With Ethan Fonarev, Daniel Bazikian, and James Karr
In this project we had to come up with a plan to produce and store electricity for the city of Novato. Before we could do this, however, we needed to do some preliminary projects to obtain a greater understanding of the subject of electricity.
Wind Turbine Design
First, we did experiments to see what design for a wind turbine would be most affective. We used different fan speeds to represent different wind speeds in different areas. We constructed our designs out of wood dowels and construction paper. We found that a more acute angle (around 30 degrees) of the blades makes a more efficient turbine because it caught a lot of wind while also reducing drag. We also found that fewer blades also increased the efficiency.
Electrical Fields
Static Electricity: We conducted experiments with tape to see how static electricity effect how it behaves. Static electricity is the transfer of electrons between materials. The shock you feel is the electrons being transferred super fast.
Electric Field Hockey: We also did experiments on an online simulator using positive and negative charges to move a 'ball' into a 'goal'. Negative charges pulled the ball towards them and positive charges pushed the ball away. We had to make a path through obstacles using both charges to score.
Electric Field Hockey: We also did experiments on an online simulator using positive and negative charges to move a 'ball' into a 'goal'. Negative charges pulled the ball towards them and positive charges pushed the ball away. We had to make a path through obstacles using both charges to score.
Electromagnet Lab
My group conducted an experiment to see if the concentration of coils around a nail for an electromagnet affected its strength. An electromagnet is created when a piece of metal is charged with electricity making it magnetic. Here is our experiment in detail:
Motor Dissection
We took apart a motor and drew a quick sketch of it:
Microgrid
For our final product my group and I combined our knowledge of different types of electricity production and storage to come up with a plan to power Novato.
Reflection
I was very interested going into this project because I really enjoy finding new sources of energy besides fossil fuels. I feel my group worked really well together on this project and we came out with a great final product. I feel that I contributed a lot to the final presentation and I took a leadership role in this group during the research and design faze. However, there are definitely some things I could have done differently. I could have and should have done a better job of cooperating with my group members and listening to their ideas instead of just doing my own thing. I also could have helped my teammates when I was finished and they were still working. Overall, though, I really enjoyed this project.