Overview of Status of Analysis, Design, Fabrication, Tests, etc.
In the past few weeks, we have gathered materials and established pertinent operating assumptions in order to test the feasibility of harnessing expended energy. The first of which was verifying the manufacturer’s specifications for our thermoelectric generators.
Accomplishments from Previous Week
As a result of the individual component analyses completed this week, component selections were completed for the DC motor, solenoid valve, hydroelectric turbine, and the thermoelectric generator.
Goals for Next Week (list names after each item). Use specific and measurable objectives.
Test specs of Hydroturbine
Test GPM in testing of site
Sponsor Comments from Last Meeting and Actions Taken to Address these Comments (indicate date of comments and if via email or in person)
We have not met our sponsor since our previous meeting so our current endeavors reflect the feedback received from the previous meeting.
Instructor Comments from Last Meeting and Actions Taken to Address these Comments (indicate date of comments and if via email or in person)
Based on the meeting with our instructor, it was suggested that we construct a circuit to get a better understanding of the thermoelectric generator’s output under variable conditions. Furthermore, it was also highly recommended that we address critical factors in the harness of hydroelectric energy from the flow, such as the propeller-turbine’s pitch and torque.
Comments from Other Students in the Class (indicate date of comments and if via email or in person)
N/A
Risks and Areas of Concern
Some areas of concern involving our project is tackling the issue of properly converting the turbine’s motion into actual electric energy and addressing the the potential issues regarding reverse temperature gradients (or zero temperature gradient) in the thermoelectric generators.
Operation of a DC motor as a generator has been investigated and it was concluded that the running conditions of the turbine-generator system will depend on the intersection of these two devices’ torque-speed curves. Selecting a suitable motor will require knowledge of the chosen turbine’s torque-speed curve, which may be difficult to determine without experimentation.
Resources or Information Required but not Available
Schedule
Describe upcoming milestone
Update Gantt chart.
Budget (list amount spent and amount remaining)
Two Hydroturbines--> $27.98
SD Card Reader→$6.45
Progress on Report and Webpage