Warwick Area Career & Technical Center Engineering, Drafting, & Design students competed against five other RI high Schools in the first-ever in-person, Wind Win RI wind turbine competition on Saturday, May 7th at the New England Institute of Technology.
The competition required students to complete the prerequisites of using turbine blade design software to design and predict the performance of the turbine blades, manufacture the turbine blades using 3D printing methods, as well as test and record the blade performance in a wind tunnel prior to the competition.
Students brought their highest performing blades, the data recorded during testing, and the theoretical performance data generated by the blade design software and presented their findings to teams of judges. The judging teams included industry experts from companies manufacturing wind turbine components, offshore wind turbine construction and maintenance, environment impact professionals, and college professors.
The competition included actual performance testing in wind tunnels to test the students' ability in blade design, wind tunnel operation, proper use of instrumentation, data recording, and safety.
Students met with Senator Jack Reed, and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, and were presented certificates of recognition from the United States Senate.
The WACTC Engineering team placed third overall, behind Exeter-West Greenwich, whose teams finished first and second.
Congratulations to James Burnham, Andrew Cahoon, Trevor DiPanni, Egan Dufresne, and Felix Lopez on their accomplishments, and for a great job representing the Warwick Area Career & Technical Center’s Engineering, Drafting, & Design program!
Making Warwick proud!