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Team History Updates

Here you will find our weekly updates so that you can view our progress!

January 23, 2023 to February 3, 2023

Project Development

This past week we were mainly organizing all the new members and educating them on all that project development entails. As for progress, we began our "improved" property analysis to look for more possible lease blocks. We relaxed our restrictions on the lease blocks, so we increased to about 13 possible lease blocks. The next step will be to begin running simulations on our lease blocks.

Turbine Design

Modified the driveline so that it would resist rotation bending that it was experiencing in the past. Also assigned sub teams and got everyone familiar with the turbine.

Outreach Team

The Outreach Team started the semester with  new members from the senior design project, so the team has made a whole lot of progress since last semester. Within these two weeks, we worked on lots of things for the PDR and discussed creating posting more on Instagram, as well as creating a Facebook, and LinkedIn for the Cyclone Cowboys. On January 30th, we ended up rounding the whole team from each subcategory, which made the Instagram. 

February 6, 2023 to February 10, 2023

Project Development

We have two new Furrow simulations near completion: primary simulation utlizes three lease blocks sitting at about 350 MW worth of wind turbines. Searched for new wind turbines to use within Furrow, though might need to reach out to industry professionals. Created furrow simulations for new possible locations and had a Furrow seminar with Furrow employees and engineers to learn more. Have started financial analysis and found a financial analysis report published by the DOE for offshore windfarms in 2022. Civil's may have found some standards to help guide out wind farm design.

Turbine Design

Added a cover to the main body and mount for rear wing. Changed the rear wing design and assembled everything to get it ready for the PDR. Met with civil engineers to get prelimiary anchor designs for the PDR. Wanted tos tart building parts to test the turbine. Met with Dr. Rouser to tour ATRC Wind tunnel and planned to give power to blades in wind tunnel to measure torque and drag. Printed nacelle, nose cone, modified driveline in CAD, started CNCing the driveline/driveshaft.

Outreach Team

We created a Facebook and Linkedin for the Cyclone Cowboys, as well as a Campus Link where we had all our members join and follow our social media. We created and posted three social media posts on all three of our sites and began prepping for the CDR.

February 13, 2023 to February 17, 2023

Project Development

Progress in financial analysis and wind farm simulations. Finding new wind turbines for analysis. We found a new wind turbine, however, not he desired turbine. Awaiting responses from Vestas and General Electric requesting specifications for turbines.

Turbine Design

Goal was to get turbine ready to assemble. Had finished the front of drive shaft and rear is halfway CNCed. Finalized first revision of the blades and changed the nose cone to fit the new front drive shaft. Spoke with the civil engineers to come up with an anchor design. Also edited blade tips to adapt to each other.

Outreach Team

We created a Facebook and LinkedIn for the Cyclone Cowboys, as well as a Campus Link where we had all our members join the Campus Link and follow the new social media we created. We created and posted 3 social media posts on all 3 of our social media sites and began prepping for the CDR.

February 20, 2023 to February 24, 2023

Project Development

Find standards, finalize financial analysis of new wind farm design, and make CDR slides. All completed except for one CDR slide. Make new wind turbine files, but were not completed.

Turbine Design

Finalized drive line prototype. Finished blade version 3 and started blade versioon 4. We had reinforced the base of the blade. Modified nose cone design and printed version 8 of it. Began assembling the driveline, nacelle, and blades. Also got ready for the CDR and are ever close to testing!

Outreach Team

We created a Facebook and LinkedIn for the Cyclone Cowboys, as well as a Campus Link where we had all our members join the Campus Link and follow the new social media we created. We created and posted 3 social media posts on all 3 of our social media sites and began prepping for the CDR.

February 27, 2023 to March 3, 2023

Project Development

Finished CDR, need to get standards and hear back from other teams about turbine data. All was completed.

Turbine Design

We tested sensors and narrowed down buck boost options. Hoping to code teensy soon and get parts tested and installed. Finsihed CDR and had the presentation for it. Need to get blades tested in wind tunnel and to get driveline rotationally tested.

Outreach Team

We created and posted 1 social media post about the members of the Outreach Team.

March 6, 2023 to March 10, 2023

Project Development

Assign standards to be read. Need to find new wind turbines for analysis. Need to complete/start hub height analysis and find an answer for distance from a pipeline.

Turbine Design

Continued testing: driveline has been tested and we have finalized plans for how we are going to test it in the wind tunnel. We want to get blade analysis done with QBlade software soon. Tested the torque required to move the driveline. Learned that we need to offload our power generated when doing our blade tests which lead to meeting a PhD student, John Johnsen, to discuss how to use the wind tunnel well. Met with electrical team to test VC sensors and calculate minimum required resistance based off our power calculations. We modified the Nacelle by drilling holes into it for the motor and break system, then assembled it with the break and motor components. Anchor has been built.

Outreach Team

We created and posted one social media post about the members of the Outreach Team.

March 20, 2023 to March 24, 2023

Project Development

Organize the team and assign work to all people. Civils are creating site development plans. Calvin is started a financial report. Brady is learning SAM and Tucker is researching environmental date. Hunter is analyzing new wind turbines in the furrow.

Turbine Design

Anchor testing completed and blades were tested. The week basically led up to testing the blades. A buck booster has been selected and possibly ordered.

Outreach Team

TBD

March 27, 2023 to March 31, 2023

Project Development

Make sure everyone is making progress on tasks and create new Furrow simulations for analysis. Had to help Civils with something for their class and got that completed. Ran into more issues with Furrow but I am working on it now. Learned how to import wind farm layout into SAM. Looking for more turbine files for analysis. Calvin stated writing a rough financial report.

Turbine Design

Tail was redesigned and blades are wanted to be optimized and reprinted. The newest version of the nacelle has been manufactured; body and driveline also assembled. Electrical resistive network schematic has been drawn and should be manufactured soon. New body was printed and tested, servo also tested to see how well it breaks.

Outreach Team

April 10, 2023 to April 14, 2023

Project Development

TBD

Turbine Design

Subassembly report for CWC turned in. Wanted to perform more blade tests but printing had issues. Stress tests have shown that the blades can withstand up to 3000 RPM which gives us confidence for future wind tunnel testing. Mechanical systems have been assembled. Tested yaw system and printed new strong blades. Did rotational stress test and axial bending test. Print of TSR3 was done. Made a new design of TSR 2.8. Board printed for buck booster. Ordered converter circuit. Sensor and servo were also tested. Passed safety inspection for basic passive load. Driveline has been modified.

Outreach

TBD

August 2024 to December 2024 

This fall, we began designing a new wind turbine for the 2025 CWC competition. For this year’s competition, we are modifying our current Horizontal Axis turbine and creating a new Vertical Axis turbine. Now that both turbines have been built, we are ready to begin testing in the upcoming spring semester.