WindTurbines

EssentialQuestion:Howcanrenewableresourcesbetransformedintousefulenergyforms?EnduringUnderstanding:Renewable,cleanenergytechnologiescanimproveourqualityoflife,ourfuture,andcreatesignificanteconomicopportunities.FocusQuestion:HowcanIconverttheenergyofthewind?Challenge(Problem):Yourchallengeistodesignadevicethatusesthepowerofthewindtogenerateelectricity.Yourgroupwillbuildyourprototypeusingthesuppliedmaterials.(Engage)Youwillresearchtypesofenergy,renewableandnon-renewableenergysources,electricalenergymeasurement&generation,andwindturbines&howtheyfunction.Oncompletionofthisprojectyouwillbeabletoexplaintheuseofwindpowerasarenewableresource,andbuildamodelwindturbinesandexperimentwiththetypesofchangesthatwillincreaseefficiency.Yourgroupwillbewillbeassessedontheprototype’sperformance,useoftheengineeringdesignprocess,teamwork,andagrouppresentation.

BegintheEngineeringDesignProcess

Let’sGetStarted!GOAL:Whatistheproblemyourgroupmustsolve?

DEFINETHEPROBLEM:Criteria:Whatmustyoudotosolvetheproblem?1.2.3.4.5.6.

Constraints:Whatwilllimityouinsolvingtheproblem?1.2.3.4.5.6.

FocusQuestions:Whatdoyouneedtoknowinordertosolvetheproblem?1.2.3.4.5.

BuildBackgroundKnowledge:Haveyoueverfeltastrongwind?Whatcouldyoudowithasteady,strongwind?Whenwegetwindtodosomethingforus,wearemakingitwork.Windisairinmotion.ItiscausedbytheunevenheatingofEarth’ssurfacebythesun.Sincethesurfaceismadeofverydifferenttypesoflandandwater,itabsorbsthesun’sheatatdifferentrates.Duringtheday,theairabovethelandheatsupmorequicklythantheairoverwater.Thewarmairoverthelandexpandsandrises,andtheheavier,coolerairrushesintotakeitsplace,creatingwinds.Atnight,thewindsarereversedbecausetheaircoolsmorerapidlyoverlandthanoverwater.Inthesameway,thelargeatmosphericwindsthatcircleEartharecreatedbecausethelandneartheEquatorisheatedmorebythesunthanthelandneartheNorthandSouthPoles.Windiscalledarenewableenergysourcebecausethewindwillblowaslongasthesunshines.Arenewableenergyresourceisonethatisnaturallyregeneratedoverashortperiodoftime(solar,wind,hydropower,geothermalandtidalenergy).Anon-renewableenergysourceisaresourceforwhichthereisalimitedsupply.ThesupplycomesfromtheEarthitselfand,asittypicallytakesmillionsofyearstodevelop,islimited.Examplesarecoal,naturalgas,petroleumandnuclearfuels.Over5,000yearsago,theancientEgyptiansusedwindtosailshipsontheNileRiver.Later,peoplebuiltwindmillstogrindwheatandothergrains.TheearliestknownwindmillswereinPersia(Iran).Theseearlywindmillslookedlikelargepaddlewheels.Centurieslater,thepeopleofHollandimprovedthebasicdesignofthewindmill.Theygaveitpropeller-typeblades,stillmadewithsails.Americancolonistsusedwindmillstogrindwheatandcorn,topumpwater,andtocutwoodatsawmills.Aslateasthe1920s,Americansusedsmallwindmillstogenerateelectricityinruralareasthathadnoelectricservice.Todaythewindisbeingputtoworkagain.Haveyouseenthosetall,modern,whitewindmillslocatedinlargegroupsonopenhillsides?Theyarecalledwindturbines,andwhenthereareseveralofthemtogether,itiscalledawindfarm.Thesewindfarmsarehowengineersconvertwindenergyintousableenergyforpeople,intheformofelectricity.Awindfarmisapowerplantthatuseswindturbinestocreateelectricity.Today,engineerscontinuetomakeimprovementsinwindpowertechnology.Windenergyhasseveraladvantages.Itisarenewableenergysourceanditdoesnotpollutetheenvironment.

Aspowercompaniesinstallwindfarmsinmoreandmorelocations,engineersdesignturbinesandgeneratorsthatworkunderallweatherconditions.Engineersmustdesignturbinestoworkinsevereweatherconditionsaswellastypicalwindydays.Sometimestheforceofthewindcanbesteadyandsometimesitcancauseapowerfulrepetitiveforceonthewindturbine,similartoaflagflappinginthewind.Ifthewindturbineisimproperlydesigned,itmightfallapartinaseverewindstorm.Sincethewinddoesnotblowallofthetime,electricalengineersdevisewaystoensurethatextraenergygeneratedduringwindyperiodscanbestoredforuseduringcalmertimes.Engineersalsodesignwindfarmstoprotectwildlife.Laws,suchastheMigratoryBirdTreatyActandtheEndangeredSpeciesAct,prohibitthekillingofasinglebirdifitisaprotectedspecies.Anearly1990swindfarminCalifornia'sAltamontPasscausedthelossofsomanygoldeneaglesthatconcernswereraisedaboutbuildingmorewindfarms.Engineersareinvolvedwithresearchprojectstoaddressthebird-windpowerprobleminavarietyofsettings,sotheycanreducebirddeathsfromwindplants.Youmightnotexpectengineerstobeconcernedthatwindturbineskillthousandsofinsects.But,deadbugsonthebladescansignificantlyreducehowwelltheturbineswork.Occasionally,utilitiesmuststoptheturbinesandpressure-washhundredsofblades.Toreducetheproblemscausedbyinsects,engineersincorporatenonsticksurfacesanddifferentbladeanglesintotheirdesigns.

Vocabulary:Collectdefinitionsforvocabularytermsasyoubuildbackgroundknowledge.Anemometer:

Beaufortscale: Constraint: Criteria: ElectricCircuit:

Energy:

Generator:

Machine:

Motor:

Nonrenewableenergy: PotentialEnergy: Renewableenergy:

Rotor:

Turbine: Windenergy:

Windfarm:

Windturbine:

Work:

EXPLOREWindPower&ElectricityCompletetheactivitiesonthesewebpages

WINDPOWERNOW:http://www.pbs.org/now/science/wind.html#turbine

Whataresomeadvantagesanddisadvantagesofwindpower?Advantages Disadvantages

Complete:WindPower*America/WIND&MAPSSECTIONShttp://www.pj-i.com/Interactive/WPA/Describehowtheenergyofthewindisconvertedtoelectricalenergy?1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Summarizeeachcomponentofthewind.Origin:

Speed:

Distribution:

Direction:

Environment:

WhatistheaverageannualwindspeedforMaryland(land)?WhatistheaverageannualwindspeedforMaryland(water)?CompletetheWindEnergyVirtualLab:http://scienceofeverydaylife.discoveryeducation.com/innovation/labs/wind-energy/wind.swfFindthemostefficientbladedesign.Attachthe3MWindEnergyDesignResultstotheoppositepage.Drawthebladedesignbelow.

ElectricityLabExplorationCompleteeachofthelabsbelow.Lab-Buildacurcuit. CompletedUsingthesesymbolsdrawadiagramofthecurcuit.

ConvertChemicalenergytoelectricalenergy:Describethetranformationsinenergy._________________________________Measuretheelectricalenergyusingthemulti-meter.

SwitchConnectingWire

Light ElectricMotor

Battery

WindLabExplorationCompleteeachlabbelow.Usethewindgaugetomeasurethewindspeedoutside._______________M.P.H.

Usethewindgaugetomeasurethewindspeedofthefanatadistanceofonemeter._______________M.P.H.

Doyouhaveanyquestionsaboutthischallenge?Isthereanythingyouneedtoknowinordertosolvethisproblem?

IMAGINE:(Extendyourlearning)Brainstormseveraldesignsforyourwindturbineprototype.Shareyourideaswithyourgroup.Pickoneasagroup.

PLAN:Writeadescriptionofyourprototype:

Listmaterialsusedintheprototype.Material Quanitityneeded1. 2. 3.

4. 5.

6. 7.

8. (Continueonadjacentpage)

CREATE:Constructyourprototype.Asyoufollowedyourplan,whatworkedwell?Whatdidyouchange?EXPERIMENT:TestyourprototypeQuanitative-Set-upyourprototype1meterawayfromthefan._____________M.P.H.–FanWindSpeed_____________voltsofelectricitygenerated

Drawadetaileddiagramofyourprototypeontheoppositepage.Drawasideandafrontview.Labeltheparts.Includemeasurementsofalltheparts.

Qualitative–Describeyourprototype’sperformance.Whenyoutestedyourprototype,diditgenerateelectricity?Diditworkthewayyouplanneditto?IMPROVE:TroubleshootyourprototypeWhatworked? Whatdidn’twork?

Howcanyouimprovetheperformanceofyourprototype?Whatwillyouchange?

Describethechange/syoumadetoyourprototype.RE-EXPERIMENT:Quanitative-Set-upyourprototype1meterawayfromthefan._____________M.P.H.–WindSpeed_____________voltsofelectricitygenerated_____________%ofincreaceordecreaseofelectricitygeneration

Qualitative–Describeyourprototype’sperformance.Whenyoutestedyourprototype,diditgeneratetheelectricity?Diditworkthewayyouplanneditto?Nameyourprototype.-_______________________________Evaluation:PROTOTYPERUBRIC:

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1

Functio

n

Structurefunctionsextraordinarilywell,holdingupunderatypicalstresses.

Structurefunctionswell,holdingupundertypicalstresses.

Structurefunctionsprettywell,butdeterioratesundertypicalstresses.

Fatalflawsinfunctionwithcompletefailureundertypicalstresses.

Constructio

n-

Materials

Appropriatematerialswereselectedandcreativelymodifiedinwaysthatmadethemevenbetter.

Appropriatematerialswereselectedandtherewasanattemptatcreativemodificationtomakethemevenbetter.

Appropriatematerialswereselected.

Inappropriatematerialswereselectedandcontributedtoaproductthatperformedpoorly.

Constructio

n-C

are

Taken

Greatcaretakeninconstructionprocesssothatthestructureisneat,attractiveandfollowsplansaccurately.

Constructionwascarefulandaccurateforthemostpart,but1-2detailscouldhavebeenrefinedforamoreattractiveproduct.

Constructionaccuratelyfollowedtheplans,but3-4detailscouldhavebeenrefinedforamoreattractiveproduct.

Constructionappearscarelessorhaphazard.Manydetailsneedrefinementforastrongorattractiveproduct.

PRESENTATIONRUBRIC:Asagroupplanapresentationthatsharesyourfindings,designandprototype.YoucanusePowerPoint,aFlipchart,avideooracombinationofthese.Bepreparedtopresenttothegroup.Yourgroup’spresentationwillbescoredusingrubricbelow.

3 2 1Completelydescribestheprosandconsofthedesignplan.

Somewhatdescribestheprosandconsofthedesignplan.

Failstodescribetheprosandconsofthedesignplan.

Describesthetasktheprototypeisdesignedtoaccomplish.

Somewhatdescribesthetasktheprototypeisdesignedtoaccomplish.

Failstodescribesthetasktheprototypeisdesignedtoaccomplish.

Usethedataforyourdesign,toexplainfailuresorsuccessesoftheprototype.

Somewhatusesthedataforyourdesign,toexplainfailuresorsuccessesoftheprototype.

Failstousethedataforyourdesign,toexplainfailuresorsuccessesoftheprototype.

Discussyourteam’sfinaldesignplan.Whatchangesdidyoumaketotheoriginaldesign?Whatchangeswouldyoumaketoimproveyourprototypenow?

Discussedtwoaspectsofthedesign.

Discussedoneorlessaspectsofthedesign.

Completelyanswersthequestions:Howcanrenewableresourcesbetransformedintousefulenergyforms?

HowcanIconverttheenergyofthewind?

Somewhatanswersthequestions:Howcanrenewableresourcesbetransformedintousefulenergyforms?

HowcanIconverttheenergyofthewind?

Failstoanswerthequestions:Howcanrenewableresourcesbetransformedintousefulenergyforms?

HowcanIconverttheenergyofthewind?

Sharesinformationabouttheuseofwindturbinesintheworldtoday,theirprosandcons,andotherrelevantbackgroundinformation.

Somewhatsharesinformationabouttheuseofwindturbinesintheworldtoday,theirprosandcons,andotherrelevantbackgroundinformation.

Failstoshareinformationabouttheuseofwindturbinesintheworldtoday,theirprosandcons,andotherrelevantbackgroundinformation.

Collaborationisobvious.Allmembersofthegroupparticipateinthepresentation.

Allmembersofthegroupparticipateinthepresentation.

Singlememberofthegrouppresents.

Effectiveuseofvocabularyinpresentation.

Somevocabularyusedinpresentation.

Vocabularywasnotusedinthepresentation.

ScoringforJournalEntries(Individual)Journalswillbegradedthroughouttheproject.

3 2 1Eachstepisdatedandaddedtothetableofcontents.

Moststepsaredatedandaddedtothetableofcontents.

Eachstepisdatedandaddedtothetableofcontents.

EachTableofContentsentryidentifiesthestepbyaheading.

Mostentriesidentifythestepbyaheading.

HeadingsarenotenteredintheTableofContents.

Drawing/prototypedesignsareclearlylabeledwiththepartsanddirectionalarrowsforforces.Includesmeasurementsofalltheparts.

Twoofthecomponentsarecompleted.

Oneofthecomponentsiscompleted.

Datacollectionisdetailed.(quantitative,qualitative)

Datacollectionisincomplete.(quantitative,qualitative)

Failedtocollectdata.(quantitative,qualitative)

Accurateandlabeleddiagramsateachstageofdevelopment,withaside,topandfrontview.Labelparts.Measurementsofalltheparts.

Twoofthecomponentsarecompleted.

Oneofthecomponentsiscompleted.

Detailedcollectionofbackgroundinformation.

Minimalcollectionofbackgroundinformation.

Nocollectionofbackgroundinformation.

EvidencetheEngineeringDesignProcesswasused.

Detailsforeachsteparecomplete.

2

Detailsforeachstepareincomplete.

1

Detailsforeachstepnotcompleted.

0Goal Goal GoalAsk Ask Ask

Imagine Imagine ImaginePlan Plan PlanCreate Create Create

Experiment Experiment ExperimentImprove Improve Improve

Re-Experiment Re-Experiment Re-Experiment

ADDITIONALRESOURCES: