Introduction:
In this unit, we had many different projects. These projects include designing a hot water heater, completing a daylighting design activity, discovering solar angles and how they change through the seasons, testing materials, site selection, creating windmills, and designing a cold frame, solar reflector for the solar home, and an extra bonus project. For this bonus project, my group decided to design a solar tube. Over the past few months, we have focused on all things solar. I have learned lots and look forward to explaining each project further.
Design A Hot Water Heater:
In this project we designed a solar water heater. We used materials such as cardboard, aluminum foil, copper tubing, plastic tubing, plastic wrapping, and water. The first step in this project was to create a box made from cardboard that was completely wrapped in aluminum foil. The second step was to shape the copper tubing so it would fit into the box. After that was done, we then attached the plastic tubing to the end of the copper tubing. Next, we attached a water bottle to the tubing so we had something to pour the water into. The final step was to wrap the top with the plastic wrap so the heat wouldn't escape. The next step was to test our final projects. After the water had completed its course through the tubing, it raised a total of five degrees. While we were testing our final product, we also chose to have our water heater at an angle so it received maximum sunlight. Here is an image of our final design:
In this unit, we had many different projects. These projects include designing a hot water heater, completing a daylighting design activity, discovering solar angles and how they change through the seasons, testing materials, site selection, creating windmills, and designing a cold frame, solar reflector for the solar home, and an extra bonus project. For this bonus project, my group decided to design a solar tube. Over the past few months, we have focused on all things solar. I have learned lots and look forward to explaining each project further.
Design A Hot Water Heater:
In this project we designed a solar water heater. We used materials such as cardboard, aluminum foil, copper tubing, plastic tubing, plastic wrapping, and water. The first step in this project was to create a box made from cardboard that was completely wrapped in aluminum foil. The second step was to shape the copper tubing so it would fit into the box. After that was done, we then attached the plastic tubing to the end of the copper tubing. Next, we attached a water bottle to the tubing so we had something to pour the water into. The final step was to wrap the top with the plastic wrap so the heat wouldn't escape. The next step was to test our final projects. After the water had completed its course through the tubing, it raised a total of five degrees. While we were testing our final product, we also chose to have our water heater at an angle so it received maximum sunlight. Here is an image of our final design:
Daylighting Design Activity:
In this activity we designed a house, that if built, would require minimal artificial lighting and solely depend on the sun for light. We built our house out of cardboard and had the fun opportunity to decorate after we were done with the home itself. We used a variety of windows, skylights, solar tubes, and light shelves to receive maximum sunlight for our home. The idea of this project was to find a way to acquire sunlight in all rooms, throughout the day, and in all seasons. While we were creating a model for our design, we found ourselves using many skylights since they are conveninetely placed in the ceiling. They also bring lots of light into a room. We also found ourselves using plenty of windows. We had at least two to a room, especially in regularly used areas like the bedrooms and kitchen.
Skylights: An opening in the roof with the purpose of letting sunlight into a room.
Solar Tubes: A physical structure attached to the ceiling with a purpose if letting light enter a room.
Light Shelves: Often placed towards the top of a room with a purpose of reflecting light off the shelf and into the room.
Here is a picture of our final design:
In this activity we designed a house, that if built, would require minimal artificial lighting and solely depend on the sun for light. We built our house out of cardboard and had the fun opportunity to decorate after we were done with the home itself. We used a variety of windows, skylights, solar tubes, and light shelves to receive maximum sunlight for our home. The idea of this project was to find a way to acquire sunlight in all rooms, throughout the day, and in all seasons. While we were creating a model for our design, we found ourselves using many skylights since they are conveninetely placed in the ceiling. They also bring lots of light into a room. We also found ourselves using plenty of windows. We had at least two to a room, especially in regularly used areas like the bedrooms and kitchen.
Skylights: An opening in the roof with the purpose of letting sunlight into a room.
Solar Tubes: A physical structure attached to the ceiling with a purpose if letting light enter a room.
Light Shelves: Often placed towards the top of a room with a purpose of reflecting light off the shelf and into the room.
Here is a picture of our final design:
Solar Angles And How They Change Through The Seasons:
In this lesson, we learned about different solar angles and how they can change from season to season. Solar angles are important since they can determine how direct the sun will be. We also learned that the sun in at its strongest during midday. We also discovered that for the winter months in the Northern hemisphere, we personally receive more slanted waves of light which can account for why it is colder during that time. While the Northern hemisphere is obtaining less heat, the Southern hemisphere is receiving direct waves. Therefore, during our winter it is their summer. This is a repeating cycle. Here is a chart that further explains solar angles:
In this lesson, we learned about different solar angles and how they can change from season to season. Solar angles are important since they can determine how direct the sun will be. We also learned that the sun in at its strongest during midday. We also discovered that for the winter months in the Northern hemisphere, we personally receive more slanted waves of light which can account for why it is colder during that time. While the Northern hemisphere is obtaining less heat, the Southern hemisphere is receiving direct waves. Therefore, during our winter it is their summer. This is a repeating cycle. Here is a chart that further explains solar angles:
Material Testing:
At this time, we tested all types of different materials to find the best insulators, conductors, and absorbers for a solar home. The materials tested varied from brick to spray foam. We tested the materials over a course of thirty minutes to receive accurate data. We would measure our data by taking the temperature of the tested material every five minutes. After our data was collected we gained our results. We found that fiberglass is the best insulator. Our data also led us to discover that dirt was the best conductor and copper was the best absorber. We also found that black paint was the best at holding onto heat.
Site Selection:
In this assignment we were to find the best locations on campus to place a solar home. Our group scouted the whole grounds of San Marin and found plenty of lovely places. Some of these places include a hill on the side of campus and by the back parking lot near the tennis courts. Even though these places were nice, our all time favorite location we found was behind the tennis courts. This area was shaded for the most part, but still received enough sun for a solar home to efficiently function without trouble.
Tinyurl:
In this little blurb, as a class we created a tinyurl with plenty of facts about solar use. This document also served as a justification for why building a solar home would be an efficient idea. This is a copy of it:
At this time, we tested all types of different materials to find the best insulators, conductors, and absorbers for a solar home. The materials tested varied from brick to spray foam. We tested the materials over a course of thirty minutes to receive accurate data. We would measure our data by taking the temperature of the tested material every five minutes. After our data was collected we gained our results. We found that fiberglass is the best insulator. Our data also led us to discover that dirt was the best conductor and copper was the best absorber. We also found that black paint was the best at holding onto heat.
Site Selection:
In this assignment we were to find the best locations on campus to place a solar home. Our group scouted the whole grounds of San Marin and found plenty of lovely places. Some of these places include a hill on the side of campus and by the back parking lot near the tennis courts. Even though these places were nice, our all time favorite location we found was behind the tennis courts. This area was shaded for the most part, but still received enough sun for a solar home to efficiently function without trouble.
Tinyurl:
In this little blurb, as a class we created a tinyurl with plenty of facts about solar use. This document also served as a justification for why building a solar home would be an efficient idea. This is a copy of it:
Windmills:
In the project we created both horizontal and vertical windmills. We had to find the most efficient way to build a windmill with the given materials (popsicle sticks and cardboard). We found that when the panels on the windmill model had more surface area, they moved faster. Here are some pictures of our final models:
Horizontal:
In the project we created both horizontal and vertical windmills. We had to find the most efficient way to build a windmill with the given materials (popsicle sticks and cardboard). We found that when the panels on the windmill model had more surface area, they moved faster. Here are some pictures of our final models:
Horizontal:
Vertical:
Designing A Cold Frame, Reflector, And A Bonus Project (Solar Tube):
This was the biggest part of our unit on solar lighting. We were told to design and create scale models of a cold frame, solar reflector, and a solar tube. Not only did we created the models, we also made blueprints for each of our designs. We also made presentations that we later presented to a panel of judges. Here are links to each one of our presentations:
Cold Frame:
https://prezi.com/15sjpq3imylk/copy-of-cold-frame/
Solar Reflector:
https://prezi.com/tcxrxyxkameo/solar-reflecter/
Solar Tube:
http://prezi.com/fyzmc3uqxfop/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share
Physic Concepts:
- Conduction - transfer of heat through a material
- Convection - transfer of heat through a fluid
- Radiation - energy transmitted as rays, waves, or particles
- Heat - a form of energy
- Thermal Conductivity - the flow of heat from a warmer material to a colder material
- Fluids - a substance, liquid or gas, that changes its shape to fit whatever it is in
- Pressure - force per unit area,
- Archimedes' Principle - states that the upward buoyant force on a body in fluid, is equal to the weight of the fluid that the body displaces
- Buoyancy - the ability to float in a fluid
- Gases - form of matter, the molecules in gases are more widely spaced than those in liquids or solids
- Boyle's Law - at constant temperatur, the pressure times the volume of an enclosed gas is constant, if one increases, the other decreases
- Ideal Gas Law - Pressure x Volume = Number of Molecules x Constant x Temperature
- Bernoulli's Principle - "When the speed of a fluid increases, the pressure drops."
- Laws of Thermodynamics - There a several Laws of Thermodynamics. Here was the main four. The 0st law explains temperature, if two systems are in thermal equilibrium without a third system, then they are in equilibrium with each other. If A=B and A=C, then B=C. The 1st law is the Conservation of Energy. This law states that energy is neither created nor destroyed. Heat is a form of energy, The 2nd law states that disorder increases over time, everything becomes the same temperature. The 3rd law states that temperature can never get to absolute zero. Heat always exists.
- Specific Heat Capacity - constant for a substance that measures how slowly it heats up, how well it holds heat.
Reflection:
This was one of the longest projects we have done the whole year, but I enjoyed every second of it. I had the opportunity to work in an absolutely amazing group that I got on with amazingly. I learned so much over the course of the past few months. All the projects we created went along smoothly. We rarely ran into any problems. In fact we finished quite early after each project and had plenty of time to make sure our designs were perfect. One of the problems we ran into was with our solar water heater. As you can see in the picture of our model, there is a section of cardboard that sticks up from the back. The purpose of this was for it to be a reflector. The actual reflector part of it worked fine, but we were having trouble with making it stand up on its own. No amount of tape could seem to solve this problem. Finally, we decided to try Plan Z, and use a stick to prop it up. Surprisingly, this worked great and held up our reflector no problem. One new thing I learned thought these past few months, was how exactly solar angles worked. Another thing I learned was how to build a cold frame and what different materials are needed. One thing I could've done better is not been distracted so easily. It is very easy to start talking to a friend and get carried away. Another thing I need to improve upon is taking more of a leadership role in my group. One good thing about these projects is that my group worked great together and we didn't get into any arguments. Another thing that went well was that we all shared our ideas and helped each other when one person may not have known what they were doing.