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Presentation by Matt Hardy at the Excellence in Elementary Engineering Education (E4) Conference, St. Paul, MN. January 28, 2010
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Wind Turbines
in the Classroom
Hands-On Alternative Energy Engineering
Matt Hardy [email protected] Grade 3 Teacher, Eden Prairie SchoolsJoe Rand [email protected] KidWind Project kidwind.org
Agenda
• Project Background• Current state of wind energy (U.S. & Globally)– Joe Rand, Kidwind.org
• Classroom Activities– Build the Tower– Engineer the Blades– Turbines in Tandem (Wind Farm)
My Background
• BA, Computer Science, U of M, Morris• Web Development• M. Ed., U of M, Twin Cities• 3rd Grade, Eden Prairie (6 yrs.)
Project Background
• Go Green/Impact Project– “High-Tech Environmental Engineering” – 2-3 Weeks– Hands-on, inquiry based, highly motivational– Funded by a generous grant from the
Foundation for Eden Prairie School (FEPS)• Tied to Magnets and Electricity curriculum• “Alternative” energy is becoming mainstream
Energy
Energy
• What is energy?• Where does energy come from?– Coal, Natural Gas, Solar, Wind– Sun (primary source)– Nuclear, geothermal
• We can harness this energy • We can transform it so it’s useful to people
Electricity
• Where does electricity come from?• Capture/release energy to make electrons move
Electricity Production:Wind Turbines
• How to “catch” the wind? Blades!– Spin a turbine– Push electrons– Generate electricity!
Daily PlanBuild the base (tower)Free inquiry: cut/glue/test – does it spin?Controlled design: independent variableDiscuss “ideal” designs“Turbines 2.0 ” • Redesign, with advice from peers• Other testing devices
Day 1:Day 2:
Day 3-5:Day 6:
Day 7-10:
Part 1: Build a Tower
• (1) Generator• (1) Hub• (5) 90° Fitting • (3) T-Fitting (1 Drilled!) • (1) 24” Pipe • (6) 6” Pipe • (1) Coupler • (1) 2” Pipe
Part 2: Blade Design
• Students design blades out of various materials• Try to make their rotor turn
Measuring Performance
• Multimeters (volts = speed)• LEDs - “The Squid” (volts)• Water Pump (power: volts x amps)– The true test of a turbine’s utility
Test Your Blades• Always uncrimp/recrimp hub– Don’t press/pull dowels too hard
• Danger zone = sideways
• Wear safety goggles when testing
• Use multimeter to quantify speed
Improve Your Blades• SHORTEN THE BLADES - No bigger than fan
• CHANGE THE PITCH - Try flatter (Twist?)
• USE FEWER BLADES - 2, 3 or 4 blades.
• USE LIGHTER MATERIAL - balsa wood rules!
• SMOOTH SURFACES - watch tape & rough edges
• FIND MORE WIND - Use a utility fan
• BLADE SHAPE - Narrow tips
Don’tBeA
Drag
Part 3: Wind Farms
Polarity
• Determine positive/negative wires• Red/Black don’t matter!• Test turbine with multimeter: Red-Red Black-Black• If the voltage reading is positive (no “-” sign),
then the red wire is positive• Otherwise, the black wire is positive• Put a piece of tape on the “+” wire to remember• DO NOT CHANGE THE PITCH OF THE BLADES
Wait for the Wind
• Watch the weather forecast for a windy way
• Head out to the field!
• Hold onto those blades (hand on the hub)!
• Arrange the turbines in a line, facing the wind
Line Them Up…
Connect the Turbines
• Place a “jumper wire” between each turbine.• Start at one end of the line• Clip + to - , + to - , + to - , + to - …
until you reach the last turbine.• Connect a LONG wire from the last turbine’s free
wire back toward the first turbine.• Connect a multimeter to the first turbine’s free
wire and the long wire from the last turbine.• Release the hubs. Stand back and admire them!
Resources
• kidwind.org• Detailed PVC Turbine Assembly Instructions• Blade Design Lesson Plans