First Group Project meeting with Prof. Clarke and the MSc. Energy students. The project options were explained and the teams formed. Our team decided on the Ground Source Heat Pump topic. This decision was based mainly on the desire to stay with familiar subject matter as the team consists of two chemical and two mechanical engineers.
First meeting with Neil Philips, our external advisor from industry. Mr. Philips works with the Wisegroup, an energy advisory body in the West of Scotland, and instigator of this masters group project. Mr. Philips discussed his ideas on renewable energy projects in the Glasgow area:
Research started in order to focus project towards one site only.
Group meeting at the beginning of the week. Information exchanged and a few ideas generated. Kelvinhall Underground site emerged as most popular case study.
Meeting with Prof. Strachan to discuss modelling possibilities for the two proposed buildings.
Team attend ‘HTML for beginners’ course.
Literature review commenced.
Ideas for first crit discussed.
Started preparing the presentation for the first crit on Friday.
Meeting with Ross Simpson to enquire about possible university sites for the installation of a ground source heat pump.
First site visit to Dalcross Street in Glasgow’s West End. Introduced to Richard Tarves, a representative from Partick Housing. The site of the proposed development is co-owned by Glasgow City Council and Partick Housing Association. Took the opportunity to snap digital photos of the site and collect some temperature readings.
First crit. Recommendations 1) Examine positives as well as negatives. 2) State objectives clearly
Literature review continues
Team meeting to assign individual jobs for the week.
Various heat pump manufacturers contacted by email.
Site plans requested from architecture firm.
Literature review continues.
Team meeting to organise Friday’s presentation.
Received some useful Energy publications from Lori McElroy.
More detailed site plans requested from architecture firm.
Crit comments:
Focused literature review on previous weeks comments from crit.
Class visit to Shettleston renewable energy project. A community housing scheme designed by John Gilbert architects featuring a ground source heat pump with auxiliary solar heating. The source was a 150m mineshaft/well below the building.
Team meeting to discuss findings.
Site plans AND measurements received from architecture firm allowing detailed calculations to be performed. Plans scanned into Powerpoint.
Preliminary sketches created for presentation
Kensa Engineering proving useful as advisors on heat pump technology.
Team attend site visit to The Time Capsule, Coatbridge to see a CHP machine in action.
Team meeting to discuss heat extraction options possible at Kelvinhall site.
Calculations underway using standard building regulation values for insulation etc. as actual materials proposed unknown.
Partick Housing approached to request contact with SPT in order to gain admittance to station roof.
Literature review continues.
Presentation based on literature review findings and project aims.
RET screen calculations commenced.
Heat distribution and storage options examined.
Initial costing of heat pump options.
Started write up of background theory and manual calculations
Meeting with Prof. Mclean to discuss progress
Refresher meeting called after Easter break to plan further work. Discussed socio economic issues and ways to highlight these.
Kelvinhall Underground revisited to examine inside tunnels and sketch set up.
Diagrams updated with new inside information.
Website considered at weekly team meeting, Dreamweaver and Fireworks packages acquired and familiarisation started.
Penultimate crit pending so team meeting focused on presentation requirements. Jobs allocated to aid correlation and display of data.
Options narrowed to two, air source and ground source (vertical boreholes) selected
Final calculations and costs completed and pay back period established.
Website started in Fireworks.
Comments from crit:
Student party, finale included an impressive display of Greek folk dancing!
Report discussed and arranged into headings for website.
Front page of website completed and links attached and working.
Meeting with Neil Philips to discuss presentation content. Excellent suggestions received and implemented.
Final presentation refined and colour choices made.
Meeting with Prof. McLean generated further excellent ideas and presentation storyline settled.
Friday crit was informal and allowed each group to discuss individual storylines. Prof. Clarke stated running order for Big Day and overall storyline of presentations ie. Renewable energy applications and related ideas.
Written reports from team members converted to html pages and posted on site. Computer science department contacted re. minor flaws in website but to no avail.
Digital photos of team taken and posted on site.
Presentation slides finalised and practice sessions scheduled. An effort was made to create a visually stimulating show. This was due to word of mouth comments from a businessman who had fallen asleep at the previous years presentation!
Meeting with Neil Philips to discuss website and presentation conclusions. Possible questions suggested and answers established.
Final presentation to industrialists