The California Maritime Collegiate Wind Competition team, CMAWind, developed a small wind turbine to provide power for cell phones and LED light bulbs in rural areas of Africa.
July 6, 2015
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Cal Maritime Team: From Left: Tom Nordenholz, Henry Seel, Ramiro Parocua, Gerald Spencer, Ian Medina, Jennifer Ramos-Ortiz, Sasha Barnett, Alec Calder, David Chang, Eric Johnson, Sam Gray, Glenn Fuller, Khalid Bachkar. Photo from California Maritime Academy.
Project Description
The California Maritime Collegiate Wind Competition team, CMAWind, developed a small wind turbine to provide power for cell phones and LED light bulbs in rural areas of Africa.
Team Strategy
The team consisted of six mechanical engineering students who designed, built, and tested the wind turbine and five international business and logistics students that strategized and researched the business and development plan. The team machined their own blade molds and fabricated several sets of blades, ensuring quality control, an intimate understanding of the manufacturing process, and a learning curve. All fabrication was performed by the team in house. Wind tunnel testing was performed at the nearby University of California, Davis.
Design Features
- Vertical axis configuration, three blades
- Rugged, durable, modular design
- Composite strut/blade design
- Electronic speed control
- Standard 5 Volt USB output