Conference Session

Projects in Alternative Energy: Wind and Solar

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Reg Recayi Pecen, University of Northern Iowa; Faruk Yildiz, Sam Houston State University; Bekir Z. Yuksek, University of Northern Iowa; Ulan Dakeev, University of Northern Iowa; Kenan Baltaci, University of Northern Iowa

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

promote wind energy technologies since the major source of electrical power in the wind/solar hybrid power system is from the wind.Design and Construction Phases of the Wind Power System Page 25.390.3The unit contains 10 kW Bergey Excel-S wind turbine installed on a 100 ft tower at UNIcampus. It is connected and synchronized in parallel to the UNI power grid as part of laboratoryactivities on wind power systems and grid-tie interactions. The overall project block diagram ispresented in Figure 1. Building Control for 10 kW Bergey Excel –S Wind Turbine Figure 1. Proposed 10 kW wind

Conference Session

Innovative Energy Projects

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert W. Fletcher, Lawrence Technological University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

(2010 and 2011)and intends to enter another competition vehicle in 2012. This paper reviews these efforts anddiscusses the key aspects of the design and development process, the related engineeringconsiderations, and the learning process students have now gone through over those past twoyears. Student feedback and their assessment data are included to augment the understanding ofthe overall project outcomes. Lastly, a review of recommendations to other future possibleFormula HybridTM competition participants is provided to faculty at other universities who maybe interested in pursuing this as an alternative energy project with their students.1) Background of the Formula HybridTM International CompetitionThe primary purpose of the paper is to

Conference Session

Curriculum and Facility Developments for Innovative Energy Education

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert Gilbert, Sinclair Community College

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

industry (23%) combined. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration[1], fossil fuels supply 76% of the total building sector energy consumption.The development of training programs which teach residential, commercial, and industrialenergy assessments can be accomplished with a series of seven courses: 1. Weatherization Training 2. Building Performance Training 3. Architectural Energy Analysis 4. Introduction to Energy Management 5. Energy Control Strategies 6. Commercial and Industrial Assessment 7. Capstone ProjectWeatherization Training incorporates hands-on training of the installation of various types ofinsulation, performance testing with the

Conference Session

Projects in Alternative Energy: Wind and Solar

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kamal Sarkar, University of Texas, Pan American; Robert A. Freeman, University of Texas, Pan American; Dean Schneider, Texas Engineering Experiment Station; Ken Starcher, West Texas A&M University; Pam Groce, Texas State Energy Conservation Office

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

home is connected with a commercial grid.Given the basic needs of Colonia residents1 with typical annual income in the range of $10,000to $15,000, air conditioning is a de facto luxury, even if the temperature exceeds 100° F formany weeks in the summer. Given this background, typical need for Colonia homes is estimatedin the range of 400 KWh or lower per month. If a wind turbine can be designed to meet thisenergy need, monthly saving can be on the order of $60 for the home owner. Given their limitedincome, this is a sizable saving for the family.Figure 1 shows the typical wind speed6.7 in Mercedes, Texas, over a year period. Mercedes iscentrally located in the Rio Grande Valley and is also the city that contains the school (ScienceAcademy of

Conference Session

Projects in Alternative Energy: Wind and Solar

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Elena V. Brewer, Erie Community College; Anthony P. Dalessio, Erie Community College

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

such as PV Watts calculator; Page 25.504.3work with GIS maps depicting landscape slopes or temperature levels; sizing of inverters, wires,disconnects, over-current protection devices (OCPDs) and other components of PV Systemaccording to NEC guidelines; and performing economic analysis of the PV system.Student progress is assessed based on the mixture of homework assignments, tests and finalgroup design project. The final project involves application of all learned steps and techniques todesign a viable PV System in a teamwork environment, production of project report, andpreparation of a 15-20 minute PowerPoint presentation. Table 1 presents

Conference Session

Innovative Energy Projects

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Craig W. Somerton, Michigan State University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

UnitedStates to use the earth as a heat reservoir for a heating or cooling system. This geothermalenergy utilization is often called “cold geothermal energy”.In this paper a computer based project for a comparative cost analysis between conventionalheating and cooling systems and cold geothermal systems is presented. This project wasassigned to senior level students in a mechanical engineering alternative energy class. The classis titled “Design of Alternative Energy Systems” and has been taught for eight years. Itsdevelopment is documented in [1]. It is a 3 credit, semester long class that serves as a designelective in the mechanical engineering program. It is very project oriented, and the studentswork on as many as five different design projects

Conference Session

Energy Education Courses, Labs, and Projects

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Donald L. Skaar, San Diego State University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

Page 25.102.2computer analysis, yields measured results that are accurate to within a few percent so long asthe Unit Circle has a diameter of at least 20 centimeters.The 'most complete' electrical models of three phase induction machines predominantly used byauthors of engineering texts are duplicates of those illustrated in IEEE Standard 112 2, the IEEEStandard Test Procedure for Polphase Induction Motors and Generators. The six-element-per-phase electrical model shown in Figure 1 is duplicated from the 1996 version of that Standard;later versions use an equivalent seven-element-per phase model. Irrespective of the model used,former and present-day authors of engineering texts provide an analysis of induction machines(almost exclusively

Conference Session

New Concepts for Alternative Energy Courses and Concepts

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lawrence Holloway, University of Kentucky

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

thecourse: 1. At least 50% of the course will focus on the global aspects of energy.   2. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the change of energy sources and uses over time,  and will understand energy in a comparative and cross‐national manner.   3. Students will understand how energy issues affect different communities, nations, and regions,  including the impact of energy on the economic, cultural, social, and political aspects of these  communities, nations, and regions.   4. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the civic complexities and responsibilities of  energy choices and policies, including both the commonalities and the differences globally.  5. Students will demonstrate an awareness of

Conference Session

K-12 Experiences in Energy Education

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jana Sebestik, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Quanyan Zhu, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

Future Faculty Fellowships. Page 25.171.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2012!"#$"%&'()%*+,-./#0"1*"&&'*"1#23''*)3435#6"#7&"&8(94:63')&;# ("68&'#:=;%&5;#!!9;%'()%?#"#$!%&''$%%!()!*(+$,-./.-0!1#$!2343!$5$'1,.'65!0,.+!+$7$-+%!(-!,$%$6,'#8!$-0.-$$,.-08!6-+!7(5.'98!:&1!65%(8!(-!1#$!$+&'61.(-!6-+!6''$716-'$!()!$5$'1,.'.19!'(-%&*$,%3!;-!1#.%!767$,!?@!7(%'65$!$-$,09!%1(,60$!655([Y\3!!;-1$,6'1.A$!5$%%(-%!)(%1$,!$-060$*$-1!6-+!5$6,-.-0!6-+!#6A$!:$$-!%#(6.+$+!+$%.0-![]\8!6'(&%1.'%![^\8!6-+!#6%!:$$-!76,1.'&56,59!$))$'1.A$!.-!$-060

Conference Session

Innovative Energy Projects

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Faruk Yildiz, Sam Houston State University; Keith L. Coogler, Sam Houston State University; Reg Recayi Pecen, University of Northern Iowa

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

developingalternative energy related classes, projects, and programs. Renewable energy teaching systemsand projects help students to better comprehend complex concepts by involving a renewableenergy project or series of laboratory experiments. The importance of experiential activities suchas laboratory sessions is highlighted by many authors [1-5].Energy knowledge and renewable energy based projects are important to prepare students to becompetitive for careers in the growing fields of energy related engineering, science, andtechnology for the future. Preliminary projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics state thatthe number of expected energy related green jobs is expected to increase by 11% by 2016, andmost of that growth is expected to be in the

Conference Session

Energy Education Courses, Labs, and Projects II

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Reg Recayi Pecen, University of Northern Iowa; Corey Evan Eichelberger; Faruk Yildiz, Sam Houston State University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

single phase electrical system. From incandescent light bulbs to a variety of CFLsand state-of-the-art LED light bulbs, a number of commercially available different lighting loadsare investigated. The results are very interesting based on the different bulbs available in themarket.IntroductionThe most common energy efficiency practice of reducing electrical loading by using energyefficient lighting has resulted in a high level of interest in replacing conventional incandescentlamps with compact fluorescent lamps (CFL). However, CFLs have massive nonlinear voltageand current characteristics; therefore they inject harmonics into the neutral of electrical powersystem 1-7. The CFL use electronic ballasts and the design of the ballasts have an

Conference Session

Projects in Alternative Energy

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Wagdy Mahmoud, University of the District of Columbia; Esther T. Ososanya, University of the District of Columbia; Pradeep K. Behera, University of the District of Columbia; Abiose Adebayo, University of the District of Columbia; Xueqing Song, University of the District of Columbia; Mademba Cisse, University of the District of Columbia; Ismael DJibril Boureima, University of the District of Columbia; Ashish Bhandari, University of the District of Columbia; Mekonnen Hailegiorgis, University of the District of Columbia

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

production. Our goals in this phase of the study are: (i) to get an understanding on the characteristics of organic waste from hotels and restaurants and study the feasibility of implementing the proposed anaerobic digester for biogas production for District of Columbia hotels and restaurants, and (ii) to build a mini anaerobic digester that can generate biogas in the laboratory and to provide preliminary data and identify key aspects of the design for an efficient, reliable, and low-cost anaerobic digester for waste processing. The specific research objectives for goal (1) include understanding of organic waste collection methods in hotels and restaurants and possible quantification of organic waste. The research methodology include (i

Conference Session

Projects in Alternative Energy

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ahmed H. ElSawy, Tennessee Technological University; George M. Graham P.E., Tennessee Technological University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

AC 2012-3262: AUTOMATION OF A BIODIESEL PROCESSOR FROMWASTE VEGETABLE OIL USING PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLERDr. Ahmed H. ElSawy, Tennessee Technological University Dr. Ahmed ElSawy joined Tennessee Technological University (TTU) as a professor and Chairperson, Department of Manufacturing and Industrial Technology, in July 1, 1999. He holds B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering with an emphasis on materials processing and manufacturing engineering. Prior joining TTU, ElSawy held several industrial and academic positions in the USA and abroad. ElSawy teaching and research interests are in the areas of material processing, metallurgy, and manufacturing systems. ElSawy received approx. $2 million of

Conference Session

Renewable Energy in Classroom

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Omonowo David Momoh, Indiana University Purdue University, Fort Wayne

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

of 2011. It offers traditional and non-traditional methods of pedagogy. To add practicalflavor to the course, an excursion to a local renewable energy company is usually made. In 2011,the class visited Water Furnace Incorporation, a geothermal based space heating / coolingcompany. This paper presents a detailed description of the various topics covered in the course,nature of projects given to students as well student evaluation of the course.1. IntroductionEnergy has always remained an indispensable component of and a key requirement for humanexistence/activities. Many of the conflicts that have bedeviled humanity can be linked directly orindirectly to energy acquisition. There is a direct correlation between the economic wellbeing (per

Conference Session

Energy Education Courses, Labs, and Projects

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Carl J. Spezia, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale; Dwight Harold Thomas Jr.

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

devices.Individuals have become producers and consumers of digital multimedia through the Web 2.0paradigm that gives websites read/write capabilities.1 This capability gives people the ability toconstruct personal multimedia environments using easily obtainable software tools. Digitalnatives, those who were born after 1982, are well acquainted with the read/write web and makeextensive use of texting, photo and video sharing via internet sites such as Facebook andYouTube.Integrated educational multimedia constructed using low cost, easily learned tools can enrichstudents' learning experiences and provide them with on-demand learning opportunities andactivities that parallel those found on social sites. Providing educational interactive web contentsuch as

Conference Session

Projects in Alternative Energy

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

José Colucci Ríos P.E., University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez; Efrain O'Neill-Carrillo, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez; Miriam del Rosario Fontalvo

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

Conference on Human Environmentin 1972 [1]. There are many definitions of sustainability or sustainable development. In fact,there is literature comparing the various stances on sustainability, classifying definitions in termsof weak, strong or normative sustainability (for an example comparing Solow, Holling, Leopold,Pearce and Barbier see Chapter 8 of Norton’s Sustainability [2]). There are also variousindicators of sustainability such as those from the World Bank, the European Union, and UN [3].Perhaps one the best known definitions of sustainable development is from Our Common Futureand deals with how we use resources today in a way that does not compromise the ability offuture generations to meet their needs [4]. Wider exposure was given to

Conference Session

New Concepts for Alternative Energy Courses and Concepts

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Max Rabiee P.E. P.E., University of Cincinnati

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

reactance (X2f). Figure 1 shows the equivalent circuit of a transformer [1].Three (3) laboratory experiments are assigned in order to complement the classroom teachings ofthe aforementioned topics . A brief description of these experiments is listed below. Studentsare required to use MatLab for determining the parameters for the “pre-lab” reports, andanalyzing the data collected in the laboratory for their “post-lab” reports. Figure1- Transformer Equivalent CircuitIn experiment #1 entitled “Three-Phase Systems & Phase Sequence”, students make theconnections for two (2) Wye-connected, unbalanced loads systems. Each connected system’soperation is sensitive to the phase sequence of the three-phase voltage source. In

Conference Session

Projects in Alternative Energy: Wind and Solar

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Leonel Aguilera, University of Texas, Pan American; Jaime Ramos-Salas P.E., University of Texas, Pan American; Sanjeev Kumar, University of Texas, Pan American

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

], Goswami emphasizesthe environmental impact of using renewable energy, and the importance of SolarEducation and student hands on experience and involvement, which is also mentioned on[8].Solar System DescriptionWe are able to gather solar energy from two Photovoltaic Arrays: The ENGR PV Arrayand TXU Array. The ENGR PV Array is a fixed array of 5 kW with a Collector Azimuthangle of 11o from the south, and a Tilt Angle of 10o. The TXU Array has a SolarTracking System to increase the power efficiency production; it contains 2 solar trackerswith 2 degrees of freedom each. Their rated maximum power is 2.75 kW, summing up atotal of 5.50 kW [1].The ENGR PV Array generates averaged measurements every five minutes, whereas theTXU Array is recording

Conference Session

Electrical Energy Courses, Labs, and Projects I

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Dale H. Litwhiler, Pennsylvania State University, Berks Campus; Elizabeth Wiggins-Lopez, PSU-Berks

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

withnew devices for occupied space environmental control. Students are very motivated to createdevices that positively influence their learning environment. This paper presents details ofstudent projects which interface with the microgrid system. Details of the microgridinfrastructure are also presented and discussed.IntroductionEngineering technology students at Penn State - Berks are involved with an innovative andemerging technology in the area of indoor building energy distribution. With the help of industrypartners of the Emerge Alliance® consortium, an engineering laboratory/classroom has beenconverted to use a 24VDC system to power its lighting needs.1 The 24VDC power is distributedthroughout the room via conductors embedded in the support

Conference Session

K-12 Experiences in Energy Education

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Liping Guo, Northern Illinois University; Mansour Tahernezhadi, Northern Illinois University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

’ knowledge and skills, which in turn leads to changesin instruction and ultimately improves student learning [1]. The Emerging Technology Instituteincorporates the professional development context, process, and content standards of the Page 25.1066.2National Staff Development Council [2]. The context standards are met by the learningcommunity approach and involvement of academic leaders in ways that can lead to improvedinstruction based on action research. A critical aspect of ETI is its approach to teaching advanced technology. The goal is tohave engineering educators communicate directly to the teachers about both fundamental andemerging

Conference Session

New Concepts for Alternative Energy Courses and Concepts

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kala Meah, York College of Pennsylvania; Phillip Barnett, York College of Pennsylvania; Paul Isaac Deysher, York College of Pennsylvania; K. Vaisakh, Andhra University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

. The student survey indicatesthat the project improves the student’s understanding of the renewable energy prospects and issues, andallows them the opportunity to be instrumental in the future of alternative energies.Background and Motivation: The electricity generation from renewable resources is growing rapidlyand the total generation increases 3.1% annually (U.S. Energy Infromation Administration, 2011). Themost significant contributors are hydro-power and wind. Hydro-power is one of the oldest forms ofrenewable energy, and therefore the vast majority of possible large-scale hydro energy resources havebeen explored. Fig. 1 shows electricity generation from renewable resources in the U.S. from 1949 – 2009(U.S. Energy Information

Conference Session

Projects in Alternative Energy

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David H. Domermuth, Appalachian State University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

the studentinteraction and the merits of research based teaching.INTRODUCTIONBiomass has roughly one third the energy density of conventional liquid fuels; and the energyextraction can be very inefficient [1]. These two factors make biomass, alternative energyresearch very challenging. The ongoing research efforts reported in this paper are theculmination of four years of testing and improvements. All of the popular, pyrolitic conversionmethods tested so far have not been economically viable, including conventional, downdraftgasification and a number of biochar production methods. A process has been developed that isnot currently reported in the literature; so it was given the title, Biovolitilization or BV for short.This is by no means a new

Conference Session

Energy Education Courses, Labs, and Projects II

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lynn Albers, North Carolina State University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

the university and prepare energy and cost savingrecommendations to be included in the assessment report that will be delivered to the site’s energymanager approximately eight weeks later. The report is also submitted to the national IAC databasewhich is maintained by the team at Rutgers University. At the time of this paper, the NCSU IACcompleted a total of 441 assessments containing an average of 7.5 recommendations per assessment fora total of 3,318 recommendations with average savings listed in Table 1.4 Table 1. Average Recommended Savings Per Assessment; The North Carolina State University IAC4 Average Recommended Usage Reduction % Reduction Cost ($) Savings Savings Per

Conference Session

Energy Conversion and Conservation Poster Session

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nick J. Surface, University of Kansas; Bryan Anthony Strecker, University of Kansas; Jonathan M. S. Mattson, University of Kansas; Christopher D. Depcik

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

”. It is a centrally planned and controlledsystem with relatively little flexibility to fluctuations in energy demand. As the nation and theeconomy becomes increasingly digital, energy demand is growing rapidly. For example, it isestimated that by 2015 around 60% of the total electrical load will be from chip technologies andautomated manufacturing versus 10% of the total in the 1990s 1. While the automotive industry is presently dependent on petroleum sources, the growingpresence of Plug-in Hybrid Electric (PHEV) and Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) will begin toact as a stress upon the electrical grid by drawing resources during times of peak energy demand.A study from Oak Ridge National Laboratory finds that charging vehicles during off

Conference Session

Innovative Energy Projects

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Steven R. Walk, Old Dominion University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

” oninstructions sets for colleagues rather than for their own immediate experimentation. Thebenefits and advantages of this procedure, accruing to the students learning and the author‟sdesign philosophy and plans, are discussed below.Fuel Cell Experimentation SystemThe fuel cell experimentation system used was manufactured by h-tec, Wasserstoff-Energie-Systems GmbH (see www.h-tec.com) and included the U102 Stack Experimentation SetComplete (Figure 1.). The system includes apparatus sufficient to complete experiments: aphotovoltaic module (converting light energy to DC electric energy); an electrolyzer (using thephotovoltaic module DC current output, or optional wall-plugged AC/DC power supply output,to separate hydrogen from oxygen in distilled water); a

Conference Session

Energy Conversion and Conservation Poster Session

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Constantine Nicholas Tzouanas; Vassilios Tzouanas, University of Houston, Downtown

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

1 percent of total energy consumption is solar, compared withroughly 85 percent from oil, natural gas, and coal1.Even though a number of technologies are already available, improving them to a level that leadsto widespread use of solar power requires continued research and engineering efforts. This workfocuses on one of these technologies, namely the photovoltaic (PV) systems.PV systems are comprised of photovoltaic cells. A photovoltaic cell is designed to convertradiant energy in light to electrical energy that can be used to power devices. They are usuallymade of semiconductors, like silicon, and have an anti-reflective coating. In a photovoltaic cell,one side has a positive charge and the other side has a negative charge. When photons

Conference Session

Energy Education Courses, Labs, and Projects II

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Frank Wicks, Union College

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

or 530 R theCarnot heat pump will have a COP = 7.57.The efficiency of an ideal engine is not the Carnot cycle, because the heat source is thecombustion products that release heat over the entire temperature range in the cooling off processfrom Thotmax down to Tcold. The corresponding ideal fuel burning engine is the Wickscycle1,2,3 that has an efficiency equation Efficiency= 1- Tcold * ln(Thotmax/Tcold)/ (Thotmax-Tcold). Assuming a maximum combustion product temperature of 2500 R and a cold or ambient heatsink temperature of 500 R the ideal fuel burning engine will be .5976 or 59.76 % efficient. Thus,the ideal heating system can have a first law efficiency that is the product of this engineefficiency and heat pump Coefficient of Performance

Conference Session

Energy Education Courses, Labs, and Projects

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gene Yeau-Jian Liao, Wayne State University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

implementation of an interactive and computer-controlled test system for three differentelectric energy storage devices (electro-mechanical flywheel, electro-chemical batteries, andsupercapacitor) that serve as a teaching-aid. These units provide hands-on experience forstudents with multidisciplinary backgrounds who are enrolled in the advanced energy storagecourses. The developed teaching-aid not only enhances the advanced energy storage trainingand education, but also inspires students’ interest in the green movement of renewable energy.1. IntroductionThe escalating demand for energy and the increasing concerns over the environment havecalled for clean and sustainable energy development. Generating electricity from renewable,clean energy sources such

Conference Session

Energy Education and Industrial Partnership Needs

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Edward Russell Forringer, LeTourneau University; Matthew G. Green, LeTourneau University; Jesse J. French, LeTourneau University; Paul R. Leiffer, LeTourneau University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

Engineering Education, 2011 Low-Cost River Simulator for 100W Hydro-Kinetic Turbine Testing  AbstractIn a multi-year project our students are designing, prototyping, and testing hydro-kinetic devicesintended to provide electrical power in remote regions by extracting energy from river currents.The low-cost submersible devices must not disturb surface use of waterways while producingbetween 20 and 100 watts of power for river currents between 1 and 3 m/s.These hydro-kinetic power systems must be tested in a full range of water flow velocities. Localriver testing does not readily provide a wide range of flow velocities and commercially availablewater tunnels are infeasible for this

Conference Session

Investigating Alternative Energy Concepts

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ahmed Rubaai, Howard University; Abdul R. Ofoli, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

used in universities worldwide.This paper presents an integrative approach to teaching power electronics converterexperiments that integrate digital control. The approach uses a collection of tools thatinclude both software (MATLAB and LABVIEW) and low cost hardware (micro-controller PIC16F877). Using human linguistic terms and common sense, a closed-loopcontrol system incorporating fuzzy logic with a small rule base has been developed andimplemented for a special class of hard-switching dc-dc converters.Educational ObjectivesThe fundamental educational objectives are: 1) to provide hands-on experience in practical power electronics applications; 2) to reinforce and support lecture-based courses in power electronics; 3) to train a new