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Articles 1 - 13 of 13
Full-Text Articles in Engineering
Solar Decathlon Competition 2021, Khanh My Fleshman, Ashley H. Kim, Ian Grant Maclean, Erich Peter Fenczik Warnock, Carina Michaela Nani Monaco
Solar Decathlon Competition 2021, Khanh My Fleshman, Ashley H. Kim, Ian Grant Maclean, Erich Peter Fenczik Warnock, Carina Michaela Nani Monaco
Mechanical Engineering
This report is intended to outline all relevant background information, decisions, and design direction for our senior project at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. We will be designing net-zero, affordable housing to compete in the attached housing division of the 2021 Department of Energy Solar Decathlon. With the increased urgency of climate change and focus on sustainability in construction, the importance of designing a net-zero structure is very apparent. Because there is a great need for affordable and sustainable housing in Watts, CA, we will be tailoring our design to meet this community’s needs. Details of the Solar …
Adaptable Clean Energy Laboratory, Joao Marcelo Rocha Belmonte, Marc D. Compere
Adaptable Clean Energy Laboratory, Joao Marcelo Rocha Belmonte, Marc D. Compere
Sustainability Conference
The Adaptable Clean Energy (ACE) Lab is a real-world, long term, test platform that will guide the courses of the Energy Systems track. The lab will provide realistic electrical and HVAC loads that mimic a solar powered office. The lab is a 20’ high cube shipping container modified with a door, windows, lights computers, air conditioner and appliances. The lab is Net-Zero and powered entirely from the sun. Two insulation test sections expose the exterior walls for research access to real external heat loads in a real building
Dual-Axis Solar Tracker, Bryan Kennedy
Dual-Axis Solar Tracker, Bryan Kennedy
All Undergraduate Projects
Renewable energies, and fuels that are not fossil fuel-based, are one of the prolific topics of debate in modern society. With climate change now becoming a primary focus for scientists and innovators of today, one of the areas for the largest amount of potential and growth is that of the capturing and utilization of Solar Energy. This method involves using a mechanical system to track the progression of the sun as it traverses the sky throughout the day. A dual-axis solar tracker such as the one designed and built for this project, can follow the sun both azimuthally and in …
Vaccine Cooler For The Global Poor, Benjamin J. Larson, Cooper E. Gibson, Eilbron Younan, Cody R. Volk
Vaccine Cooler For The Global Poor, Benjamin J. Larson, Cooper E. Gibson, Eilbron Younan, Cody R. Volk
Mechanical Engineering
Cal Poly physics professors Peter Schwartz and Nathan Heston approached the Solar Freeze team with the problem that remote communities in Africa have limited access to modern-day medicine or vaccines. They suggested that we try and design a cooling device that can keep vaccines cold for multiple days at a time while the medicine is transported to remote villages. Currently, there are vaccine cooler products on the market, but most of them are very expensive or lack portability. Peter and Nate have tasked the Solar Freeze team to come up with a less expensive solution that is also portable and …
Ares Cleaning System, Andy Sagers, John Cunningham, Peter Greig, Jack Glynn
Ares Cleaning System, Andy Sagers, John Cunningham, Peter Greig, Jack Glynn
Mechanical Engineering
In this Final Design Review, the team outlines the general scope of the ARES Cleaning System project and the final design direction chosen and built. This team consists of a group of four mechanical engineering students who have been tasked with designing and manufacturing an autonomous ARES cleaning system to help their sponsor, Fracsun, better track soiling losses measured at large solar arrays. They designed, conceptualized, manufactured, and tested throughout the project as they looked to create a final, functioning product. In creating this Final Design Review, they have identified how the product will perform the desired functions and what …
Development Of An Insulated Solar Electric Cooker (Isec) With Thermal Storage For Use In Developing World Countries, Amanda Gyokery, Spencer W. Davis, Kyle Henry Smit
Development Of An Insulated Solar Electric Cooker (Isec) With Thermal Storage For Use In Developing World Countries, Amanda Gyokery, Spencer W. Davis, Kyle Henry Smit
Mechanical Engineering
According to the World Health Organization, about half of the world’s population uses biomass stoves to cook their meals. However, biomass fires can be dangerous. Unattended biomass fires and indoor air pollution are responsible for an estimated 600,000 deaths annually and the creation of approximately 4 million instances of chronic disease. They also release CO2 and other pollutants into the air, and require the families to gather enough material to keep it burning (WHO 2017). Although cleaner cooking technology seems like a clear solution, often families are either unwilling to change how they cook food or are unable to afford …
Medium Duty Gas-Turbine Engine Blade Removal Tool, Elliott James Greb, Jacob Thomas Syage, Kellen Thomas Field
Medium Duty Gas-Turbine Engine Blade Removal Tool, Elliott James Greb, Jacob Thomas Syage, Kellen Thomas Field
Mechanical Engineering
Solar Turbines Incorporated sponsored a team of three Cal Poly Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering students to design, manufacture, prototype, and test a tool for the removal of turbine blades from their respective disk assembly without damaging the disk itself. The tool was developed for Solar’s industrial gas turbine engines. The tool complies with all OSHA and Solar Turbines safety and engineering constraints, and was designed for use in a shop facility. The tool was made adaptable for geometric variances in multiple turbine rotor disk stages, and requires no more than one technician to operate using a maximum of two shop resources. …
The Mars Desert Research Station - Erau Crew 160 Expedition, Lycourgos Manolopoulos, Ashley Hollis-Bussey, Hiroki Sugimoto, Cassandra Vella, John Herman, Marc Carofano
The Mars Desert Research Station - Erau Crew 160 Expedition, Lycourgos Manolopoulos, Ashley Hollis-Bussey, Hiroki Sugimoto, Cassandra Vella, John Herman, Marc Carofano
Student Works
The Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) is a research program which is owned and operated by the Mars Society. The MDRS is located in Hanksville, Utah which hosts simulations that are typically two weeks long for professional scientists and engineers as well as college students of all levels, in training for human operations specifically on Mars. This space analog facility is in isolation, allowing for rigorous field studies regarding research that represents a true mission as if the crew members are conducting a real expedition on Mars. Participants are assigned specific roles and tasks that are typically aligned with their …
Photovoltaic Cooking In The Developing World, Tyler Watkins, Christopher O'Day, Omar Arriaga
Photovoltaic Cooking In The Developing World, Tyler Watkins, Christopher O'Day, Omar Arriaga
Mechanical Engineering
The challenge of clean cooking is faced by hundreds of millions of people worldwide. We present a cooking technology consisting of a solar panel directly connected to an electric heater in a well-insulated chamber. Assuming continued decrease in solar panel prices, we anticipate that in a few decades Solar Electric Cooking technologies will be the most common cooking technology for the poor. Appropriate use of insulation reduces the power demand making low-power Insulated Solar Electric Cooking systems already cost competitive.
Design And Construction Of A Solar Operated Gate, Jacob Gardener
Design And Construction Of A Solar Operated Gate, Jacob Gardener
BioResource and Agricultural Engineering
This senior project discusses the design and construction of a solar operated gate. A solar panel is used to charge a battery, and then an inverter is used to run a garage door opener off the battery. The garage door opener operates a short lever arm which is connected to a longer lever arm which is connected to the gate. Each component and mounting mechanisms were designed and built to effectively provide the gate opening function. The finished product operates well, the gate opens in about 8 seconds after the button is pressed on the remote controller or wall mount …
Solar Powered Oil Well Site, Jonathan Hyland, Matthew Mastro, Kyle Moore
Solar Powered Oil Well Site, Jonathan Hyland, Matthew Mastro, Kyle Moore
Mechanical Engineering
No abstract provided.
Solar Decathlon Controls, James Mitchel Routh, Travis Lathrop, Colby Jarrett, Zach Cross
Solar Decathlon Controls, James Mitchel Routh, Travis Lathrop, Colby Jarrett, Zach Cross
Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects
No abstract provided.
Design, Construction And Evaluation Of A Multi Layered Solar Distillation Prototype, Arlen A. Flanagan
Design, Construction And Evaluation Of A Multi Layered Solar Distillation Prototype, Arlen A. Flanagan
BioResource and Agricultural Engineering
Water is arguably the most important resource to any individual; especially in areas of deserts and open oceans where drinkable water suppliers are scarce. The prototype Solar Desalination Unit allows normally undrinkable water to be distilled into a potable source with minimal inputs. The unit’s main power source is focused sunlight to thermally heat water inducing evaporation which is then condensed and collected. While solar desalination has been around for many years, lately more complex designs have been investigated in order to increase yields and efficiency. This paper focuses on the design, construction and testing of a Multi-Plate Solar Desalination …