Solar Power Car – v.

1 – Cyprus 1

 
 
Solar Power Car
Aspect Description

Overarching theme Renewable energy is of great interest for the

society, the economy, the everyday life of
students and teachers. It is also a matter of
long debates in news, media, TV the ways
countries and regions use various forms of
renewable energy in power plants, in
production, and in transportation.

Title of the teaching unit Solar Power Car

Scientific competencies - Designing

- Evaluating
- Modeling
- Experimenting
Scientific content to be addressed - Energy
- Power
- Gears
Prior science knowledge
Types of energy, power

Mathematical competencies - Modeling

- Graphing
- Proportional reasoning
Mathematical content to be addressed - Statistics
- Algebra
- Functions
Prior mathematical knowledge
Simple linear functions, average, graph plotting

Type of activities -modelling activities

- guided discovery
- projectwork
# lessons needed in science
Science and Technology 3

# lessons needed in maths 3

didactical setting - group work

- designexperiments
- student presentations
age group 11-14
reference to textbook Country specific
closing activity -oral presentation (power point)
- poster presentation
- final written report
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Overview of the Activity

1. Overarching theme
- Air pollution

- Energy, Power

- Alternative Energy Sources

- Designing a new Solar Power Car

2. The teaching scenario

Introductory activity: The Air Pollution Problem

The main purpose of the introductory activity is to let students understand the role that solar cars
might play in improving the environment. For this purpose, it is helpful for students to examine
how cars, and burning fossil fuels, contribute to the air pollution problem.
For an overview of the problem, students can study the following material:

Air pollution in the United States comes from many types of engines, industries, and commercial
operations. Pollution sources that move, such as cars, trucks, airplanes, and trains, are known as
"mobile sources." Examples of all other (non-mobile) sources of air pollution include power
plants, factories, and manufacturing processes.

Mobile sources pollute the air through combustion and fuel evaporation. These emissions
contribute greatly to air pollution worldwide and are the primary cause of air pollution in many
urban areas.

You can help reduce air pollution from mobile sources in a number of different ways:

• One of the best ways to help reduce air pollution is to drive less. Try an alternative means
of transportation such as buses, trains, or bicycles. Choose to commute to work by
carpooling, vanpooling, telecommuting, or by using public transportation.

• Although many of us depend on our vehicles for work and pleasure, we can still take some
smart actions to reduce emissions, such as using clean fuels.

A collection of Solar Car related articles

During the 1990s, regulations requiring an approach to "zero emissions" from vehicles increased
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interest in new battery technology. Battery systems that offer higher energy density became the
subject of joint research by federal and auto industry scientists.

Solar cars were first built by universities and manufacturers. The sun energy collector areas
proved to be too large for consumer cars, however that is changing. Development continues on
solar cell design and car power supply requirements such as heater or air-conditioning fans.

Toyota's third-generation Prius, due at dealerships this spring,

will have an optional solar panel on its roof. The panel will
power a ventilation system that can cool the car without help
from the engine, Toyota says. But it's a long way from the 2010
Prius to a solar-powered car, experts told CNN. Most agree that
there just isn't enough space on a production car to get full power
from solar panels.

2.1 Overarching questions

• What are the main sources of air pollution?

• What effect does air pollution have on the environment?
• What can we do to reduce air pollution?
• How solar power cars can help in reducing air pollution and energy consumption?
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2.2 Finalproduct

Students can present their findings using various forms of presentations, such as:

• A PowerPoint presentation

• A webpage

• A poster

• A written report

• A combination of the above presentation methods

3.Rationale and Background Information

Solar Energy Basics

Solar is the Latin word for sun—a powerful source of energy that can be used to heat, cool, and
light our homes and businesses. That's because more energy from the sun falls on the earth in one
hour than is used by everyone in the world in one year. A variety of technologies convert sunlight
to usable energy for buildings. The most commonly used solar technologies for homes and
businesses are solar water heating, passive solar design for space heating and cooling, and solar
photovoltaics for electricity.

Businesses and industry also use these technologies to diversify their energy sources, improve
efficiency, and save money. Solar photovoltaic and concentrating solar power technologies are
also being used by developers and utilities to produce electricity on a massive scale to power
cities and small towns.

Solar Photovoltaic Technology

Solar cells, also called photovoltaic (PV) cells, convert sunlight directly into electricity. PV gets
its name from the process of converting light (photons) to electricity (voltage), which is called the
PV effect. The PV effect was discovered in 1954, when scientists at Bell Telephone discovered
that silicon (an element found in sand) created an electric charge when exposed to sunlight. Soon
solar cells were being used to power space satellites and smaller items like calculators and
watches. Today, thousands of people power their homes and businesses with individual solar PV
systems. Utility companies are also using PV technology for large power stations.

Solar panels used to power homes and businesses are typically

made from solar cells combined into modules that hold about
40 cells. A typical home will use about 10 to 20 solar panels to
power the home. The panels are mounted at a fixed angle
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facing south, or they can be mounted on a tracking device that follows the sun, allowing them to
capture the most sunlight. Many solar panels combined together to create one system is called a
solar array. For large electric utility or industrial applications, hundreds of solar arrays are
interconnected to form a large utility-scale PV system.

Traditional solar cells are made from silicon, are usually flat-plate, and generally are the most
efficient. Second-generation solar cells are called thin-film solar cells because they are made
from amorphous silicon or nonsilicon materials such as cadmium telluride. Thin film solar cells
use layers of semiconductor materials only a few micrometers thick. Because of their flexibility,
thin film solar cells can double as rooftop shingles and tiles, building facades, or the glazing for
skylights.

Solar Power Cars

A solar vehicle is an electric vehicle powered by solar electricity. This is obtained from solar
panels on the surface (generally, the top or window) of the vehicle or using a solar jacket in
electric bicycles. Photovoltaic (PV) cells convert the sun's energy directly into electrical energy.

Solar cars combine technology typically used in the aerospace, bicycle, alternative energy and
automotive industries. The design of a solar vehicle is severely limited by the amount of energy
input into the car. Most solar cars have been built for the purpose of solar car races. Exceptions
include solar-powered cars and utility vehicles.

Solar cars are often fitted with gauges as seen in conventional cars. In order to keep the car
running smoothly, the driver must keep an eye on these gauges to spot possible problems. Cars
without gauges almost always feature wireless telemetry, which allows the driver's team to
monitor the car's energy consumption, solar energy capture and other parameters and free the
driver to concentrate on driving.

Solar cars depend on PV cells to convert sunlight into electricity. In fact, 51% of sunlight actually
enters the Earth's atmosphere.Unlike solar thermal energy which converts solar energy to heat for
either household purposes, industrial purposes or to be converted to electricity, PV cells directly
convert sunlight into electricity.When sunlight (photons) strike PV cells, they excite electrons
and allow them to flow, creating an electrical current. PV cells are made of semiconductor
materials such as silicon and alloys of indium, gallium and nitrogen. Silicon is the most common
material used and has an efficiency rate of 15-20%.

The Scientific Inquiry Method

Throughout the activity students will adopt the basic steps in the Scientific Inquiry and the
Engineering Design method. These methods, which have many in common, are presented in brief
below.

A sample process cycle involve the components: ask, imagine, plan, create, and improve. The
design process can begin at any component, with movement back and forth between the
components occurring numerous times.
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The first stage is Ask. Similar to the scientists, the first stage in the scientific method is to state
the problem. Good scientists are curious about the world around them. They observe
phenomenon and want to understand why and how things happen. Then they come up with a
question or problem. Once the problem is stated, scientists move on to the next steps of
developing a hypothesis and experimenting.

Students and Engineers can imagine how to solve a problem. In other words, once scientists state
a problem, they gather as much information as they can about their question. This may include
looking at the results of earlier scientific studies, interviewing experts, reading, and observing.
Good research requires critical thinking, for example, you must make sure the source of your
information is reliable, and it is a good idea to find multiple sources to confirm the information
you gather.A hypothesis is a possible explanation for the question or problem that can be tested
with an experiment. Research is necessary before a scientist can come up with a good hypothesis;
otherwise, a hypothesis would just be a wild guess.

In an experiment, scientists collect information under controlled conditions to test the hypothesis.
In other words, they Plan how to solve the initial problem. The information is then analyzed to
see if the hypothesis was correct. The experimentation process is necessary because it allows
scientists to test the validity of their assumptions. It is often important to perform the experiment
a number of times, changing some of the variables as you go along.

By carefully looking at the results of the experiment, you can analyze your data and draw a
conclusion about whether the hypothesis was proven. Perhaps there is another explanation for
your question or problem. It is necessary to look at all aspects of the experiment. What worked?
What didn’t? Why not? It is important not to rule out data that does not support the hypothesis.
All data should be reviewed in the formulation of a strong, fact-based conclusion. Similar, in
engineering design the final product can be improved and better fit to the initial design.

Mathematical Modeling

In solving real-world engineering problems, students repeatedly express, test, and refine or revise
their current ways of thinking as they endeavour to create a structurally significant product -
namely, a model that can be used to interpret, explain, and predict the behaviour of one or more
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systems defined by the problem. The development of such models can be described in terms of
four iterative activities, namely:
1. Understanding the context of the problem and the system to be modeled;
2. Expressing/testing/revising a working model;
3. Evaluating the model under conditions of its intended application; and
4. Documenting the model throughout the development process.

The modeling process is represented in the flow diagram below:

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Teacher’s activity and role

Teacher role is very crucial in the successful implementation of engineering based modeling
activities. Generically, teachers need to have personal professional attributes, pedagogical
knowledge, ways to motivate student learning, and an understanding of the complexities of
curricula.
Teachers need personal attributes within a professional environment that help to facilitate
learning. There is also a relationship between teaching any subject matter and the teacher’s
attitude towards delivery of the subject. Indeed, teachers who have a positive attitude towards
teaching a subject can influence a student far more than one who has a negative attitude. A
teacher’s pedagogical knowledge is considered key for facilitating learning. Learning
environments need to have a range of opportunities for both collaborative and independent
studies. A key role for the teacher while activities are being implemented is the use of effective
questioning. Higher-order thinking questions can stimulate students’ cognitive processes.
Student motivation is a key to learning. Teachers need to know how to motivate students for
learning in engineering. Instilling positive attitudes about engineering can motivate students to
consider engineering as a career option. Although there are many ways to motivate students, and
students have different internal mechanisms for self motivation, a teacher can motivate students
by: (1) targeting their misconceptions about the topic or key concepts; (2) facilitating cooperative
group work with interactive activities; (3) providing practical, real-world activities; and (4)
presenting them with real-world excursions related to the topic being studied. The teacher must
also be able to address students’ questions about the topic or at least know how to assist the
students with their inquiry. Many hands-on lessons (e.g., science, mathematics, and engineering)
will require problem solving. Such problem solving usually involves teachers “thinking on their
feet”, particularly with troubleshooting the supply, access and usage of resources.
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4. Diagram

Overarching questions
•How can we reduce Air Pollution? How can we use renewable energy?
•How can we build a Solar Power Car?

Types of Renewable Energy Power of a Photovoltaic Unit

(Task 1) (Task 2)

Shape of the Solar Car

(Task 3)

Motion Transmision Shape of the Photovoltaic Net

(Task 5) (Task 4)

Selling the Car

(Task 6)

Coming back to the Overarching questions

Design and Sell the Best Solar Power Car!
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5. Tasks
The Solar Power Car activity comprises of six tasks, which are presented in detail in the next
sessions.

5.1 Types of Renewable Energy

In this activity students discuss the various types of renewable energy and make decisions on how
the different types of renewable energy can be used for reducing the air pollution problem and the
non-renewable energy consumption.

Students work in groups of 3-4. The teacher will act as a facilitator and assist students in
searching the web and other resources for collecting information, make decisions and draw
conclusions. Students will present their results in a poster and present this poster to the whole
class for discussion and constructive feedback. A number of indicative web resaources is
presented below for each type of renewable energy.

Solar Energy

http://www.greenpeace.org/greece/137368/137396/138618

http://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/solar

http://1gym-ag-arask.att.sch.gr/environment/iliako/energy/iliaki/index.htm

http://www.energolab.gr/index.asp?c=26

Wind Energy

http://www.physics4u.gr/energy/windenergy.html
http://www.cres.gr/kape/energeia_politis/energeia_politis_wind.htm
http://www.cres.gr/kape/kidsol/wind/34.htm

Geothermal Energy

http://www.physics4u.gr/energy/geotherme.html
http://kpe-kastor.kas.sch.gr/energy1/alternative/geothermal.htm
http://1gym-ag-parask.att.sch.gr/environment/iliako/energy/geoth/index.htm

Biomass

http://www.greenpeace.org/greece/137368/137396/138603
http://1gym-ag-parask.att.sch.gr/environment/iliako/energy/viomaza/index.htm
http://www.energypoint.gr/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=125
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5.2Power of a Photovoltaic Unit

Students create the construction presented in the figure,

complete the table and draw a corresponding graph.

The purpose of this activity is to construct a simple photovoltaic (PV) system, using a PV cell(s)
and a DC ammeter, in order to investigate:
howthesurfacearea of the PV unitsaffectsthe power of theproducedelectricity

howtheangle betweenthe light and the PV unitaffectthegeneration of electricity

Materials
A materials kit, containing the following materials:
small PV cells

two electrical leads with alligator clips

DC ammeter

DC volt meter

source of bright light or access to direct sunlight (desk lamp or flashlight

could be substituted)

Complete the following table and draw a graph to show how the surface area of the PV unit
affects the power of the genrerated electricity.

Surface Area Æ(cm2) PowerÆ(Watt)

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What is the relation between the PV unit surface area and the pwoer of the produced electricity?

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Repeat the activity in order to explore the relation between the angle between light and
photovoltaic and the power generated. Draw your conclusions here.

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Open Investigation

Are there any other factors that might affect the produced electricity?

Design your own experiment!

What materials you will need?

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How your experiment will show like?

Which variables will you keep constant and which variables will you change?
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Conclusion

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More fun!

Is there another variable you want to investigate how it affects the electricity from a PV unit?

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Show your results here.

Conclusion

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5.3Shape of the Solar Car

In this activity students will make their own designs or select among ready ones. The activity will
focus on calculating the surface area of a car (measuring the metal and paint needed for the
production of the car). In doing so, students need to combine 2D shapes in constructing a 3D
image of the car.

In solving this activity students can copy the provided pictures in a Dynamic Geometry
software package and calculate the surface area of the car. For the purposes of this activity,
Geogebra software can be used. Geogebra can be freely downloaded from www.geogebra.org.

Your class decided to build a Solar Power car. Below you can find pictures of one popular car
and its dimensions. What you need to do is to calculate the metal needed for producing this car.
Considering that your Solar Power Car will be on a scale, also calculate the amount of metal,
wood, or plastic for your car (You fist have to decide on the scale factor).

You can also find these pictures in the car1.ggb file. You can open this file using
Geogebra software.
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Show how you will calculate the surface area of the car in the box below.

Now think on your Scale Car! Which will be the dimensions of your Model Car? Show your
work below.
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Which is the metallic surface area of the original Car?

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Which is the surface area of the Model Car?

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Draw your conclusions here!

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5.4Shape of a Photovoltaic Net

In this activity students will design the shape of the PV units on their model car

Use the Dalest – Origami Nets to design various solid nets as to explore how the photovoltaic net
placed on the car would look like.

Software: Dalest Nets software can be downloaded for free from:

www.elica.net/site/museum/Dalest/dalest.html

Show how the net of the photovoltaic net will look like.
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5.5 Motion Transmission

In this activity students explore the different types of motion transmission and make decisions for
their car. This activity provides opportunities for covering concepts from mathematics (e.g.,
proportionality), science (e.g., gears), and technology (e.g., types of gears).

Software:

In this task students will work with Gears Simulator (http://www.tucows.com/preview/346223)

of any other similar software.
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Identify the advantages and disadvantages for each type of motion.

A. Mechanical gears
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B. Belt gears
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Design the following construction in the Gears Simulator software

What is the relation between the teeth of the two wheels and their speed?

1. Design your experiment to answer the question mentioned above.

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2. Which types of gears will you need for designing your Solar Car?

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3. Show how you will design the motion transmission in your car.
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5.6 Selling the Car

Now it is time to Sell your new Solar Power Car!

A new automobile company, located in Cyprus, has been invited all interested researchers,
designers, and students from all EU countries to submit their proposals for the new hybrid car,
which is expected to be in production line in 2020. For this purpose, the “Cyprus Institute of
Design & Technology” has been announced a competition among elementary and middle school
students in EU countries to participate and submit their proposals for the new photovoltaic
powered car.

What is expected is that the new car will not only be eco-friendly, but also be attractive and value
for money. In this aspect, your group will prepare a full proposal for winning the competition.
Your final submission will be a portfolio, including all necessary documentation, figures,
calculations, and experiment results.

The company run a survey and the results are presented below:

A recent market research showed that one hundred people would buy the car for a selling price
of 5000 euro. Further, the market research showed that for every 100-euro price increase,
people interest in buying the car would decrease by one person. Find the best selling price for
the car, as to maximize company’s profits. Send a letter to the company sales manager,
explaining how you solved the problem.

Software:

With respect to ICT, students will work on a spreadsheet software, covering tools for data
collection and presentation, including interactive graphs (linear, bar charts, etc) and basic
statistical functions.

DynamicGeometry (car_price.ggb)

Spreadsheets (datacollection and presentation, including interactive graphs (linear, bar charts,
etc) and basic statistical functions.

An extension of this activity might focus on developing and administering a questionnaire. The
purpose of the questionnaire is to identify important aspects of the selling strategy of the car
company (e.g., selling price, available colours, features, facilities, etc).

In this activity students will:

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learn the basic principles in collecting data using questionnaires

design questions to be included in the questionnaire
design the questionnaire (open questions, likert style, dichotomous questions, etc)
collect and analyze data
present data in tabular, figural, and verbal form
make graphs
calculate average, frequencies, percentages

Software: www.surveymonkey.com

Sell your new Solar Power Car!

Show your calculations for finding the best selling price for the solar car here.
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Write a letter to the company’s sales manager, explaining how you reached your results. Try to
convince her/him that your method is appropriate for not only this case, but also for similar
problems in finding the best possible selling price.

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