Conference Session

Innovative Projects in Energy Education

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Dale H. Litwhiler, Penn State - Berks

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

a useful amount of energy. Figure 1 shows a hybrid thermal and electrical diagram of athermoelectric device. Figure 2 shows a photograph of the actual TEG used by the students.4 Figure 1. Thermal / electric energy flow diagram of TEG device (Ferrotec) Figure 2. TEG used by students. (Actual size is 1.2” x 1.3” x 0.14”) (Marlow) Page 24.73.3The goals for each year’s team were set high enough to encourage them to work hard, but yetlow enough not to discourage them from trying. Because the students were first-semesterfreshmen, they were entering the project relying on experience obtained prior to college. Somestudents have a good

Conference Session

Energy Conservation and Conversions for Green Buildings

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Brandon S. Field, University of Southern Indiana; Kerry S. Hall, University of Southern Indiana

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

semester.The first assignment required the structural analysis students to calculate the major loads actingon the Tech Center. Given the blue prints for the building, they were expected to calculate thewind and snow loads expected in this location as well as the dead load of the structure itself. In asubsequent assignment the students were tasked with determining the distribution of forcesthrough the roof system and columns of the Tech Center due to these existing loads. For this taskthey were allowed to use the structural analysis software package, RISA. Figure 1 shows theforce distribution in a typical frame of the building as modelled by one of the structural analysisstudents.Figure 1. Axial forces (above with values in kips) and moments (below

Conference Session

Miscellaneous Topics in Energy Education

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David C. Zietlow, Bradley University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

, interesting assignments, and applying the material to the real world make a courseengaging.” (1) Another study found that student participation in laboratory or demonstrationexercises in conjunction with a lecture produces a more positive learning outcome. (2)Application and demonstration are two key tools of an educator and will be explained further inthis paper so students will be able to comprehend the abstract ideas of irreversibility and Carnotefficiency. This paper ties the theoretical Carnot efficiency to the applications to which it isrelated.One of the more challenging concepts for students is the irreversibility of heat transfer through afinite temperature difference. It is easier to understand the irreversibility of other processes suchas

Conference Session

Energy Conservation and Conversions for Green Buildings

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Masoud Fathizadeh P.E., Purdue University Calumet (College of Technology)

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

number of national and state policies that encourage theuse of traditional energy sources. These policies range from royalty relief to the provision of taxincentives, direct payments, and other forms of support to the non-renewable energy industry.“The combination of subsidies—or ‘perverse incentives’— to develop fossil fuel energy sources,and a lack of sufficient incentives to develop renewable energy and promote energy efficiency,distorts energy policy in ways that have helped cause, and continue to exacerbate, our climatechange problem12.Learning Outcomes and Methods of Evaluations or AssessmentStudents after successfully completing of this course should be able to perform the followingtasks as shown in Table-1

Conference Session

Electrical Energy Courses - Labs and Projects

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tan Ma, Florida International University; Osama A. Mohammed, Florida International University; Brandy Louie Serrano, Florida International University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

hybridelectric vehicles (PHEV) are growing in popularity, increasing the demand for efficientand reliable power flow control systems that can monitor and regulate power flow inhybrid AC-DC power systems [1]-[2]. Control of power flow in hybrid AC-DC powersystems is done by controlling the multiple bidirectional DC-DC and AC-DC convertersused in these grids [3]-[4]. It is of the utmost importance to teach power systemsengineering students how to communicate with devices, such as converters and batterymanagement systems, to monitor and control the power flow across a micro grid [5]. Thegrowing implementation of smart grids and wireless communications emphasizes theneed to teach students how to implement wireless communication devices withapplications to

Conference Session

Energy Conservation and Conversions for Green Buildings

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert W. Fletcher, Lawrence Technological University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

as corn,wheat and other grains, dry beans and edible soya beans. Rising utility costs and fixedcommodities prices necessitated the need for a concerted effort by the MAC to reduce theirenergy costs. DTE Energy was also interested in balancing the electric power utility distributionload in the predominantly rural area the MAC facility is located. For this project students servedas part-time paid employees of the university working directly under the supervision ofuniversity faculty.There were two major phases for this project. Phase 1 concentrated on establishing a reliable anduseful power and energy usage data acquisition capability, and testing grain hopper aeration anddrying fan systems both with and without the use of variable frequency

Conference Session

Energy Conservation and Conversions for Green Buildings

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jimmy Antoine Chahine; Minh Nguyen Ha, Forum Energy Technology; Vong Hem, Lectrus Corporation - Applications Engineer; Vassilios Tzouanas, University of Houston, Downtown

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

. IntroductionSolar energy offers consumers the ability to generate electricity in a clean, quiet, and reliablemanner. In the United States, solar usage is growing at the industrial level but residential usage isstill staggering behind other countries in Europe and Asia. This can be attributed to the cost ofproducing solar energy. The initial cost for a solar energy system is usually what discouragesconsumers from choosing it. Because of it, the residential usage in the United States is onlyaccount for 1 percent of the world's use1. Countries in Europe have set incentives for residentswho adopt the use of solar panels and have a fixed price for utility companies to buy back theexcess electricity. The United States is gradually introducing such incentives. So

Conference Session

Miscellaneous Topics in Energy Education

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Faruk Yildiz, Sam Houston State University; Keith L. Coogler, Sam Houston State University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

different locations. Adetailed map is shown in Figure 1. The SITN is a five-year effort which started in 2009 toestablish a geographic blanket of training opportunities in solar installation across the UnitedStates. The SITN promotes high-quality training in the installation of solar technologies. Nineregional resource and training providers support the professional development of trainers andinstructors of solar photovoltaic (SPV) technologies across the country. The goals of SolarInstructor Training are to accelerate market adoption of solar technologies by ensuring that high- Page 24.364.2quality installations are standard and to create

Conference Session

Innovative Projects in Energy Education

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Salahuddin Qazi, State University of New York, Institute of Tech.; Farhan Qazi

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

provideelectricity in the aftermath of disasters for emergency relief and to remote areas having no accessto the grid. It will also discuss the advantages of community solar and solar microgrid fordisaster resilience. The paper concludes by emphasizing the importance of these technologies inengineering education and integrating them in programs related to solar energy and disaster &emergency management.IntroductionAccording to recent reports, 1, 2 the number of natural disasters worldwide has steadily increasedsince 1970s. It is also reported that the number of natural disasters is the highest in NorthAmerica with tornadoes, hurricanes, severe heat, floods and even drought. When a disasterstrikes, the whole infrastructure including electricity shuts

Conference Session

Renewable Energy in Classroom

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Herbert L. Hess, University of Idaho, Moscow; Brian K. Johnson, University of Idaho, Moscow; Rishabh Jain; Amrit Dahal

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

will be reduced by morethan half.Introduction The director of a YMCA camp in Cascade, Idaho, is considering a commitment toappropriate forms of on-site renewable energy as its primary source. The load is stronglysummer peaking. The camp’s main multipurpose building, named The Barn, has the heaviest, butrepresentative load. Water heating is the most significant load of the building. Therefore, makingThe Barn “green” was selected as a pilot project. Figure 1 shows the power usage both at thecampsite for The Barn and for the total campsite. Reducing the electrical energy draw from thepublic utility creates significant savings, not just for the energy bill, but also by reducing thedemand charge. It lays the groundwork for creating a

Conference Session

Innovative Projects in Energy Education

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Vladimir Gurau P.E., Kent State University at Tuscarawas

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

Membrane Fuel Cells Vladimir Gurau Kent State University at Tuscarawas, 330 University Drive N.E., New Philadelphia, OH 44663 1. IntroductionThe proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is an alternative, clean power source forportable, automotive and stationary applications having the potential to reduce our energy useand the nation’s dependence on imported oil. It delivers high-power density and offers theadvantages of high gravimetric and volumetric power density, rapid start-up and better durabilitycompared with other fuel cells. As identified by the U.S. Department of Energy, one of theobstacles that remain to be resolved on the road to hydrogen

Conference Session

Renewable Energy in Classroom

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Muhittin Yilmaz, Texas A&M University, Kingsville; Naren Reddy Dhansri, TAMUK

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

analysis per group is sufficient, individual pop-quizzes may be given at the beginning of the lab session to test the pre-lab problems. ¾ Staple this cover page to your solution set. ¾ Study the problems with your group members and turn in your group work!... The pre-lab technical questions and open-ended research assignments included the items,listed as, 1. Conduct research on renewable energy resources and o List all alternative sources and write a short article about one of them in a very creative existing application (Points will be assigned according to the originality of the application), o Explain different wind turbine structures, implementations, and efficiency ratings

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

Electrical Energy Courses - Labs and Projects

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Yazan Alsmadi, Ohio State University ; Kaichien Tsai, Ohio State University; Mark J. Scott, Ohio State University; Longya Xu, Ohio State University; Aimeng Wang

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

Table 1: Prerequisites for ECE 5027 - Power Electronics and Motor Drives Laboratory Course Students Topics Covered ECE 3040: Undergraduate • Introduction to electrical energy systems: Sustainable Energy & history, current trends Power Systems I • Renewable and non-renewable sources core course • Rotating machines and their operation 3 credit hours • Smart grid initiatives ECE 3047: Undergraduate • Basics of energy conversion processes for Sustainable Energy and

Conference Session

Electrical Energy Courses - Labs and Projects

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nattee Cheeweewattanakoon, California State University, Northridge; Gurveen Kaur, California State University, Northridge; Neha Chawla; Nattee Cheeweewattanakoon

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

theeffectiveness of this module.Renewable EnergyRenewable Energy sources are sustainable and naturally replenished such as solar irradiation,wind, tidal waves, biomass, and geothermal heat.According to figures provided by EIA (Energy Information Administration) in 2012consumption from renewable resources in the United States amounts to about 9 quadrillionBTUs. Also about 12% of the total energy generated in the United States was from renewablesources in 2012. New renewables (small hydro, modern biomass, solar, wind, geothermal)account for another 3% share and are rapidly increasing 1. In its new monthly forecast, EIA,reports that solar generation in the electric power sector is expected to grow even more

Conference Session

Miscellaneous Topics in Energy Education

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ryan L. Falkenstein-Smith, Syracuse University; Jeongmin Ahn, Syracuse University; Kang Wang

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

Energy SystemsIntroduction The low percentages of students being retained in engineering majors have been welldocumented [1]. Without increasing the numbers in this subset, it is difficult to impact thenumbers of new graduates entering the workforce and pursuing higher degrees. The problemwith the general image of engineering that is known to contribute to low enrollments is the lackof understanding of how engineering can be used to improve society. One way to this image is to engage students in hands-on experiments. The students’ interest inscience and engineering can be increased if they are exposed to more hands-on researchexperiences rather than what is traditionally offered in undergraduate curricula. Those personalstudent experiences

Conference Session

Renewable Energy in Classroom

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Timothy L. Marbach, California State University Sacramento

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

Teaching Award. His research interests include thermochemical processing of biofuels, combustion and applied energy/heat recovery. Page 24.1081.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2014 Significant Learning in Renewable EnergySignificant learning in engineering educationFor over 50 years, Bloom’s taxonomy has been used widely in higher education, includingengineering, as a foundation of effective pedagogy1. The taxonomy has three domains:cognitive, affective and psychomotor. Higher education typically emphasizes the cognitivedomain, which is summarized in Table 1

Conference Session

Electrical Energy Courses - Labs and Projects

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Herbert L. Hess, University of Idaho, Moscow; Brian K. Johnson, University of Idaho, Moscow; Clifford J. Chapman, University of Idaho

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

Parameters, and Flux Analysis Settings. A description of each follows.Beginning with the S/M Physical Layout (Figure 1), compatible values for Slots and Pitch arepresented as the user specifies Poles, then Slots, then Pitch. This guides practical parameterspecification and provides immediate feedback when settings do not correlate. Additionally, AirGap distance is adjustable but only affects the way the rotor is drawn; no other values aredetermined from the Air Gap distance for this illustrative tool. Figure 1Electrical Parameter specification immediately follows to allow selection of start time and steptime per electrical phase angle advancement, phase sequence and frequency, sign convention,motor output

Conference Session

Renewable Energy in Classroom

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Radian G. Belu, Drexel University (Tech.); Richard Chiou, Drexel University (Eng. & Eng. Tech.); KETKI GHAISAS, Drexel University; Tzu-Liang Bill Tseng, University of Texas, El Paso

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

(implying various combinations of wind, solar, fuelcells and batteries). A module underway to be developed is one that can be considered as a guideon how to use renewable energy to secure a sustainable grid. The paper is also discussing thetechnical skills gained by students using the software HOMER package. Finally by usingHOMER students have exposure to non-technical engineering skills, such as economicfeasibility, logistic and decision on hybrid power systems. We are hoping the materials presentedherein can be used as the starting point for other instructors considering the use of HOMERpackage as teaching help, design and analysis tool in renewable energy courses.1. IntroductionDue to the adverse effects of pollution from fossil fuel-based power

Conference Session

Miscellaneous Topics in Energy Education

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Chris Foreman, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Karina Clarissa Halim, Purdue University; Rajeswari Sundararajan, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

sources to meet baseload demand for power, willresult in the ongoing need for new graduates. Universities have been slow to educate students incoal power generation. A solution to this is presented in this paper in the form of a lesson planwith introductory information of the coal power generation process, equipment utilized, andsome of the policies and concerns surrounding coal use. This paper can serve to start a dialog inenergy courses and provide future directions for students interested in pursuing energy careers.Introduction Coal for utility-scale electrical power generation has been in widespread use forapproximately a century. It is currently the largest energy source for electrical power andremains cheap and abundant.1 While many

Conference Session

Energy Conservation and Conversions for Green Buildings

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ahmed Cherif Megri, North Carolina A&T State University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

in written and oral communication skills. Future plans to evaluate theeffectiveness of this capstone in term of learning outcomes. 1. Introduction:The 1973 oil embargo was the propulser for the creation of the first generation of multiple energysimulation programs, such as DOE and TRNSYS in USA, ESP-r in UK, CODYBA in France. Theseprograms are still in use until today, even if multiple versions have been developed, because of theirflexibility and their reliability.Among all these programs, only TRNSYS (Klein, 1976), (Klein, 1977), (Klein, 2006) reach theinternational scientific community, since it benefits from the modularity structure that makes it one of themost appropriate software for education and research. Hundreds of papers

Conference Session

Innovative Projects in Energy Education

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Saeed D. Foroudastan, Middle Tennessee State University; Jeremy Keith Posey Sr.

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

addition to Foroudastan’s teaching experi- ence, he also has performed extensive research and published numerous technical papers. He has secured more than $1 million in the form of both internal and external grants and research funding. Foroudastan is the faculty advisor, coordinator, and primary fundraiser for EVP teams entering national research project competitions such as the Formula SAE Collegiate Competition, the Baja SAE Race, the SolarBike Rayce, the Great Moonbuggy Race, and the Solar Boat Collegiate Competition. For his concern for and ded- ication to his students, Foroudastan received MTSU awards such as the 2002-03 Outstanding Teaching Award, the 2005-06 Outstanding Public Service Award, and the 2007

Conference Session

Miscellaneous Topics in Energy Education

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jaime Ramos-Salas P.E., University of Texas, Pan American; Jesus Alejandro Valladares, The University of Texas Pan American

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

, overthe solar farm, in a day to day basis. Page 24.1297.2 1 v7 Those methods are now available, and their development has been an active area ofresearch [1]. The first step is to measure that radiation; that can be done either locally, from on-site sensors, or distantly, from sensors lodged on satellites. In the University of Texas PanAmerican we have installed [2] a set of tracking pyranometers and pyrheliometer to measure theglobal horizontal