StyroEF 152 Windmill Project

TiffanyBlevins

KaaraAnderson

JakePhilpott

KevinStilwell

Device DesignGenerator – Rare earth

magnets attached to paint rollers free to rotate, coil of wire surrounding

Styrofoam windmill wheel much larger in circumfrence, sturdy wooden blades to catch wind

Fabric “belt” to rotate with blades and spin magnets within wire coil

Mounted on wooden platform

Electrical AspectsRare earth magnets

ordered online, $8.99

Chose to increase the number of coils to increase magnetic flux; sacrificed increased resistance from smaller wire

Magnets rotate on paint roller to create electricity

Mechanical AspectsLarger wheel for

windmill allows many more rotations of smaller generator wheel per turn of windmill blades

Chose to connect device using fabric Does not strain

deviceHas good grip

Efficiency Calculations(.029 volts)^2 / 260

ohms = 3.23461538 × 10-5 watts actual

0.0153267589% efficent

10 inch radius = 0.254 m

P = 0.5 x rho x A x V3

Pi*(.254^2) m^2 * 1.225 kg/m3 * 1.7 m/s * .5 = 0.211043665 watts theoretical

Design Process and ProblemsNot much previous knowledge of generators, but needed

to incorporate wire and magnets. Problem arose when first magnets broke.

Had to determine lightweight, stiff material for wings, and how to attach to an easily rotating object.

Had to connect generator to windmill blades well enough to rotate but not so tightly that they created a strain on the windmill rotator.

Design completely constructed and functioning, then after a period of storage had a couple minor failures. Repaired cable strip and began taking it off the windmill when not in use.

ConclusionsWind power efficiency

can be increased by decreasing problems not only in each component, but how they connect

Storage of devices can cause strain on them and decrease performance (fabric strand)

Materials may be available more cheaply online

Although the useful energy from coal-burning steam plants is much greater, more “green” oriented power options are not necessarily useless