March | 2013 | Tim Main's Blog

This week our experiment looked at solar panels, and their relationship to different intensities and colors of light. Each team had an NXT CPU, a solar panel, a flash light, and 3 distinct color filters. The purpose of the experiment was to better understand voltage as a function of light, color, and distance.
Solar panel capacity and efficiency are quite relevant to our course goals, it involves the conservation and educated use of energy. The experiment is also relevant because it gives us a better understanding of solar panels in general, and their potential role in the critical renewable energy industry. We have already seen how market fluctuations and political gesturing can effect the potential of green technology to have an impact, so a better understanding of the science behind solar technology is highly useful going forward.

Procedure : To determine the relationship of distance to the intensity of light we used flashlights on our solar panels at distances of 0, 10, 30, and 40 cms. We performed this step once with NO filter, and once with each colored filter. The NO filter table gave us a solid baseline of how much energy the solar panel was taking in at each distance.

We ran the same experiment again, to the best of our ability, with each colored filter (GREEN, BLUE, ORANGE)

We concluded that there was a positive correlation between proximity and intensity. In other words, the closer the panel is to the source, the more energy it will receive.

There was a noticeable, but relatively insignificant discrepancy between the intensity produced by the color filters.

As we learned through the Solyndra “scandal” , the materials that are used to manufacture solar panels can have dramatic impact on marketability and cost effectiveness. A steep drop in the price of silicon had a grave effect on the price model of Solyndras high-tech solar panels. Solyndra, which had previously been injected with hundreds of millions of government dollars, went under despite its effective, quality product. This raises some intriguing questions about the future of solar panel technology. How can experimentation with different kinds of materials, and placement of solar panels, help them to be more effective and or easier to produce. It seems to me that solar energy is unmatched in its promise as a green technology. Maximizing use of solar energy could hypothetically END the search for renewables, and dependence on coal and gas. This would be an endgame, far down the road, but the promise is so great that further government funded experimentation with solar techniques is imperative.

Our data from the experiment is below.
Conclusions : Proximity is positively correlated with intensity (voltage), Reddish light showed the strongest resistance to intensity-decay over distance. The materials, placement, manufacturing, and all physical aspects of solar panels should be constantly tested to find ways to improve their effectiveness. Natural phenomena (strength of red light, proximity=intensity, magnification) should be exploited to the maximum to improve solar energy efficiency.

RESULTS :

The Fukashima Daiichi nuclear nuclear disaster occurred following the Tohoku earthquake and Tsunami on Marc 11th 2011.

The earthquake disrupted nuclear reactors and caused them to shut themselves off. Normally, there is a complex cooling system that keeps the reactors from overheating and releasing radioactive materials. Tragically, the tsunami that followed the earthquake flooded the generators that powered the cooling system. By the time the Japanese government was taking steps to prevent meltdown and material release, it was too late.

The amount of material released and damage caused by the meltdown earned it only the 2nd category 7 nuclear incident classification in the history of the INES, or International Nuclear Event Scale. Along with the worst meltdown in history, the Chernobyl disaster of 1986 (Ukraine)

This tragedy calls into question the viability of current nuclear storage and emergency procedures. Since nuclear energy seems to be an indispensable source, it is without question that it will continue to be used into the future, accidents or not.

Since nuclear energy will not be abandoned, safer ways of containing nuclear material are imperative. Scientists will continue to experiment with nuclear energy, and nuclear fusion, as the nature of nuclear fusion offers the promise of an incredible means of energy production, with limited expenditure.

Only two years removed from the disaster, the Japanese Nuclear lobby is “bouncing back” and considering re-starting offline reactors. This political push for the continuation of nuclear energy in Japan was met with enormous protesting.
Disasters like the Fukashima Daiichi meltdown change the nature of the conversation about nuclear energy, and complicate efforts to better understand it. At the same time, the risks of nuclear technology can’t be ignored, along with the protest of Japanese citizens. I predict Nuclear energy will continue to become more of a social issue, and I hope the dialogues about the improvement and safegaurding of nuclear energy (against environmental or public harm) will continue alongside dialogues about nuclear fusion and the promise of harnessing such incredible energy.

refs: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/07/us-japan-nuclear-discontent-idUSBRE92619S20130307
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_Daiichi_nuclear_disaster
http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Fukushima-Accident-2011/

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Monthly Archives: March 2013

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