Line 55: Line 55:
====Existing Models====
====Existing Models====
*[[http://www.humdingerwind.com/#/wi_micro/| microbelt specs]]
*[[http://www.humdingerwind.com/#/wi_micro/| microbelt specs]]
**the microbelt, seen below in figure 1, can provide clean energy to power the billions of wireless light and power sensors around the world; by using aeroelastic flutter rather than a spinning turbine. The microbelt is able to provide power to wireless sensors as long as there is airflow hitting it. For example, under a car, inside the ducting of buildings, or at the outside of a building.Table 1 and Figure 2 show the correlation b/w wind speed and power output of the device. The higher the wind speeds, the greater the electrical current.
**the microbelt, seen below in figure 2, can provide clean energy to power the billions of wireless light and power sensors around the world; by using aeroelastic flutter rather than a spinning turbine. The microbelt is able to provide power to wireless sensors as long as there is airflow hitting it. For example, under a car, inside the ducting of buildings, or at the outside of a building.Table 1 and Figure 3 show the correlation b/w wind speed and power output of the device. The higher the wind speeds, the greater the electrical current.





Revision as of 05:56, 15 July 2010

Problem Formulation

Introduction

The problem formulation section introduces an objective statement, group background information, project scope and a black box model, seen below.

Objective Statement

The objective of the design project is to build and implement multiple designs of the windbelt generator for Otros Mundos. Our goal is to power Otros Mundos' telecommunication devices out in the field, using wind energy. The windbelt will be able to help Otros Mundos in an energy cinch.

Group Background

Shane Brabant, Enrique Diaz, and Anna Ferguson make up Team S.E.A. Shane Barbant is an Natural Resource Planning Interpretation(NRPI) major, Anna Ferguson is a Spanish Education major, and Enrique Diaz is an Environmental Resource Engineering (ERE)/Spanish Education major.

Figure 1, This Black Box diagram is a simple interpretation of the objective of our design project

Literature Review

The purpose of the literature review, is to provide background information on relevant topics of the design project. The literature review includes the client criteria, windbelt trademark, aeroelastic flutter, windbelt models, electromagnetic force, climate, wind energy, assembly instructions, and materials.

Client Criteria

In order to make clear, translucent decisions in the design making process, Team S.E.A will be utilizing the following client criteria:

Client Criteria Constraint
Cost The cheaper the better, spend no more than $150 in materials
Local materials Use local materials as much possible to support local economy
Electrical Output Enough to aid Otros Mundos in powering lights, cell phones, laptops, and radios out in the field
Durability Humdinger's life expectancy will be met
Simple design easy to use the technology, easy to maintain
Safety Must be safe for the user
Aesthetics preferably aesthetically pleasing

Windbelt Trademark

  • [Humdinger's]
    • Windbelt technology uses a phenomenon called aeroelastic flutter[1], made famous by the Tacoma Bridge disaster of 1940. Invented by Shawn Frayne, the windbelt is the world's first small scale, turbine free, wind generator. Wind turbines are difficult to scale down in size; The components are expensive and encounter friction as their size decreases. Frayne's study focused on the wind vibrations that caused the failure of the Tacoma bridge, to provide clean, cheap energy to developing countries. The windbelt was originally designed to solve lighting problems of third world countries, yet the device has many applications. An array of windbelts could generate enough power to fuel a laptop, television, or a house. The windbelt pulls energy from the wind with the use of a tensioned membrane. As wind hits the windbelt, the tensioned membrane captures the flutter of the wind. To turn the oscillations of the tensioned membrane into electricity, the windbelt uses a new type of linear generators. This technology comes in a variety of scales, from small handheld windbelts, to windcell panels that can generate megawatts of energy.

Aeroelastic Flutter

  • [Journal Source]
    • The article explains aeroelastic flutter, which is a phenomenon that can be harnessed to produce electrical current. Shawn Frayne's windbelt, has a flat membrane tightly stretched between two poles that shakes in the wind, just like the Tacoma bridge did before it collapsed. Aeroelastic flutter can be viewed as the iris shape produced by membrane of the windbelt, as the wind hits it.

Existing Models

  • [microbelt specs]
    • the microbelt, seen below in figure 2, can provide clean energy to power the billions of wireless light and power sensors around the world; by using aeroelastic flutter rather than a spinning turbine. The microbelt is able to provide power to wireless sensors as long as there is airflow hitting it. For example, under a car, inside the ducting of buildings, or at the outside of a building.Table 1 and Figure 3 show the correlation b/w wind speed and power output of the device. The higher the wind speeds, the greater the electrical current.


microbelt, Figure 2, http://www.humdingerwind.com/#/wi_micro/
microbelt output graph, Figure 3
Table 1 Specifications Airflow speed (m/s) Power output (mW)
Power Output @ 70 HZ 3.5 .2
N/A 5.5 2.0
N/A 7.5 5.0




  • Windcell
    • The windcell, seen in Figure 3, is a one meter long windbelt generator. Developed to meet energy needs that range from .1kwh-1kwh per month.
  • Windcell Panels
    • These are arrays of windcells that can be tied to the grid for electrical production.

Assembly Process/Materials

Electricity

  • Book about Electricity
    • A rectifier is a device that has a high resistance of current flow in one direction, but not in the other. It is commonly used to convert alternating current to direct current. It will be necessary for our design team, to build a rectifier in order to obtain accurate readings.

Electromagnetic Force

  • [from journal]
    • This article explains electromagnetic force in a simple manner. It talks about a flash light called the "No Batteries Light" that needs no batteries to operate and emits light due to an electromagnetic force produced as the item is shaken or moved. Moving or shaking the flashlight passes a magnet in and out through a coil, producing energy. In other words, the introduction of a magnetic field into an electric field, produces electrical current.

Wind Energy

  • Book source
    • Wind, the moving breeze that carries pollen across forests, has energy. Wind energy moves kites through the air, turns wind turbines to produce electrical current. The sun warms the ground and the air above it, causing the air to move. The majority of the electricity used in the United States comes from fossil fuels [2]; a non-renewable source of energy that supplies over 85% of our energy demands[3]. However, wind power is being used more and more often. Wind power is being used more often in recent decades because, it is a renewable resource; that is non polluting and never ending.
  • ASCE Journal
    • The ASCE article comments on the rapid growth of wind energy as world demands increase for clean energy. Larger, more efficient wind turbines have been built that are able to function in offshore farms. The new media for wind turbines, the ocean, will pose challenges for designer in building safe off-shore wind turbines.
  • source on commercial applications of wind energy
    • the book talks about the commercial applications of wind energy, dangers, and history. It mentions that wind energy is now being merely reintroduced to a society that forgot about it. Hazards to the environment are the following: Fauna destruction, e.g. birds flying into the rotors, and the potential risk to a community that flying rotors may have.
  • [1]

This is a thesis done by a graduate student (Colin John Ritter Shepperd) at Humboldt State University entitled "Analysis of the measure-correlate-predict methodology for wind resource assessment." This was helpful information because he explains in great detail the ideas behind wind power, as well as the various equations that help us figure out how much actual power we can get from wind. An excellent example of his work: "An important characteristic of wind power conversion is the non-linear re- lationship between the speed of the wind and the available power. Wind power density (WPD) is the amount of power available in a unit area of the air perpen- dicular to the flow of the wind. WPD has units of (W/m2 ) and is calculated by the following expression (Gipe 2004): W P D = 1 /2 ρV 3, where V is the wind velocity (m/s) and ρ is the air density (kg/m3 )." (page 5)

Climatology, San Cristobol de las Casas

  • http://www.tutiempo.net/en/Climate/SN_CRISTOBAL_LAS_C/05-2010/768450.htm
    • This is a website that has data recording the various weather information, and for us more importantly it shows wind speeds (km/h) for San Cristobol de las Casas, which sits at a latitude of 16.75, longitude of -92.63, and an altitude 2,276m. There was plenty of data going all the way back from the 1970's. I looked up the mean(average) wind speed for every month of every year since 2000 and I took the average of all of those months in order to calculate the mean wind speed for the last 10 years...or really 9 years and 5 months since we're only half way through 2010. The mean wind speed is 4.6 (km/h) and it has been fairly steady with the highest speed recorded in May of 2004 and in general I cannot say that any certain months are windier than others. Highest monthly speeds were recorded in every month except July, September, and December. This information will help us calculate how much energy we will be able to produce from our wind belt powered mechanism(s). If we can create a system of wind belts that produce enough energy to power a cellular phone or an LED light with 4.6(km/h) of wind speed then we will succeed in our goal to create power from a renewable source of energy, wind!

References

Cookies help us deliver our services. By using our services, you agree to our use of cookies.