Week
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Task
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1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
Literature study
|
x
|
x
|
x
| |||||||
Computer aided design
|
x
|
x
|
x
| |||||||
Production of other deliverables
|
x
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x
|
x
|
x
|
x
| |||||
Cost analysis
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
x
| ||||||
Final report preparation
|
x
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x
|
x
| |||||||
Week 1: Our group discussed possible solutions to the given problem. We brainstormed multiple possible ideas before we finally settled on an idea of a self-sustaining house. Such a house would be able to produce as much energy as it would use. We created a few different ways the house could achieve this.
Week 2: Our group decided what we would try to accomplish for our deliverable due at the end of the project. We decided what our design would be. The driveway of the house would be made of a permeable material where water can seep through where it is collected below in a tank. This water is then funneled into an hydroelectric generator that will use the flow of the water to generate electricity to be used by the house. Any excess water will be pumped throughout pipes laden in the walls of the house to cool/warm the house as needed. It was unanimously decided that we would focus on building a miniature model (preferably working) of our self-sustaining house.
Week 3: Our group researched the parts online needed to build our deliverable. We mainly used Amazon.com to buy these components. We ordered the parts so they can come in time for us to put together the deliverable. Also, we further discussed the design of the house.
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| Akshar and Harvin researching parts for the deliverable. |
First iteration of design of house
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| The Fusion 360 design of the proposed house. |
Week 4: We ordered a few parts for the deliverable. They are scheduled to come the day before the next lab, 4/25/16. We also updated the Fusion 360 sketch of our house by fixing the underground of the house. We used class time to research how the different parts of our system would work. This includes the hydroelectric generator, how solar panels work, how the porous asphalt in the driveway would be vital to the system, and research similar houses and how they are built.
| Part | amount | ordered | received | website |
| Permeable surface | ||||
| funnel | ||||
| clear tubing | ||||
| hyrdoelectric turbine | 12.88 | 4/20/2016 | http://www.amazon.com/Yosoo-Turbine-Generator-Micro-hydro-Charging/dp/B00ZCBNNOC?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_detailpages00 | |
| bucket | 0 | ----- | ----- | ------ |
| light bulb |
10.99
|
4/20/2016
| ||
| solar panel | ||||
| wiring | ||||
| empty battery | ||||
| converter | ||||
| Total | 23.87 |
 |
| Evan and Charles working on the design of the house. |
This week our group worked towards building our deliverable. The basis of the house for the deliverable is made of sturdy plywood. The dimensions of the pieces we made are 8" x 12" and 8.75" x 12". We will put together the pieces next week by hammer and nail. We also ordered more parts for our deliverable. The parts we ordered last week have not arrived yet. We also began calculations to figure out how much energy would be required to power the house.
Week 6:
The final design of the house was determined and is being built in fusion. The deliverable frame was built and the energy process is in the process of being made. The diagrams were made for the potential sources of energy as well as the overall function of the house. More research was conducted to figure out how the house will work with its energy functions.
Week 7: A decision matrix was made to justify the choices for alternative energy for the house. Solar and Hydro were overwhelmingly the best choices for this house design. The cost analysis was started. It showed promising returns for the house. The homemade hydroelectric generator was designed and the initial building phase was started. Fixes to the final house design were made which included a water pump to pump the water through the generator and another tank was added for water storage for the house.
Week 6:
The final design of the house was determined and is being built in fusion. The deliverable frame was built and the energy process is in the process of being made. The diagrams were made for the potential sources of energy as well as the overall function of the house. More research was conducted to figure out how the house will work with its energy functions.
 |
| Flowchart for process of Water seeping through porous asphalt to turbine underground. |
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| Flowchart for process of hydroelectric generator. |
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| Flowchart for integration of solar panels. |
 |
| Lightbulb cut open that will be soldered to the wiring of the turbine. |
 |
| The wooden cutaway model of the house for the deliverable. |
| 1=best | 4= worst | ||||||||||
Decision Matrix For
Alternative Energy
|
|||||||||||
Type of Energy
|
Cost
|
Efficiency
|
Installation difficulty
|
Practicality
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Total
|
||||||
Solar
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
5
|
||||||
Hydroelectric
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
8
|
||||||
Geothermal
|
4
|
3
|
4
|
4
|
15
|
||||||
Wind
|
3
|
4
|
2
|
3
|
12
| ||||||
-The cost for the solar panels for the house designed is roughly $7,000, the cost of hydroelectric is roughly $10,000, for Geothermal at least $25,000 and wind $22,000, according to estimates for the house.
-Hydroelectric is around 60% for model used, solar is around 30% with addition of solar trackers help, wind is around 7%, Geothermal is hard to compare since it only produces a heating or cooling aspect not a general electricity produced. The efficiency is based on data provided from the companies which the items would be bought from.
-Solar and Wind are easier since no digging is involved but upper hand goes to solar since for wind a big wind turbine has to be built. Geothermal and Hydro both result in the structure being underground, but since Hydro will be placed in the basement there is less actual digging involved.
-Solar is very practical since there only needs to be sunlight to work. As long as there is a constant source of water the Hydro is very practical to have. Wind is not very practical since wind needs a large open area with constant wind speed to work. Geothermal is not practical for this house since it would only be used for heating and cooling and it is a lot easier just to use solar electricity to power a water heater.
Picture of the final house design: includes the final two tank system
Week 8:
During this week, our group finalized a hydroelectric generator out of some common supplies including some tubes, magnets and wiring. We used a template found online to build the product.
Our product creates electricity based on the principles Michael Faraday Discovered. Faraday's Law states that a varying magnetic field over a conductive surface would induce an electric field. This is essentially the basis of our design. A surface of several magnets is attached to our water turbine and spins with the applied force from the water. The magnets are positioned very closely to an assortment of copper wiring, each in solenoid form. The wire is in this form because that way the effect of the moving magnets is increased, since there is a lot more wire over the same area. The induced current will in turn induce an electromagnetic frequency, which will aid the solar panel in generating electricity for the house. The cost analysis was finished which showed that it will take 11 years to pay off the solar and hydro house and 8 years to just pay off a solar only house. However, it was determined that after 12 years the solar and hydro design will result in the homeowners getting more money in that one years than the solar only made during that three year time. Essentially, the solar hydro house will be making over $1,000 dollars a year after everything is paid off and the solar only will only be making $300 dollars after its system is paid off.
Week 9:
During this week, our group finalized the house deliverable as well as worked on the cost analysis and started the presentation. This week was mainly used for finalizing and perfecting the contents of the project. The homemade hydroelectric turbine was not compatible with the solar panel system so a bought turbine had to be fashioned to the structure. The cost analysis was finalized which including comparing the solar and hydro system of the house to two versions of just solar systems. The solar & hydro system resulted in a better profit than just the solar systems. The big factor in this is the elimination of the water bill. The budget for this project was also finalized.
Picture of final deliverable
Table 2: Shows the Budget for the project
Materials List
|
Cost
|
Quantity
|
Total Cost
|
Website
|
Permeable surface
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
Home
|
Funnel
|
4.93
|
1
|
4.93
| |
Plastic spoons
|
0
|
10
|
0
|
Home
|
Glue Gun
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
Home
|
Homemade hydroelectric generator
|
73.23
|
1
|
73.23
|
Second table
|
Hyrdoelectric generator
|
12.88
|
1
|
12.88
| |
Bucket
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
Drexel
|
Light Bulb
|
10.99
|
1
|
10.99
| |
Solar Panel
|
0
| |||
House
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
Home
|
Total
|
102.03
| |||
Cost per person
|
20.406
|
Be sure to include sketches of your design ideas and images of the team working together.
ReplyDeleteGood progress documentation!
ReplyDeleteThere should be more supporting documentation for the design of the water system since water purification is a large part of this design.
ReplyDeleteCorrection: not water purification, but a diagram that shows how all parts of the water/electric system work together (which is above in bubble diagrams, but not as an engineering schematic).
ReplyDelete