Author: Isaac Gendler

Impellers

Impellers

Impellers

09/27/17

“How can we add energy to a fluid with one simple part?”

 

Fluids are so useful for doing things! But sometimes our fluid doesn’t have enough energy inside it. So how can we use our engineering mindset to solve this problem? Well, what if we were to use a mechanical motor with a hole in it, and if we were to pass our fluid through it? Then the fluid would gain energy from the rotational motion. Well, it turns out that this solution actually works and is known as an impeller. This added energy can change the pressure of a fluid, and energy can even be decreased if we use smart planning! In fact, it turns out that turbines are a specific form of an impeller.  

Fan Coil Units

Fan Coil Units

Fan Coil Unit

09/26/17

“What is an affordable alternative to VAV systems?”

 

Variable Air Volume (or VAV) systems are great for controlling the weather in an interior space. However, these machines can be quite expensive, so how can we use our engineering mindsets to solve this problem? Well, let’s start with some basic components, a fan to move around air and a heat exchanger (also known as a coil) to control the temperature. With this combination, we can create an HVAC system called a Fan Coil Unit. Fan Coil Units are typically used in smaller buildings where ductwork is not as necessary and are popular in Italy and Eastern Europe.

Centrifugal Fan

Centrifugal Fan

Centrifugal Fan

09/25/17

“How can we use a fan to control gases?”

 

Most HVAC systems by moving around gases. However, materials at this phase can be quite difficult to control, so how can we use our engineering mindset to create such a mechanism? Well, we know that blades on a turbine react when a fluid passes through it, and through symmetry we can assume that a fluid will react to motor movement. So what if we were to construct something similar (like a motor) that would take in the gas, impart kinetic energy through its centripetal acceleration, and then change its direction by 90 degrees? Well, this is the fundamental idea behind a centrifugal fan and is one of the most fundamental components of modern HVAC systems.

HVAC Grilles

HVAC Grilles

HVAC Grilles

09/24/17

“How can we control the flow of air without spending too much money?”

 

Directing airflow how many HVAC systems such as fans and air conditioners work. However, how can we do this in a safe and affordable manner? Well, let’s use our engineering mindset to solve this problem. Let’s start with basic physics. We know that if air passes through a cross-section of multiple vents, then the air molecules will be forced into a particular direction (while large objects would be blocked). So what if we were to attach such vents in front of an HVAC system? This setup is known as an HVAC grille and can be seen in the face of nearly every heating and cooling system.

The Compressibility Factor

The Compressibility Factor

The Compressibility Factor

09/23/17

“How can we quantify how much a gas deviates from its ideal form?”

 

In introductory chemistry and physics classes, all gases are assumed to be completely ideal. However, in the real world gases usually are not so easy to work with. So how can we quantify a gas’ deviation from its ideal form? Well, let’s start from the basics. We know that all of the gas’s properties can be completely related to one another through the ideal gas equation p*v_specific=r*T. It would logically follow that if we were to divide the product of the pressure and the product of the specific volume by the universal gas constant times the temperature, we should end up with a ratio of 1/1.So what if we were to find out a gas’s specific volume, temperature, and volume of a gas in its non-ideal form, take their ration, and use that as a constant in a modified ideal gas equation? This is known as the compressibility factor and is commonly represented as z in the non-ideal gas equation p*v_specific=z*r*t.

Damper Controls

Damper Controls

Damper Controls

09/22/17

“How can we control an HVAC damper?”

 

HVAC dampers are instrumental for controlling heating and cooling for buildings. However, since they are located in isolated air ducts, we will need to use some form of remote control to operate them. This is where damper controls come in. Damper controls allow for the angle of the ducts of a damper to be adjusted at will, inducing optimal living conditions.

Mechanism (engineering)

Mechanism (engineering)

Mechanism (engineering)

09/21/17

“How can we use force and rotation to deal with complex situations?”

 

One of the principal ideas in engineering is transferring force and rotation to perform useful activities. However, simple machines are often not enough to deal with the complex and varied nature of high-level problems. So how can we use our engineering mindsets to solve this? Well, what if we were to make our machines to be assembled of a complex assemblage of parts such as gears, belts, linkages, and chain drives? This framework is known as a mechanism and is the basis for many modern day machines such as drivetrains, internal combustion engines, and aircraft landing gears.

Zone of saturation

Zone of saturation

Zone of saturation

09/20/17

“What is the area underground where the pores and cracks are filled with water?”

 

Aquifers are natural underground water storage tanks. So naturally, if there are open areas nearby some of the water might seep out. This water usually ends up filling the pores of a region known as the Zone of Saturation, also known as the Phreatic Zone. Zones of alienation worldwide are being polluted by unsustainable practices and depleted by global warming

Underfloor Air Distribution Systems

Underfloor Air Distribution Systems

Underfloor Air Distribution Systems

09/19/2017

“How can we optimize HVAC systems by completely reinventing them?”

 

Most HVAC systems operate by using ceiling-based air vents. However, the air funneled can suffer from low quality, induce low comfort, and most importantly give a high energy bill! So how can we use our engineering mindset to fix these problems? Well, what if we were to completely reinvent the paradigm, and instead funnel air directly from the ground? It turns out that this is the exact idea behind a technology known as Underfloor Air Distribution Systems. These systems work by filtering air through the open space between the structural concrete slabs on the floor of a building using plenums for direct cooling. Underfloor Air Distribution Systems are commonly implemented in data centers for their high efficiency and low cost.