Engineers Without Borders

Accepting applications for 2 potential additional travellers

A new application (downloadable below) for the Winter Break 2007 El Salvador Trip is now available. Travelers will be spending December 7th to December 24th traveling or in El Salvador.

We are tentatively seeking up to two additional people for the Winter 2007 traveling team. The final decision to add these positions will be made based on feedback from the community in El Salvador and the EWB-OSU Board of Directors. This trip will focus on the construction and implementation of our project in addition to a continued assessment of community needs.

Continue reading…

November 7, 2007 General Meeting

Engineers Without Borders Board Meeting

Nov 7th 2007, 7:00pm

Kelley 1001

1. Announcements

• Two more travelers approved to go on the December trip to El Salvador.
• The Regional Technical Advisory Committee gave the Travel team props for their project plan
• The Organic Growers Club rain water catchment system installation was a success. Go check it out when it rains this weekend out off of Hwy 20.
• Football parking volunteer opportunity this weekend. Contact Katie Bruce to confirm attendence. Two shirts from 7-1 and 1-7.
• Polos available and cost $20.50. Contact Evan Miles to purchase a polo.
  
• Habitat for Humanity project weekend the first weekend back in school winter term. Contact Katie Bruce or Nick Hogle for any questions.
  

2. Wind Turbine Project- Jesse Boudart

1. Identifying Likely Candidates
   1. Potential patent by Dr Walker
2. What it would Power
   1. Security lighting system (higher impact and liability)
      
      1. will need lights and storage
   2. Feed OSU grid
      1. will need inverter
3. Student Involvement -Student lead, engineered and run
   1. Policy group
      1. Pitch idea to Facility Services-to gain access to begin citing and data gathering
      2. Funding
         1. Student Sustainability Initiative- up to $5000 and potentially more depending on impact
            
         2. Keen Sponsorship
      3. Awareness
         1. Education of campus
         2. Environmental
   2. Design
      1. Preliminary Testing
         1. Construct wind ram- can potentially double wind speed
         2. Manometer measurements around campus, measuring wind speed and direction
      2. Pre-feasibility design
         1. Size- generator, blades, tail, swivel support
         2. Top-out speeds to prevent mal-function
      3. Security Lights
         1. load calculation
         2. light mount design
         3. Battery storage system
      4. Part design
         1. Buy or Fabricate parts
      5. Testing System- looking at noise and other parameters
      6. Future
         
         1. Improvement of Old Design
         2. Different Locations such as High Schools
         3. Larger or more complex turbine design/implementation on coast

Minutes prepared by: Kelly Wilson, Nov 7th, 2007

Ted Brekken Speaks at General Meeting, October 10

Engineers Without Borders Board Meeting

October 10th, 7:00pm

Kelley 1003

1. Ted Brekken EECS - Wave Power

Other Faculty that work on this project Annette von Juanne, Bob Paasch, Solomon Yim and Alex Yocochi.

There are 4 main thrust areas

• Researching novel direct-drive energy generators: 5th and 6th prototypes with in ocean testing this summer and building linear test bed
• Development f wave energy demonstration site
• Working closely with ODOE
• Look at ecological environmental impacts

Energy Outlook: World energy consumption is increasing with over 433 quad BTU’s consumed in 2005. With greenhouse gases on the rise, and scientists surmising that this is due to our energy generation practices that produce a lot of CO2, renewable energy sources are coming more into fashion.

It is estimated that if 0.2% of the ocean’s untapped eergy could be harnessed, it could provide power sufficient for the whole world. Ocean energy sources could be tidal, current, temperature gradient, salinity and wave. Wave energy has advantages over other renewables due to higher availability, more predictable and forcastable, and lower viewshed impact. At present wave energy is estimated at 20-30 cents per kwh. This cost is the life-cycle costs divided over total energy produced.

Waves come from the sun heating the earths atmosphere causing wind. The wind causes a waves. Western shores of continents and towards the poles are the strongest winds. In Oregon there is much higher resource of wave power than in the summer ( in summer average wave height is around 1.5 ft and in the winter around 3.5 ft. amount of power is proportional to height of wave squared, this matches our power needs). Currently in Oregon most of our generation is in unpopulated areas, in the east. Our coastlines currently have the energy potential in the range of 13,800MW (460km at 30 kW/m) although only some percentage of this cold be harnessed without affecting the coastline. Oregon has also a goal for 25% renewables by 2025. Brekken thinks that 50% of this could be supplied by wave energy in this time frame. There is a shadowing effect from the wave buoy. At 100ft from buoy wave power is decreased around 6%.

FERC preliminary permit filings for wave projects in Oregon- Finervera, Oceanlink ltd, Douglas County, Lincoln County, and PG&E. Counties are filing aren’t wanting to leave these decisions in the hands of external companies so file for their entire coastline. Most of oregons usable wave power is around 3 miles out. Further out it gets too deep and too far away transfer energy and too close the breakers lose too much energy.

At OSU we have the WESERF (Wallace Energy Systems and Renewables Facility) and the Hinsdale Wave research Lab. The basic wave energy extraction technologies

•  Oscillatingwater column: uses a wells turbine-generator system, Wave gen and oveanlinx have devices functioning in water.
• Wave attenuator: the Pelamis by Ocean power delivery (Scotland) Where the long segmented device bends it runs hydraulic rams to run 3/4 MW for 150M and 3.5 m wide. Three are currently off the coast of Portugal
• Over topping: Creates a narrowing basin that forces water up into a reservoir and the water comes back through generators. Larges is Danish Wave Dragon at 4MW and they are looking to increase to 20MW.
• Point absorber: what OSU is researching. Wave causes buoy with metal coils to move along magnetic shaft. Other designs utilize hydraulic rams whereas OSU’s project is direct drive.

OSU’s goals- device must be survivable, reliable and maintainable. Their approach is to make it as simple as possible which is why they are using the direct drive permanent linear generator. The power output is a pulse power around 25 watts per phase. The unit (seabeav) is 11ft tall by 4 ft wide. Its built to float in 135 ft of water. They will be testing with Finevera off the coast of Newport. The test location is about 1.5miles off of yaquina beach. Fineveras own device is nearby. Their devices is also a point absorber. Their device has a pelton generator that is hooked to s stretchy tube that elongates and pumps a fluid. The device is ballasted so that it will sit fairly far down into the wave so that it can get the resonant effect from the wave cycle.

Wave energy and local community projects. Attractive wave energy sites are about 150 to 200 dt deep which is also good for crabbing ans fishing. A wave energy park would not be fish-able/ PSu is setting aside $10k for crabbing equipment reimbursement because the crab pots will inevitable be tangled and destroyed in wave parks. Currently Oregon coast utilize $20k per square nautical mile per year. The Fishermen in Natural Energy (FINE) in newport is set up for OSU and Newport community members to collaborate on where wave parks could potentially go in. The relationship between FERC and MMS is difficult to deal with because of permitting difficulties (FERC is in charge of Coast and 3 miles into sea and MMS is in charge of the ocean).

This Friday a Linear Test Bed will be arriving and installed here at OSU to test the system better on campus. A 2000 MW grid capacity already exists, likely our system could be built into that. There is a Wave energy Demo center at Hatfield Marine Center which is where would be a good prospect for the National Wave Demo site.

THe Environmental issues are lengthy. The effects of Electromagnetic Fields are numerous ant are attractive/effect some sea life. The Effects from the construction and deployment and services of the cables would be mainly on invertebrates and sea floor structure and creation of sediment plume. The effects of physical structure of the buoy field on the migration of mammals and the antifouling agents entering the system. Also the creating of wave parks could have a positive impact.

There are a lot of projects going on off the Oregon coast. There is a DVD available - Wave power: the potential of Oregon’s Ocean Energy from the Oregon Sea Grant that could be available.

2. Membership Dues and Tshirt and Polos

Contact Evan to pay the 15$ the membership to help pay for our national membership. Also the Polos are currently available for ordering for 22$.

3. Banquet- Brad Eagleson

Still have spots to volunteer. We still need waiters, and food preparation on Friday 12-6 and 6-midnight. Then on Thursday 12-6 preparation for food.

4. Students for Sustainability- Jesse

Their group is going to build a wind turbine here on campus. This will raise awareness on campus on alternative energy. After a show of hands a majority of people
5. Habitat for Humanity - Evan Miles

Katie and Nick are our new Habitat for Humanity Coordinators. In the future we may be able to provide services on a Saturday to help out a local habitat project. After a show of hands it looks like everyone would be interested in lending a hand to habitat.

6. Project Team Meeting- Aparna and Jessica

Next Monday Stag 109 6pm. The Monday after will be the design meetings for technical design.

Second Annual Project Benefit Banquet

The Second Annual Project Benefit Banquet is coming up on Friday, October 19. We’re planning a variety of events. There will be presentations from Michael Campana, an expert on international water issues, as well as from our own team with an update on our project implementation in El Salvador. In addition, we’ll offer Central American cuisine, a tango dancing lesson, and live music. It will be an excellent time. Tickets are $50 per person, or $500 per table.

Please contact Brad Eagleson, 503-507-1095, bradleyalan@gmail.com, with questions or to purchase tickets.

West Coast Regional Workshop

The West Coast Regional Workshop will be from 7pm Oct 12th to 3pm Oct 14th at Portland State University. This will be a great opportunity for our chapter this year since it is taking place so near us. Doug (vanbosdo@engr.orst.edu) is organizing carpools so when you register please send him an email so that he can allot space for you if you want. Everyone, even if you haven’t attended many, or any, meetings, is welcome to attend. This would be a great opportunity for those who want to learn more about EWB and technical skills that could you with project work. Check out the website for more info and to register. www.ewbwestcoast.org/workshop

September 26th 2007 Chapter Meeting

May 7th 2007, 6:00pm

Kelley 1003

1. El Salvador Project Update - Aprana and Carl

Our Chapter is currently working to install an efficient water filtration and delivery system in the mountain communities of Las Mercedes and El Naranjito of El Salvador. These Rural mountain communities have a history of deficient accessibility to potable water. The community identified the problems of diarrhea and undernourishments, distance from the springs and lack of funds for distribution and treatment for water.

Our project has coordinated the communities receiving Potters for Peace filters and is in the process of designing a individual rain catchments system. The community has approved a system that would involve putting gutters on house, 55 gallon barrels and potentially a larger tank with piping and flow control systems. There is also potential for a small concrete tank for the schools.

The organic growers have requested a rain catchments systems that will serve as a test run for our own implementation.

The next project meeting will be next tuesday at 6:30. Aparna will be emailing out the time.

2. Open Positions

There are 5 open positions, public health team leader, habitat for humanity project coordinator, membership coordinator, social activities coordinator, and El Salvador project liason. Contact Doug or Kendra if you would be interested in any of these positions.

3. Banquet - Brad Eagleson

The Banquet funds go to help our project directly. The banquet will be October 19th with the theme of “Around the World”. The food will be latin food and there will be a youth marimba band and there will be dancing with tango lessons. There will be a silent auction that Lyndsey will need help with people to gather information.

We will need several volunteers for this serving food and coming up with people to invite. Tickets cost $50 and tables cost $500.

4. Regional Workshop

October 12th - 14th at Portland State University. Check out the website for more information. Sign up by October 1st for the reduced price and email doug to coordinate driving and accommodations. www.ewbwestcoast.org/workshop

Minutes prepared by Kelly Wilson, September 26th, 2007

South Sister Camping/Climbing Trip

What: Camping at the foot of and climbing South Sister
When: September 28-30, 2007
Where : South Sister (near Mount Bachelor)
Why: To have some fun with your EWB friends!

Cost: $20.00 (Payment will be used for group meals on Saturday night and Sunday morning)

Maximum Capacity: 24 people (first come first serve basis)

Contacts:

Birdie Cornyn cornynt@engr.orst.edu
Douglas Van Bossuyt vanbosdo@engr.orst.edu

Continue reading…

Project Meeting, May 30

The next project meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 30th at 6:00 PM in STAG 132. At the meeting, we’ll be discussing the data that the design team worked on last week for the tank design.

Accepting Applications for Travel over Winter Break 2007

We are currently accepting applications for travelers for a trip to the project site in El Salvador over Winter Break, 2007. The trip will focus on the construction of a significant portion of our water delivery system and continuing assessment of community needs. EWB-OSU will offer several skill-building workshops in the coming months to prepare selected travelers.

Anyone selected for travel must be willing and able to put in at least eight hours of volunteer work with EWB-OSU per month between the time of their selection and the time of the trip. In return, all (reasonable) expenses associated with the trip will be paid for by EWB-OSU.

Applications may be downloaded below and must be delivered to Andy Sabalowsky’s mailbox in Owen 220 by FRIDAY, JUNE 1st, FRIDAY, JUNE 8th (note the extended deadline).

Click to download the Winter 2007 Travel Application

General Meeting, June 4

Join us for our next general meeting, where Michael Campana, a professor in OSU’s department of Geosciences and director of the Institute for Water and Watersheds, will give a talk entitled “Constructing Rural Village Water Systems in Central America: Experiential Learning 101”.

The meeting will be June 4 at 5:00 in KEC 1007. As always, we’ll provide the food.

Meeting Minutes

Continue reading…