Ancient Chinese Wind Energy Utilization

Observation and understanding of natural wind accompanies with human evolution in our ancient China. With the accumulation of experience, the ancients realized the principle of creating wind by fan and began to apply man-made wind to production and life in Yao and Shun times. In the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period at the latest, the ancients realized that wind is produced by flow of air and began to make use of natural wind. With the development of society, people gradually have a scientific understanding of wind direction wind force monsoon and typhoon.Wind energy, including natural and man-made wind, is widely used in many aspects: agriculture metallurgy transportation and military and so on. The ancients invent many tools, such as dust pan windmill and kite. The occurrence and development of different tools uses for reference and influences one another, and the structure develops from uncomplicated to complicated, and technology from primitive to mature. It promotes social productive force and reflects the diligence and wisdom of the ancients.Foot-drawn windmill vehicle is one of tools which are used to select grain in ancient times. There are detailed records about it and structural drawing in WANG ZHEN NONG SHU. People have a wrong understanding of its structure because of improper angle and unreasonable ways of sketch. The thesis does textual research on records and analysis of many windmill vehicles by contrast, points out the mistakes and recovers it.The need for production and life drives the development of science and technology, The use of natural wind is a need for new motive force, while the man-made wind is a need for the development of production. The ancients develop technology and realize the course from intermittent to continual. It enhances production efficiency and reflects the veins and regularity of the occurrence and development of science and technology. The use of wind energy promotes the level of production and social development.The ancients make great achievements, accelerate highly the development of natural science and technology, moreover, accumulate precious experience in the use of wind energy and have a profound significance to us, these successful experience can be used for modern study of the wind energy.