Overview...
This project was one of the longer ones we had. Instead of focusing on just one we focused on seven different tasks. They consisted of...
-Solar water heater design
-Solar daylighting house design
-House site selection
-Wind turbine
-Cold frame
-North window reflector
And our bonus plan
All of these projects where very good learning experiences but in my opinion didn't have much to do with each other. They had small concepts but no big connectors in my opinion.
Three out of seven of these projects we had to present to judges which was very stressful. I have a rough time in front of crowds and got very nervous. After the fact being frightened I think this was an all around good idea, because in the real world we will have to present things and get group opinions on them and believe presenting helped in the long run. Instead of one we presented three, these where our cold frame, north window reflector, and bonus plan. In my opinion we did fairly well and expect a good grade.
These projects definitely had its ups and downs. It was somewhat rough being with the same group for so long but needed because I'm a real job I can't choose who I work with and for how long. It also was a huge learning opportunity for me, I learned a lot of solar energy that I had and probably would have never know. I learned about how to capture the light to produce the most energy and how to wise wind to generate power. These projects helped me learn a lot about myself. It showed me that if I just stay clam and don't freak out I am much better at getting through things. One thing I wish we would have change would have been practicing before our presentation. It we had practice we would have been much calmer and ready for what was ahead.
Project reflection...
.Solar water heater design
Our first task was to create a passive solar water heater using materials provided by the school in two days. We covered the interior of the box with tin foil to reflect light to the copper tube and contain the heat. We then fished the coiled tube threw the box. This wire was used to not only heat the water but to transport it to the bottle. We did face problems with this project though, we had many leaking problems and didn't calculate the best angle to set our box. These mistakes will only lead to greater success in the future.
.Solar daylight house design
We were faced with the challenge of making a home that could fully use sunlight for lighting all year long in a 1000 square foot home. We made our scale model out of cardboard and tape. We had to cut windows, skylights and make solar tubes to use the sun fully. We then turned off all the light in the room and used a bulb to mimic the sun in the different seasons.
.House site selection
This was the easiest of the seven projects. We had to decide the best spot on campus for us to put a home. Somewhere with plenty of sun but also shade, and A significant amount of privacy. We also had to think about wind, land and population density. We chose a spot just left of the cafeteria. This area was pretty secluded with plenty of land and sunlight. Are sport got chosen as the best and most realistic.
.Wind turbine
For this project we had to make two models, a vertical and horizontal wind turbine. This assignment I did not know how we we’re gonna do it. I couldn't think of ways we could make the turbines spin and calculate the power generated, but amazing Mrs. Havel had just the plan. Our blades where made out of cardboard and into what we thought was the best angle and shape to catch the wind. We learned from building that more surface area, without drag or too much weight, is better. I knew nothing about wind turbines prior to this project and think it was very informative and useful.
.Cold frame
This is one of the three projects we had to present to the judges. How a cold frame works is that it is a planter box made to keep heat in so plants don't die in the winter. We wanted our lid to be able to open and close to release hot air as needed. We didn't only want the plants to be warm in the winter but also cool in the summer.
We made it so the lid could be propped open to release air. I believe this was our best and most thought out project!
.North window reflector
This was the second project we had to present. For this project we were put the the task of building a reflecter for the northern window of our stem solar studio. The goal was to maximize the light into the house. Our first idea was to just put a reflector at a 65 degree to maximize winter sun, but we decided we wanted a way to increase light all year round. The first idea was to make an adjustable one. We came across some problems on deciding how to actually make it do this, we knew how to make the real one but the model was the challenge. We finally decided that we would pin it in so we could move it to any angle.
.Bonus plan
This was our third and final project we presented. This project was mostly on me because we didn't know it was mandatory until the last week so everyone else was busy making the presentations. How i came up with the idea of making blinds was that when i was working in the house during class I wished it wasn't so bright. It dawned on me that if we added in blinds we would be able to minimize and maximize light at all times of day. They would also provide the needed privacy that this room did not have. This would also be an easy task that would not take up after school time and a lot of class time. We made a model of our two windows with popsicle stick blinds, with one opened and one closed. Sadly our blinds could not open and close so we made one of what they would look like closed and one of them open.
.
This project was one of the longer ones we had. Instead of focusing on just one we focused on seven different tasks. They consisted of...
-Solar water heater design
-Solar daylighting house design
-House site selection
-Wind turbine
-Cold frame
-North window reflector
And our bonus plan
All of these projects where very good learning experiences but in my opinion didn't have much to do with each other. They had small concepts but no big connectors in my opinion.
Three out of seven of these projects we had to present to judges which was very stressful. I have a rough time in front of crowds and got very nervous. After the fact being frightened I think this was an all around good idea, because in the real world we will have to present things and get group opinions on them and believe presenting helped in the long run. Instead of one we presented three, these where our cold frame, north window reflector, and bonus plan. In my opinion we did fairly well and expect a good grade.
These projects definitely had its ups and downs. It was somewhat rough being with the same group for so long but needed because I'm a real job I can't choose who I work with and for how long. It also was a huge learning opportunity for me, I learned a lot of solar energy that I had and probably would have never know. I learned about how to capture the light to produce the most energy and how to wise wind to generate power. These projects helped me learn a lot about myself. It showed me that if I just stay clam and don't freak out I am much better at getting through things. One thing I wish we would have change would have been practicing before our presentation. It we had practice we would have been much calmer and ready for what was ahead.
Project reflection...
.Solar water heater design
Our first task was to create a passive solar water heater using materials provided by the school in two days. We covered the interior of the box with tin foil to reflect light to the copper tube and contain the heat. We then fished the coiled tube threw the box. This wire was used to not only heat the water but to transport it to the bottle. We did face problems with this project though, we had many leaking problems and didn't calculate the best angle to set our box. These mistakes will only lead to greater success in the future.
.Solar daylight house design
We were faced with the challenge of making a home that could fully use sunlight for lighting all year long in a 1000 square foot home. We made our scale model out of cardboard and tape. We had to cut windows, skylights and make solar tubes to use the sun fully. We then turned off all the light in the room and used a bulb to mimic the sun in the different seasons.
.House site selection
This was the easiest of the seven projects. We had to decide the best spot on campus for us to put a home. Somewhere with plenty of sun but also shade, and A significant amount of privacy. We also had to think about wind, land and population density. We chose a spot just left of the cafeteria. This area was pretty secluded with plenty of land and sunlight. Are sport got chosen as the best and most realistic.
.Wind turbine
For this project we had to make two models, a vertical and horizontal wind turbine. This assignment I did not know how we we’re gonna do it. I couldn't think of ways we could make the turbines spin and calculate the power generated, but amazing Mrs. Havel had just the plan. Our blades where made out of cardboard and into what we thought was the best angle and shape to catch the wind. We learned from building that more surface area, without drag or too much weight, is better. I knew nothing about wind turbines prior to this project and think it was very informative and useful.
.Cold frame
This is one of the three projects we had to present to the judges. How a cold frame works is that it is a planter box made to keep heat in so plants don't die in the winter. We wanted our lid to be able to open and close to release hot air as needed. We didn't only want the plants to be warm in the winter but also cool in the summer.
We made it so the lid could be propped open to release air. I believe this was our best and most thought out project!
.North window reflector
This was the second project we had to present. For this project we were put the the task of building a reflecter for the northern window of our stem solar studio. The goal was to maximize the light into the house. Our first idea was to just put a reflector at a 65 degree to maximize winter sun, but we decided we wanted a way to increase light all year round. The first idea was to make an adjustable one. We came across some problems on deciding how to actually make it do this, we knew how to make the real one but the model was the challenge. We finally decided that we would pin it in so we could move it to any angle.
.Bonus plan
This was our third and final project we presented. This project was mostly on me because we didn't know it was mandatory until the last week so everyone else was busy making the presentations. How i came up with the idea of making blinds was that when i was working in the house during class I wished it wasn't so bright. It dawned on me that if we added in blinds we would be able to minimize and maximize light at all times of day. They would also provide the needed privacy that this room did not have. This would also be an easy task that would not take up after school time and a lot of class time. We made a model of our two windows with popsicle stick blinds, with one opened and one closed. Sadly our blinds could not open and close so we made one of what they would look like closed and one of them open.
.
Presentation...
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Z1SfaApeIe-OaqfZ8y5Pk4Yqrz3dK-JHndmAwIKz420/pub?&loop=false&delayms=5000
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1yGV9wq7J7KSXuM1Dm0fZbUSoglL36rtiJ96SLedQfsY/pub?&loop=false&delayms=5000
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Tg-DVtA79nHFy6EFe2hLkErIGRL27c7jrVw7jQ4ADaM/pub?&loop=false&delayms=5000