Booth Id:
EGSD035
Category:
Energy: Sustainable Materials and Design
Year:
2021
Finalist Names:
Midha, Pranay (School: duPont Manual High School)
Abstract:
The world is transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable alternatives such as wind and solar
power. This research introduces a new type of renewable power from rain, through the
piezoelectric effect. The piezoelectric effect occurs when a mechanical force is applied to a
crystal, which generates a small voltage. In this research, rain acted as the mechanical force on a
constructed device that included a piezoelectric crystal. Three different angles (orientation of the
device with respect to the ground onto which the rain falls) were tested -- 0°, 20° and 30°. It was
hypothesized that as the angle increased, a greater output would be observed. To test this, a
piezoelectric crystal, mounted on a substrate, was connected to an Arduino, which measured the
output (voltage). Each trial recorded 200 voltage measurements at 0.25s intervals. Forty-seven
such trials were recorded for each angle. The data for each trial were integrated to produce a
measure comparable to energy produced. A statistical t-test was conducted to compare each
dataset.
As demonstrated by the t-test, the findings from the research supported the research hypothesis;
there was a direct relationship observed between angle and output. This likely occurred for two
reasons. Splashing of water and the pooled accumulation of water atop the flat piezoelectric
device compared to the angled devices would have each resulted in a lower force on the piezo.
Future studies could include scaling the device design and material improvements to increase the
inherent efficiency of piezoelectric crystals to produce larger energy output.