The Passive Solar Home design project has been the largest and hardest project. There were many parts to the completion of this project. My group consisted of myself, Matt, and Ruby.
1. Designing a Solar Water Heater: This was the first project we did. We had to design a water heater using different types and combinations of materials. We used a shoe box, aluminum foil, copper piping, soda bottle, plastic wrap, and plastic tubing. We used the plastic wrap to help trap in the heat that was produced from the reflection it would heat up our copper wires. We then used the aluminum foil to reflect the light and heat to the copper tubing thus heating the water stored in the milk jug and tubed into the box.
2. Daylighting Design and Technique: In our second project our task was to design and build a model of a home demonstrating different daylighting techniques. The techniques included skylights, solar shelves, and solar tubes. We were given cardboard, tape, and tin foil to make the scale models. In this project we learned about different ways to get light into your hpouse during the different seasons without electricity. 3. Windturbine: In our 3rd project our goal was to design and build two types of wind turbines, a horizontal wind turbine and a vertical wind turbine. Our group used wooden dowels, construction paper, cardboard, tape, and hot glue to make our turbines. Once we made the two turbines we tested them using a leaf blower. The tester connected to the fan head which connected to a motor which had wires that were connected to a voltmeter. Our horizontal fan head generated 1.12 volts on low, 1.50 volts on medium, and 1.40 on high. The vertical fan head generated .32 volts on low, .46 volts on medium, and .95 volts on high. 4. Cold Frame, Solar Reflector, and Bonus Project For the last few weeks of this unit we focused on 3 different projects. My group was a group of 3 so we decided it would be the most efficient for each of us to each take up a project. So, I tackled the bonus project. My idea was to make the solar studio into a rooftop garden. The scale drawing is pictured left. Ruby took care of the cold frame. The cold frame featured a window and included a dowel that would help hold open the frame during war, weathered days. Matt made the solar reflector model. The reflector was made to bring more light into the north window. We just made a simple reflector which was mounted under the window. |
Reflection
This whole unit was kind of crazy but overall was really fun! We had to put in a lot of effort and do a lot. But, it was worth it because we learned a whole lot. My group worked really well together so I think we did a lot of stuff well, such as tackling the last three projects. As well as our wind turbine. We probably rushed the solar water heater and could have taken some more time with that and I also think we maybe should have filled each other in more about our each individual projects because during the presentation I wasn't as educated on the two projects I didn't do. But, overall it was great!