Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Presentation Reflection
After performing my presentation I feel that it went very well. I was happy with the subject I had chosen because I felt that my knowledge of this subject was big enough to aid me in giving a good presentation. I feel that this was shown in the presentation itself. I spoke clearly and addressed all the key facts to the audience in the way that I had planned before hand. The only bad point I could make against my presentation would be that my knowledge of computer aided design was greater than computer aided manufacturing so I could have researched the second subject slightly more but not a great deal.
Abstract
Wave energy is a good renewable energy source that is a leading project in the engineering market. Wave energy could have many different benefits to our environment. It is an environmentally friendly way of providing power. The machines that use wave energy vary in size and the way in which they use this energy source but the thing they all have in common is that they will all benefit our environment. These points are all shown in this research paper. This paper compares wave energy to the other types of energy sources, provides evidence to show that wave energy could improve our environment and shows the properties and characteristics that this energy source has. The paper includes a table of characteristics of energy sources that provides the evidence by comparing wave energy with the other types of energy and showing its better properties. It also provides quotes from other resources to back up the hypothesis that wave energy and the machines that use it could improve and benefit the environment.
Introduction
The subject of this academic paper is engineering for the environment. In this report it will be identified how engineering could help the environment. The main principle of the paper will be to look at how engineering such as wave energy and wave energy technology could help the environment now and in the future. The report will show how wave energy as a renewable energy source is a better and more environmentally friendly source of power than the other types of energy available such as fossil fuels which could be used in steam turbines in engineering.
The principle of wave energy is simple, it is the movement of devices that are on the shore or floating in the ocean, the movement of these devices is made by the waves of the ocean and this movement is then turned into power.
Wave energy is a renewable energy source and there are currently many engineering prototypes and ideas on the market. One of the prototypes on the market is the Oscillating Water Column. The oscillating water column can be found in many places either offshore, near shore or on the shoreline. The main principle of the oscillating water column is that waves produce an oscillating flow of air into a chamber, this flow of air is induced into an air turbine that turns the flow of air into electrical energy. Another idea that is currently on the market is an overtopping device, this device has a reservoir and is filled with the waves coming towards it to a higher level than the ocean. When the reservoir is full the water is then released, gravity naturally causes it to fall back to the ocean level this movement of water from the reservoir back to down to ocean level is then used to turn a hydro turbine. There are also many more devices that are in the process of being built or have already been built ready for the wave energy market.
There are a number of benefits that wave energy and machines like the two examples above could have on the environment. In this research paper those benefits will be researched and looked at. For example the fact that wave energy is a renewable energy source, it would lower carbon emissions and help improve our environment are a couple of benefits that will be looked at.
The principle of wave energy is simple, it is the movement of devices that are on the shore or floating in the ocean, the movement of these devices is made by the waves of the ocean and this movement is then turned into power.
Wave energy is a renewable energy source and there are currently many engineering prototypes and ideas on the market. One of the prototypes on the market is the Oscillating Water Column. The oscillating water column can be found in many places either offshore, near shore or on the shoreline. The main principle of the oscillating water column is that waves produce an oscillating flow of air into a chamber, this flow of air is induced into an air turbine that turns the flow of air into electrical energy. Another idea that is currently on the market is an overtopping device, this device has a reservoir and is filled with the waves coming towards it to a higher level than the ocean. When the reservoir is full the water is then released, gravity naturally causes it to fall back to the ocean level this movement of water from the reservoir back to down to ocean level is then used to turn a hydro turbine. There are also many more devices that are in the process of being built or have already been built ready for the wave energy market.
There are a number of benefits that wave energy and machines like the two examples above could have on the environment. In this research paper those benefits will be researched and looked at. For example the fact that wave energy is a renewable energy source, it would lower carbon emissions and help improve our environment are a couple of benefits that will be looked at.
Conclusion
The hypothesis of this research paper was to show how wave energy as a renewable energy source is a better and more environmentally friendly source of power than the other types of energy available such as fossil fuels, this hypothesis was carried out by the comparison in the table of characteristics of energy sources shown in research methodology part of the paper. The key facts are shown in this table the only problem that occurred was that there is little published data available to compare the table with and to base sound facts about wave energy.
However this paper has shown the benefits of wave energy and compared its characteristics to many other types of resources.
It has highlighted key properties that wave energy has including its great benefit to the environment.
After carrying out this paper it has shown that as stated before wave energy devices are great machines to help the environment.
It has shown that wave energy in terms of the environment is a better energy source than other examples like fossil fuels.
The paper has shown that if the machines that use wave energy are going to be used in the future it would have a good impact on our environment.
However this paper has shown the benefits of wave energy and compared its characteristics to many other types of resources.
It has highlighted key properties that wave energy has including its great benefit to the environment.
After carrying out this paper it has shown that as stated before wave energy devices are great machines to help the environment.
It has shown that wave energy in terms of the environment is a better energy source than other examples like fossil fuels.
The paper has shown that if the machines that use wave energy are going to be used in the future it would have a good impact on our environment.
Research Results
The table used for my research which was originally constructed by ABS Energy Research 2007 gives a good understanding of many different types of energy resources. You can see clearly that they all have different properties. It compares many known energy sources such as fossil fuels to solar power with wave energy. From the table we can see that wave energy has many good properties and has better properties than most of the other sources of power available. For instance compared to fossil fuels it has minimal environmental impact so therefore is a good renewable energy source to help our environment.
Research Methodology
The research methodology used for the research paper, was gathered from the table 8-1 from an article by ABS Energy Research 2007. The table shows a study into many different types of energy sources. The study carried out by ABS Energy Research 2007 was done to compare the difference in the different types of energy resources such as fossil fuels and then compare them with the marine energy sources such as wave and tidal. This table is shown in the next post.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Literature Review
Wave energy is a leading project in the engineering for the environment sector. As stated from the Ocean Energy Report by ABS Energy Research 2007, “the capability to supply Electricity from this resource is such that, if harnessed appropriately, 10% of the current level of world supply could be provided.” This shows that wave energy and the devices that use it could provide the power that is needed in today’s environment. It shows wave energy is big enough to provide enough power.
Also you can see from the article by John Callaghan of the Carbon Trust, Future Marine Energy 2006, that wave energy devices have “The potential for low carbon electricity generation in this country and others, which could be highly material amongst efforts to combat climate change and increase security of energy supplies”. From this statement it is made clear that wave energy and the machines that use it could provide a good energy source to combat climate change and provide an energy source with low carbon emissions. These are key factors in improving the environment, the demand for these two properties alone in different types of energy is very high.
Frost and Sullivan 2008 wrote a report that states “The promise of ocean energy is enormous. The increasing demand for economical and inexhaustible energy sources, as well as the emergence of more stringent and progressive climate change, and renewable energy policies will ensure that ocean energy play a major role in the future global energy mix.” Once again this statement shows that wave energy devices could help climate change and benefit the environment which is the main reason for carrying out this research paper.
Therefore, from all three of these articles/reports we can see that wave energy would be a good renewable energy source that could help the environment therefore the development of machines/devices to enhance this energy could be engineering that would help the environment.
References:
Ocean Energy Report by ABS Energy Research 2007 (Anon, 2007) pg 7
John Callaghan 2006, Future Marine Energy, Results of the Marine Energy Challenge: Cost competitiveness and growth of wave and tidal stream energy, pg 3.
Frost & Sullivan 2008, An Assessment of Current Technologies In Ocean Energy pg 3.
Also you can see from the article by John Callaghan of the Carbon Trust, Future Marine Energy 2006, that wave energy devices have “The potential for low carbon electricity generation in this country and others, which could be highly material amongst efforts to combat climate change and increase security of energy supplies”. From this statement it is made clear that wave energy and the machines that use it could provide a good energy source to combat climate change and provide an energy source with low carbon emissions. These are key factors in improving the environment, the demand for these two properties alone in different types of energy is very high.
Frost and Sullivan 2008 wrote a report that states “The promise of ocean energy is enormous. The increasing demand for economical and inexhaustible energy sources, as well as the emergence of more stringent and progressive climate change, and renewable energy policies will ensure that ocean energy play a major role in the future global energy mix.” Once again this statement shows that wave energy devices could help climate change and benefit the environment which is the main reason for carrying out this research paper.
Therefore, from all three of these articles/reports we can see that wave energy would be a good renewable energy source that could help the environment therefore the development of machines/devices to enhance this energy could be engineering that would help the environment.
References:
Ocean Energy Report by ABS Energy Research 2007 (Anon, 2007) pg 7
John Callaghan 2006, Future Marine Energy, Results of the Marine Energy Challenge: Cost competitiveness and growth of wave and tidal stream energy, pg 3.
Frost & Sullivan 2008, An Assessment of Current Technologies In Ocean Energy pg 3.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Vark Questionaire
I completed the Vark questionnaire. My results were:
V = 1
A = 4
R = 4
K = 4
These results are shown on the questionnaire. The purpose of these results are to show the way I prefer to work with information and the way that I learn. From the results you can see that I deal with information well in all areas apart from visually. I learn well when dealing with information aurally, through reading/writing and through a kinesthetic way. The only way that I don't learn well is visually this could be either through a presentation or watching someone carry out a task. I feel that this questionnaire is correct I do learn well when reading/writing or listening to a subject. I also deal with information well in a kinesthetic way this is by carrying out a task practically. I feel that this is the best way that I learn from previous experience and previous research that you can also see in my blog.
V = 1
A = 4
R = 4
K = 4
These results are shown on the questionnaire. The purpose of these results are to show the way I prefer to work with information and the way that I learn. From the results you can see that I deal with information well in all areas apart from visually. I learn well when dealing with information aurally, through reading/writing and through a kinesthetic way. The only way that I don't learn well is visually this could be either through a presentation or watching someone carry out a task. I feel that this questionnaire is correct I do learn well when reading/writing or listening to a subject. I also deal with information well in a kinesthetic way this is by carrying out a task practically. I feel that this is the best way that I learn from previous experience and previous research that you can also see in my blog.
Learning Styles
From reading through the learning styles worksheets that I was given it helped me explore and look into the different types of learning styles. It also helped me reflect on the type of learning style that I use and how I could use different techniques to develop other learning styles.
The four different learning styles are activist, reflector, theorist and pragmatist. After reading through I have decided that I am a Pragmatist learner. This means that I am a practical learner and do not work well when discussing a subject or reading through a theory. I prefer to apply things in practice during practical work and develop my ideas from there. Trying out ideas and getting on with things works much better for me and I learn much easier this way.
From this sheet I have also learned that there are ways that I can improve myself in the future by trying to improve on the other ways of learning. I will try in the future to develop some of the other aspects of learning such as a theoretical side to my learning.
The four different learning styles are activist, reflector, theorist and pragmatist. After reading through I have decided that I am a Pragmatist learner. This means that I am a practical learner and do not work well when discussing a subject or reading through a theory. I prefer to apply things in practice during practical work and develop my ideas from there. Trying out ideas and getting on with things works much better for me and I learn much easier this way.
From this sheet I have also learned that there are ways that I can improve myself in the future by trying to improve on the other ways of learning. I will try in the future to develop some of the other aspects of learning such as a theoretical side to my learning.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Personal Mentor
I have decided to choose my mum as my personal mentor or significant other for the course. This is because I feel that she is the best person to talk to when it comes to my education and course to help me with my studies as she has done higher education herself. With this in mind I hope that when I get stuck or find something difficult she will provide me with the guidance or advice to help me and guide me in the right way.
Level 1 Study Skills Exercise
I completed the level 1 study skills exercise. This was a questionnaire to help me review what study skills I may already have or may not have that will be useful for this course. I found out that I have most of the study skills needed but that I do not use the library or other resources to the full extent to help me with my course. Therefore I am going to use the library and these other resources in future when I get stuck on any work that I may be doing. The library may be a useful tool when it comes to research that I can not find over the Internet, therefore I will need to look in books and magazines that the college library may provide me with. The other resources that I might be able to use are the learning support system. To enable myself to use the learning support system in college I am going to speak to my tutor or other students and find out how to access this system. This may then help me with research or parts of work that I may find complicated.
SWOT Analysis
The SWOT Analysis was a helpful worksheet to help me review myself, it gave me a chance to think about my strengths, weaknesses, worries and what I thought university life might offer me in the long term. From the analysis I can see that the opportunities from doing this course will benefit me a lot in the future. I can also see that I have many strengths that I didn't think about before so it was a good way of making me see the positive things about myself and helping me use these in the future to get the most out of myself and do well on my course.
Reflection on Deep vs Surface Learning
After completing the deep vs surface learning reflection sheet I learnt about my own learning styles and ways to improve them. The sheet showed me that when I was interested in a task or subject I would use the deep learning style and look at the subject in depth and relate the subject or topic to past experiences and previous knowledge. However when i was not as interested in the subject or not concentrating correctly I would use the surface learning technique and not look at it in depth. So to correct this in the future I will try and use the Deep surface learning technique for everything and try to understand the subject/topic that I am studying.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Learning Line
I have posted an image of my learning line on the blog. As you can see from my learning line there has been many ups and downs in the interest line throughout the years starting at primary school where I was happy and ready to learn new skills. As you can see the main point where interest was lost was during the years at secondary school where I really didn't try very hard at school and was not very interested in any of my subjects. I feel this could have been for many reasons but mainly the fact that I was going through the stages of growing up and was not mature enough to realise that my school work and results mattered. This all changed during my second year at college where i realised that if I wanted to do something with my life and get a decent job I would need to try hard and get some good results. So during my second year of my OND national diploma in electrical engineering I began to try harder and managed to gain a MERIT, MERIT, MERIT overall as you can see on the learning line. I hope to carry on with my positive way of learning during my HNC and get some more good results.
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