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Recent Projects: Energy/Environmental
Analysis Of A Novel Heliostat Design
Team: Evan Carlson, Daniel Harburg, Emily Plumb, Jessie Schwartz
Sponsor: Bill Bender, Solaflect, Inc., Norwich, Vt.
Advisor: Professor Erland Schulson
Concentrated solar power (CSP) technology converts solar energy into thermal energy using mirror arrays known as heliostats that track the sun's motion and reflect rays onto a receiver. Solaflect developed a novel heliostat that reduces the cost of CSP. High winds deflect the heliostat causing a loss in energy production. We measured the deflection of the heliostat and quantified its hysteresis using static analysis to simulate wind. A detailed economic analysis using our deflection data allows Solaflect to weigh the cost of strengthening the heliostat against the cost of lost energy to determine the optimal stow speed and total cost of the system.
Balefill Design And Feasibility Study
Team: Robert J. Courtney, Robert N. D'Angelo
Sponsor: Greater Upper Valley Solid Waste Management District, North Hartland, Vt.
Advisor: Professor Robert Graves
Baling municipal solid waste before land filling can improve density and reduce environmental impact. This study determined the operational design, layout, machinery selection, and economics of a balefill in North Hartland, Vt. A software planning model was developed to determine how design decisions affect tip fees and site longevity. The site's average tip fee was determined to be approximately $65.71, with the first excavation phase lasting 23.3 years based on an initial 50,000 tons of waste and a 1.5% yearly increase factor. This demonstrates that baling waste is a feasible option for waste management in the Greater Upper Valley.
Groundwater Arsenic Removal
Team: Lindsay Holiday, Dana Leland, Philip Wagner
Sponsor: David Sowerwine, VillageTech Solutions, Menlo Park, Calif.
Advisor: Mark Laser
Naturally-occurring arsenic contaminates groundwater in Nepal in concentrations up to 200 ppb. A simple and inexpensive household-scale system was designed and constructed, which is able to reduce arsenic concentrations below the World Health Organization standard of 10 ppb. The system uses an electrocoagulation process powered by a 6-volt battery; iron oxyhydroxide precipitates are produced which bind to the arsenic, and these are then removed from the water by a sand filter. The unit purifies 15-liter batches of water. Progress is monitored by a gas gauge, which monitors the oxygen and hydrogen that are produced as co-products of the reaction.
This project received the Special Faculty Award for Engineering and Service to Humanity.
La Jolla Shores Storm Water Control
Team: Brian Mengwasser, James Tate Preston
Sponsor: La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club, La Jolla, Calif.
Advisor: Professor Benoit Cushman-Roisin
The La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club is located at a low point within a watershed. A pond in the center of the club is used as a retention pond for runoff and storm water management, but problems with flooding exist. After conversations with experts in the area and thorough examination of local water ordinances, it was determined that the best solution for the club would be to pump excess water into the sewer system (an Industrial User Discharge Permit would be needed). A connection from the pond to the sewer system coupled with the natural capacity of the pond would allow the club to regulate the water level to prevent flooding, while reducing the manpower and effort required to manage the system during rain. This solution would be environmentally friendly, safe to local residents, and compliant with local ordinances.
Off-Grid Energy At Echo Mountain
Team: Kevin Ellis, Chris Koppel, Kara Pydynkowski, Drew Wenzel
Sponsor: Jerry Petitt '67 Th'69 T'69, Echo Mountain, Idaho Springs, Colo.
Advisor: Professor Benoit Cushman-Roisin
Echo Mountain is a small, off-grid ski park near Denver, Colo. Its operations are entirely powered by diesel generators and with the increasingly volatile price of fuel, this business model is becoming too costly to maintain. After performing an energy analysis, the team identified where additional efficiencies could be realized. Computer modeling was used to identify the best generator combination that meets Echo's power needs and to optimize the best alternative energy option based on fuel efficiency and other economic factors.
Polar Robot Wheels
Team: Diana Blank, Ian Graves, David Heinicke
Sponsor: Dr. James Lever, US Army Corps of Engineers Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, Hanover, N.H.
Advisor: Professor Laura Ray
Two robots conducting experiments in polar regions run on solar and battery power, making weight an important issue in their construction. These robots currently use ATV tires, which, while functional, are extremely heavy. New wheels have been designed, built, and tested to replace the ATV tires, reduce the total robot weight, improve traction, and reduce snow infiltration into wheel assembly. Each wheel consists of an aluminum frame, a rubber tread, and two plastic covers and weighs 3.5 kg.