Interests in wind energy will be stimulated by student competitions to develop simple wind energy convertors. This contest is designed to provide standard requirements for the competitors. Wind energy experts, teachers, professors, and companies are invited to participate as judges, advisors, and prize contributors.

The economics of reducing costs below commercial wind turbines offers an additional challenge.

Develop a low-cost electricity supply that is suitable for very small, low-cost wind turbines. Provide minimal power for remote locations or in developing countries. Introduce students to the aspects of systems engineering in disciplines of science, meteorology, electrical and mechanical engineering, and in engineering economics. Develop student/advisor team working conditions and instill the ideals of project management. Provide direction in reporting and presentation of science and engineering projects.

A hierarchically structured project report shall be submitted that includes trade study findings, parts list and costs, measured data, diagrams, and photographs. A project website with a public URL shall be made available on the open Internet. A notarized letter of report transmittal shall be included with the report.

Instrumentation and data shall be provided to substantiate the project and receive the prize award. These ancillary instrumentation costs are not part of the component cost referred to above. Borrowed equipment may be used.

A minimum of $100.00 prize money will be awarded to the competing team that the judges determine has satisfactorily completed all the requirements and achieves the highest energy performance score as defined herein.

A minimum of $100.00 prize money will be awarded to the competing team that the judges determine has satisfactorily completed all the requirements and achieves the highest power performance score as defined herein.

One team may possibly win both the energy and power awards.

All competition entries must be received at the contest address defined in Section 10.0 (Contest Details) by 5:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time on 12/31/2001. (There is currently no competition or award for the year 2000.) Late entries may be considered for honorable mention after other judging is completed.

The winning team shall be based upon watt-hours energy delivered from the battery to a continuously connected, 100 ohm resistor in one month divided by the average wind speed over that same month period and divided by the total dollar cost of all components per the equation below. (The use of average wind speed allows low-wind areas to compete fairly against high wind areas.)

Energy Score = energy in watt-hours delivered in one month /(average wind speed in mph x $ total cost). For example, 300 watt-hours per month / (10 mph x $200) = 0.15 watt-hours/mph-$-month.

The winning team shall be based upon the highest instantaneous power in watts delivered from the battery to a continuously connected, 100 ohm resistor divided by the average wind speed over that same measurement period and divided by the total dollar cost of all components per the equation below. (The use of average wind speed allows low-wind areas to compete fairly against high wind areas.)

Power Score = power in watts delivered/(average wind speed in mph x $ total cost). For example, 300 watts / (10 mph x $200) = 0.15 watts/mph-$.

Some items may be peripheral to the actual project, and these costs need not be included in the cost study. Examples are an equipment shelter or other temporary item.

In the years following 2001, the previous score must be exceeded to receive the full prize. The highest nonexceeding energy and power competitors shall receive one-half the available award.

This competition is limited to residents of the United States of America who are students in sixth through twelfth grade of an elementary school, or a high school, or college freshman through seniors. At least two (TBR-2.0) students must comprise a team.

One to four (TBR-2.0a) advisors (not to exceed the size of the team) may advise but not assist the students. These advisors might be teachers or professors, or he/she might be a parent of a student, or another interested party. They may provide focused instruction of a subject to aid the student(s) in understanding the project. Their advice must be in suggesting methods or techniques of design or implementation, but the advisors may not significantly assist in the direct design or implementation. The advisors are responsible for reviewing safety procedures and ensuring that precautions are observed. Any injury or damages to any of the participants is not the responsibility of the contest proposers, supporters, or managers.

The competitor teams shall establish the validity of their data and prepare a report that justifies the award of the prize to the satisfaction of the judges.

The completed project must be described sufficiently to be replicable by teams in the following years.

Provide an average of at least 10 watts of steady or pulsating direct current for direct charging of a nominal 12 volt storage battery.

A reasonable and obtainable level of safety shall be designed into each project. Use of power tools and temporary ammeters shall be supervised by an advisor. Students under the age of 18 shall not be permitted access to battery acid.

Unsafe conditions shall be recognized and designed against to reduce the risk of personal injury.

Fusing of circuits shall be provided to limit short circuit currents to the safe amperage capacity (ampacity) of the attached wires and components, whichever is less.

TBD-3.2.3

The local wind speed is crucial to the effective available energy and to the scoring of this competition. Wind speed shall be measured and recorded at intervals of 5.0 (TBR-3.3) minutes. The use of average wind speed allows those in low-wind-speed areas to fairly compete against those in higher wind speed areas.

The rotor support shall be designed to withstand the highest annual wind speed at the nearest wind recording airport.

The height of the ground to rotor center shall not exceed 20 feet above the average ground level within a 20 foot radius of the support. The support must be guyed or otherwise supported to withstand (TBD-3.4.1) mph winds. The support and alternator/generator must be grounded by a ground rod system meeting local electrical code.

The rotor shall be designed to withstand the highest annual wind speed at the nearest wind recording airport. Either a vertical or horizontal wind turbine may be used. Design consideration shall be given to failure modes and their effects and limits.

Either an alternator or generator may be used. A permanent magnet or other field motor may be used as an alternator or generator. It shall be a type commonly available from an automotive parts store or used parts business. If donated, a typical price must be entered in the costing analysis. The type and source must be documented to allow the completed project to be replicated: for example, "1990 Honda Civic alternator (Part number xxxxx; $dd.cc) from Discount Auto Parts". A few possible types of motor that might be used are a permanent magnet field seat motor or blower motor.

The wire from the alternator or generator case to the exterior power convertor input shall be 30 (TBR-3.4.4.1a) ± 0.5 (TBR-3.4.4.1b) feet. The wire size shall be AWG#14 (TBR-3.4.4.1c) or larger diameter. The wire type shall be suitable for exposed use.

This wire is only needed when an internal field coil is used and is not required for permanent magnet fields. The wire from the exterior power convertor input to the alternator or generator field shall be as specified in Para. 3.4.4.1. The wire size shall be AWG#18 (TBR-3.4.4.2) or larger diameter. The wire type shall be suitable for exposed use. Note that a field coil uses some of the generated power.

The wire from the power convertor case to the battery input shall be 3.0 (TBR-3.4.4.3a) ± 0.5 (TBR-3.4.4.3b) feet. The wire size shall be AWG#14 or larger diameter. The wire type shall be suitable for exposed use.

The cable shall be attached to the battery by standard automotive battery connectors.

The wire from the battery case to the exterior load input shall be 3.0 (TBR-3.4.4.4a) ± 0.5 (TBR-3.4.4.4b) feet. The wire size shall be AWG#14 (TBR-3.4.4.4c) or larger diameter. The wire type shall be suitable for exposed use.

The wire from any elevated mast support or other metallic aerial device to a grounding rod or device shall be AWG#14 (TBR-3.4.4.5) or larger wire. This wire need not be insulated.

Fuses or circuit breakers shall be used to protect the wiring from short circuits. Switches shall be used to permit disconnection of the power sources (battery and alternator/generator)

The variable output voltage from the alternator/generator must be conditioned to charge the battery. This convertor may be purchased or designed and built by the students. A costing analysis shall be prepared to choose any make/buy decision.

The battery may be an automotive starting or deep-cycle, lead-acid type, and shall have a nominal 12 volt rating. The capacity shall be at least a nominal 300 (TBR-3.4.7) ampere-hours cranking capacity.

Indicators may be used to show battery voltage or load current. These devices will draw current and may reduce performance. An understanding of these incidental loads is needed. Note that they could be switched on and off if desired.

The load shall be a continuously connected 100 ohm (TBR-3.4.9a) resistor of sufficient power (TBR-3.4.9b) dissipation to resist burnout.

The students' wind project website must be established on a free hosting service such as Yahoo Geocities, Anchor, Tripod, or equivalent. Content access must be freely available to the public.

The website shall contain information about the site location, the school or college name, and the general educational level of the team. The project approach shall be generally described and results presented. The site may be prepared by others, but content must come from the students.

This required format will aid in comparison and judging of the competitors' reports. Content not defined herein is optional. The total length of the report shall not exceed 100 (TBR-5.0a) pages. Supporting data, charts, and plots shall not exceed (TBD-5.0b) pages. The submitted report becomes the property of the contest management.

Provide the letter separate from the report. A letter of project abstract and summary results shall be provided with the report that is signed by the participants, the sponsoring advisors, and witnessed by a notary public.

Provide detail to at least the third level (3.1.1).

As stated

As stated

Number this section as 1.0. Provide a concise abstract of the project suitable for citation in a reference.

Number this section as 2.0. Summarize the project and its findings on one page or less.

Number this section as 3.0.

Number this section as 4.0.

Number this section as 4.1

Number this section as 4.2

Number this section as 4.3

Number this section as 4.4

Number this section as 4.5

Number this section as 4.6

Number this section as 5.0. State the conclusions concisely.

Number this Appendix section as A-1. References shall include a one- or two-line summary and review of the content to guide others. Use the following format: TBD-5.11

Number this Appendix section as A-2. Number this Appendix section as A-1. References shall include a one- or two-line summary and review of the content to guide others. Use the following format: TBD-5.12

There are many good books and magazines that treat wind energy, wind energy systems, and components. Here are a few of many. Suggestions of other contributors are welcomed.

These are definitions of terms included in this Request For Entries.

Average wind speed: Arithmetric average of wind speeds measured at rotor average height or computed by V(rotor) = V(station) * (root height/station height)^(1/7) (TBR-7.1)

Energy: Power times the time it is delivered

Instrumentation: Gauges, meters, or equipment used in measuring the results of the experiment. This is auxiliary to the actual experiment.

Power (in watts): The rate of delivering energy (in watt-hours). The instantaneous product of voltage and current.

These lists are provided as references for initial selection of project approaches. They will be augmented with further information as received from the project. Include approximate date with each cost.

This is a potential list of components:

Table 7.3.1 Instrumentation

Table 7.3.2 Mechanical

Table 7.3.3 Electrical

Table 7.3.4 Other

Contest Management: Frank R. Leslie, fleslie@bigfoot.com

Email questions will be responded to in the FAQs list where possible

Contest Judges: Judge's address, Frank Leslie, Palm Bay FL 32905-4855

The Wind Energy Experimenter list may be found at http://www.egroups.com/group/windenergyexperimenter. This list may be used for questions.

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

There are many supporters of this competition, and we thank them for their participation.

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

Frank Leslie, Palm Bay FL, USA

TBD

TBD

Here are answers to Frequently Asked Questions. Look here for answers first.

Q: A:

Q: A:

TBDs are To Be Determined and are used where a value is unknown.

TBRs are To Be Reviewed and are used where a tentative value is provided.

Competitor Team ________________________ Judging Date _______________

Team Address _____________________________________________________

Team Telephone _____________________ Team Email ____________________

__________________________________________________________________

Wind Project Title __________________________________________________

[list required items]

Project Cost in US$____________________

Energy Score _________ =

Power Score ___________________

Judge's Comments __________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

A-4.1 Fairness of baseline available energy

How can the establishment of local "average wind speed" be done without requiring expensive data logging equipment?

A-4.2 Competition Power Levels

Should there be competition power level ranges such as 0-1 watt, >1 to 10 watts, >10 to 100 watts, etc.? Lower powers would require less strength (projects must endure one month of weather exposure.) and cost less. If so, multiple levels of prizes should be awarded.

Comment is requested on the scoring equations and justification of its terms.

Is the battery chemistry pertinent?

Younger students may wish to build a wind indicator requiring a lesser level of expertise and expenditures. These efforts will be excluded from the full competition, but a letter of recognition will be awarded to these groups.

For additional information, research the Internet websites and watch for results of the competition.

_____________________________________________________________

Definitions:

Class E: An indicator that shows the direction of the wind.

Class D: A wind turbine that indicates the direction and speed of the wind.

Class C: The Class D wind turbine with a measurement of the speed.

Class B: Class C with manual daily (for school days) recording of the wind speed and direction

Class A: Class B with "frequent" recording of the wind speed and direction

_____________________________________________________________

Details:

Class E: Create an easy-to-turn pivot for an indicator. Mount an air direction indicator on the pivot. Make a direction indicator for north, east, south, and west winds so you can tell which way the wind is coming from.

Class D: Make like Class E. Add a device that spins or deflects to show the strength of the wind. This could be a propeller, rotor, or a blade that hangs down to be blown back by the wind.

Class C: Make like Class D. Provide a scale to indicate the strength of the wind.

Class B. Make like Class C. Make daily readings by estimating the most likely value while you are watching the indicator a few minutes. Make a list showing the date, time, wind direction and wind speed for each observation. When the indicator moves suddenly as the wind blows hard, you can see the wind gust speed.

Class A: Like Class B but with multiple readings made each day. Add to the data list the reported wind speed for your area from radio, television or Internet. Compute the difference between your readings and the reported values. Can you compute the average difference? Make a plot of your wind speed measurement plotted vertically against the reported wind speed plotted horizontally. (This is called an "X-Y" plot.) Can you draw a straight line through the cluster of points for each measurement? Should it go through the zero wind speed corner of the graph?

________________________________________________________________