Team Name:

WSU Everett Wind Energy Team

Washington State University-Everett with Everett Community College, Everett, Washington

Why this Competition?

Participation in the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2020 Collegiate Wind Competition (CWC) will give the WSU Everett Wind Energy Team structure and guidance. By working with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and students from teams across the nation, the team will be better prepared to become active members of the future renewable energy workforce.

Project Description

For their inaugural entry into the turbine prototype portion of the CWC, the WSU Everett Wind Energy Team has chosen to design a variable-pitch vertical axis wind turbine.

Traditional fixed-pitch vertical axis wind turbines offer some advantages over more traditional horizontal axis wind turbines yet suffer from lower efficiency and self-starting difficulty. This is partly because the airfoil turbine blades change their orientation to the wind as they rotate around the turbine’s vertical axis and, therefore, are not always positioned correctly when it comes to generating positive torque.

A variable-pitch vertical axis wind turbine, also called a cycloturbine, can pitch its blades as they rotate around the turbine’s vertical central axis. In this way, each blade contributes to the force that causes the turbine to spin regardless of its angular position in relation to the turbine’s vertical axis.

For the project development portion of the competition, the WSU Everett Wind Energy Team will be designing a 100-megawatt wind farm located in eastern Colorado, using existing commercially available wind turbines. The team is working with consultants in geography and geographic information systems to locate a brownfield site that can be economically converted for wind energy generation.

Game Plan

Utilizing the strategy of divide and conquer, the WSU Everett Wind Energy team is split into six subteams:

• The Aerodynamics Team is exploring airfoils and pitching schemes to optimize the turbine’s performance.
• The Linkage and Housing Teams are designing the turbine rotor and studying how to control the pitching regimen recommended by the Aerodynamics Team.
• The Electrical and Software Teams are choosing which generator will be used and designing the control system hardware, as well as the team’s software.
• The Siting Team is studying geographic information systems software, identifying the site of the team’s wind farm, and preparing the financial analysis.

The various teams work separately and come together for weekly combined WSU Everett Wind Energy Team meetings. These group sessions are key to fostering strong collaboration among all members on everything from troubleshooting to sharing breakthroughs.

Team Strengths

The WSU Everett Wind Energy Team is an urban branch campus within the Washington State University System. Offering both a wide variety of majors and the family-like atmosphere of a small campus, the WSU Everett Wind Energy Team brings together mechanical, electrical, engineering, communications, business, and manufacturing expertise into one cohesive team.

The school has also developed a partnership with Everett Community College and its one-of-a-kind Advanced Manufacturing Training and Education Center (AMTEC). This collaboration maximizes the capabilities of the team.

Team Hurdles

The 2020 CWC will mark the WSU Everett Wind Energy Team’s first appearance at the competition. Although they will be going up against much more experienced teams, the team feels ready for the challenge. Their intention is to perform well, but also use the experience as a valuable opportunity to learn and sharpen their skills and knowledge.

Competition Objectives

As this is the team’s first year participating in the CWC, one of the main objectives is to learn as much as possible to prepare for future competitions. In addition to gaining from their own experiences, the team is excited to interact with the other teams, as well as industry professionals.

Follow Us

Twitter: @WSUEEC; #GoCougs #EverCougs and tag @WSUEverett

Facebook: facebook.com/WSUEverett and facebook.com/WSUEverettEngineeringClub or tag @WSUEverett @WSUEverettEngineeringClub

Instagram: @WSUEEC; #GoCougs, #EverCougs, #Everett, and tag @WSUEverett

LinkedIn: Washington State University Everett Engineering Club; #EverCoug, #GoCougs, and tag @WSUEverett

This content was submitted to the U.S. Department of Energy by the team.