Back to work…

After the excitement of being in Sweden, the last couple of weeks have been fairly boring. Work has been mainly consisted of testing, I've been doing a more accurate test regime, looking at the extremes of all my variables to see which are most important and which may affect the efficiency of the turbine most. To do this, I've had to modify the rig slightly, so I can more accurately measure and move angles and positions. I've a series of 12 tests to do now, which will map out the combination of variables that is most important. This should be finished in the next week hopefully…

I've also been getting further frustrated by the analytical modelling. I still seem to unable to model it using the different physical effects that are quantifiable. I've tried another method over the last couple of weeks, using the cup as the stationary coordinate system and sweeping a stream of water particles in and out, but that still brings up inconsistencies which I really can't get my head around. I think the only option I really have open to me now is use experimentally derived constants to match the theory with the experiments. Definitely not ideal and not really what I wanted to do, but I will do this so that I can have a model to progress on to the next stage and then try again later to derive the whole thing from geometry and fluid mechanic equations.

I've also been looking at the electrical side of the project a little more. At WREC I met someone who presented a paper on parallel connected inverters and he gave me some pointers about how to model these types of systems, so I've done a lot of reading on these and the concept of virtual impedance control schemes for inverters.

On the more fun side of things, I've been getting ready for another musical, this time Sweet Charity with Bristol Musical Comedy Club (BMCC). This is the first time for a long time I've worked with a new company, which is fun, although getting to know how different people do things is quite hard at first. BMCC don't have a parish hall that they're based in, so perform in professional theatres, this time it's the Redgrave Theatre. This is going to be another new experience for me, setting up and working in a proper professional theatre. I've spent the last few weeks visiting the rehearsals and building some of the set, which has been good fun - I enjoy getting my hands dirty, it makes sitting at a computer for the rest of the day more bearable.

I went down to Cornwall for a few days for my Mum's birthday, which was great. I really haven't visited home as much as I should have over the last few months, so it was fantastic for all my family to be in one place again.

Mum and her birthday cake (don't count the candles!)

The next few weeks are going to be fairly hectic I think. Alongside all the work I'm doing at uni, I'm off to Paris for my friend's 'this-isn't-a stag-party-it's-more-of-a-pre-wedding-bash', then there's the performance of Sweet Charity in the first week of June, straight after coming back from Paris, then after a week's rest and relaxation, I'm off to Nepal for a short visit to go to Rachhu's wedding before returning for three weeks and then back to Nepal for my annual month-long trip. I've got to try and wrap up all the turbine work before I head away as they're going to be doing some modifications in the Hydrolab, which is annoying. Finger's crossed it all goes well!

SAM