Bringing Power Technologies into High School Classrooms: First Steps Author: Joe Foy, West High School RET Project Supported by National Science Foundation

Bringing Power Technologies into High School Classrooms: First Steps

Author: Joe Foy, West High School

RET Project Supported by National Science Foundation and Department of Energy Grant No. 1041877

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Bringing Power Technologies into High School Classrooms

Early interest in STEM topics and applications is particularly important as an

influence in future career plans. “Preparing the Next Generation of STEM innovators” (NSB

10-33)

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Educator preparation will enhance the learning infrastructure support system for

students

“Preparing the Next Generation of STEM innovators” (NSB 10-33)

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• First steps Continue learning the technologies of power

generation, transmission, and distribution. Learn renewable energy sources

Wind Solar Open ocean (OTEC)

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• First steps (continued) Acquire basic understanding of Matlab,

discover how it can be used to assist lesson development and presentation

Use Matlab to explore wind characteristics for selected sites in Pacific Northwest

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• First steps (continued) Scale the effort: move awareness of power

technologies into mathematics classrooms Develop four application worksheets, correlated to

state (Tennessee) Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 Course Level Expectations (CLEs) and State Performance Indicators (SPIs)

Develop matrix of RC circuit values which can be used in Algebra 2 and Precalculus courses, during study of exponential functions

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• Four application problems How Big a Battery is needed to store 10 hours

of 900 MWatts of Power? Answer:

26, 650 m3 (941,000 ft3) 59,800 tons $11.1 billion (545,000 new Chevy Volts, assuming 100%

discharge) (180,000 of the cabinets behind EPRI)

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• “How big a battery” problem: Excellent reference for other analysis, in other

courses Economics: impact of EV penetration on power

generation Environmental: impact of reduced transportation

emissions on pollution (others….) (I will pursue this, this year at West High)

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• Second application problem How much coal is needed to generate 900

MWatts of power? Answer:

7,400 tons per day 2.7 million tons per year

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• Third application problem How much U-235 is needed to generate 900

MWatts of power? Answer:

1.33 tons per year

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• “How much U-235” problem: Also an excellent reference for other analysis,

in other courses

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• Fourth application problem What is the difference in transmitting at

161,000 volts vs. 13,200 volts? Answer:

Line losses of 13,200 V transmission for KUB peak demand are more than 97% of a 900 MWatt (output) generation station

Line losses at 161,000 V are 22%

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• Initial programming in Matlab RC circuit simulation Available wind power analysis

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Matlab RC Circuit Code and Output Plots

t = 0:.002:.2; %t is a vector from 0 to .01 in steps of .0001%Use a loop to evaluate the voltage and current equations Rin = input('Enter resistance value(ohms): ');CinuF = input('Enter capacitance value (microfarads):');Cin = CinuF*1e-6;for i=1:length(t);low= -0.4;high = 0.4;rval=low+(high-low)*rand;vc(i) = 12*(1-exp(-t(i)/(Rin*Cin)))+rval;ic(i) = 12*exp(-t(i)/(Rin*Cin))+rval;end

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Matlab generated output filexlswrite('C:\Joe\AP Physics\CURENT\RET\RC_data',Time,'Sheet1','A3');xlswrite('C:\Joe\AP Physics\CURENT\RET\RC_data',Volts,'Sheet1','B3');xlswrite('C:\Joe\AP Physics\CURENT\RET\RC_data',Current,'Sheet1','C3');

Excel output file, input to TIConnect software

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TI Connect (free PC software)

TI84

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• Initial programming in Matlab RC circuit simulation Available wind power analysis

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Matlab as a wind analysis tool

• Generalizations: Wind has higher velocity at higher elevations Wind has higher velocity early in the night

Increasing altitude

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• Generalizations: Wind velocity is not as high in the summer

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• Generalizations: Wind velocity is high in late fall

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• 2012 – 2013 Curriculum: Purchased materials for rotational motion

physics lab, a version of which may be taught in upper level math classes

Identified materials for a renewable energy (wind) physics lab Laser phototach (purchased) Anemometer Voltage probe (subsets of lab could also be math activities)

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• The Educator as a Student Continued study of wind power texts (2) Continued study of renewable energy text Reviewed Executive summary of the

Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission (released 5 July) “It was a profoundly man-made disaster that could

and should have been foreseen and prevented. Its effects could have been mitigated by a more effective human response”…. Message from the chairman of the commission

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• Next Steps include Continue learning power generation,

transmission, and distribution technologies Use renewable energy (wind) lab in physics

and math courses Develop PV solar lab for use in physics and

math courses Submit AP Physics-C (Mechanics) syllabus to

regulating organization, the syllabus identifies several renewable energy labs and connections (submitted 13 July 2012)

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Documents

Bringing Power Technologies into High School Classrooms: First Steps Author: Joe Foy, West High School RET Project Supported by National Science Foundation