Embedded Files
Day 1: Skill Building
IMG_7420.movPaper cup motor
Paper cup motor
This activity demonstrates electromagnetic fields. It shows the abilities of magnets to rotate a loop of copper wire using a magnet.
battery tester
battery tester
This activity shows the magnetic attraction to electrons in a circuit. It demonstrates the fundamental knowledge of how electromagnets work
IMG_9613.MOVwindmill kit
windmill kit
This activity demonstrates how different angles for the blades affect how fast it spins. We changed the angle of the notecards to see how the speed of the turbine changed.
kidwind
kidwind
This was the base simulation for finding power and other optimal values. It allowed us to test a wide range of values for the wind turbine.
tinkercad
tinkercad
This was the original idea for the wind turbine. It had a square base with 4, essentially flat blades. The 3d printed version is at the right.
Day 2: Design and Construction
Pre-construction Phase
Pre-construction Phase
We scaled up the KidWind design to the size of the wood available. We decided to attach the blades around a cube. We also switched from a square base to a cross shaped base. We kept 4 blades the same from our original design.
Making the blades
Making the blades
After using the scaled KidWind designed, we made the four blades by cutting them out and then sanding them until they fit our design.
Making the base
Making the base
We had an X-shaped base with 5 long panels and 10 shorter panels glued together. We then stacked them on top of each other in an alternating order to ensure it would stay flat on the ground.
initial Final result
initial Final result
After combining the blades, the base, the short tower, and the center cube with holes drilled, we finally completed our original design.
Day 3: Finalizing the Design
post-testing result
post-testing result
Once we tested the blades, we realized they weren't stable. So, we added a second plank, and then realized we could easily add a generator. The generator works by spinning the permanent magnet through the wire coil, which induces a current in the coil. This electric current can then be used for power, though it only generated 0.3 Volts, not enough for even an LED. Below is the video of the final product.
IMG_6093.MOVCivil Engineering, environmental engineering, and building science
Civil Engineering, environmental engineering, and building science
Civil engineering typically focuses on the design and construction of infrastructure. Civil engineering also has many subsets of engineering that may focus on specific regions and conditions. This includes, for example, coastal engineering, construction engineering, and earthquake engineering. Civil engineering is very important for building structures such as bridges, dams, and much more.
Environmental engineering focuses on designing solutions to protect the environment and human health. Environmental engineers work to improve air and water quality, reduce pollution, and they try to incorporate sustainable resources into their projects
Building science normally focuses on the physics behind buildings themselves, calculating how much load each wall/support can take while working in tandem with other engineering professions. This field mainly focuses on the overall system of the building, and needs interdisciplinary knowledge from several other STEM topics as well. One of the main topics for this field is understanding how multiple different aspects of the building interacts with the environment.
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