Renewable energy sources are becoming increasingly important in our society. Because nuclear disasters and global warming harm
our environment, students, especially in technical schools, should be teached about renewable energy forms.
For this purpose, this wind channel was designed and built. It aims to show the students in our school, the behavior of wind turbines,
if their settings are changed.
The first draft was already presented at the end of fourth grade. This referred to a similar project, at a HTL in Graz. There was also
built a small wind channel, used for aerodynamic testing of model cars. Our wind tunnel should be built for models of wind turbines.
This requires that the wind channel has an appropriate size.
After consulting with the firm J. Pichler Lufttechnik that supports our project, the parts for the wind channel were designed and
manufactured. After students have transported the parts of the wind channel to school, they put it together. The size of this project
was now really visible.
Many other steps followed, where teamwork and finesse were required. So also many specialist teachers were asked for help in their
work shops. Thanks to their help, the wind channel was already put into service on the Tag der offenen Tür. The fresh breeze that
blew through the school made that day a special day for the students of this project. They were able to put their learned skills, such
as the description of technical processes, to the test. The aim of this project was placed in the foreground. It should be a laboratory
device with wich can be tested how to set up wind turbines in order to achieve maximum efficiency. Finally, wind turbines are
becoming increasingly important in order to generate renewable energy. With this learning tool our school has is an advantage for
training for research into environmental friendly energy sources and technologies.
Due to the variety of courses in the five years at the HTL, students were trained very well about, electrical engineering, electronics,
mechanics and plastics engineering. During the project, these skills were used. So they had to weld th frame and CNC mill a window
made of Plexiglas. Electronics skills were needed at the connection of generators and other electronic components. When controlling
the frequency converter and the fan and the students could put out their knowledge about electrical engineering. But computer and
programming skills have been presented during the work on the project.
However, it should be continued and perfected by a project team in the next year.