Optimal Fan Setting Voltage Science Fair Projects

Windmill Design

One approach to a windmill science fair project is to manipulate its design. You can manipulate its blades or its base.

Objectives/Goals

The purpose of the report is to find the best combination of blade length, number of blades, and angles of the blades needed to create the optimal fan settings to produce the maximum voltage while using an electric generator.

Methods/Materials

First, I needed to find my variables. I decided to find the best length, number, and angle for blades on a windmill. I decided to make the body out of PVC piping, the blades out of Balsa wood, and I received my hub and generator from an online windmill source called http://www.kidwind.org/. The wire was connected to a voltage test meter with a digital screen to give specific measurements. The balsa wood fins were eighteen inch long fins. I then used dowels that would attach to the fins so they could fit into the hub. The hub attached to the generator so that it could generate the voltage. I then started my testing. I joined the wires that were connected to the generator to the voltage indicator. To make my wind go at a constant speed, I used a heavy duty house fan. I then made a chart that would be easy to write down the results of my tests. In order to ensure my variables were tested correctly, I did each measurement eight times to keep the tests constant. The next step was to test my windmill in order to receive my results. I waited until the numbers reached their plateau, wrote the result, and turned off the fan. I then turned the fan back on and repeated the steps until I completed all eight tests. I then moved or cut the fans in order to make the new tests.

Results

In this project, I tested three different factors that affect power output in a small scaled windmill: blade length, number of blades, and angle of the blades. After testing all of the variables, I conclude that the combination of three six inch blades with at 24° angle gave the best peak of energy.

Conclusions/Discussion

Since rotational shear stress did eventually increase, the fluid's application in an active hinge link in aeronautics is viable. Future research would involve developing a morphing wing based on a bird's wing. This wing would contain active hinge links with magnetorheological fluid each link's rotational axis. The magnetorheological fluid would be the agent which locks the hinge in different angles. The hinge angles would be controlled by onboard computers and would change to best suit external flight conditions. By changing these angles, the overall internal structure of the wing can be morphed. 3rd party contributor