Passive Solar Home
Summary
For this project we designed a solar water heater, a passive solar home, and a wind turbine. We did this to make the most solar efficient house ever. We designed the passive solar home to put on our campus.
For this project we designed a solar water heater, a passive solar home, and a wind turbine. We did this to make the most solar efficient house ever. We designed the passive solar home to put on our campus.
Passive Solar Home
The solar home had to be off the grid. It had to be have enough light to not need electrical lights. Also we had to find a way for it to stay warm during the night as well. For our design we put black tile on the inside floor and the North wall to absorb the heat and release it slowly. We chose black because that color absorbs the most amount of heat and we chose tile because it released the most heat over the the longest span of time. We found this out because we did a lab, to test what the best conductors, reflectors, and absorbers. For our house design we had high ceilings and south facing clerestory windows up at the top to catch the maximum amount of sunlight possible. For additional light we added 3 large picture windows, 2 on the south side under the clerestory windows and one near the door. Our house was 10 feet by 12 feet and it won the design competition with another group
The solar home had to be off the grid. It had to be have enough light to not need electrical lights. Also we had to find a way for it to stay warm during the night as well. For our design we put black tile on the inside floor and the North wall to absorb the heat and release it slowly. We chose black because that color absorbs the most amount of heat and we chose tile because it released the most heat over the the longest span of time. We found this out because we did a lab, to test what the best conductors, reflectors, and absorbers. For our house design we had high ceilings and south facing clerestory windows up at the top to catch the maximum amount of sunlight possible. For additional light we added 3 large picture windows, 2 on the south side under the clerestory windows and one near the door. Our house was 10 feet by 12 feet and it won the design competition with another group
Solar Water Heater
For this project we had to make a water heater that was powered only by the sun. Our solar water heater was made out of copper tubing, foil, cardboard box, saran wrap, insulation and a bottle. We bent the tubing in a zig-zag formation. We put it inside the box which was layered with the foil. Then we put the saran wrap on top to amplify the suns rays. Finally we attached the water bottle that was wrapped in the insulation. Then we let it sit out in the sun to warm up. We put water in the bottle, let it flow through our tubing and in no time we had warm water.
For this project we had to make a water heater that was powered only by the sun. Our solar water heater was made out of copper tubing, foil, cardboard box, saran wrap, insulation and a bottle. We bent the tubing in a zig-zag formation. We put it inside the box which was layered with the foil. Then we put the saran wrap on top to amplify the suns rays. Finally we attached the water bottle that was wrapped in the insulation. Then we let it sit out in the sun to warm up. We put water in the bottle, let it flow through our tubing and in no time we had warm water.
Wind Turbine
For our wind turbine project we had to build one H.A.W.T. and one V.A.W.T. A H.A.W.T. which is a horizontal faced wind turbine like you would see in a big open field. We also had to build a V.A.W.T which is a vertical wind turbine which you would see at a park or on a boat. The purpose of these are to produce clean energy, that is cost efficient and better for the environment. For our H.A.W.T. we made big wings that were tilted inward about 20*. The wings were made out of recycled manila folders. For our V.A.W.T. we made it approximately 6 inches tall with 3 inch semi-oval wings that were mounted up and down. Both of the turbines worked out well especially the H.A.W.T.
For our wind turbine project we had to build one H.A.W.T. and one V.A.W.T. A H.A.W.T. which is a horizontal faced wind turbine like you would see in a big open field. We also had to build a V.A.W.T which is a vertical wind turbine which you would see at a park or on a boat. The purpose of these are to produce clean energy, that is cost efficient and better for the environment. For our H.A.W.T. we made big wings that were tilted inward about 20*. The wings were made out of recycled manila folders. For our V.A.W.T. we made it approximately 6 inches tall with 3 inch semi-oval wings that were mounted up and down. Both of the turbines worked out well especially the H.A.W.T.
Reflection
Overall I had fun on this project and I had fun with my group. This was fun because it was 3 mini projects all rolled up into one fun package. Our group was Bryan B., Jake J., Scotty F., and I. Our project went really well, one "pit" that happened was everyone in our group played around and we barley finished within the allotted time. One "peak" was that we all got along quite well, despite our differences. The second "pit" was we didn't manage our time wisely because we probably could have finished a week earlier. Our Second "peak" was that our home design tied for first place with another group. It is really cool to see our hard work pay off at our school that we love so much.
Overall I had fun on this project and I had fun with my group. This was fun because it was 3 mini projects all rolled up into one fun package. Our group was Bryan B., Jake J., Scotty F., and I. Our project went really well, one "pit" that happened was everyone in our group played around and we barley finished within the allotted time. One "peak" was that we all got along quite well, despite our differences. The second "pit" was we didn't manage our time wisely because we probably could have finished a week earlier. Our Second "peak" was that our home design tied for first place with another group. It is really cool to see our hard work pay off at our school that we love so much.
Main Concepts
* Radiation: the emission of energy as electromagnetic waves or as moving subatomic particles, especially high-energy particles that cause ionization.
* Absorption: the process or action by which one thing absorbs or is absorbed by another.
* Reflection: the throwing back by a body or surface of light, heat, or sound without absorbing it.
* Conduction: the process by which heat or electricity is directly transmitted through a substance when there is a difference of temperature or of electrical potential between adjoining regions, without movement of the material
* Convection: the movement caused within a fluid by the tendency of hotter and therefore less dense material to rise, and colder, denser material to sink under the influence of gravity, which consequently results in transfer of heat.
* Insulation: the material you put around things to keep them warm
* Specific Heat: the heat required to raise the temperature of the unit mass of a given substance by a given amount (usually one degree)
* Temperature vs. Heat: Temperature is the degrees something is while Heat is the energy given off by an object
* Laws of Thermodynamics: Energy can be changed from one form to another, but it cannot be created or destroyed.
* Radiation: the emission of energy as electromagnetic waves or as moving subatomic particles, especially high-energy particles that cause ionization.
* Absorption: the process or action by which one thing absorbs or is absorbed by another.
* Reflection: the throwing back by a body or surface of light, heat, or sound without absorbing it.
* Conduction: the process by which heat or electricity is directly transmitted through a substance when there is a difference of temperature or of electrical potential between adjoining regions, without movement of the material
* Convection: the movement caused within a fluid by the tendency of hotter and therefore less dense material to rise, and colder, denser material to sink under the influence of gravity, which consequently results in transfer of heat.
* Insulation: the material you put around things to keep them warm
* Specific Heat: the heat required to raise the temperature of the unit mass of a given substance by a given amount (usually one degree)
* Temperature vs. Heat: Temperature is the degrees something is while Heat is the energy given off by an object
* Laws of Thermodynamics: Energy can be changed from one form to another, but it cannot be created or destroyed.