Pico power
Wednesday 24 February 2016
Today was group 4 project at RCN. last year students made wind turbines this year it was the turn of water (haha, the turn of water). The idea was to build a working generator out of old plastic bottles and stuff. I supplied some neodynium magnets and copper wire so they didn't have to destroy any electrical equipment to scavenge those parts. In the morning one group went to visit a small hydro power station and got some facts and figures whilst others measured water flow and fall height in a nearby river. Most groups made effective turbines but the generators were more problematic. The highest voltage produced was around 1 V. If a micro power station produces around 5 kW the we must be in the pico range.