The first day our group got together about our final project it was mainly brainstorming. Since the course is about sustainability we wanted to create a simple yet interesting experiment that high school students would be interested in. When we decided on the compressed air pump Mohammed knew all the science behind creating our project. For our experiment to work correctly we needed certain materials.

We used a bike pump as the means for compressed air. The tubing was purchased at a local hardware store along with the lights and platform everything is set onto. The gears, generator, and acting cylinder were purchased online on Amazon for a reasonable price. One end of the tubing was attached to the bike pump and the other into the acting cylinder. To connect the acting cylinder with the gears we tied floss to the gears and created a pulley system. One end of the floss was attached to the gears and the other the end of the acting cylinder. When the air is released through the tubes it will move the acting cylinder also moving the floss which turns the gears activates the generator and turns on the lights. We had difficulties due to the floss breaking and fixed it by braiding the floss to make it stronger.
For the high schoolers to better understand our experiment we created a slideshow to give background on the topic.

When we were performing the experiment to test our data we set the bike pump at different pressures (psi), measured the voltage of the light, and the time in seconds. First we started with 40 psi which had a voltage of 1.8 and it took 12 seconds for it to complete. As we increased the psi the voltage rose a little more than the last one. By the time we got to 70 psi the voltage was 2.1 and took 6.6 seconds to complete. Also as the psi/voltage increased the time to complete became quicker. The final pressure we did was 80, the voltage had continued the pattern and the final voltage was 2.4 and it took 5.5 seconds to complete.

The Keystone Pipeline is a pipeline that is projected to carry 830,000 barrels a day of crude oil. The pipeline will carry oil from Alberta, Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. To finish construction on the pipeline President Obama must approve of the idea. In 2012 the Keystone Pipeline was denied by President Obama. In a statement issued by the White House President Obama states, “It does not change my Administration’s commitment to American-made energy that creates jobs and reduces our dependence on oil.”

Sine the 2012 denial about 40% of the pipeline has already been built. So far the pipeline has been built in two segments; Steele City, Neb to Cushing, OK (298 miles) and Cushing and Nederland, TX (485). The last portion of the pipeline “Keystone Pipeline XL” is what has been in the news lately, whether or not it is logical to pass the construction.

Positive Effects of Pipeline:
~The State Department estimates that the construction of the extension of the Keystone Pipeline XL would create 42,000 jobs.
~The pipeline will generate about $3 billion toward the US GDP. The pipeline will benefit the towns that the pipeline travels through.
~Would create the third largest oil reserve in the world
~Most complex refining hub on the Gulf
~Pipeline workers are safer than working on an oil rig.
~Pipeline has 59 extra special safety guidelines that surpass federal regulations.
Negative Effects of Pipeline:
~The pipeline will only crete 42,000 jobs while under construction, it will cause a very small number of permeant jobs.
~Emits 17% more greenhouse gases than oil drilling
~State department thinks the pipeline will create a small impact but not enough to contribute and help the US.
2014 Vote
The Keystone Pipeline XL Vote took place November 18th and failed to receive approval from Senate. The pipeline fell just short of one vote to pass, the final results were 59-41. Senator Mary Landrieu (D) from Louisiana was the sponsor of the bill. In an ABC news article Landrieu stated, ““It’s been on my agenda and it’s staying on my agenda and I’m going to do everything I can to help America become energy independent,” Landrieu said after the bill was defeated. “This fight was worth having.”

http://keystone-xl.com/benefits-of-keystone-xl-oil-pipeline-us-jobs-economic-benefits-energy-security-environmental-responsibility-pipeline-safety-transcanada/

http://www.npr.org/2014/11/17/364727163/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-keystone-xl-oil-pipeline

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/01/18/statement-president-keystone-xl-pipeline

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/keystone-pipeline-fails-senate/story?id=27005358

Last week we were assigned our end of the year project which consists of a group of students to attend a high school in Boston and perform an experiment. I was selected to be the team captain for my group! My team consists of myself, Arianna, Mohamed, Jeremy, and Michael C. We split up our assignments for the project evenly so each member contributes. When we first started to brainstorm ideas about a possible experiment we knew it had to relate back to our class topic, energy and sustainability. Prof. Shatz provided the class with a few websites that contained possible experiment ideas. When looking at possible experiments we had to consider that we were presenting to high school students. Not a professor with a PhD in the topic. Mohamed came up with an experiment idea that he had previously done and we could possibly do. He basically told us we would use compressed air to turn on a light bulb in simplest terms. The next class Mohamed created a powerpoint which explained the concept of the experiment better. Our group liked Mohamed’s idea and decided that would be the experiment we would present! Next we looked on Amazon to order experiment materials.

The second class, the 12th, our materials haven’t come in from Amazon so we couldn’t start doing the experiment. Instead we started doing our outline and handout for the experiment. In the outline we were able to figure out goals and objectives for the experiment. Next class we will put together our experiment with the tools we were waiting for.

In the generator lab my lab partners and I will understand how to use the NXT and lab view to measure the voltage output of the generator. The goal of the lab is to correlate the number of shakes of the generator in 30 seconds with their appropriate voltages. Materials needed to conduct the experiment are excel, lab view, NXT and adaptor, 1 voltage probe, and 1 generator which is a magnet that moves back and forth inside a coil of wire. To understand the lab one must review Faraday’s Law. Faraday’s Law states states that changing magnetic fluxes through coiled wires generate electricity. This means that the greater change in magnetic flux results in greater voltages and currents.

To perform the experiment do the following (repeat ~3 times)
1. Shake the tube for 30 seconds (different shake rates each time)
2. Count the number of shakes within the 30 seconds
3. Using Excel calculate the sum of the squares of the voltages using the =sumsq formula
4. Repeat steps 1 to 3 three more times
5. Graph in excel the squares of the voltages with the corresponding number of shakes
6. Use a linear curve in graphs

During the lab my group did a total of four different shake times. We started with a baseline of zero shakes, then 77, 71, and 150. After coping the numbers into excel we were able to get the sum of the squares of the voltages using the =sumsq. We were unsure that we were doing the lab correctly because our numbers were so big. After we realized that the higher number of shakes means a high squares of the voltages. Therefore, 150 shakes had the highest number of 441.3.

In our experiment it was difficult to count the number of shakes in 30 seconds. Also it was hard to continuously shake for 30 seconds. This could’ve made our data skewed. When looking at the data the faster the shake the greater the generated voltage (Faraday’s Law).

Websites used
http://web.cas.suffolk.edu/faculty/lshatz/Sustainability_class/Generator_Lab.htm

Massachusetts Institute of Technology has a nuclear reactor laboratory on campus which is used for research, experiments, and educational purposed. Last week Prof. Shatz, a MIT alumni took our class to see the reactor in person. First we sat through a lecture about the history of the reactor to get a little background information before seeing it in person. Then we were able to go and see the reactor in person. To understand how the reactor works it is important to understand what fission is. Not to get confused with fusion, fission is when atoms are split into two parts. Fission uses uranium 235, doesn’t burn, and doesn’t release CO2 into the environment. Fission can happen to any element for example carbon and oxygen can undergo fission.

History
The MIT reactor was constructed in 1958 and was upgraded in 1975.The reactor is 2 ft tall and 1 ft in width. The system operates 24/7 with a 6MW terminal power. It is the second largest academic research reactor in the United States.

Reactor Contains
~Tank type – light water to cool and moderate
~Two loop cooling systems to moderate the cooling tower
~Uses very heavy water for neutron reflection
~Graphite outer reflector
~Rector is very small (2ft tall, 1ft width)

Reactor Capability
~Advanced material and fuel research
~Water chemistry, loop testing
~Capable of performing up to 3 in core experiments at the same time for the fights neuron fluxes
~Emits a blue light
~Contains more radiation than a airplane
~The basement has a nutron detector used for medical purposes
~Control room observes the room reactor is in

When we were on the tour the room the reactor was large but the place where the reaction takes place is very small. A lot of the space in the room was used for storage. Before we left the lobby we needed to keep a little stick that would measure how much radiation we would experience on the tour. People who have previously undergone radiation therapy are not advised to go on the tour. Cell phones, backpacks were not allowed on the tour. Before entering the room we had to go into an air tight chamber which would decrease the pressure to match the pressure in the reactors room. It was not noticeable but I felt like a was a little light headed on the tour. When leaving the tour we had to make sure we were at safe levels to leave and return back to the lobby. Before going on the tour I expected the reactor to be huge but it is not. Also I did not know how much radiation I would get going on the tour. I would recommend this tour to any person interested in sciences because it was exciting to see how a prestigious lab works.

In this lab we had to get a few materials before starting the lab. To be able to do the solar lab Prof. Shatz provided us with a ruler, colored film filter, light source, NXT with light sensor, and one solar cell. The purpose of this lab is to understand and observe the relationship between light intensity and the voltage. We do this by first measuring the intensity when there is no light. Then we used a light source and measured the intensity from 2cm, 10cm, 18cm, and 26cm with no colored films. After this we measured the intensity using colored films; yellow, purple, and green. When we measured the intensity it was put into an excel page where we could compare intensities. The 2cm had the most intensity being 0.37021, and for colored films yellow had the most intensity being 0.316324. The lighter the color the more intensity the film has. Purple being the darkest had an intensity of 0.054592.

Solar panels can be used to create energy for homes and businesses. It costs money to install them but after that they create the energy.

Advantages of having solar panels in your home are
~solar panels do not cause pollution
~solar energy is infinite
~ panels can be used in remote areas that have a natural light source
Disadvantages
~ unreliable climate can cause the panels not to work
~ only can harness energy during the day when it is sunny
~ expensive
Therefore I feel it is important to explore options to help the environment. I feel that a family should not rely on solar energy to heat their home or run their homes because it depends on if it sunny that day. But I do think that families should have a small amount of solar energy to help energy and heating bills.

website used
http://www.technologystudent.com/energy1/solar7.htm

Last week instead of class a Suffolk University electrical engineer teacher, Tom Vales spoke to our class. He was a very intelligent man that knew a vast amount of information about wireless, Tesla vs Edison debate, and AC/DC currents.
During his take he explained how wireless is crucial in our everyday life and how wireless and wifi are different. Wifi connects phones, laptops, wide areas, and bluetooths. Televisions and remotes are not connected to wifi. Vales also explained the impact of Nikola Tesla’s inventions. Tesla was an 1800 inventor who set a foundation for innovation. Tesla and Edison were two inventors of the same time who despised each other. At the same time Tesla created the alternating current (AC) and Edison created the direct current (DC).

Debates were brought up about which one was better than the other. Edison’s DC current would require power plants to be built to supply customers while alternating currents do not need power plants. Everyone knew Tesla’s AC current was better considering it is very important to society today. Tesla’s dream was that he wanted no wires, wireless transmission a goal.
Also during our talk Vales demonstrated a Tesla coil with prongs and and a neon rod.
In conclusion to the Tom Vales talk he put into perspective that without Tesla’s innovations the technology today would not be as innovative.

Before viewing “Pandora’s Promise” I was 100% against using nuclear power. From a historically point of view nuclear disasters such as Three Mile Island (1979), Fukushima (2011), and Chernobyl (1986) scare people due to radiation. Radiation from nuclear power plants can destroy ecosystems, kill people, and make a lot of people unsure about approving nuclear energy. Nuclear power is a controversial topic in society. “Pandora’s Promise” is a documentary by Robert Stone that interviews many environmental activists who went from “anti-nuclear” to “pro-nuclear”. This documentary provides both sides of the story, explaining myths and “anti-power” protests.

One part of the film scared me due to the explanation of dangers of nuclear power. Negatives about nuclear energy include explosions, nuclear weapons, and radiation diseases such as cancer. They also explained the Chernobyl disaster. Chernobyl’s nuclear reactor exploded, killed many and put lots of radiation into the environment. This part of the documentary scared me because my hometown of Marshfield, Massachusetts is very close to the Plymouth Power Plants. If the Plymouth Power Plant exploded my hometown would get radiation from it.

After viewing the pros of nuclear power it made me feel 50% positive about nuclear power. I learned nuclear power is a better source to create energy than coal. Coal gives off a lot of bad greenhouse gases and puts harm into our environment. About 13 million people die a year from air pollution. Nuclear energy would limit the emission of greenhouse gases. I would recommend this film to people interested in learned about nuclear energy but would need to have science background because their was a lot of terms and it would be hard to follow without a background.

The purpose of doing the mass/pulley experiment was to be familiar with power, velocity, acceleration, Newton’s second law, and the law of conservation of energy.

Newton’s Second Law: Acceleration of an object depends on two variables, net force and the mass of the object, the equation is

Law of conservation of energy: Energy cannot be created or destroyed

To do the experiment we must use a Lego Mindstorm motor to lift the weights and use the pulley system. First explored Newton’s Second law by having a fixed power level but will change the masses, then had a fixed mass and changed the power levels. Then recorded into excel. Next we looked at the law of conservation of energy (Potential energy = mgh). The goal the law of conservation of energy is to observe how the energy drainage effects the mass. By having a fixed power level and different masses we can observe the drainage. To observe the results we did this step a few times. Lastly we calculated the average power of the mass and pulley using the equation: Power used = Potential energy/time = mgh/time
There was a margin of error in our experiment due to technology. Some of the data also might be off due to malfunctions with the pulley.

 

Graphs from the data:

Demand response is used by industrial, residential, and commercial businesses. It allows them to operate their own electric gird by reducing energy used in peak periods. The goal of demand response is to reduce energy during peak hours for maximum efficiency.

Two questions asked when working with Demand Response (DR).
1. How are resources performing with DR?
2. How does one measure DR performance?

Top Industries that use Demand Response
1. EnerNOC
A Boston based company that used 3,550 mW in the past year. The company bought “Cogan Energy” which creates energy efficient buildings.
2. CPower
In 2012 CPower used 2,800 mW of energy.
3. Duke Energy
A residential air conditioning company that’s goal is to use 1.5 kW of energy.
4. Oklahoma Gas & Electric
The company only uses during peak hours of 2 – 7 PM during the weekdays. None on the weekend.
5. NV Energy
A company designed to create energy efficiency for commercial buildings. In 2016 their goal is to only use 75 kW of energy.

Pro’s/Con’s

Pros
– reduce energy during peak hours
– economic benefits of companies
– more efficient industrial buildings/companies

Cons
– not every business is a match with demand response
– Hard for large technology firms can’t minimize usage of large equipment
– Tedious to find electric DR plans to fit individual companies

Sources

http://energy.gov/oe/technology-development/smart-grid/demand-response

http://www.pge.com/en/mybusiness/save/energymanagement/index.page

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/top-5-demand-response

http://www.elp.com/articles/2014/04/top-utility-companies-for-demand-response-named.html

http://www.enernoc.com/our-resources/white-papers/the-demand-response-baseline