The Engineering Education Scheme

Team Dirac:

Trevor Kennish Max Stevensen Farri Gaba Phillip Gajland

Colin Tai Kit McCrystal

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The BriefThe Brief

Task:

Design and make a intermediary storage system

Specifications:

12V 8 Ah battery

1 hour to convert all our energy from the battery

Energy must be measured at input and output to calculate energy loss

Limitations:

Cannot be another battery

Must be a controlled release

Must have an end-state of electrical energy

Basis of the TaskBasis of the Task

Peak timings:

Energy usage is not constant throughout the day

Power stations can no longer can control their energy as effectively

Fossil fuel burning no longer as viable

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How Have People Solved This Problem?How Have People Solved This Problem?

Rio Grande-Cerro Pelado Hydroelectric Complex

So how can we store energy?

99% of worlds energy is stored in the form of GPE water systems

Reservoirs store the water at height

Falls through piping

Spins a turbine

Generates electricity

Part of Coo-Trois-Ponts Hydroelectric Power Station

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For a heavy revolving wheel:For a heavy revolving wheel:E=IωE=Iω22

Culham Fusion Centre.Culham Fusion Centre.

3 main factors affecting flywheel:3 main factors affecting flywheel:Rotational speed.Rotational speed.Inertia constant of ring.Inertia constant of ring.Strength of the metal.Strength of the metal.

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Pros:Pros: Spin for long time before stopping.Spin for long time before stopping.High efficiency.High efficiency.

Cons:Cons: DangerousDangerousExpensiveExpensiveEven small friction has large affect on output.Even small friction has large affect on output.

FlywheelsFlywheels

Pros:Pros:

Powerful.Powerful.

High efficiency in a good systemHigh efficiency in a good system

Cons:Cons: Extremely expensive in electricity alone.Extremely expensive in electricity alone.

Buying decent fuel cell costs >£1000Buying decent fuel cell costs >£1000

ChemicalChemical

Electrolysis of water.2H2O(l) 2H2(g) + O2(g) Store the gases, then react them to form water kinetic (thermal energy)

Boil water, steam turns turbine to produce electricity.

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ElasticElastic

Pros:Extremely cheap as only a few parts required.

Cons: Almost negligible amount of energy produced.

Types:Mainspring/elastic band.Wind up the wire (clocks) then release energy storedEasily repeatable process

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Method 2:

Weights lifted

Allowed to drop

Pros:

Simple engineering

cables and weights easily altered

Cons

Energy loss (Friction)

not practical, prone to damage

Method 1: Weights displace fluid Small tube leads into generatorPros:Versatilitymany options for lifting system.Cons:Fluid replaces itselfhighly inefficientrequires a lot of spaceLots of specialised equipment

GPE of WeightsGPE of Weights

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Pros:

Used all around the world

Invested in by large countries

At industrial scale

Safety

Enclosed system

Materials

Energy requirements

Cons:

Storage water

Impeller speed

Friction inside pipes

Why Water GPE?Why Water GPE?

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Bath County Pumped Storage Station:

48,000 cm3 per minute

78% efficient

Helps out stations nearby by keeping them at peak efficiency

Huizhou Pumped Storage power station:

75% efficient

Examples at an Industrial ScaleExamples at an Industrial Scale

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Mild Steel:

Compressive Strength: 407.3 MPa

Young Modulus: 210GPa

Choice of materials:Choice of materials:

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Cross Bracing Structure:

Supports Compression and Tension forces

Easy to construct

Lightweight

Structure:Structure:

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PVC (Polyvinyl

Chloride):

Very economical- around

£2 per meter

Young Modulus: 3.4GPa

Piping

Specifics of tubing:

Diameter: 15mm

Material thickness: 1.5mm

Length: 3.5 m

Price: £6.00

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What is used instead of a battery?

Coal, nuclear or the national power system

Why this is more useful in industry? .

It can be produced by other companies & batteries can not power the pumps.

What generators or impellers do they use?

8 X 300 MW turbine generators. 300 X 60 X 60= 1.1m Mega-Joules per hour. 1.1m X 8 generators = 8.8m Mega-Joules per hour.

What dimensions are used?

Upper reservoir is 380 metres higher then lower, UR has a volume of 23.1m m3, the LR has a volume of 23.4m m3. The flow rate can be as high as 10.5m GPH.

Scaling our Solution/ In Industry

Guangdong nuclear power station, Ling Ao nuclear power station

We would have used the mains for We would have used the mains for powering our pumps, however we could powering our pumps, however we could have used a petrol powered pump.have used a petrol powered pump.150 litres per minute. Which is 3000 litres 150 litres per minute. Which is 3000 litres is 20 minutes (our time frame), is 20 minutes (our time frame), 3000 X 5 = 15000 litres 3000 X 5 = 15000 litres Cost £5,200 each so £26000.Cost £5,200 each so £26000.We need a 1500 litre water tank, cost = We need a 1500 litre water tank, cost = £2044 new£2044 new100W generators cost £600, 100W generators cost £600, 100 X60 X 60= 360000 Joules per hour100 X60 X 60= 360000 Joules per hour

What if we Had More Money

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What improvements are used in industry?What improvements are used in industry?

Main Components in our ModelMain Components in our Model

a)a) Pump: 12V; 1100GPH; 110mm Pump: 12V; 1100GPH; 110mm high with 29mm nozzle.high with 29mm nozzle.

b)b) Generator: 3.5V 0.2 A gives 0.7 Generator: 3.5V 0.2 A gives 0.7 watts outputwatts output

c)c) Piping: low resistance plastic Piping: low resistance plastic piping, with connections.piping, with connections.

d)d) Flow rate, The flow rate is enough Flow rate, The flow rate is enough to turn 3.5volts through our to turn 3.5volts through our impellers, as our pressure is very impellers, as our pressure is very little.little.

Main Components in Industry

i. Pump: Reversible pump-generator units. Pumping power = 2400 MW.

ii. Generator: 300W that is almost 430 times the energy output.

iii. Piping: Lowest resistance metal piping, it is as straight as possible and it is pumped at an angle.

iv. The flow rate generates huge quantities of potential difference as the exact flow rate can reach 10.5m gallons per hour.