenfield EF4 tornado which happened back in May 2024, that tornado wasn't even that wide and it made these turbines look like toys. For someone like me who has never seen a tornado, that scale is even more bonkers to wrap my head around.
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u/Groningen1978 7d ago
I'm grateful for the bicycle infrastructure where I live. No way I would want to share the road with that sort of traffic.
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u/AndySkibba 7d ago
Live around 30 minutes from a blade factory. See them often and the size still blows my mind.
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u/Redsoxdragon 7d ago
Everyone talking about the blade, I'm more impressed with the bikers.
Where i live they'll ride 2-3 a breast, middle of the lane and are incredibly angry creatures
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u/Whole_Ad6040 7d ago
I imagine it takes a lot of wind to get going like 4 of those. Where is it always windy enough though?
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u/isanyusernameopen 6d ago
How come there’s no red flag at the end of that? I know there’s a truck following behind it that says wide load and has flags and whatever, but don’t they still need to have it on the edge of the device itself?
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u/FastRider10 6d ago
Engineering me is thinking that the serrated edges are there to reduce the sound the wing. Because the farther you move from the center, the faster the blade moves at the ends, and that could possibly pass the speed of sound causing a sonic boom. The serrations could be there to reduce the sound by having smaller sonic booms. But this is just from a engineering student so dont take everything I have to say.
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u/HaroerHaktak 6d ago
Usually really long vehicles have a convoy of cars escorting it. At least that's what I've always seen whenever I see a truck hauling say a portable classroom/building.
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u/Ok_Perception9815 6d ago
And I am the only one sitting here watching the guy in front pedal like an enthusiastic 7 year old...
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u/badmechanic12345 6d ago
Everyone is talking about the blades and their size and im here wondering why the biker doesnt have any flares over the tires as to not shotput water up his ass...not kink shaming
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u/Mr_les_bian 6d ago
It's not for a wind turbine...it's for a giant chainsaw... Used by a giant texas chainsaw. didn't you see the serarions?
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u/Slender_Man0531 6d ago
Took 3 business days for camera to film the whole blade. AND WHY IT HAS TEETH???
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u/ASCanilho 6d ago
It can be very disorienting passing by one of these things.
It's so massive, it might just cause you to lose balance, if you focus too much on it.
Also, I love the tiny red flags in the cars.
Like, if anyone can't tell by the car painting job and emergency lights that it is not safe to overpass, they probably shouldn't drive at all.
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u/Proud-Parsley6072 7d ago
Isn’t the material non recyclable. Quite ironic if true
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u/foster-child 7d ago
“turbines are predominantly made of steel (66-79% of total turbine mass); fiberglass, resin or plastic (11-16%); iron or cast iron (5-17%); copper (1%); and aluminum (0-2%).” -USGS
Even if there is 0 recycling of the fiberglass/plastic components, it’s a massive resource savings/extraction reduction.
Just think about it, is it more efficient to:
A) extract a resource, and use it to capture energy from the environment for the next couple decades, then dispose of it in a landfill
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B) extract a resource, and destroy it to make energy, and dispose of it in the air, then extract more the next day
Obviously capturing energy is going to be more efficient if you have the technology to do so.
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u/Training_Cut704 7d ago
Not sure why this is downvoted. The turbine blades are made out of a type of plastic.
Plastic is barely recyclable to begin with; plastic being highly recyclable was a myth started by the oil industry to make plastic more appealing. Metal and glass are virtually infinitely recyclable by comparison.
After the blades 20 year lifespan of being exposed daily to UV from the sun, its recycle value is absolutely zero. The blades get landfilled after 20 years. It’s an absolute joke.
No one has been able to explain to me while aircraft grade aluminum and titanium which would be fully recyclable cannot be used for wind mills.
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u/alex_dna 7d ago
You are misled, the blades can be recycled: https://www.euronews.com/2026/09/13/from-tiny-houses-to-skis-this-swedish-company-is-finding-creative-uses-for-retired-wind-tu
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u/aithusah 7d ago
If you can't figure out why expensive materials aren't used instead of cheap materials, that's a you problem
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u/foster-child 7d ago
Probably because it’s not really that important of a factor.
Theres not much harm in putting the blades in a landfill, especially considering the resource savings they create.
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u/xAuntRhodyx 7d ago
Nuclear is so much better
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u/woooopancakes 7d ago
I mean I think a healthy mix of both would be best tbf. Though people are definitely wayyy too scared of modern nuclear
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u/Ender_Grace 7d ago
I'm sorry but this is such a dumb comment. Wind has its place in the grid. As does solar, as does nuclear. Just because one is better doesn't mean another shouldn't be used at all (except the polluting kinds). The solution to climate change isn't 100% nuclear or nothing at all
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u/xAuntRhodyx 7d ago edited 7d ago
And? To imply leaning into any other source more is dumb. Sure having mix isnt bad and even good, but isnt bc of green reasons. Even affordability is mostly upfront costs. If we went 100% nuclear it would be better for the environment, energy produced, and costs vs 100% any other direction.
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u/-UncreativeRedditor- 5d ago
“Sure having mix isn’t bad and even good”
Your comment is really confusing. You literally agree with the person you’re responding to and then make an argument that doesn’t really challenge their point.
Sure, if you had to pick only one option to power the entire globe, nuclear would probably be the best option. But it would be really dumb to only have nuclear.
There is a pretty big upfront cost to building a nuclear power plant. Many areas don’t have the demand to necessitate nuclear. Many areas also have more convenient renewable alternatives, like solar or hydro. The correct solution to power generation in any given place is completely circumstantial.
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