Electric Motor with Wind

Turbine Component to
Extend battery Life
Paulina Hall, Lauren Warner, Shannon Woolfolk
Acknowledgements

Our thanks to the Governors School at Innovation Park,

our mentor, Dr. Psaker, Dr. Gutierrez for aiding us with 3D
printing our materials, Ms. Massie, for helping us along
the way, Mr. Smaltz, Prince William County Schools for
affording us this wonderful opportunity, and finally our
parents and classmates for pushing us to always pursue
success and tolerating the amount of noise weve made
during this project.
Abstract

Goal is to make electric vehicles more accessible to the general

public
Extend run time through incorporation of wind turbine
Test concept through two different steps
Step 1: Test efficiency of wind turbine independent of battery
and motor
Step 2: Combine motor, battery, and turbine (if using), measuring
initial and final voltages
Further testing would include large-scale application of concept
The average voltage used with the wind turbine had a 52.9 percent
difference from the battery alone in series
Overall concept proven with hope to test on larger scale later
Introduction

Increased usage of electric cars to reduce the carbon footprint

Electric cars can take anywhere from 3.5 to 10 hours to recharge
externally
Ratio of quick recharge stations to gas stations in U.S. is 1:11.2
Need to maximize energy efficiency in order to apply electric cars
on larger range
Demand in U.S. especially with working adults traveling an average
of 20,000 miles per year to commute
EMWiT hopes to decrease the energy drawn from the battery and
replace it with clean wind energy generated by wind resistance
Question

Can an electric motor be modified to lengthen

the run time by incorporating a wind turbine in
parallel with the battery?
Hypothesis

If a wind turbine and an electric motor are

combined in a parallel circuit with a battery,
then the wind turbine will provide an additional
power source, lengthening the run time and
maximizing the efficiency of the motor.
 Materials

3D printed armature 6V battery

28 AWG magnet wire Generator
Iron filings 9V battery
Epoxy glue Vex parts
Stainless steel epoxy putty Timer
Solid aluminum rod (0.8125" diameter) Multimeter
36"x36" aluminum sheet metal 6x6 copper plate
22 neodymium magnets (2" length) Differential Voltage probe
3D - printed wind turbine blades and hub Speedometer
Insulated wire Alligator clips
Store bought electric motor Duct Tape
LED Solder
Electrical Tape Car
Procedure
1. 3D print 17 wind turbine blades and a hub.
2. Connect the pieces to the hub with epoxy.
3. Attach the turbine to a system of vex gears to maximize energy production.
4. Measure initial voltage of a 9V battery using multimeter.
5. Combine the battery and an electric motor (store bought) in a series circuit.
6. Run motor for 15 minutes and record voltage difference of the battery.
7. Repeat steps 4-6 with two other 9V batteries.
8. Measure and record the initial voltage again for a 9V battery.
9. Connect the turbine and battery in a parallel circuit with the motor.
10. Repeat step 6 and 7 and record voltage differences.
11. Compare voltage differences from steps 6 and 10.
12. 3D print an electric motor armature frame.
13. Construct a DC electric motor using the frame, neodymium magnets, aluminum, and
other metals.
14. Once the motor is fully working, repeat steps 4-11using the hand built motor instead of
the store bought.
Testing

Testing for the wind turbine

and motor consisted mainly
of the wind turbine being
propelled by wind
resistance at speeds of
about 30 MPH. Three trials
for each set were
completed with the wind
turbine moving constantly.
Experiment
Set-Up
The small electric motor was
connected to the turbine-
battery combination, which
was in parallel. The LED, or
light-emitting diode was
used to prevent the flow of
current from the battery to
the wind turbine, so that the
wind turbine would
supplement the battery
rather than the battery
running the wind turbine.
Data and Results
Data and Results Cont.
Data and Results Cont.
Data Analysis
Battery as a Stand Alone Power Source
1st Trial- 0.94 V
2nd Trial- 0.77 V
3rd Trial- 0.61 V
Battery in Parallel With Wind Turbine
1st Trial- 0.42 V
2nd Trial- 0.42 V
3rd Trial- 0.51 V
52.9 percent difference between averages
Supports Hypothesis
Conclusion
Hypothesis was supported by data
52.9% difference between averages
Voltage drop was significantly reduced when battery
was in parallel with the wind turbine
Application
Clean source of energy to power electric cars
Make electric cars more accessible to general public
Challenges
3D printing errors
Blades broke off on multiple occasions
Conclusion Cont.

Future Improvements
Self-constructed motor or larger motor for broader
application
Fan made out of stronger material
Larger wind turbine
Testing different angles of the wind turbine for
greatest power output
References

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