Using Renewable Energy
During the course of these projects, we have learned about heat and light energy, more specifically, how they can be generated and how they react to different materials. This knowledge can be used to make structures more energy efficient and reliable on renewable energy. The burning of fossil fuels creates a myriad of problems like air pollution, oil spills, etc. Inversely, using renewable energy is a much cleaner process as it is a matter of harnessing energy that already exists in the environment.
Solar Water Heater
We were tasked with designing and building a solar water heater. We needed to find a way to maximize the amount of sunlight we could capture. This more sunlight we could direct at the water, the higher the temperature would rise. We used a box and covered it with saran wrap, so the light could get through, but the heat couldn't escape. we also added tin foil so the light would bounce back to the copper pipe that was holding the water. We tried to use a series of magnifying glasses to concentrate light on the pipes, but found that this did not have any large effect on the outcome.
The day that we tested our water heaters was not very sunny to begin with, so the temperature of the water did not increase dramatically, but our water heater did function
The day that we tested our water heaters was not very sunny to begin with, so the temperature of the water did not increase dramatically, but our water heater did function
Day Lighting Techniques and Experimental House
During this project, we learned how to use the sun's light to light a house versus bulbs. We learned different techniques in order to maximize the amount if light in the winder an have less light in the summer (fir full list of day lighting techniques, check "concepts" section). Then we made a model of a house with many different techniques and tested it to see which ones where the most effective
Above, there are a few pictures of our house model. We used south facing windows, solar tubes, light shelves, a clerestory window, and used white to cover all of the interior surfaces. To test the model, we used a light bulb to represent the sun, holding it at different heights to create seasons. We found that that a maximum amount of south facing windows, a clerestory window, and using white, were the most effective methods.
Materials Heat Testing Lab
In this lab, we collected data on how different materials are effected by heat. we used heat lamps set at a specific height and the recorded temperatures of materials before, during, and after being put under the lamp. Then collected all of our data as class. In doing this, we could get a rough gage as to what a material's specific heat capacity is.
Tiny House
Our final project in the passive solar design category was designing a tiny house. The guidelines for what the house had to be were very undefined. There was no set budget, size, or other rules. The leniency was challenging at times but in the end, it was very interesting to see what each group focused on, and what they wanted their tiny house to be.
This project was by far the most challenging and involved, due to the multitude of elements that went into it. We used our understanding of lighting techniques and thermo dynamics to make basic plan for the house so that the energy would be put to use in any way possible. Most of our time went into researching different materials, and finding the best ones for what we wanted to create. There were many different things to figure out as building design is not simple and requires a lot of thought. I believe that this was very interesting project because we got to learn from what research we did and what we could find versus being told by teacher.
This project was by far the most challenging and involved, due to the multitude of elements that went into it. We used our understanding of lighting techniques and thermo dynamics to make basic plan for the house so that the energy would be put to use in any way possible. Most of our time went into researching different materials, and finding the best ones for what we wanted to create. There were many different things to figure out as building design is not simple and requires a lot of thought. I believe that this was very interesting project because we got to learn from what research we did and what we could find versus being told by teacher.
Description
We designed our house to fit a couple. It is compact (8 x 20 ft), but it still has all the amenities of a full-sized home, just fit into a smaller, well designed space. It features a full kitchen at on end, entry/eating space in the middle, and a bathroom on the other. Above the bathroom there is a loft where the bed is kept, and there is plenty of storage throughout the home. The house has a large deck on the outside which provides a wonderful outdoor area for eating and relaxing. The home is perfect for a couple who enjoy being outside but also enjoy coming home to a nice, functional, and beautiful space.
Slideshow Presentation
Materials List
Blue Prints
3D Model
Wind Turbine
To go along with the theme of using renewable energy sources, we designed and built wind turbine prototypes. Our goal was to create as many different blades as possible so we could find the most ideal wind turbines. After building them, we would test the under three different wind conditions and see how many volts they could produce under low medium and high winds.
Our group discovered that lightweight cardstock turbines were the most effective at creating energy on a horizontal axel, at all three speeds. This was interesting because we gained more understanding of energy harnessing techniques that we don't always think about. |
Content
Heat transfer
|
Solar Angles
The position of Earth around the sun changes during the year, therefore, the position f the sun in the sky does as well. This change is what creates our seasons. In the winter when it is colder and darker, The amount of natural light obtained should ideally be at a maximum, while in the heat of summer there is less of a need for the suns energy coming into the house. In our area, the angle of the sun during summer is around 75 degrees, and in the winter it is at about 30 degrees. This information can be used to make precise overhangs that will block out excess summer sun and allow in as much winder light and heat as possible. |
Lighting Techniques
- light shelves are reflective shelves that direct extra light into a building.
- Clerestory windows are vertical windows that sick up from a roof.
- Solar tubes are reflective tubes that bounce around light from above the roof and disperse it.
- South facing windows are generally most effective because most light comes from the south.
- Color choice is important to natural light, because lighter colors will bounce light around a room while dark colors will just absorb it.
Reflection
I believe that I gained a lot from the passive solar design project. Not only did we learn a lot about light and heat, but also multiple examples of practical applications of that knowledge. Knowing how different materials react with heat as always been something intuitive for us, but when those basic feelings of hot and cold are take down to a science, it can make a difference. This is because an object's specific heat capacity is very important to building. I think that our communication skills were tested, and heighted during these projects, especially the tiny house. Because designing a house was do involved, we all had to make sure that we were on the same page so our work fit together and a the elements were cohesive. This could be challenging at times, and our group did suffer from a few miscommunications on our project, as it was hard to be sure of what everyone was putting forth. We did not have a complete blue print for our roof, and one of our 3demensional models was not updated after we made some design changes, but overall I believe we did very well and put out quality work together.