3D-printed wind turbine in works
Technology developed by University of Windsor PhD student being tested by Wekweeti students
Kassina Ryder
Northern News Services
Monday, May 25, 2015
WEKWEETI/SNARE LAKES
Students in Wekweeti could be at the forefront of potentially life-changing new technology for people living in remote communities, according to one Ontario engineering student and entrepreneur.
Kyle Bassett is doing his PhD in civil engineering at the University of Windsor and is the founder of RMRD TECH, a company using 3D printing to create portable wind turbines.
Through his friendship with Nathan Fitzsimmons, a first-year teacher at Alexis Arrowmaker School, Grade 10 science students in Wekweeti are testing Bassett's design to see how the devices operate in the North.
"One of the big opportunities, especially Northern Canada, is applying them in these very, very cold regions where they usually rely on gas generators," Bassett said.
The turbine, which Bassett called a "micro wind turbine", is only one metre long and 16 cm wide when packed.
It can generate up to fivewatts of electricity, making it perfect for charging small battery-operated devices such as cellphones and flashlights, he said.
Potentially hunters and other travelers could pack turbines as part of their supplies, allowing them to charge satellite phones and other devices while out on the land.
Thanks to the data gathered by Fitzsimmons' Grade 10 class, Bassett has determined the strengths and weaknesses involved in operating a turbine in a sub-Arctic environment.
"It actually makes it potentially more powerful because the air is denser at colder temperatures," Bassett said. "But it also puts more strain and stress on the turbine components."
That means the turbines must be constructed using high-strength plastic capable of withstanding extreme temperatures.
"The testing in Wekweeti emphasizes that it needs to be very versatile," he said.
Bassett also learned that keeping the design small allowed Fitzsimmons to easily transport the turbine as part of his checked luggage on the flight to Wekweeti from Ontario.
Once in the Tlicho community, he said it was a breeze to set up.
"It was small enough that it wasn't a big deal to get it to Wekweeti in the first place. The whole thing itself weighed maybe 15 lbs ... it takes two minutes to put together and get working."
For Fitzsimmons, testing the turbine has provided his three science students with a unique, hands-on learning experience, he said.
In January, the class selected a hill near the school and headed up to assemble the turbine together, which they have been testing ever since.
"It's something that these guys have never seen before," Fitzsimmons said.
The project has also allowed him to introduce a variety of different topics, such as weather and climate change.
"It fit right in because in second semester I started teaching Experiential Science 10," he said.
Students are also learning about the potential of renewable energy, Fitzsimmons said.
The turbines can be combined to generate more electricity, which could be used to power larger devices or off-grid buildings.
"When you're looking at a wind turbine, you can be learning about basic electrical systems, aerodynamics, mechanical systems," Bassett said. "You can learn a huge variety of science and engineering topics from one device."
Bassett originally tested the turbines while living in Venecia, Nicaragua for 18 months in 2010, he said.
"During this process I built several wind turbines and put them together as part of a community charging station," he said.
People from around the area traveled to the community to charge everything from cellphones to flashlights to lanterns.
"It was an overwhelming success," Bassett said.
Since then, Bassett and his team have developed a design that can be printed on a 3D printer in about two hours.
"Anyone in the world can actually go and hit print and create one of their own turbines in an afternoon," he said.
This year, Bassett is planning to return to Nicaragua to use the existing turbines to generate electricity to power a 3D printer, which will be used to create more turbines.
Using 3D printers to establish entire power generation systems could be done in any remote community, Bassett added.
"This type of a model could really be done anywhere," he said.
Fitzsimmons said he agreed.
"A low-cost way to produce free energy is good for anybody," he said.
"It's really exciting because the possibilities are endless."
Bassett said after the success of this year's pilot in Wekweeti, he plans on sending two more turbines with Fitzsimmons when he returns to teach next year.
He and his team are currently crowd sourcing for funding using the online fundraising platform Kickstarter.
