Wave Tank I - The Duck Gen.

At one end of the tank we have a handle that can be moved up and down to create water waves. The waves cause the floating duck to bob up and down. The duck is connected to a lever that transfers this motion to a set of magnets. As these magnets move up and down within a coil of wire electricity is generated. This then powers the meter and the set of LED lights. Marine buoys use a similar system (not with ducks but with moving weights within the floating buoy) to charge batteries so that they can continually power a light.

duck diagram

This equipment is currently traveling around southern England as part of the "who is going to keep the light on?" SEPnet exhibition for GCSE students. If you go to the events you might like to think about the following:

Things to do: use the handle to create waves but please be gentle so that you don't damage the equipment. You might find that the largest / fastest movement of the handle does not always create the most electricity. Are the quick (short) waves or the slow (long) waves best? Can you see how the waves move the parts of the apparatus that generate electricity? Can you think of anything that might improve the efficiency? What are the limitations of harnessing wave power using this method?

For details of the electrical generators used in these designs please see: 6 gens

SEPnet web site

CSC talks and workshops


THE CREATIVE SCIENCE CENTRE
Dr Jonathan Hare, The University of Sussex
Brighton, East Sussex. BN1 9QJ.

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