Nacelle

The nacelle sits on top of the tower and contains main technical parts of the wind turbine.

Usually made of fiberglass, the nacelle contains the low- and high-speed shafts, the gearbox, the brake and the generator. It also contains the blade pitch control, a hydraulic system that controls the angle of the blades, and the yaw drive, which controls the position of the turbine relative to the wind.

The word nacelle is derived from the Old French nacele, which means a small boat or dinghy, which was in turn derived from the Latin navicella. The term is commonly used in aviation design to refer to a covered housing that holds engines.

Source Photo: daylife.com