designed by: breana harvell, anna carr, darius james, john quigley, and robert walker

Designed by: Breana Harvell, Anna Carr,Darius James, John Quigley, and Robert Walker

Albert B.A.D.J.R.The Awesome

Windmill Generator

DEVICE DESIGN:

The insulator is made of a cardboard box The copper rod goes through both sides of

the box and serves as the axle Red coated, copper wire wraps around the

cardboard box forming coils Four magnets are attached to the axle,

inside of the cardboard box The light is connected to the ends of the

wires A fan is attached to one end of the axle and

generates the power to light the bulb when

spinning at the appropriate pace

ELECTRICAL & MECHANICAL ASPECTS OF OUR DEVICE:

Mechanical:• Straight fan axle linkage• Magnets magnetically attached to

copper axle, which is spun by the fan or wind power

Electrical:• Magnets spin in between the spun

coils, which collect and transfer the electrical charge to the light bulb

ESTIMATED EFFICIENCY CALCULATIONS:

For the efficiency of our engine we use the equation:

Produced 16 Volts and ~ 0.1 Amps

P = I x V = (0.1 A) x (16 V) = 1.6 watts

Power generated = 1.6 watts

Period = 1 second

* Here:

E = efficiency

Nb = gearbox/ bearings efficiency

Area = 49cm2

Ce = coefficient of performance

* 1.225 is assumed as the air density

We will combine the two efficiency values and coefficient of performance and let them account for the total efficiency of our generator

E = 62.805 % efficient 

CONSTRUCTION/ DESIGN ISSUES:

Our first cardboard box was crushed by the pressure of the coils

Two of the magnets snapped into two pieces

The initial wire purchased was not coated and was the wrong size

Difficulty getting the rod to stick to the fan properly

CONCLUSIONS:

Basically, our generator works.

Concepts learned• The gauge of wire does make a difference in

the intensity of power generated • As well as the coating of the wire• Creating motion between a magnetic field

and a coated conductor, the change in charge over an area of the conductor will cause a charge to be distributed

Problems• Wire problems

• coating and gauge• Fan positioning is not perfectly square.• Cardboard serves as sort of a insulator and

absorbs some of the energy.