Kiersty McKee

Olopua #68
Au Koi 3-18-16

McKee 1

Renewable Energy: Blade Design Investigation

Background
In this investigation, we tested different wind turbine blade variables to create the
most effective blade that would make the most electrical output. Renewable energy is a
good type of energy, and it should be the energy of the future. The resources that we use
to create energy now will soon run out because those resources are finite. Wind turbines
are a big producer of renewable energy, and it is one of the types of renewable energy
sources that we have here in Hawaii. We tested/created blades so we could have a feel of
what it is like to try and create the most effective blade that created the most energy.
Renewable energy is taking the world by storm. It is grossing very fast, so fast in
fact, that renewable energy is expected to be the worlds main type of energy by the year
2050. If we harvested the energy from the sun correctly for one hour, we could generate
enough global energy for one whole year. Renewable energy is growing, and thats a
good thing, but we could still improve. Only 22% of the worlds energy is renewable. The
amount of renewable energy that is being produced has grown significantly since the year
2000. From 2000-2014, the gigawatts created went from the low 800s to about 1,800.
Renewable energy is growing and evolving.
The Hawaiians believed that you have to take care of the land and not waste any
resources. I think renewable energy would have been very important to our kpuna. In
old Hawaii, they didnt waste; they always used everything they could in the most
efficient ways. The Hawaiians were a sustainable people, and they still are. But in
modern days, there are less Hawaiians that believe in sustainable living, and less
Hawaiians that actually care as much as their kpuna did. We use resources to create

Kiersty McKee
Olopua #68
Au Koi 3-18-16

McKee 2

energy that are finite, and since we use so much energy, we need to find the most
effective ways to create renewable energy.
Non-renewable and renewable energy was used from a long time ago. But energy
didnt start out reneweable. The Chinese created the first type of energy with coal in 2000
BC. A few thousand years later, the Dutch built windmills for multiple uses. In 1888, the
first windmill that could generate energy was developed in Cleveland, Ohio. People only
realized recently that the resources that we use to create energy are finite. That is why
renewable energy is a part of the future of society and the world because we will need it.
If we cant find ways to make the most of renewable energy then we will not have energy
and resources later on.

Design
Hypothesis:
During this project, we made a hypothesis for each test. In the end, we concluded
to one final hypothesis. If we manipulate the length of the blade to 15 cm, manipulate the
angle to 25 degrees, and make the blade into a leaf shape, then it will create the most
electrical output because when we tested all of these variables, then it created the most
electrical output. In the end, we found that our blade was one of the most effective in the
Olopua team, and our hypothesis was true.
Materials:
-1 Wind turbine
-1 Fan (Holmes Brand)
-1 Metric stick

Kiersty McKee
Olopua #68
Au Koi 3-18-16

McKee 3

-1 Multimeter
-1 Protractor
-1 Dowel that is about four inches and two of the four inches must be sticking out. (Pre
measured)
-1 Glue gun
-3 Glue sticks
-Ka Makani Lau blades (3)
-1 Stopwatch
-1 Safety goggles
-2 Pieces of Tape
-X of Textbooks
-1 Pencil
Procedure
1. Gather materials
2. Place fan on textbooks and crate.
3. Put 3 textbooks on half of the crate, and the other 3 on the other half.
4. Measure 100 cm from the front of fan to the front of the blade hub. Place tape on desk
to assure distance does not change.

Kiersty McKee
Olopua #68
Au Koi 3-18-16

McKee 4

5. Attach the Multimeter to the wind turbine by taking the wires that are hanging.
Assemble by attaching the clips to the Multimeter. Turn on Multimeter switch by turning
the dial to the left line it up to 20 volts.
6. Next select the 15 cm leaf blade and attach the portion of the dowel to the hub by first
loosening the screw on the front of the hub then placing the dowel into the hole.
7. Use the protractor/ compass to measure that blade is at 25 degrees. The protractor
needs to be flat against the turbine hub/ wheel.
8. Repeat steps 4-6 until all leaf blades are attached then tighten the screw on the front of
the hub by turning clockwise (do not over tighten).
9. Double check that youve kept the 100 cm distance from the front of the screw on the
hub to the front of the fan and adjust if necessary.
10. Switch on the Multi meter, check that the Multimeter is reading zero.
11. Turn on the fan set to speed three.
12. Time wind for one minute with stopwatch, then as your timing for one minute
observe by looking at the multi meter and record the highest electrical output.
13. Switch off the fan after minute.
14. Record data
Modifications

Kiersty McKee
Olopua #68
Au Koi 3-18-16

McKee 5

In this experiment, there were a few modifications that could have been made.
While doing this lab, I noticed that some of the wind turbines were different than others. I
usually tested at the same turbine/ table every time, but the times that I tested somewhere
else, the results were a little different. Some of the turbines were broken, or loose, so it
could have affected the outcome of the results. Another modification that could have been
made was the hub. Some of the hubs were broken, and some of them had tape on them.
This could have caused the results to vary.
Data Collection
During this lab we tested many different variables so we could find the best
variables to create our own blade that was the most energy efficient. In this experiment,
there was a dependent variable and some independent variables. The dependent variable
was the voltage because it was the variable being measured. Some of the independent
variables included length, shape, and angle because they could be changed, and we were
testing them.
One of the variables that we tested was length. The length of the blade can
determine the outcome of the electrical output. While testing length, we found that the
shorter blades were faster. I think this was because there was less mass to be pushed,
therefore the blades spun faster. It was important that we collected the data for length
because when we made our blades, we based the design off of our previous tests.
Another one of the variables that we tested was shape. We tested three main
shapes, rectangles, leaves/ ovals and triangles. When testing shape, we found that the leaf
shape worked the best. It was the most aerodynamic, and it could catch the most wind
and get pushed. We tested the shape so we could find what kinds of shapes were the most

Kiersty McKee
Olopua #68
Au Koi 3-18-16

McKee 6

aerodynamic and which ones worked the best. We based the shape of our blades off of the
data that we collected.
The last variable that we tested was angle. We tested many different angles, but in
the beginning our angles ranged from 10-60 degrees. While testing angle, we found that
the angles from 25-60 were the best, so in our final testing, we used 25, 35 and 45
degrees. We found that the 25-degree angle worked the best with our shape and length. It
is important that we tested angle because it helped us create our blade in the end. If we
didnt have a set angle, then the test results wouldnt be correct because all of the blades
would be facing different ways.
Some alternative data that we could have collected was the length of the dowels
that were used in this experiment. I think when we tested, we may have glued the dowels
in different places, and the lengths may have varied in the space between the blade and
the hub. Although all the dowels were the same, the results might have differed if we
changed the length. Here is a data table that I think would have been made, and data that I
think would have came out of a dowel length test.
Dowel Length Test
Shape

Volts

Ka
Makani
Lau

3.0-4.0

Ka
Makani
Lau

2.5-3.5

Dowel
Length
5 inches
(12.7 cm)

Angle

Speed

Observations

25

10 inches
(25.4 cm)

25

-Spinning very fast

-Dowel is affecting speed
and electrical output
because the blade is closer
to the hub
-Catching wind/ harvesting
wind
-Range: 3.5-3.6
-Not spinning as fast as
previous test
-Not as much wind is being

Kiersty McKee
Olopua #68
Au Koi 3-18-16

Ka
Makani
Lau

2.0-2.5

McKee 7

20 inches
(50.8 cm)

25

caught
-Not catching as much
wind
-Range: 2.9-3.05
-Spinning very slowly
-Not catching enough wind
-Wind isnt hitting the
blades
-Wind is passing the
blades/ going past the
dowels
-Range: 2.0-2.1

Data Analysis
Length Data Table
Shape

Volts

Angle

Speed

0.03

Length
(cm)
7.5

Rectangle

45

Rectangle

1.71

7.5

45

Rectangle

2.22

7.5

45

Rectangle

0.89

15

45

Rectangle

1.09

15

45

Observations
-Took 10 seconds to start
-Didnt spin all the way around/
didnt spin at all
-Twitched once; then never moved
again
-No range; stayed at 0
-Didnt start automatically
-Started spinning slowly, ended
spinning fast
-Range: 0.5 - 0.68
-Took 3 seconds to start spinning
-Spun very fast
-Hub/ whole wind turbine was
shaking
-Range: 1.8 2.1
-Took 5 seconds to start spinning
-Volts are higher in the beginning;
never goes over the highest voltage
after the beginning
-Surged (went faster, then slower),
then flew off
-Range: 0.6 - 0.8
-Surged
-Took 3 seconds to start
-I thought that the blades and the

Kiersty McKee
Olopua #68
Au Koi 3-18-16

McKee 8

Rectangle

1.23

15

45

Rectangle

0.48

30

45

Rectangle

0.5

30

45

Rectangle

0.55

30

45

hub were going to fly off, but it

didnt. I think the only reason why it
flew off in for the speed 1 trials were
because the hub and blades needed
help (taped)
-Range: 0.86 1.05
-Didnt start spinning at the
beginning
-Spun very fast
-This trial didnt surge
-Range: 0.98 1.2
-Spun slowly
-Didnt start automatically
-Mostly stayed in the 30s
-Range: 0.35 0.45
-Still slow, spins slowly
-Stayed in the 40s
-Didnt start automatically, took 5
seconds to start
-Didnt improve voltage by much
-Range: 0.4 0.5
-Spinning a little faster than the last
test
-Didnt start right away, took 3
seconds
-Surges
-Range: 0.49 0.53

Length Analysis:
In this test, the length that created the most electrical output was the 7.5 cm blade.
The blade that created the least amount of energy was the 30 cm. I think this happened
because the 30 cm blade held more mass; therefore the 7.5 cm blade was the most
effective. One trend that I noticed was that the blades didn't start spinning right when the
fan was turned on. This occurred through almost all of the tests.
Angle Data Table
Shape of
Blade

Volts

Time

Speed

Distance
from

Angle of
blade

Observations

Kiersty McKee
Olopua #68
Au Koi 3-18-16

McKee 9

Hub

(degrees)

Leaf

1 minute

100 cm

10 degrees -Twitched a little

-No energy was
created
-Wasnt able to spin
-No range

Leaf

1.84

1 minute

100 cm

25 degrees -Didnt spin very

fast
-Started slow, got
faster
-Range: 1.6-1.75

Leaf

0.83

1 minute

100 cm

60 degrees -Remained at 0 for

three seconds
-In the end the
numbers dropped to
0.4
-Range: 0.55-0.75

Triangle

1 minute

100 cm

10 degrees -Didnt move

-Twitching
-No energy created
-No Range

Triangle

1.64

1 minute

100 cm

25 degrees -Took 5 seconds to

start moving
-Started moving,
then stopped, then
started again (at the
beginning)
-Range: 1.4-1.5

Triangle

0.68

1 minute

100 cm

60 degrees -Moves slowly

-Took 7 seconds to
start in the
beginning
-Range: 0.4-0.6

Rectangle 2.94

1 minute

100 cm

10 degrees -Took 5 seconds to

start
-The rear of the hub
was shaking

Kiersty McKee
Olopua #68
Au Koi 3-18-16

McKee 10

-Went from 0.05-2

very quickly
-Range: 2.5-2.8
Rectangle 2.05

1 minute

100 cm

25 degrees -Didnt start at the

beginning
-At the end it went
to 1.6-1.7
-Range: 1.8-1.99

Rectangle 0.94

1 minute

100 cm

60 degrees -Spun slowly

-Got lower at the
end
-Range: 0.65-0.8

Angle Analysis:
In this test, the angle that created the most energy was the 10-degree angle, but
only for one of the nine trials. The angle that actually worked the best was the 25-degree
angle. The angle that produced the least amount of energy was the 60-degree angle. I
think this happened because when the blade is angled a certain way, then it catches the
most wind/ pushes the most wind.
Shape Data Table
Shape of
Blade

Volts Test
duration

Wind
Speed

Distance
from Hub

Angle of
blade

Observations

Triangle

0.99

100 cm

45
degrees

-Doesnt start
spinning right in
the beginning
-The triangles
arent that
aerodynamic
-They dont collect
enough wind
-They arent
pushed enough by

1 minute

Kiersty McKee
Olopua #68
Au Koi 3-18-16

McKee 11

the wind
-Range 0.7-0.8
Triangle

1.31

1 minute

100 cm

45
degrees

-Didnt
automatically start
spinning
-Not aerodynamic
-Doesn't collect
enough wind to be
pushed and create
energy
-Beginning range:
1.15-1.29
-End range: 0.951.1

Triangle

1.56

1 minute

100 cm

45
degrees

-Didnt start
spinning right in
the beginning
-Not aerodynamic
-Cuts through wind
-Beginning: 1.3-1.4
-Middle: 1.0-1.2
-End: 1.3-1.5

Leaf

1.65

1 minute

100 cm

45
degrees

-Spun faster than

all other types of
blades in all of the
other trials
-Beginning: high
numbers (1.5-1.6)
-Random range

Leaf

2.08

1 minute

100 cm

45
degrees

-Leaf design is
aerodynamic
-Best type so far
-Random
sometimes
-Range: 1.78-1.98

Leaf

2.27

1 minute

100 cm

45
degrees

-Towards the end,

it slowed down a
little
-The highest
voltage occurred in

Kiersty McKee
Olopua #68
Au Koi 3-18-16

McKee 12

the
beginning/middle
-Range: 1.9-2.2
Rectangle

0.97

1 minute

100 cm

45
degrees

-Second most
aerodynamic
-Lower toward the
end
-Random range

Rectangle

1.09

1 minute

100 cm

45
degrees

-Mostly stayed
below one
-Random range

Rectangle

1.22

1 minute

100 cm

45
degrees

-Mostly stayed
above 1
-Range: 1-1.2

Shape Analysis:
In this test, we found that the leaf/ oval shape created the most energy. The shape
that created the least electrical output was the triangle. I think this happened because the
leaf shape was the most aerodynamic, and the triangle wasnt. The leaf was able to collect
the most wind because of the way that it is shaped. We found that the leaf design actually
was the best when it came to our real design.
Final Series of Test Data

Shape

Volts

Angl
e

Length
(cm)

Spee
d

Ka
Makani
Lau

2.15

25

Observations

-Not spinning at all

-Twitching

Kiersty McKee
Olopua #68
Au Koi 3-18-16

McKee 13

-Took 45 seconds to start up

-When it started it went really fast
-Range: Not really a range, voltage just increased
quickly

Ka
Makani
Lau

1.82

35

-Started after 3 seconds

-Spinning sort of fast
-When it started going then the voltage went up and
down
-Sometimes it would go up and sometimes it would go
down
-In the middle most of the time
-Range: 1.6-1.7

Ka
Makani
Lau

1.4

45

-Started immediately
-Not spinning as fast as before
-At some points the hub/ blades looked like it was
slowing down and starting up again
-Surges
-Slowed down at the end
-Range:
Beginning: 1.2-1.25
End: 0.82-1

Ka

3.68

25

10

-Started right away

Kiersty McKee
Olopua #68
Au Koi 3-18-16

McKee 14

Makani
Lau
-Spinning really fast
-Hub/ turbine is shaking
-Fell off after a minute, we forgot to stop the timer
-Range:
Beginning: 3.5-3.6
Middle: 3.3-3.25
End: 2.8-3

Ka
Makani
Lau

3.66

35

10

-Started right away

-Spinning really fast
-Hub/ turbine is shaking
-Electrical output had the same numbers a lot
-Kept going back to the same numbers
-Range:
Beginning: 3.32-3.47
End: No range but voltage was going down

Ka
Makani
Lau

2.97

45

10

-Started right away

-Fell off, retried again
-Spinning very fast
-Voltage kept staying the same/ going to the same
numbers

Kiersty McKee
Olopua #68
Au Koi 3-18-16

McKee 15

-Started to get lower at the end

-Range: 2.6-2.7

Ka
Makani
Lau

4.07

25

15

-Took 4 seconds to start

-Spinning very fast
-Hub/ Wind turbine shaking
-Top area of the turbine is shaking, not the stick part
-10 seconds before the minute ended, the voltage
number went up (3.9-4.01)
-Range: 3.76-3.88

Ka
Makani
Lau

3.02

35

15

-Took 3 seconds to start up

-In the beginning stayed near the 2s
-Not spinning as fast as last trial
-Hub/ Turbine not shaking as much
-Hub didnt fall off, but I think every time it falls off it is
because we didnt put the hub on tight enough
-Range: 2.6-2.75

Ka
Makani
Lau

1.68

45

15

-Took 1 second to start up

-Spinning way slower than the last trials
-Gear seems to be bouncing, but it still works
-Repeated numbers/ voltage numbers kept going back to
the same numbers

Kiersty McKee
Olopua #68
Au Koi 3-18-16

McKee 16

-At the end the voltages seemed to go down to the 1.3

-Range: 1.46-1.52

Final Test Analysis:

When we tested our final blade, Ka Makani Lau then we concluded that the 15
inch blade and the 25 degree angle worked the best. We were able to choose which
variables we would test because we chose the best ones for the final. When we tested the
final, we found that we chose good variables to put into our blade design.

Final Test Data: Ka Makani Lau

Shape

Volts

Angle

Length
(cm)

Spee
d

Ka
Makani
Lau

4.57

25

15

Observations

-Took 3 seconds to start up

-Spinning really fast
-Shaking hub
-Repeated numbers/ voltage numbers kept going back to
the same numbers
-I predicted that we were going to get a lower electrical
output than we did because when we tested then we only
got to 4.07, this surprised me
-Range: 4.2-4.3

Kiersty McKee
Olopua #68
Au Koi 3-18-16

McKee 17

Conclusion
During this project, we made a hypothesis for each test. In the end, we concluded
to one final hypothesis. If we manipulate the length of the blade to 15 cm, manipulate the
angle to 25 degrees, and make the blade into a leaf shape, then it will create the most
electrical output because when we tested all of these variables, then it created the most
electrical output. In the end, we found that our blade was one of the most effective in the
Olopua team, and our hypothesis was true. Our hypothesis was supported.
Our hypothesis evolved over time because we tested different variables that
affected our hypothesis. Once we finished all of the testing of the variables, then were
able to conclude to one hypothesis to create our own blade. If our hypothesis didn't
evolve, then the hypothesis wouldnt match with the type of experiment we were doing.
We wouldnt be able to predict correctly.
If this experiment continued, I think we would probably try to improve the blades
even more, and maybe even become more advanced in our wind turbine design as well.
Some of the next steps would include improving all of the variables as much as we could
through testing to create the most electrical output that we could. We could probably
come up with an actual blade design that would work to make something function using
electricity. Or we could apply it to an actual wind turbine and create energy for Hawaii.
I think if we actually put our minds to it, we could create a blade that would
function well, and would be mass created for use. With all of the data that we collected,
we could keep improving it then making the blades and turbines functional for use at
wind farms. If we made that happen, it would benefit the Hawaiian culture because

Kiersty McKee
Olopua #68
Au Koi 3-18-16

McKee 18

renewable energy wastes fewer resources. The Hawaiians believed in using everything
that we take. If we take it from the land we have to give back.
We are all Hawaiian at Kamehameha, and it would be amazing if us as Hawaiians
created one of the most efficient ways of collecting energy without wasting/ depleting the
finite resources. But finding the most efficient ways of collecting energy doesnt only
matter to the Hawaiians, but to the whole world. Everyone uses energy, and if we could
find a better way to collect it in a greener, healthier way, then that would benefit society
as a whole.