DOE Collegiate Wind Competition
Problem statement
Approximately 17% of all the energy produced in the United States comes from renewable sources, and wind energy accounts for over 7% of energy generation [1]. Of that 7%, less than 0.1% of wind energy is generated offshore [2]. Offshore wind energy is an untapped energy generation method, and organizations such as WiscWind create a platform for potential advancement in this field. Our client, WiscWind, is a student organization that represents UW-Madison in an intercollegiate wind competition every year, and needs a team to redesign the mechanical aspects of its wind turbine. This year, the competition hopes to expand on offshore wind turbines by requiring each team to set up their turbine in water and sand. This competition consists of various tasks, the most important being the turbine design. The overall goal is to help our clients do the best they can in the 2021 Department of Energy Collegiate Wind Competition, while also creating new ideas and designs that redefine the wind energy industry. More specifically, we will focus on improving the blade speed control system from last year by implementing a gearbox and new brake system. We expect the gearbox to lower the blade speed more effectively while drawing less energy from external power sources. In addition to a gearbox, the 2021-22 Senior Design team will be doing a ground-up renovation of the mechanical aspects of the wind turbine. We plan on constructing a brand new housing for the wind turbine components and testing multiple different blade designs. This year, the competition has a particular focus on offshore power, so we will be designing a wind turbine base that will be partially submerged in sand and water. We anticipate the base to be a crucial component in reducing vibrations from the gearbox and blades. We believe that introducing these design changes to the wind turbine will benefit WiscWind and allow the turbine to be very competitive in the final competition. [1] “Renewable Energy,” Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, 27-Apr-2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.c2es.org/content/renewable-energy/. [Accessed: 18-Sep-2020]. [2] Terra, Nana. “5 US Offshore Wind Projects and Skills Needed for the ‘Green New Deal’.” Airswift Is The Leading Workforce Solutions Provider Globally, https://www.airswift.com/blog/offshore-wind-energy-projects-usa. [3] “Which Countries Have the Most Offshore Wind Capacity?” NS Energy, 1 Oct. 2019, https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/features/offshore-wind-energy-producing-countries/.
Team members
Eli Asher – leader
Anthony Palmer – communicator
Matthew Chomniak – accountant
Nicolas Moore-Barbosa – admin
Client
Scott Williams, Wisconsin Energy Institute