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Wind Energy in the Classroom

The KidWind Project introduces the elegance of wind power through hands-on science activities. Learn about wind energy technology, its impacts, and how to prospect the right site for wind farms. Discover the importance of wind speed and how generators generate electricity.

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Wind Energy in the Classroom

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  1. Wind Energy in the Classroom The Kidwind Project and WindWise

  2. What is KidWind? The KidWind Project is a team of teachers, students, engineers and practitioners exploring the science behind wind energy in classrooms around the US.  Our goal is to introduce as many people as possible to the elegance of wind power through hands-on science activities which are challenging, engaging and teach basic science principles. KidWind Project | www.kidwind.org KidWind Project | www.kidwind.org

  3. Yesterday & Today Holland & Colonial America First documented windmill: Afghanistan (900AD) Wind Pumper Greece

  4. 50 kW 10 kW 900 W 400 W Wind Energy Technology in the World Today:Modern Small Wind Turbines:Horizontal Axis Downwind Rotor • Technically Advanced • Minimal Moving Parts • Very Low Maintenance Requirements • Proven: ~ 5,000 On-Grid • American Companies are the Market and Technology Leaders Upwind Rotors (Not to scale)

  5. Advantages Omnidirectional Accepts wind from any angle Components can be mounted at ground level Ease of service Lighter weight towers Can theoretically use less materials to capture the same amount of wind Disadvantages Rotors generally near ground where wind poorer Centrifugal force stresses blades & components Poor self-starting capabilities Requires support at top of turbine rotor Requires entire rotor to be removed to replace bearings Overall poor performance and reliability/less efficient Have never been commercially successful (large scale) Vertical Axis Wind Turbines? Windspire Savonious

  6. Large Wind Turbines • 450’ base to blade • Each blade 112’ • Span greater than 747 • 163+ tons total • Foundation 20+ feet deep • Rated at 1.5 – 5 megawatt • Supply at least 350 homes • Upwind rotors

  7. Wind Energy is a Growing Industry • US total installed wind energy capacity now over 43,635 MW as of Sept 2011 per WindPoweringAmerica.com • Enough electricity to power the equivalent of over 7 million households! KidWind Project | www.kidwind.org

  8. US Capacity is Growing in fits and starts

  9. Costs are Decreasing 1979: 40 cents/kWh 2000: 4 - 6 cents/kWh NSP 107 MW Lake Benton wind farm 4 cents/kWh (unsubsidized) • Increased Turbine Size • R&D Advances • Manufacturing Improvements 2004: 3 – 4.5 cents/kWh

  10. Issues Today: Costs & Benefits

  11. Where do we get our electricity? KidWind Project | www.kidwind.org

  12. Fighting windmills has a long history! Don Quixote fighting “Giants”

  13. Accidents & Troubles “So far no evacuation zone has been declared. There are no threats to sea life, and the fallout from the disaster was not detectable thousands of miles away. Cleanup efforts are in progress, and will not include covering the area in a giant concrete dome. No workers have been asked to give their lives in order to save their countrymen from the menace of this fallen wind turbine.” – Christopher Mims KidWind Project | www.kidwind.org

  14. Impacts of Wind Power: Noise • Modern turbines are relatively quiet • Rule of thumb – stay about 3x hub-height away from houses

  15. Impacts of Wind Power: Wildlife

  16. In the November-December Audubon Magazine, John Flicker, President of National Audubon Society, wrote a column stating that Audubon "strongly supports wind power as a clean alternative energy source," pointing to the link between global warming and the birds and other wildlife that scientist say it will kill.

  17. Prospecting the Right Site: Lessons Learned • 1980’s California Wind Farm • Older Technology • + Higher RPMs • + Lower Elevations • + Lattice Towers • + Poorly Sited • = Bad News!

  18. Prospecting the Right Site:Off-ShoreOn the FarmOn a Mountain

  19. The Transmission Challenge • Where is the wind? • Where are the population centers? • Where are the wind farms? • How do we get wind energy from the wind farms to the population centers?

  20. Where is the Wind? KidWind Project | www.kidwind.org

  21. Get more local details at http://nyswe.awstruepower.com/

  22. Importance of Wind Speed • No other factor is more important to the amount of power available in the wind than the speed of the wind • Power is a cubic function of wind speed • V X V X V • 20% increase in wind speed means 73% more power • Doubling wind speed means 8 times more power

  23. Calculation of Wind Power • Power in the wind • Effect of swept area, A • Effect of wind speed, V • Effect of air density,  Power in the Wind = ½ρAV3 R Swept Area: A = πR2 Area of the circle swept by the rotor (m2).

  24. Technology

  25. KidWind Project | www.kidwind.org

  26. How does a generator generate electricity?

  27. Airfoil Shape Just like the wings of an airplane, wind turbine blades use the airfoil shape to create lift and maximize efficiency. The Bernoulli Effect

  28. Lift & Drag Forces • The Lift Force is perpendicular to the direction of motion. We want to make this force BIG. • The Drag Force is parallel to the direction of motion. We want to make this force small. α = low α = medium <10 degrees α = High Stall!!

  29. Pitch Control Mechanisms KidWind Project | www.kidwind.org

  30. Twist & Taper • Speed through the air of a point on the blade changes with distance from hub • To optimize angle of attack all along blade, it must twist from root to tip Fastest Faster Fast

  31. ΩR V TSR = Tip-Speed Ratio ΩR R Tip-speed ratio is the ratio of the speed of the rotating blade tip to the speed of the free stream wind. There is an optimum angle of attack which creates the highest lift to drag ratio. Because angle of attack is dependant on wind speed, there is an optimum tip-speed ratio Where, Ω = rotational speed in radians /sec R = Rotor Radius V = Wind “Free Stream” Velocity

  32. Performance Over Range of Tip Speed Ratios • Power Coefficient Varies with Tip Speed Ratio • Characterized by Cp vs Tip Speed Ratio Curve

  33. All wind power cannot be captured by rotor or air would be completely still behind rotor and not allow more wind to pass through. Theoretical limit of rotor efficiency is 59% Most modern wind turbines are in the 35 – 45% range Betz Limit

  34. Rotor Solidity Solidity is the ratio of total rotor planform area to total swept area Low solidity (0.10) = high speed, low torque High solidity (>0.80) = low speed, high torque R a A Solidity = 3a/A

  35. Over-Speed Protection During High Winds Upward Furling:The rotor tilts back during high winds Angle Governor:The rotor turns up and to one side

  36. Yawing – Facing the Wind • Active Yaw (all medium & large turbines produced today, & some small turbines from Europe) • Anemometer on nacelle tells controller which way to point rotor into the wind • Yaw drive turns gears to point rotor into wind • Passive Yaw (Most small turbines) • Wind forces alone direct rotor • Tail vanes • Downwind turbines

  37. Maintenance KidWind Project | www.kidwind.org

  38. Wind Energy in the Classroom

  39. Many Topics Addressed • Use of Simple Tools & Equipment • Applied Mathematical Relationships • Practices of Engineering & Science • Forces and Change • Energy Transformations (Forms of Energy) • Circuits/Electricity/Magnetism • Properties of Air • Weather Patterns • Impacts on ecosystems, wildlife & humans • Renewable – Non Renewable Energy KidWind Project | www.kidwind.org

  40. Scientific & Engineering PracticesNew National Frameworks • Asking questions & defining problems • Developing & using models • Planning & carrying out investigations • Analyzing & interpreting data • Using mathematics & computational thinking • Developing explanations & designing solutions • Engaging in argument from evidence • Obtaining, evaluating & communicating information

  41. Upper Elementary/Middle Building Wind Turbines Assessing Wind Resource Mathematics balloon ~3m streamers Kite or balloon string

  42. Secondary Advanced Blade Design School Siting Projects Data Analysis Mathematics - Download lessons

  43. Wind Turbine Blade Challenge • Students perform experiments and design different wind turbine blades • Use simple wind turbine models • Test one variable while holding others constant • Record performance with a multimeter or other load device • Goals: Produce the most voltage, pump the most water, lift the most weight • Minimize Drag • Maximize LIFT • Harness the POWER of the wind!

  44. KidWind Project | www.kidwind.org

  45. KidWindOpportunities & Resources KidWind and Wind Wise Web Sites Free Downloads -- Wind Wise – Math Lessons NEW On-Line Turbine Design Competition KidWind store – good prices: great stuff KidWind Competitions For Utica area, contact Raymond Pitcher at rpitcher1@twcny.rr.com KidWind Project | www.kidwind.org

  46. KidWind Project | www.kidwind.org

  47. The KidWind Project www.kidwind.org Presenters: Susan Reyes Science & Sustainability Educator KidWind Wind Senator KidWind Western Mass Area Event Coordinator sreyes7@mac.com Raymond PitcherTechnology Education Specialist KidWind Senator KidWind Challenge Utica Area Event Coordinator rpitcher1@twcny.rr.com

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