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All Energy

Kinetic energy project

Fingerwinds

Inspired by an interactive experience from the Our Choice eBook from 2010, this installation lets you explore producing wind electricity yourself, and the role battery storage plays in a renewable grid.

Initial sketch:

Sketch 1

Energy & power

  • The stepper motor converts rotational kinetic energy to AC electricity. The full-bridge rectifier converts the AC power to DC. The capacitor stores this energy, allowing the LEDs to remain illuminated for a minute after the stepper motor stops being turned.
  • Via measurement:
    • Open circuit voltage: 20.3V
    • Short circuit current: 35-40 mA
    • Upper power bound: 0.73 W
  • Via calculation:
    • Initial voltage in the capacitor: 0.001 V
    • Voltage in the capacitor when charged: 14.88 V
    • Energy intially: 0 J
    • Energy when charged: 1.107 J
    • Duration of change: 18 sec
    • Observed power: 0.0615 W

Process

3D printing

Andrés linked me the stepper motor handle STL file he used, which I downloaded, then redesigned using Blender to design my propellers. I printed the file and hot-glued it to the stepper motor.

Stl