WEEKLY PROGRESS

Week 1:

This week, the group collaborated on what type of project they would be working on which would be constructing a wind turbine from recycled material that would be used in a developing city such as Tanzania. After finalizing on the project, the group then divided up roles for each member ranging from creating a blog, to researching, and to constructing the prototype. As this was the first week, there was nothing too concrete or intricate. Instead, the remainder of the class time was spent brainstorming and creating an outline for the project.

Flow chart depicting the outline for this project

Week 2:

This week commenced with an open discussion between the members of the group and any new ideas and opinions were taken into consideration. The majority of this day was utilized to research about wind turbines and multiple other factors associated with it including the country, weather, materials, and cost. After thorough research, it was decided that region where the turbines will be in would be Makambako, Iringa in Tanzania, a region with a population of 90,000. Furthermore, research indicated that the average wind speed in this region was roughly 9 mph; this would be sufficient to be converted into energy that would distributed to the village. Along with research, this week also included a basic model of the wind turbine (composed of K'nex pieces), so that the group could get a better idea of its project and objective. After confirming the region, the remaining time was spent creating a blog where all the information about the progress of this project and other useful resources could be accessed.

Week 3:

During week three, each of the members continued to work on the project and achieve the goal which was creating a wind turbine composed of recycled materials. The first quarter of class was spent on the blog, where multiple sections were added including: project overview, and biography. These sections described the purpose of this project and the group members who contributed. Edits were also made to make the blog more appealing to the public. With the blog being set up, the next goal was to start thinking about creating a prototype and the budget. The materials that were needed to construct this prototype included PVC pipes, a turbine building kit, and an LED bulb. A motor and a generator were also needed too for the complete construction of the project.  

Category	Projected Cost
KidWind Basic Turbine Building Parts kit	$25.00
1 inch diameter PVC pipe and fittings	$54.99
5mm LED bulb	$1.30
TOTAL	$81.29

Week 4: 
Week 4 consisted of a lot hard work and focus. Most of the time was spent wrapping up the research and obtaining any additional information necessary to give the members a better understanding on the physics, maths, and applications behind wind turbines. It was pertinent that the amount of energy supplied was calculated based on the average wind speed and the altitude of the wind turbines. The specific location of the turbines was also a monumental factor that could have a detrimental effect if placed in the wrong location. The right location would be an area isolated from trees and high in altitude. With the research finalized, the remaining time was utilized by updating the blog by including additional sections. Pictures of the group members were placed in the biography page followed by a brief description of themselves and their aspirations. In addition, edits were made to the summary of the project overview to make it more concise and to the point. This was the end of the research phase and the beginning of the construction phase of the project.

Average wind speed in the Makambako region

Week 5:

With the research portion of the project completed, week 5 represented the building stage of the wind turbine. As discussed by the group members, the wind turbine prototype was built with the use of popsicle sticks of different sizes. The sticks were used to resemble the base of the wind turbine, which would be composed of metal rods rather than the typical long tower that serves as the foundation and base of the turbine; a base of metal rods is more affordable. This process of constructing the base took the whole duration of the class as measurements were needed as well as patience to glue and the sticks together and cut them to their respective sizes. By the end, final touches were made, as seen below, to finish the base of the wind turbine. With one part complete, the last ten minutes of class were devoted to the blog, as the weekly processes needed to be updated. 

 

Week 6:

Week 6 represented the second day of constructing the wind turbine prototype. Extra sticks were added to the base to added to its stability and sturdiness. In addition to the construction of the turbine, the group decided to dedicate week 6 to creating an anemometer as well. The purpose of the anemometer would be to measure the wind speed in a certain location, which would be vital in determining where the wind turbines would reside in Tanzania. Furthermore, it was decided that the anemometer would be comprised of plastic cups, positioned adjacent to either and in the same direction. That way, if the wind pushes in one direction, the cups would turn in same direction.

Week 7:

The first quarter of this week’s class focused on the completion of the anemometer, whose purpose would be to measure wind speeds in its designated location. With its completion, the next step was to continue working on the prototype: a wind turbine composed of popsicle sticks for the base and paper for the blades. Today’s goal was to finish creating the lattice base by adding additional sticks on the sides for support. Then, some time was allocated to designing, cutting, and attached blades to the rotator that would allow them to rotate. In addition to assembling the prototype, this week was also dedicated to visiting a wind turbine company of the name Gamesa, where the group learned valuable information on the electrical, mechanical, and economical aspects of wind turbines. This was a great opportunity as it provided insight to the project and clarified any doubts that were to come. Furthermore, this tour provided us with a better understanding on the more difficult and complicated topics, while also providing answers to our questions.

Week 8:

With the final presentation and end of the term coming up, week 8 was a very important week. The primary focus was completing the prototype wind turbine and having it function as anticipated. As such, the majority of time was spent making minor modifications such as attaching the blades to the base, connecting the wire to a light source, and making edits to the turbine to make it look more appealing. Since this week’s agenda was finishing the mechanical design of the prototype, the last week prior to the presentation  will be spent making last minute adjustments and having test runs of the prototype. On another, a small portion of this week’s class was spent on calculations to determine the amount of energy produced depending on the number of rotations and how energy would be needed to provide electricity to a typical household in Tanzania.