The project’s goal was to convey the importance of renewable energy to a 6 through 12 years old audience. This demo was designed to be installed at the St. Louis Science Center. To engage a younger audience, the renewable energy demonstration had to be interactive. As a result, a design similar to a carnival game was chosen. There are 3 stations that represent wind, hydroelectric, and solar energy. In this design, it is a multiplayer interactive race that portrays renewable energy. The initial design was to have each form of energy produced by the users. The user at the hydro station would push a water pump that would bring water to the top of a water wheel, causing it to spin and produce energy. The wind energy system would involve the user pushing a air pump, a bellow, to turn a wind turbine. The solar station was designed to have a light powered by a hand crank. That light would power a solar panel. All the the renewable energy produced would then move conveyor belts that are connected to each station.
Mechanical Engineering Design Project (MEMS 411)
Murphy, Kayla; Yépiz, Alitzel; Wilson, Daryl; and Davis, Rebecca, "MEMS 411: The Amazing Renewable Race" (2021). Mechanical Engineering Design Project Class. 148.