Savonius Turbine Project
Team Leaders:
Keira Higgins Gabriel Kramer (Spring) Angela Gallo (Fall) Team Members:
Jake Barker Arden Bonzo Olivia Breglia Lainey Celeste Sarah Collmus Bri Goold Austin Hayes Anna Jacobson Jai Mehra Julia Provenzano Sara Zuwiyya Description:
Based on this DIY design, we used a 55 gallon drum to construct a vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) to display at Imagine RIT. Our project places a heavy emphasis on community education. The goal is to quantitatively show wind power as a feasible option for RIT. Eventually, we would like to see RIT conduct an official cost-benefit analysis and work towards installing multiple functioning wind turbines on campus. |
Special Thanks:
Shop in Gleason, Jan, Labbies, and other people in the shop who helped us find tools, etc. Shop in Slaughter and Labbies Everyone who asked questions and wanted to learn more! ESW and RIT Club Organization for funding and resources Dan for helping us learn Solidworks! MECE Staff for resources, software, and advice And of course our dedicated members! |
To find an appropriate turbine, we did extensive research into unconventional designs. The designs were compared based on performance in turbulent environments, cost and manufacturing feasibility.
The team considered the wind speed, visibility, height, accessibility, potential to disrupt wildlife, and susceptibility to noise pollution of various locations around the RIT campus to find the best places to install a potential VAWT.
The team considered the wind speed, visibility, height, accessibility, potential to disrupt wildlife, and susceptibility to noise pollution of various locations around the RIT campus to find the best places to install a potential VAWT.
We ‘up-cycled’ a 55 gallon drum to create a two-bladed Turbine.
We turned unwanted pallets into a support structure. The turbine rests in a wooden frame on two vertical bearings and can be connected to a motor and a battery to generate electricity.
We finished construction in the week leading up to Imagine RIT.
To understand the multiple ways of harnessing the wind, we got in touch with Vortex Bladeless, a startup company based in Spain. We updated them and them us on the progress of both of our projects, and will continue communication in the future.
To understand the multiple ways of harnessing the wind, we got in touch with Vortex Bladeless, a startup company based in Spain. We updated them and them us on the progress of both of our projects, and will continue communication in the future.
We presented our turbine at Imagine RIT on May 7, 2016.
End-Life:
The turbine now resides in the Community Garden. It is no longer connected to a generator, but it otherwise remains fully functional.
The turbine now resides in the Community Garden. It is no longer connected to a generator, but it otherwise remains fully functional.