Interesting Facts
- Windmills were used to mill grain, route water, pump water from flooded areas, create paper, paint, gin, mustard, oil, cut wood, and more.
- Wind power was showcased at the World's Fair in 1893.
- The first utility scale wind farm was installed in California in 1980.
- In 2016 Wind Turbine Technician was named the fastest growing job of the decade.
How wind turbines work
When the wind blows past a wind turbine, it's blades capture the wind’s kinetic energy and rotate, turning it into mechanical energy. This rotation turns an internal shaft connected to a gearbox, which increases the speed of rotation by a factor of 100. That spins a generator that produces electricity.
The Challenge
Problem:
Most energy we use today comes from nonrenewable sources. We use gasoline for our cars and coal for electricity to power our homes. What will happen when we run out of these non-renewable resources?
Task:
You will design a wind turbine that will lift at least 10 pennies off the ground with only power from the wind. The pennies must lift at least 10 inches from the ground.
What to do:
There are lots of different ways to engineer your wind machine. These are the steps for a basic pinwheel, but you can be as creative as you want.
Instructions:
- Click the paper airplane to use the windmill pattern or cut out a 6.5” by 6.5” square.
- Mark the center of your square and cut from the corners diagonally towards the center of the square, stopping about 1.5” from the center point.
- Use scissors or a hole-punch to make a hole in the center and at the end of every other one of your 8 corners. The hole should be large enough for the small straw to fit into.
- Push the small straw through the center of your square and then bend (don’t fold) each of the corners onto the straw.
- Secure the front and back of the pinwheel with tape, a paperclip, or rubber bands to keep the pinwheel together. There should be about an inch of space between the front and back of the pinwheel.
- Cut the large straw so that it is equal in length to the bottom of your large cup and secure it there using tape.
- Slide the end of your small straw through the large straw on your base. There should be about 1.5 inches of the small straw that extends past the base. You can trim the small straw if needed.
- Take your small cup and cut two holes in opposite sides and tie a small piece of string between the two holes, creating a sort of bucket handle.
- Secure one end of your string to the end of the small straw and tie the other end to the small cup handle.
- Place tape or a binder clip on the end of the small straw to keep the pieces together.
- Now blow on your pinwheel and watch it lift the small cup!
Challenge: Add in one penny at a time to see how much their windmills can lift.
Think about it...
What went well with your build?
What improvements or adjustments might make your design work faster or make it stronger?
What is the maximum number of pennies your machine was able to lift?
How long did it take your machine to lift the cup? What about with four pennies or eight?
What would you change if you did this project again?
Careers in Wind Energy
Wind Turbine Field Service Technician- A field service technician is in charge of fixing broken parts of a wind turbine and keeping gears and other mechanical parts properly greased. They often have to travel from site to site to address the most pressing issues.
Wind Turbine Component Manufacturer- There are hundreds of parts that go into creating a wind turbine. This means that the job growth of wind turbine component manufacturers is looking up as renewable energy mandates increase. This position involves properly assembling the turbine and transporting it to the build site.
Site Preparation And Construction Worker- Wind turbines require a great deal of site preparation and other construction projects before it can begin generating renewable energy. This includes clearing brush and trees, constructing access roads, and pouring the foundation that will steady the turbine over its lifetime.
Meteorological Technician- One of the biggest deciding factors in determining where to place a wind turbine is finding out what locations have the greatest wind resource. This is where a meteorological technician will come into play to take a variety of readings to determine the best location. Siting the wind turbine can greatly impact the length of time for a total return on investment. If this part of the process isn’t completed correctly, the project can take years longer to show a financial return.
Types of Engineers Who Contribute to Wind Engineering
An aerospace engineer that works specifically in the wind generation industry is in charge of designing the wind turbines. As the designs improve, so does the amount of energy that a wind turbine can produce with each revolution.
Civil engineers design support structures for turbines, as well as related infrastructure such as buildings and roads. They must design roads that can handle the size and weight of turbine components.
Electrical engineers create and test the electrical components of turbines involved in creating electricity. These include motors, generators, communications systems, and electricity transmission systems. Electronics engineers work on systems that use electricity to operate the turbine.
Environmental engineers assess and minimize the potential environmental impacts of wind farms.
Industrial engineers plan and supervise the manufacture of wind turbine components.
Materials engineers research, create, and test materials used to make wind turbines, and ensure that they meet technical specifications.
Mechanical engineers design, develop, and test the machines involved in operating turbines and wind farms. They also work on the machinery and manufacturing processes used to make them.
These scientists work together to construct efficient wind farms that make clean, renewable energy a reality.
Explore the K12 Career Education Navigator
The K12 Career Technical Education (CTE) Navigator helps you explore high school courses and career pathways offered across San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. Browse by industry sector, county, school district, and more to find options that match your interests and career goals and see how these pathways can prepare you for college, certifications, apprenticeships, or the workforce.
Credits:
Created with images by Shaun Dakin - "The first off shore wind farm in the USA went online May 1st 2017 in block Island RI." • Pradeep Ghildiyal - "On the way back to Bangkok from a short north Thailand trip, we stopped at a gas station and found this amazing view :)" • Dimitry Anikin - "Wind turbines near Mistelbach, Austria." • Carissa Rogers - "untitled image" • Jo Szczepanska - "Everything you need" • American Public Power Association - "Turlock Irrigation District" • Unknown - "Royalty Free Renewable Energy Stock Photos | rawpixel"