All of our electrical equipment needs to be housing in either our waterproof Job box or NEMA box. We need to consider weather resistance, system size, cost, and security into the choices for placement.

Our system’s preliminary design takes our conceptual design and improves on quite a few components of it.

It has moved into a single chamber design with a weir between the inflow and outflow pipes. This design has 3 Plexiglas lids (for ease of access inside the vault for maintenance),  high strength concrete, a waterproof “Job box” (shown in green), a small NEMA type-4 enclosure, a ladder for access, and bolt fittings for each of the boxes and for the Plexiglas lid. The Job Box will store the sample collectors and the NEMA box will store the Arduino, a small computer the team has configured for measurement recording purposes. The vault sizing is as follows:

Since the Anderson Avenue group will not be designing the filtration of the system, we decided it would be a good step forward to look into various methods of filtration for the client to look at later.

Cartridge filtration was considered, which uses hydraulic head to filter stormwater through a sand-based cartridge system. This proposed system would use more than ten cartridges. From an estimate from Contech, this cartridge filtration system would cast upwards of $80,000.

The team also evalutated Hydrodynamic Seperators (HDS), but there was no size that would fit inside of the vault.

More filtration options are to be considered for the client at a later date.

This is the conceptual design created by the Anderson Avenue Design team during the planning phase of this project. It is a three chambered design with a projected 85% TSS (Total Suspended Solids) removal per rain event. It has a separate electronics enclosure within the vault itself. In case of a peak flow event, there is a bypass configuration routed under the electronics enclosure.

This system showcases a cartridge filtration system, single pane Plexiglas lid, and an 8 inch thick concrete enclosure.

Our group is designing a test bed to be installed by the City of Chattanooga as part of the stormwater and streetscape improvements to the Anderson Avenue area. The test bed will be installed in a permanent “vault” in the area designated by the City of Chattanooga. This test bed will evaluate aspects of stormwater flow and water quality using robust sensors. Data will be collected and sent through the City’s wireless mesh system to a database where the client can access the information gathered from the sensors.

This will be an adaptable vault, which will host many different kinds of filtration methods to be chosen at a later time by the client.This will be an adaptable vault, which will host many different kinds of filtration methods to be chosen at a later time by the client. Our team is providing a scalable, modular test-bed to house various storm water testing and monitoring equipment. We will provide a vault, sensors, software, and an observation lid.

The College of Engineering and Computer Science along with the SimCenter at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) has proposed a project. This project would target improving children’s understanding of how to optimize wind power generation by interacting with a model wind farm. The first milestone for the team was to complete the Preliminary Design this semester. The preliminary design was proposed to the technical advisor, the client, the dean, and the professor overseeing the project. The team then moved forward with the testing/prototyping phase to make necessary changes for a complete model.

During the design of the model, safety factors in three main areas of the project were noted and must be resolved. Foremost, the fan must be designed so that the children cannot stick their fingers into the blades. Unprotected contact with the rotating blades may cause harm to children’s fingers.  This was accomplished by utilizing squirrel cage blower fans that do not have any contact points where the children could stick their fingers into.  Next, wires and cords will be prevalent in the final design. The team dealt with this by keeping the cords kept to a minimum. Only one cord comes off of the model to be plugged into the wall.  The base design was chosen to be made out of both Plexiglas and aluminum. There are no sharp edges exposed on either the Plexiglas or the aluminum.

During the testing/prototyping phase all aspects of the project were tested.  Based on these tests the model was built to be a rolling aluminum cart that can collapse and expand using telescoping legs.  The fan system utilized is a squirrel cage blower fan mounted on an aluminum elbow piece that can be stored inside the cart when it is not in use.  The wiring of the turbines has changed since the preliminary report.  The team decided to utilize each turbine on its own separate circuit to show various output.  One turbine is wired to 6 model houses that light up sequentially as more power is being produced.  Another turbine is connected to a 7 segment LED display that shows a numeric output of power in “MW.”  The last turbine utilizes the circuit that came with the model.  It can be switched back and forth to show either voltage or play a tune.

The overall cost of the design is a summation of the three major portions of the project. The proposed budget for the wind farm cart is $897.28.

This is a drawing of the final assembly of the model wind farm.

This is a drawing of the model wind farm when it is collapsed and ready to be transported.

PROTOTYPING AND TESTING

Several testing plans were established to provide direction, and determine the parameters required for final system design.

• —Water Flow Rate Determination
• —Laminar vs. Turbulent Comparison
• —Water Cooling Testing
• —Panel Orientation Comparison

WATER FLOW RATE DETERMINATION

Objective

Determine the required flow rate needed to obtain the maximum difference between the module cell temperature and the water source to provide maximum cooling of the panels.

LAMINAR VS. TURBULENT COMPARISON

Objective

Determine the effect of creating a laminar water layer compared to a turbulent layer across a PV panel array based on the power output differential.

WATER COOLING TESTING

Objective

The panel system needs to obtain consistent water coverage over the panel surface and achieve repeatable and reliable flow characteristics with minimal water loss.

PANEL ORIENTATION COMPARISON

Objective

The orientation can be placed in landscape or portrait orientation, and could negatively affect the electrical output.  In this testing we will attempt to determine the orientation for optimal results.

CONCLUSIONS

—Water Flow Rate Determination

• —The required flow rate for optimal conditions was found to be irreverent in effecting the power output.

—Laminar vs. Turbulent Comparison

• —Laminar was found to be the better water condition

• —Complete water coverage of the solar panels was achieved

• —The landscape is 2-5% less output that portrait, so it was a very minimal differential.

The parameters and specifications determined from this testing will be implemented in the final design of a 20 PV solar panel water system.  Stay tuned for large scale system details.

There have been two small scale prototypes that have been designed for testing.

The Conceptual Design was created first and includes the frame fabricated from steel, the water distribution system, the water retrieval system, and a pumping station.

Next, a preliminary design was created where the frame was made out of wood.

This design was implemented in the creation and fabrication of the small scale prototyping and testing system.

The Baja team has been working on the construction of the car. Here you can see the frame, transmission, engine, and seat of the vehicle. Once a rolling chassis is accomplished we will post new pictures.

The 2013 UTC Mini-Baja team traveled to Auburn this weekend to test a prototype of the suspension that has been chosen during Conceptual Design for this years car. Click on the link below to watch a short clip of a jump with one of the cars.

UTC Baja Testing at Auburn