Online Wind Turbine Challenge

Overview

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Project Overview

Using your knowledge of how wind energy works, your team needs to build a small turbine to produce as much power as possible! Think about the best construction techniques and the most innovative design to make it operate. Entries will be evaluated based on performance as well as creativity, quality, and demonstrated knowledge. You can check for confirmation that you submitted your project by looking at the View Projects section of the Online Wind Challenge page.

While the Online Challenges have traditionally been monthly, evaluations will now be quarterly. After the end of each cycle, we will review the projects submitted and select a few of our favorites to feature on the website.

Submissions will be judged by the KidWind team and winners will be selected on a quarterly basis. Winners receive prizes and are invited to participate in the World KidWind Challenge, a large and prestigious in-person event, hosted at a conference center in a different state every year. Projects will be grouped for evaluation based on the following time frames:

Projects submitted by November 1st for Quarter 1
Projects submitted by February 1st for Quarter 2
Projects submitted by April 1st for Quarter 3
Projects submitted by August 1st for Quarter 4.

If your team is chosen as a winner, a KidWind staff member will contact the coach. Winners selected from Quarters 1-3 (August 1st through April 1st) will be invited to a World KidWind Challenge in 2025.

How Do I Participate?

Get some gear: If you need some gear to start building your turbine we would start here.
Download the detailed rules.
Submit your project: Fill out the fields on the online submission form. Make sure to take pictures of your project and process! We will ask you to submit a photo of your entire turbine taken straight on, featuring the blades and hub. Any other photos of blades close up, different angles, etc. can be added as well when you submit your project.

Resources

Anemometers: One of the most important variables we use to calculate your efficiency and performance is wind speed. While we have created the Wind Speed Cheat Sheet, as you can imagine this is pretty inaccurate! To make improve the data we get consider getting an inexpensive anemometer. This will greatly improve the data you provide!
Wind speed cheat sheet: Not sure what the wind speed of your fan is? Use this cheat sheet to find out the speeds of common household box fans.
Performance Calculator: Use this handy tool to test your device’s performance before you submit to the Online Challenge! The electrical output capability will be the most helpful for the Wind Turbine Design Challenge.

Submit Your Project

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Challenge ID

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Secondary Organizer

Team Name(Required)

Teacher / Coach Name(Required)

Teacher / Coach Email(Required)

School Name(Required)

Project Image(Required)

Show off your project! Be sure we can see the whole thing, including any special or unique details.

Accepted file types: jpg, png, heic, jpeg, Max. file size: 5 MB.

Project Description(Required)

Describe your project in about 3 short sentences

Additional Images

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpg, png, heic, jpeg, Max. file size: 5 MB.

Design Process and Reporting

Design Schematics

Accepted file types: pdf, txt, doc, docx, Max. file size: 50 MB.

Video Presentation

Research Statement

Accepted file types: pdf, txt, doc, docx, Max. file size: 50 MB.

Lab Report

Accepted file types: pdf, txt, doc, docx, Max. file size: 50 MB.

Powerpoint Presentation

Accepted file types: pdf, pptx, Max. file size: 50 MB.

Video of Device Running

Drivetrain Used

Generator Used

Turbine Performance Fields

Wind Speed (m/s)

Need help? See common fans (on the highest setting) and corresponding wind velocities on this cheat sheet.

Rotor Swept Area (cm2)

Need help? Check out this calculation guide. The typical range for this value is 1000 cm2 - 8000 cm2.

Resistor Value (ohms)

This value must be a whole number. Do not use decimals or spaces. Need help? Check out this guide.

Output voltage (V)

Need help calculating voltage? Check out this guide.

Wind Load Chart

Load

Qty

Notes

Solar Home General Information

Solar Home Division

Grade of Team Members

Number of Team Members

Image of the Outside of the Solar Home

1 image of the surrounding environment

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpg, png, heic, jpeg, Max. file size: 10 MB, Max. files: 1.

Solar Home Narrative

Solar Home Title

Solar Home Size

The Solar Home and all accessories must fit within a 2’ width, 2’ length, 1’ height space.

Solar Home Summary

Describe in two sentences or less what the solar home is (that could be its name, materials, shape, general purpose) what inhabits it, the environment it’s in, and its general purpose.

For example: The LoneStar Space Garden provides astronauts in space an Earth-like sanctuary and food garden with plants, waterfalls, insects, and animals, all made possible by solar power.

Purpose

Set the stage by briefly describing the environment and why the selected environment was a good place for the solar home. Introduce the inhabitants and their wants and needs. Talk about the solar powered features and how those features address the wants and needs of the inhabitants.

Design

1 image of the surrounding environment

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpg, png, heic, jpeg, Max. file size: 10 MB, Max. files: 1.

Inhabitants

1 image that shows the inhabitants

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpg, png, heic, jpeg, Max. file size: 10 MB, Max. files: 1.

Solar Powered Features

1-3 images that zoom in on the solar powered features.

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpg, png, heic, jpeg, Max. file size: 10 MB, Max. files: 3.

Design

Tell the origin story of the design idea by explaining why the team used certain materials and technologies. How does the team think the solar home they created is inspired by real world problems? Explain why the team shaped, designed, and organized the solar home in response to its environmental factors. Describe how the needs, health, entertainment, and comfort of the inhabitants were considered.

Highlight the Design

1-3 images that highlight the solar home design

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpg, png, heic, jpeg, Max. file size: 10 MB, Max. files: 3.

Connection

Explain how the team considered the social and cultural connections of the inhabitants when making the solar home. Describe how the solar home is “green,” and how it has a low impact on its environment.

Highlight the Connection

1-3 images that focus on how the solar home is “green,” optional photo of how the design considers social and cultural connections.

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpg, png, heic, jpeg, Max. file size: 10 MB, Max. files: 3.

Teamwork

Team members describe their roles and how they worked within the team. Each team member lists some part of the process, design, or build of the solar home that they really enjoyed doing.

Additional Files

Solar Panel Schematic(s)

In the solar panel schematic, include each solar powered circuit's configuration (parallel/series), and a label to what the terminals connect to. Label each panel's rated voltage and current, the length, width, and area of each solar panel, and each configurations voltage/current/wattage total. This Schematic is different from the wiring diagram because it only includes the solar panel arrangement, not the rest of the circuit. For example, if the team has up to three circuits that are powered by solar, they will need to provide three solar panel schematics.

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 10 MB, Max. files: 10.

Wiring Diagram(s)

Each circuit requires a separate wiring diagram. Teams must provide a wiring diagram for no more than three circuits. Each wiring diagram must include a symbols key. The wiring diagram should have the symbols labeled for all the electrical parts of a circuit, and every emergency switch clearly labeled as such in the diagram. If using power storage, teams will label how the solar panels are charging the power storage and how the storage is powering the loads on the device. Solar Home Elementary 4th-5th Division can create a hand drawn wiring diagram. For Solar Home 6th-8th and Solar Smart Home 9th-12th a printout is required and using a wiring diagram application is optional. If the wiring diagram is complicated, there is no need to fit it into a 8.5” x 11” paper size. The team can expand their diagram onto other pages as long as the continuation is clearly labeled.

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 10 MB, Max. files: 10.

Programming

Documentation is important, please provide where your code was sourced from and describe how each resource was used. You do not need to include the code.

Materials Used

Material

How was the material used in the build?

Is the material recycled, found, or purchased?

If purchased, how much did it cost? If free, put a zero

Project Submissions

froggy bois

WCASD · Mr. Eister

Key Metrics

Wind Speed (m/s)

3.6

Rotor Swept Area (cm2)

1519.76

Resistor Value (ohms)

235.4

Voltage

2.95

See the Project Solo

Read more here

Project Overview

Our project idea was to create an efficient, easy-to-make turbine. We created an arc on our blade to pick up the wind like an airplane wing or prop. We want to make wind power simple and easy to access, and we believe that this design attests to that.