Updated Problem Statement:

Renewable energy, specifically wind, can be unpleasant to look at and hard to integrate into a populated area. The purpose of this project is to engineer a more efficient, better looking, and affordable solution for residential and small commercial wind energy applications. 

Assumptions:

The user wants an aesthetically pleasing, autonomous, on-site renewable energy production system.

Requirements:

The design must be of competitive cost and superior production capacity to comparable generation methods, be easily serviceable, have a 10+ year lifespan, withstand 100mph sustained wind, have a more desirable appearance, and a compact footprint to allow for integration into populated areas. 

Pugh / Decision Matrix:

Link: Decision MatrixLinks to an external site.

Matrix factors:

Ease of use and installation: This category was given a weight of 15% due to the fact that highly specified workers will be handling much of the installation process, and a learning curve is expected of the consumer when utilizing a technology such as this. When comparing a vertical wind turbine to a shrouded horizontal model, the vertical turbine is easier to install, operate and maintain. The vertical wind turbine scored a 5 in this category, while the shrouded horizontal scored a 2. This is due to the fact that a horizontal turbine requires a height of 100ft to operate, and will need to be permanently secured, while a traditional vertical turbine can be installed using a wire guided system. 

Generation efficiency: When analyzing anything that creates power, one of the key metrics is how efficient is the system? Traditional vertical wind turbines can create energy whichever way the wind is blowing and can run in low wind conditions. However, shrouded horizontal wind turbines can direct the airflow more precisely and allow for more power generation with the same amount of incoming wind. This leads to a score of 3 for the vertical turbine, and 5 for the shrouded horizontal. 

Lifespan: As a consumer, when looking at any product that could be considered an investment, one of the best questions to ask is how long is the lifespan of this product and how does it compare to the return on initial capital, justifying the 20% weight this category carries. Both turbines were scored at 4, because each one has their own quirks with maintenance and durability, but neither one outweighs the other. 

Aesthetics: This category holds a weight of 25%, due to the fact that one of the biggest criteria for this project within my team, has been to engineer an aesthetically pleasing form of wind energy. A horizontal wind turbine typically needs to be at least 100ft in the air, while a vertical turbine can operate at heights of around 45 feet in the air, producing similar power outputs. This puts the vertical turbine at an advantage over the horizontal, due to the fact that it can be hidden more easily and takes up less of the sky while enjoying the views. This leads to a score of 3 for the horizontal turbine and 5 for the vertical turbine. 

Design and production cost: When working with all consumer grade products, it is essential to think ahead about the cost of design and production of the product. A product can have great intentions and help many consumers, but if it cannot be designed and produced at a competitive price point it will fail. This gives the category a 25% weight within the decision matrix. There has been more development within vertical turbine research, than there has been with horizontal turbines. This puts the cost of design in favor of the vertical turbine. Constructing a horizontal turbine also requires more materials and manpower. The scores for this category were: Vertical turbine with a 5 and shrouded horizontal with a 3.

FRDPARRC Link:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hYK52xRzUfBdVZmwtp0qC1LX7er0o28FTPkv283Tm24/edit#gid=0Links to an external site.

Ghantt Chart:

Lessons Learned:

- Keep track of how your ideas relate back to the purpose of the project

- Understand how to take positives and negatives away from a certain concept

- Keep the idea in the back of your mind to allow for new idea generation

Partner:

Ian Sullivan

Partners FRDPARRC and design:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KB0b4BE-XjToSNESxOrMHzovHqowIm24emGTbtl--G8/edit#gid=0