In this project, we were tasked with creating or theorizing an innovative reusable energy unit. My partner and I decided that since we wanted to collaborate, but could not meet with each other, that we would go down the theoretical road. There were many challenges during this project, due to the crazy circumstances we were facing, but we found ways to overcome and challenge ourselves nonetheless. We knew that we wanted to create something that was practical and realistically could be used and accessible to people if it were to be made. We started by brainstorming ideas of what to build over facetime, and we ended up agreeing on designing a tiny house that was powered by reusable energy. The next step was decided what energy sources/forms we would be using to power the house, so we did a braindump of possible ways to get energy. The main forms we chose were water power, peddling a bike to generate electricity, and solar power. We did a lot of research to determine the amount of energy needed to power these appliances, and then used this number to calculate the cost monthly for our house compared to a house that doesn't use reusable energy. One of the main challenges we faced during this project was the complications of not being able to meet in person. We foud ways to solve this issue by scheduling facetime calls and working out what parts of the project each of us would focus on and research. After a few rocky days of figuring out the kinks to this new remote learning, we got into the grove and completed the assignment to the best of our abilities. Our final product was a tiny house that, theoretically and according to our calculations, is powered by reusable energy using different energy transfers and forms.
Background
This project was the capstone to our unit of thermochemistry. Thermochemistry is the study of the heat energy which is associated with chemical reactions and/or physical transformations. A reaction may release or absorb energy, and a phase change may do the same, such as in melting and boiling. We did multiple assignments to dive deeper into the world of thermochemistry and understand its pinciples.
Energy Forms and Changes - PhET Simulation
One of the first assignments we received for this unit was to use an online science simulation. This was interactive simulation that allowed us to test different situations involving energy transfers. You were able to see how the energy moved from one place to another and converted to power/acheive an end goal. |
Cow Power!
Another assignment that we worked on over this unit was called Cow Power! This was an article detailing how cow excrement can be used as an energy source for farms. This article and the focus questions were helpful in deciding what innovative ways we could utilize in our project. I was shocked at how humans are continuously finding new ways to conserve energy and help the environment. |
Lemon Battery Power Lab
This was probably my favorite assignment that were able to do during remote learning. We picked up supplies from school and were able to do a lab at home using lemons. The end goal was to use the lemons to power an LED light. Using positive/negative charges and the citric acid in lemons, we created a makeshift battery. We also wrote a lab report of our findings. Similarly to the Cow Power! article, this assignment got me thinking how to design our project and the unique ways that I could create an energy source. |
There were many other assignments that we did to better our understanding of thermochemistry, but these three really stuck with me and helped me understand the concepts. For the actual project, my partner and I created a proof of efficacy document to showcase our final product and findings. We created molecular blueprints, descriptions, 3-D images of our house, and provided much more information/research. The following content section is all of the information that we included in our document.
Proof of Efficacy Document
Green-Power Tiny House
Powered by solar, water, and mechanical energy
Powered by solar, water, and mechanical energy
The amount of light bulbs
The average house has 45 light bulbs installed to properly light all rooms, totaling an average of 12,773 of kWh a year. Tiny houses only require about six light bulbs, using an average of 914 kWh a year, or just 7% of an average home's kWh.
Compared to non-green energy
If this same hypothetical tiny house was powered with the normal course of action, it would use 15,185 watts of electrical energy, which contrasts greatly with green power, which uses mechanical and light energy to create power that is healthy for the planet (and cost effective).
The average house has 45 light bulbs installed to properly light all rooms, totaling an average of 12,773 of kWh a year. Tiny houses only require about six light bulbs, using an average of 914 kWh a year, or just 7% of an average home's kWh.
Compared to non-green energy
If this same hypothetical tiny house was powered with the normal course of action, it would use 15,185 watts of electrical energy, which contrasts greatly with green power, which uses mechanical and light energy to create power that is healthy for the planet (and cost effective).
Possibilities of Power Sources
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Appliances Brain Drain
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Voltage vs. wattage
A volt is a unit of potential energy, while a watt is a unit of power. One watt= “the amount of power a one-volt supply will provide when one amp of current flows: 1 V × 1 A = 1 W.”(Quora). An amp is a unit of current, and it tells how many electrons flow per second.
Energy Forms and Changes
- Bike-powered blender
- Chemical-mechanical-electrical
- Solar panels
- Light energy-electrical energy
- Water wheel
- Mechanical-electrical
- Hand washing
- Chemical-mechanical
Images
Description
Above are some concept ideas as to what our house may look like. We have included the placement of the solar panels, washing station, and where we would place some windows. We wanted to incorporate a lot of areas where natural light could be utilized, because it would help cut back on the amount of electricity used. The miniature house that we are designing would be placed near a river for water power, would have solar panels on the roof, facing the direction in which the sun would hit it the most, and it would have a clothes-washing station outside. The final piece of green energy used would be a bike that could be used to power a blender. There would also be a gravity-based water removal toilet installed that does not require electricity.
Above are some concept ideas as to what our house may look like. We have included the placement of the solar panels, washing station, and where we would place some windows. We wanted to incorporate a lot of areas where natural light could be utilized, because it would help cut back on the amount of electricity used. The miniature house that we are designing would be placed near a river for water power, would have solar panels on the roof, facing the direction in which the sun would hit it the most, and it would have a clothes-washing station outside. The final piece of green energy used would be a bike that could be used to power a blender. There would also be a gravity-based water removal toilet installed that does not require electricity.
Molecular Blueprints
This drawing shows how the energy moves from one area to another, according to the first law of thermodynamics. This law states that energy cannot be created nor destroyed, but it can be transferred or changed into another form. This image is a water wheel that uses mechanical energy to move. As that energy is used by the wheel, the energy itself moves through the water, as shown with the arrows. The energy from one system or machine can be transferred to another, such as the instance of the water wheel and water. Additionally, the wheel moves because it gets energy from water falling on it.
There are different forms of energy that are used in thermodynamics. There is mechanical energy, chemical energy, thermal energy, electrical energy, and light energy. There are, of course, other forms of energy. This would include nuclear, sound, potential, kinetic, radiant, and gravitational energy. These forms of energy are important in transfers and changing of forms, but for our project we focused on the first 5 energy transfers.
There are different forms of energy that are used in thermodynamics. There is mechanical energy, chemical energy, thermal energy, electrical energy, and light energy. There are, of course, other forms of energy. This would include nuclear, sound, potential, kinetic, radiant, and gravitational energy. These forms of energy are important in transfers and changing of forms, but for our project we focused on the first 5 energy transfers.
The image above shows the process and energy transfer that solar panels use. The sun emits light energy that is captured by the solar panel. This where the first law of thermodynamics comes into play. As seen in the model, new energy is not created, it is converted from light energy to electrical energy. This energy transfer then allows the solar panel to use the electrical energy to power appliances in the house. In our tiny house, we want to have solar panels on the roof. We would ideally position the house at the angle and direction that would get the most sunlight each day. This would maximize how much electricity could be used. Solar panels work by absorbing
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sunlight with photovoltaic cells, and by doing so they can generate direct current (DC) energy. Then they convert it to usable alternating current (AC) energy with the help of inverter technology. AC energy then flows through the home’s electrical panel and is used to power appliances and other electrical needs. Any energy that is not used, excess, is then fed to the electric grid or other sources where it can be stored or used.
Solar panels are made up of solar cells, where the sunlight reflects on. The solar cells are made of silicon which is a semiconductor and can generate electricity. There is also metal and wiring that allows electricity to flow in the cells. When light interacts with a silicon cell, it causes electrons to be set into motion, which initiates a flow of electric current. This is known as the “photovoltaic effect,” and it describes the general functionality of solar panel technology.
The photovoltaic effect is essentially a characteristic of some materials, semiconductors, can generate electrical flow from exposure to energy from sunlight. As mentioned, silicon is the semiconductor that is used in most solar panels.
The photovoltaic process works through the following simplified steps:
Solar panels are made up of solar cells, where the sunlight reflects on. The solar cells are made of silicon which is a semiconductor and can generate electricity. There is also metal and wiring that allows electricity to flow in the cells. When light interacts with a silicon cell, it causes electrons to be set into motion, which initiates a flow of electric current. This is known as the “photovoltaic effect,” and it describes the general functionality of solar panel technology.
The photovoltaic effect is essentially a characteristic of some materials, semiconductors, can generate electrical flow from exposure to energy from sunlight. As mentioned, silicon is the semiconductor that is used in most solar panels.
The photovoltaic process works through the following simplified steps:
- The silicon photovoltaic solar cell absorbs solar radiation
- When the sun’s rays interact with the silicon cell, electrons begin to move, creating a flow of electric current
- Wires capture and feed this direct current (DC) electricity to a solar inverter to be converted to alternating current (AC) electricity
The pictures above are molecular blueprints that we developed after researching what happens on the molecular level on solar panels. The image on the left shows the overall process of light energy hitting the solar panel with a closer look at the molecules and atoms that make up solar panels. It shows how when the light hits the panel it causes the electrons to get excited, which creates a flow of electricity that is converted to usable energy in a household. The image on the right is showing how energy is stored in molecules. Molecules have energy that is stored in their bonds, light from the sun is able to change the shape of the molecules in a solar panel and by changing shape, the energy in the molecule’s bonds is released as energy/heat. The molecules can retain their old shape by a trigger of some sort like temperature change and the cyclic process can start again. These are just basic drawings of what is happening when sunlight hits a solar panel and energy transfers occur.
This is a drawing that shows how energy transfers are happening in the case of riding a bike. In our house one of our sources of renewable energy is using a bike to power things like a blender. The basic chemical transfers that are occuring are chemical to mechanical to electrical to chemical. The electrical energy that is created through pedaling the bike, allows the blender to work. By generating the blender to work using your own body and not electricity, the investment of paying for a bike will pay off when you save money on the monthly electric bill. It is a more physical process, maybe less efficient, but it is better use of the free energy that is available.
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Humans get chemical energy from eating food, and this is how our bodies are able to work and function. This energy transfer above shows the transfer of energy that happens when you hand wash clothes. The transfer is generally chemical to mechanical. The chemical is from the movement of the human body and the mechanical comes from the washing. A washing station is another green-energy source at our house. By using a washing station no electricity is needed to power a washer/dryer. Ideally the tenants can hand wash what they need and use a clothesline to dry. This will help cut down the amount of energy/electricity used monthly and save money in the long term.
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Putting it to the Test!
Renewable total cost after 10 years: $22, 510
Non-renewable total cost after 10 years: $29,676.80
Non-renewable total cost after 10 years: $29,676.80
Below is an additonal source to the original Proof of Efficacy document that my partner and I constructed. The same information, tables, and images can be found on this document as well.
Reflection
This project was pretty crazy. We were faced with so many challenges while having to do this during the shelter in place orders. However, we did our best to get the work done and made sure it was something we could be proud of. Two skills I utilized well in this project were communication and creativity. First, I was very good at communicating for this project. Since my partner and I could not meet in person, we had to work extra hard at communicating with each other in order to complete this project. One specific instance when I used this skill was during the beginning of our project. I texted my partner and we worked out times of that week we could meet over facetime to discuss the project and talk about some of our ideas. It was very helpful that we both kept on top of our work and knew how important it was to communicate with each other in any way we could to reach our end goal. The second skill I used well in this project was creativity. An example of when I used this skill was when I was rendering some idea images of what our house would look like. I used a new 3-D program for it, and it took me a long time to figure out how to create my idea of the house. I had to get very creative with what objects I had to work with and my minimal experience with the program. In the end it all worked out, and the images I made aren't perfect but they encapture the main idea of what the house could look like.
There were, however, many challenges in this project that can't be ignored. Two skills that I still need to improve on for my next group project are time management and critical thinking. The first skill that I still need to work on mastering is time management. An example of when this was a challenge for me was at the beginning of the project. It took my partner and I a longer time then it should have to meet over facetime and discuss the project we wanted to create in the beginning. This set back of time was crucial and we missed the mark, so we had to try to catch up and then get an extension of the deadline since we would not have been done in time. After all these setbacks, we collected ourselves, regrouped, and focused our energy and time on making this project our best work. In the future I will be sure to create a schedule of some sort that will keep my group and my partners on track to have enough time for our projects and are not rushing. The second skill that I still need to work on is critical thinking. An example of when my lack of critical thinking hurt my project was towards the beginning of our work days. There were a lot of problems when it came to picking what energy transfer device we would make. I did not know where to start when I saw the prompt, and it was hard for me to get my head around trying to build something by myself. I was really lucky to have a partner work with me, because we were able to lean on each other when we were confused or stressed. This helped a lot ot have so much help completing the project, but I know I need to work on thinking for myself and being independent. In the future I will be work on being self sufficient, and finding a balance between when I think I need help or when I really need help.
All in all, this project will definitely be one that I remember for a long time. I learned so much about myself during this quarantine, and I am proud of the work and effort I was able to invest in my school work and personal goals. This was quite an interesting way of completing a project, and school in general, but I am proud of how I have overcome challenges and grown as an individual. Junior year was pretty crazy, but I can't wait to see what te future holds!