Rabelo Blog

My group and I brain-stormed and came up with a variety of ideas. At first we were thinking about magnets and something to do with a transformer. That seemed a bit too difficult so we came up with creating voltage to light something with acidic fruits. A few people (including me) used this for one of the projects in my intro to engineering class. This approach seemed too simple. We thought of wind turbines, building motors, building a toy hovercraft with a sensor, and even a catapult. None of these ideas were agreed by everyone in our group. So we came up with making small solar powered race cars. We will have three remote control cars powered by solar panels and have them race. This idea was decided and everyone in our group agreed on it.

The MIT nuclear reactor trip was very interesting and informative. Frank Warmly was our one of our tour guide who told us a lot about the reactor and its functions. The reactor at MIT started up in 1958 (built before that) and was upgraded in 1975 and again in 2010. The reactor is on 24/7 and operates with up to 6 MW (MegaWatts) of thermal energy. In the years ahead they plan to upgrade up to 10 MW. The nuclear reactor uses no greenhouse gases which is a blessing to our environment.

Every 10-15 years they are required to change the water (D2O) that has become radioactive, they remove the water with a careful procedure and get new D2O from the government. The water they use is highly purified because the dirt from our regular water can cause malfunctions in the reactor. He explained that the water we get from the tap seems to be clean, but when you have a large amount of a few feet deep, you can’t even see the bottom because all the dirt fogs up the water. He showed and explained a typical PWR (Pressurized Water Reactor). H also spoke about the different type of rays, such as the Alpha ray (weakest ray), the Beta ray (which is able to go through are hands),  the Gamma Ray ( strongest ray), and that all these rays can be stopped by lead. He showed us the core of the reactor which is a hexagon that glows blue because the speed of light is seen in the water, this is called the Cherenkov Glow.

 

The reactor only accepts U235 isotopes, so when they get plutonium most of it has  nonuse-full isotopes ,very few of it is actually U235. He also mentioned that a lot of maintenance goes toward this reactor, about 500 items a year. I asked Frank what the main objective is for the nuclear reactor and he answered that the main objective is Research (such as therapy research). No power is actually generated, only thermal energy is produced. In the room he was throwing a lot of information on us so it was getting somewhat overwhelming and a little boring, But it was cool when we actually got to go in the show room. The other tour guide showed us around where the reactor was. He showed us where the core was from the second floor and showed us a few other gadgets. Then he took us to the control room which was pretty cool. When we were leaving, each of us had to get checked for radiation in order to leave. Overall it was an interesting and informative tour. Thanks to Dr. Shatz 🙂

In this experiment, we explored Faraday’s law that deals with magnetic flux, currents and voltages. We shook a tube that had a magnet that moved back and forth through a coil of wires. The faster the tube was shaken, the higher the voltage was.

The equipments used for this lab were:

•  One generator (magnet that moves back and forth inside a coil of wire)
• One voltage probe
• One NXT adapter
• NXT
• Labview VI
• Excel sheet

First we shook the tube a constant rate for 30 seconds and recorded the information on excel. Then we shook the tube at different rates and amount of shakes. Then we took the averages and graphed them.

0 Shakes		28 shakes		65 shakes		75 shakes		95 shakes
0.0238		0.06229		-0.07884		-0.07884		0.08795
-0.06601		-0.1045		-0.02752		0.01097		0.17776
-0.04035		-0.07884		-0.04035		0.60115		-0.05318
-0.07884		-0.06601		0.06229		0.11361		0.0238
-0.05318		-0.05318		0.01097		0.10078		-0.09167
0.06229		-0.07884		0.07512		0.01097		1.3068
-0.07884		0.0238		0.01097		0.30606		1.24265
0.04946		-0.01469		0.46002		-0.18148		0.04946
0.0238		0.03663		0.20342		1.31963		-0.07884
0.0238		0.97322		-0.07884		0.42153		0.25474
-0.04035		0.0238		0.13927		0.31889		-0.07884
-0.06601		-0.06601		0.03663		0.03663		-0.02752
-0.07884		-0.02752		0.1521		0.08795		0.08795
-0.02752		-0.01469		-0.04035		0.63964		0.60115
-0.02752		-0.01469		-0.04035		0.1521		0.03663
0.01097		0.11361		-0.11733		0.04946		0.49851
-0.09167		0.04946		0.08795		0.08795		1.89698
-0.02752		0.04946		0.10078		0.34455		0.04946
-0.07884		0.07512		0.07512		0.22908		0.01097
-0.09167		0.03663		0.13927		-0.05318		-0.01469
0.04946		-0.09167		0.01097		0.06229		-0.09167
0.01097		0.07512		0.0238		-0.07884		0.04946
-0.09167		-0.07884		0.01097		0.06229		-0.02752
-0.01469		-0.06601		-0.06601		0.4087		0.16493
-0.04035		-0.07884		0.1521		0.13927		0.80643
-0.02752		-0.00186		0.08795		-0.01469		0.58832
-0.04035		-0.01469		0.30606		-0.14299		-0.02752
-0.04035		0.04946		0.04946		-0.02752		0.62681
-0.04035		-0.00186		0.04946		-0.04035		0.30606
-0.07884		-0.1045		-0.02752		-0.04035		0.07512

averages:

0.0915582091

1.05902014

0.5167613447

3.388946857

9.1320732433

Graph:

The main argument in Pandora’s Promise is that nuclear power is a safe and clean energy source that can curtail our world wide issue of global warming. In the beginning the people speak a lot about the negatives of nuclear energy and the dangers of leaks and accidents.

• immediate death for 3,000 people from radiation
• Early death for another 30,000 from cancer caused by radiation
• property damage of $7 billion
• Genetic consequences affecting future generation for thousands of years.

But they found that these scare ads were written in the news papers by oil delivery industry in Long Island. They had “solar energy” on the ads because they knew that oil heat could never be replaced by solar panels. Who’s going to pull the sun out during the winter? This is the cynicism of the fossil fuel industry.

The atmospheres temperature has changed immensely over the years due to the burning of fossil fuel. Nuclear energy would be a safe and economic alternative to fossil fuels. One pound of uranium, which is about the size of a fingertip, is the equivalent of about 5,000 barrels of oil.

 

If you add up all fossil fuel combustion in the United States, from power plants alone, kill about 13,000 people a year. World wide 3 million people die a year from air pollution and power plants.

According to Pandora’s Promise, we are bathed in natural radioactivity daily, it comes from the rocks, the air, the universe… it’s in our food and water.

Mars One is one of the biggest and well known initiatives to travel to Mars. They’re mission is not only to reach Mars, but discover if human settlement is possible there. In 2020 they plan to depart the first unmanned mission. Then in 2026 the first crew will be sent on their one-way mission to Mars (which is terrifying). Once they settle in, different crews will be sent every 26 months after the first crew departed. Mars One says, “The most complex, expensive, and risky part of a mission to Mars is the return trip.”

They made this initiative a “one-way” mission because its far less difficult and expensive than return missions. Mars One has already started contracting aerospace companies to build designs and test them properly before action. Before the first crew leaves Earth to go to Mars, The hardware and instruments they need will be sent years ahead of the humans. In 2024 six cargo missions will be sent to Mars and they will arrive in 2025. There would be 24/7 communications between the two planets. “The first fully trained Mars crew will be launched into Earth orbit. In orbit the Mars One crew switches places with the assembly crew, which will descend back to Earth. After a final check of systems on Mars and of the transit vehicle, engines of the propellant stages will be fired and the Transit Vehicle will be launched on a Mars transit trajectory. This is the point of no return for the Mars crew.” The first crew will land in 2027 and the second crew will departure in 2028. Surprisingly more than 200,000 men and women responded for the first call of astronauts.

NASA has four goals for Mars exploration. 1. Determine if there was ever life on Mars. 2. Characterize the climate of Mars. 3. Characterize the geology of Mars. 4. Prepare for the human exploration of Mars. NASA will capture and redirect an astroid to orbit our moon, astronauts in the Orion spacecraft will explore the astroid in the 2020s and bring back samples to Earth. This experience will help NASA test new systems and capabilities, such as Solar Electric Propulsion, which we’ll need to send cargo as part of human missions to Mars. “A fleet of robotic spacecraft and rovers already are on and around Mars, dramatically increasing our knowledge about the Red Planet and paving the way for future human explorers.” This is going to help to keep the astronauts in Mars safe.

 

Citations:

• “Mars One.” Mars One. 2015. Web. 20 Oct. 2015. <http://www.mars-one.com>.
• Greicius, Tony. “Robotic Mars Exploration.” NASA. NASA. Web. 20 Oct. 2015. <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mars/main/index.html>.
• “Mars Travel: The Mars Initiative.” Mars Travel: The Mars Initiative. David Geaney. Web. 20 Oct. 2015. <http://www.marstravel.org/2013/02/the-mars-initiative.html>.

In this Experiment, my partner and I used the lego windstorm motor to lift weights with a pulley. We explored Newton’s 2nd law: F=ma with the pulley, we also explored Velocity, Power, Acceleration, and the law of conservation of energy by controlling the power, weight, and many other factors.

 

 

We basically chose a weight and a power to use for about 3 runs and recorded the following for each run:

• Millivolts (before and after)
• Rotation
• Height (m)
• Battery Discharge (mV)
• Speed (RPM
• Time (s)
• Acceleration (RPM/s)

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Run 1

Power: 75

Mass (kg): 0.245

Height (m): .22

milliVolts (before): 8281

milliVolts (after): 8211

Rotation: 860

Battery Discharge (mV): 70

Speed (RPM): 82.5653

Time (s): 1.736

Acceleration (RPM/s): 47.5606

---

Run 2

Power: 75

Mass (kg): 0.205

Height (m): .22

milliVolts (before): 8253

milliVolts (after): 8198

Rotation: 873

Battery Discharge (mV): 55

Speed (RPM): 84.299

Time (s): 1.726

Acceleration (RPM/s): 48.8406

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Run 3

Power: 75

Mass (kg): 0.165

Height (m): .22

milliVolts (before): 8281

milliVolts (after): 8142

Rotation: 851

Battery Discharge (mV): 139

Speed (RPM): 87.8769

Time (s): 1.614

Acceleration (RPM/s): 54.4467

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Then after we did the 3 runs with the same power, we changed the power for the next 2 and kept a weight of 0.165 kg. then we repeated the process :

Run 4

Power: 60

Mass (kg): 0.165

Height (m): .22

milliVolts (before): 8198

milliVolts (after): 8087

Rotation: 975

Battery Discharge (mV): 111

Speed (RPM): 70.4073

Time (s): 2.308

Acceleration (RPM/s): 30.5058

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Run 5

Power: 70

Mass (kg): 0.165

Height (m): .22

milliVolts (before): 8211

milliVolts (after): 8128

Rotation: 963

Battery Discharge (mV): 83

Speed (RPM): 82.6893

Time (s): 1.941

Acceleration (RPM/s): 42.6014

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After recording all the information, we went on Excel and plotted graphs for each of the following:

 

When we got to the Library the Guide passed around an attendance sheet. She talked to us about the the unlimited usage of the computers, she showed us where the printers were incase we needed to use them. She explained that on the third floor there are multiple study rooms that have to be booked online for specific dates and times. She explained that we have over 25,000 electronic subscriptions to things like Boston Globe, New York Times, Financial Time Economists, Smithsonian’s, etc… and how we can access them all free through the Sawyer Library.

The fourth floor is where all the books are, we can check out books for 28 days at time and renew them online up to two times, and we can check out as many books as we want. The books are mostly academic topics and a few popular reading’s. She showed us how to go on the Suffolk Library part on the Suffolk website. Also how to find ebooks online so we don’t need the actual book, which is way easier to find keywords in text and many other gadgets. She showed us how the books on the shelves are separated by a specific letter. The tour was cool, I discovered the study rooms which I didn’t know of before and how to book them. Overall nice tour of the Sawyer Library.

The automotive industry is responsible for coming up with new designs for fuel efficient cars, the manufacturing, and the selling of the vehicles. One huge step to fuel efficiency are hybrid and electric cars made by many known car industries (Hondas, Toyotas, Lexus’, Teslas, etc…)

The average MPG for 2015 is estimated to be 24 mpg which isn’t bad at all. But by the year 2025 we expect to have the mpg go up to around 54 which is pretty incredible . Families will end up saving hundreds if not thousands at the pump each year. Manual transmission cars are also more fuel efficient because you have the choice of changing the gears to Neutral on a downhill or at light which decreases the amount of emissions used. Hybrid cars would be making our environment much greater if the sales were higher but the sales in the U.S market are at about 3-4%. The green movement has struck all automotive industries as all car manufacturers are focusing on producing more environmentally friendly and fuel efficient vehicles. Even trucks will be 20% more fuel efficient by 2018. But gasoline alone still fuels 95% of North Americas vehicles today.

Other ways automotive industries are making cars more efficient are making the vehicles weigh less which leads the car to use less effort and use less gas to go further. As well as the shape or aerodynamic of the vehicle is an important key because the vehicle has to look appealing for people to buy but also be dynamic to have less air resistance. Industries are also coming up with techniques to save gas while at a red light or waiting for someone while not moving, its called the cylinder deactivation system, the car turns off periodically while the vehicle is not moving and turns on as soon as you step on the gas.

Citation:

“Some Cars Today Already Meet 2025 Gas-Mileage Standards: Did You Know?” Green Car Reports. John Voelker, 14 Aug. 2015. Web. 5 Oct. 2015.<http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1099593_some-cars-today-already-meet-2025-gas-mileage-standards-did-you-know>

“Automotive Industry Analysis 2015 – Cost & Trends.” Automotive Industry Analysis 2015 – Cost & Trends. Michael Liu. Web. 5 Oct. 2015. <https://www.franchisehelp.com/industry-reports/automotive-franchise-industry-report/>.

“Obama Administration Finalizes Historic 54.5 MPG Fuel Efficiency Standards.” The White House. The White House, 28 Aug. 2012. Web. 5 Oct. 2015. <https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/08/28/obama-administration-finalizes-historic-545-mpg-fuel-efficiency-standard>.

Tom’s Demos were all really interesting considering the variation of energy sources and different tools. The first toy he showed us was the Mendocino Motor. This demo uses magnetic attraction and repulsion, the magnet is wrapped in solar cells which makes it run on solar energy. Its considered a self commutating motor, when it receives energy from light it puts a current through the coil, creates a magnetic field which reacts with the magnetic base and causes it to turn 90 degrees in a continuos process. This is a super sensitive object because the solar cell is made of silicon, it can be broken by even blowing on it.

Another demo he showed was the Rocking Armature Motor. People made these motors not to do work, but to try different approaches and layouts to different motors. The fly wheel spins due to the rocking member which is called the armature.

Another demo Tom showed us was a Stirling Engine which was originally created by the Reverend Robert Stirling in 1816. Stirling idea of this motor was to take the place of steam engines. Steam engines were all we had for water power back then and they were extremely dangerous. If the water level got too low in the boiler, the intense heat from the fire box took the smaller amount of water and flash boiled it, which caused it to immediately turn into super heated high pressure steam and this caused massive explosions in steam boats. The Stirling engine is a hot air engine, it works by virtue of moving air.

He showed us a few other demos like a high voltage motor that would illuminate lights just by coming close to it (no contact), a violet ray, and a 1920’s circuit breaker. The demos were super interesting I loved the class!

My partner and I put together the lego car called the VI that is programmed through LabView. We got to play around with the car and program it to do the motions we commanded it to. It was a really cool lab! We measured the distance the wheels traveled, the speed at which the car traveled,  the diameter of the wheel, the number of wheel turns, and the percent error. We ran the VI 3 times and recorded the data. The rotation of the wheel was off slightly from one to the other. Most of the information was given by the LabView program, except for the distance moved which we measured ourselves and also the percent error.

the velocity of our run- the velocity of original lab run÷ velocity of original lab run x 100%=  % error

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Lab Run :  Time: 1 sec.

power 1&2 : 75

wheel diameter: 0.17in

Rotation 1: 577    Rotation 2: 586

# of wheel turns: 1.6

Distance moved : 27cm

Velocity: 0.272m/s

---

Run 1

time: 1 sec

power 1&2 : 72

wheel diameter: 0.17in

Rotation 1: 552    Rotation 2: 559

# of wheel turns: 1.5

Distance moved : 26cm

Velocity: 0.266m/s

% error: 1.64%

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Run 2

time: 1 sec

power 1&2 : 69

wheel diameter: 0.17in

Rotation 1: 532    Rotation 2: 539

# of wheel turns: 1.4

Distance moved : 25cm

Velocity: 0.254m/s

% error: 1.59%

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Run 3

time: 1 sec

power 1&2 : 55

wheel diameter: 0.17in

Rotation 1: 408    Rotation 2: 414

# of wheel turns: 1.1

Distance moved : 19cm

Velocity: 0.192m/s

% error: 1.39%

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