The purpose of our project is to create a more convenient and innovative technology to generate electricity via hydrokinetic energy for anyone to use. This technology is eco-friendly, renewable, and can be used at any time of the day! Our machine will be designed to generate energy on a small scale, proving that it is possible to create a portable hydrokinetic machine. If we succeed, our model could theoretically be scaled up to generate larger amounts of energy or be enhanced and implemented in practical situations. In conclusion, we aim for our project to work successfully and contribute to a new advancement in renewable energy technology in the future.

Our project applies to the world in many different ways. One key aspect is that it provides a renewable energy source that doesn’t significantly harm life, unlike hydroelectricity, which destroys ecosystems, including aquatic animals and plants. According to USGS.gov, almost all hydroelectric energy systems block rivers using dams or turbines. Similarly, wind energy negatively impacts ecosystems by creating noise pollution and causing bird collisions, which disrupt reproduction in those ecosystems and can leave them deserted. While hydrokinetic energy can cause fish to migrate to other areas, new hydrokinetic propellers have been designed to be safer for aquatic life. Our project also has global relevance as we aim to develop this technology further. We envision advancing hydrokinetic energy to make it portable, easier to use, and free of environmental drawbacks in the future!
 

How we built our innovation

We built our innovation with the main idea of mechanical energy moving water to create hydrokinetic energy and to be converted by a dynamo to normal energy. In both models we create there are two compartments, the dry part which is the smaller part of the model, meant to be dry to protect the electrical components and the wet part which contains the water, hand crank, propellors, etc. This part is much larger to create more energy and to hold all the items. We will now talk about how we create two different models, our old version which consisted of more cheaper and less waterproof things like popsicle sticks, wood, etc and our newer version which consisted of 3D printed items.

Old Model 

The materials for this portable hydrokinetic machine are the following:

1x 5V-24V Dynamo for 
1x eczecto knife
Popsicle sticks
2x propellor for DC motor pin size and Dynamo
3D printed gear set with hand crank to move a propellor
3D printed propellor for Dynamo
PLA Filament for 3d Printed Items
1x USB F to wires
 

Starting off this project we had to gather up all the materials and buy the items from Amazon as it was the main place we had bought items such as a motor kit and Dynamo which was extremely important for this project. One of our challenges was not being able to use a 3D printer, so we resorted to using popsicle sticks, eczecto knives and hot glue. We would repeatedly glue to popsicle sticks together to create a case, we divided this case into two parts; Compartment 1: Has all electrical components and compartment 2 which has all water components, after completing the two we created a wall that was designed with popsicle sticks to put a screw through to keep the dynamo in place. We also used aluminium to waterproof the second compartment and screw the dynamo through the wall we made between the two compartments.
 

During this project, we encountered several challenges. One issue was finding a dynamo that could arrive on time and function properly. Creating the 3D model was another problem, as taking accurate measurements using our software proved difficult. Additionally, the 3D printer presented challenges, with prints frequently shifting or glitching. To address this, we consulted officials from our 3D printer manufacturer for assistance. On January 8th, we received a fully functional dynamo, but another issue arose: it was too large for the amount of tidal power to move it. While we could generate energy using a metal rod to manually move it, this process converts mechanical energy directly into electricity, defeating the purpose of creating a hydrokinetic machine. To resolve this, we are working on designing a new type of propeller that can be installed and secured inside the system. This will allow the tides to push against the second propeller effectively, maintaining the hydrokinetic energy process.

Second model (current)

In our second model we decided to learn from our mistakes and fix our flaws from the old model. So we had decided to 3D print the model and the hand crank and make it all waterproof so no water spills out of the container or leaks out. We also bought a new dynamo that was much smaller and could move easily from the tidal waves unlike our old model, but it wont create a lot of power unlike our old dynamo.

Heres a picture of the dynamo we got:

In our model we also 3D printed the hand crank with the paddle wheel that will move the water:

Now lastly we created our model with measurements and precision and refined it with many different tests and pondered over many things, so here is our model:

Efficiency compared the two models

In our chart we will be comparing these two models on the efficiency of how much energy comes out (Volts) , How efficient it is and our predictions if it works.

comparison

Hydrokinetic energy is energy produced by propellers moved by the natural flow of water. It encompasses tidal, wave, and river energy. This may sound very similar to hydroelectricity, and it is. However, there are key differences, including their effects on the environment, geological requirements, and more. Hydroelectricity can flood the nearby environment and prevent fast-flowing water fish from living in the area. The construction of a hydroelectric dam also requires the displacement of nearby communities. On the other hand, a hydrokinetic turbine is much less of an obstruction but may still slightly alter the nearby environment. Another difference between hydroelectricity and hydrokinetic energy lies in their geological requirements. To generate electricity using a hydroelectric dam, fast-flowing water is required, which typically involves a difference in altitude. In contrast, hydrokinetic systems can function with slower-moving rivers, waves, or tides.

Table Chart - Electric Versus Kinetic Versus Wind Power

After analyzing the table above, we have concluded that hydrokinetic energy is the easiest to use as it only requires water movement to function. It is also one of the most eco-friendly options since it doesn’t take up much space, produces no greenhouse gas emissions, is easy to predict when energy will flow in, and can be implemented on a small scale. However, it does have some impact on aquatic ecosystems.
 

Our hypothesis for our project is that we will successfully create a functional portable hydrokinetic-powered power bank using the science of the renewable energy called ‘Hydrokinetic Energy.’ We plan to prove this hypothesis by using a crank to manually rotate a propeller, which moves the water in the form of a tide. This tide moves towards a second propeller, which spins due to its structure and generates electricity as it is connected to a dynamo that produces 5V to 24V, which is enough to show a charging symbol. This movement generates hydrokinetic energy, which becomes electricity through the motor. In this process, mechanical energy is converted to hydrokinetic energy, back to mechanical energy, and then to electric energy. If we see a charging symbol when using this device, then that indicates our project is successful.

To summarize this project, we have partially succeeded in creating this innovation. We were successfully able to generate energy using the dynamo when moving it manually, but the water was unable to do so because the dynamo was too large and required a substantial amount of energy to generate electricity. If we were to redo this project, we would ensure the dynamo is smaller so that the entire model would function as intended. We would also 3D print the base and structure of the invention to make it more waterproof, as well as give it a more polished and refined look. When we tested it, we already knew that the water wouldn't move the second propeller due to the dynamo being too large for the amount of water force we applied, which was mechanical energy through a hand crank directed toward a hydrokinetic propeller connected to a dynamo. While we thought this setup would generate power, it didn’t because of the dynamo's size.

Our project for the 2024-2025 Science fair is in a way, a base for future projects to improve our model by increasing the conversion rate and increasing the scale to be implemented in a larger consumer base, such as perhaps, one day, a city or region. Our project is simply attempting to prove that a portable hydrokinetic machine powered through manual means is possible. If we succeed, our project could be the pioneer to new inventions, both similar and different. Some changes we would make if we were to redo this project would be to use a smaller dynamo, 3D print the base instead of using popsicle sticks, and make it more convenient to use in a portable way, incase of an emergency situation, where you need to charge something for communication.

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In our 2024/2025 Science Fair Project, We would like to acknowledge our eighth grade science teacher, Mrs. Louise Sarvari for helping us and encouraging us on this project and also helping us in many different things. We would also like to thank our parents who bought and brought the items for us, soldered the dynamo to the usb female and helepd us improvise through all the challenges we faced along our journey. From the bottom of our hearts, thanks to all!