Design Document
EEE480: Senior Design
Dunes Team
Date: 24 October 2013
Dunes Team
Table of Contents
Team Information...........................................................................................................................3
Abstract..........................................................................................................................................4
Executive Summary.......................................................................................................................4
1 Project Context...........................................................................................................................4
1.1 Project Background..............................................................................................................4
1.2 Project Introduction..............................................................................................................5
1.3 Project Action.......................................................................................................................6
1.4 Deliverables.........................................................................................................................6
1.5 Timeline................................................................................................................................7
2 Overall Project Design................................................................................................................7
2.1 Alternative Energy................................................................................................................8
2.11 Wind analysis.................................................................................................................8
2.12 Solar Analysis.................................................................................................................8
2.2 Waste Water Treatment.....................................................................................................12
2.21 Primary Treatment Systems.........................................................................................14
2.22 Secondary Treatment Systems....................................................................................14
3 Appendix...................................................................................................................................15
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Team Information
Alex Kampf – Senior – Environmental and Ecological Engineering
Andrew Johnson – Senior – Environmental and Ecological
Engineering
Benjamin Kepchar – Junior – Environmental and Ecological
Engineering
Patrick Brown– Junior – Environmental and Ecological Engineering
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Abstract
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Executive Summary
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1 Project Context
1.1 Project Background
The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore has devised some plans to begin ecosystem
restoration of the built environment. Within their plan, they seek out different partners for
opportunities; including student teams, local citizen scientists and new frameworks for
collaboration. When the National Park Service was given authority over what is now the
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, 750 homes stood. Homeowners were given reservation-
of-use permission over their homes; the next and final owner of the homes will be the
national lakeshore. With ~150 structures still abroad the property, the previous homes were
deconstructed and restoration of native ecology efforts have taken effect. The debris from
the ~600 structures quantifies to nearly 32,400 in landfill waste. Only 60 more of the
standing structures are targeted for removal. The different habitats contained within the
IDNL include wetlands, forests, upland dunes, and savannas/grasslands. (IDNL ERBE)
1.2 Project Introduction
Of the structures within the National Lakeshore, history lies beneath many of the sites. Of
the historic sites, The Charles Nelson Home has become the main interest for the design
team. The home has been uninhabited for several years, leaving some degradation. The
historic value of the Nelson Home has pointed us in the direction of rehabilitation of the land
and structures on the property. The home is on restricted grounds and requires a research
permit; thus, we have sent an application for the permit. The rehabilitation of the property
should include renewable energy plans, water management plans, and landscape
management with an overarching goal of complete sustainability in mind.
Figure 1: Front profile of Charles Nelson House
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Stakeholders
U.S. National Park Service – Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
Purdue’s Division of Environmental and Ecological Engineering
1.3 Project Action
Upon confirmation for the Research Permit Approval, the first phases for our true innovations
and designs will begin. Phase one will include a visit to the Nelson Home with a certified
National Park Service or IDNL coordinator who will have knowledge of the home, historical
constraints, and propagation for design and rehabilitation plan progress. This visit will help the
team obtain dimensions of landscape pieces and structural components, what structures will be
deconstructed, what native and invasive plants are on premises, and begin the establishment of
local citizen scientist contacts. This phase will carry on throughout the rest of this semester. It
will lead us into research for different designs and proposals of pieces of particular designs for
different sectors of the plan i.e. energy, water, agriculture.
Future phases:
1. Deconstruction, removal of vital plants and land, ecological and soil survey.
2. Restoration, economic evaluation, continued monitoring
The overall rehabilitation and restoration of the ecologic and built environment will take many
years. This partnership is establishing the first collaborating efforts in completing the
foundational plans for rehabilitation and sustainable design of the Nelson Home.
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1.4 Deliverables
I. An alternative energy solution proposal to satisfy the Charles Nelson House needs.
II. A waste water treatment proposal to satisfy the Charles Nelson House needs.
1.5 Timeline
Week Goals for Fall Semester Complete1 Establish team Yes
Understand the scope of our project
2 Start basic information research off IDNL and possible project opportunities Yes
3 Initial field research of the building on IDNL property (Nelson, Goodfellow, etc…) Yes
4 Establish contact with Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore(IDNL) YesContinue information research and feasibility of restoring an historic property on National Park land
9 Send request to IDNL for a Special Use Research Permit Yes 10 Compose a design document for our project Yes
Start research on alternative energy options and waste water treatment options for the Charles Nelson house
11 Send request to IDNL for an visit to the Charles Nelson House with a knowledgeable IDNL staff to enlighten our teamComplete feasibility analysis in regards to economics complete
12 Establish long and short term goals for our project
13 Complete feasibility analysis of alternative energy options and waste water treatment options for the Nelson House property
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2 Overall Project Design
2.1 Alternative Energy
2.11 Wind analysis
2.12 Solar Analysis
One of areas of focus for the Nelson Home is energy use. It has been discussed to
make this site completely off-grid for all of its energy use. A method of accomplishing this is to
utilize solar power. There are two types of solar power utilization: Concentrated Solar Power,
and Photovoltaic Power (PV). To study the possibility of outfitting the home with PV panels for
power requires a study of solar radiation for that location. This paper presents a collaboration of
collected solar data, and the feasibility of implementing PV panels to collect power.
To determine the practicality of placing PV cells in this region it is important to analyze
measured TMY (Typical Meteorological Year) data. This gives hourly data of solar horizontal
radiation, and solar beam radiation on a flat surface measured throughout the year. This can be
used to determine how much useful radiation is available on a given surface. This analysis looks
at a fixed surface, and a two axis tracking surface. The fixed surface faces south, and is angled
at the latitude of placement. The two axis tracking surface follows the sun throughout the sky,
always receiving normal radiation. This data can then be used to determine the availability of
solar energy, and further analyzed to produce an economic analysis of implementing a
photovoltaic system.
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The following set of figures will explain how much solar power is available, the difference
between fixed and tracking surfaces, and how much of it can be collected for power conversion.
Figure 2. This figure shows the annual solar flux onto a surface. Each curve represents
the different surface it is measured from. The tracking surface receives more radiation
throughout the year than the fixed one. The year is measured from January to December. The
peak radiation is measured during the summer months, and the least is received when the sun
is at winter solstice.
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Fixed
Tracking
One Year
kWh/
m2
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Figure 3,4,5. The following figures
illustrate the difference between the
angle of the sun in the sky, and the angle
of incidence of solar radiation on the
fixed surface. The closer the lines are
together, the better utilization of solar
power. They measured angles were
taken over a 24 hour period on each day
given. Ideally, the two lines would
coincide with each other to maximize
useful energy. This is what the tracking
surface is for.
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0 2 4 6 8 10 120
2
4
6
8
10
12
Summer Solstice
Solar Zenith
Solar Incidence
0 2 4 6 8 10 120
2
4
6
8
10
12
Autumnal Equinox
Solar Zenith
Solar Incidence
0 2 4 6 8 10 120
2
4
6
8
10
12
Winter Solstice
Solar Zenith
Solar Incidence
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Figure 6. The following figure is a function of how much electricity would be produced by a
photovoltaic panel placed on each surface. The two different curves show how much total
radiation is received, and how much of that is converted into electricity. As can be seen, there is
not a large difference between how much power is produced from the fixed panel, to the
tracking panel.
Tracking RadiationFixed RadiationTracking PowerFixed Power
The preceding figures provide information that will be vital to determining the feasibility for
solar power for the Nelson Home. The future of this analysis will require gathering energy usage
data about the home. Once the energy consumption is calculated, then it can be compared to
how much energy can be produced. From there, a specific solar photovoltaic system can be
analyzed to determine the economics. If the electricity produced from the solar panels is
competitive, < $.17/kWh, then the system will be economically feasible. There are many
different factors that will play into this analysis. The first step of collecting and analyzing solar
data will provide the groundwork for a complete look at photovoltaic power.
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2.2 Waste Water Treatment
Another area of focus for the Nelson Home is wastewater treatment. More exploration in this
area is required; however one possibility is find ways to reduce the wastewater footprint of the
home. The first step in this endeavor is to gather more information about the home and its
current practices. Then an analysis can be performed to evaluate the feasibility of completing
such a system. Many options exist with both natural systems and conventional treatment
systems. Natural systems help remove biological, chemical and physical contaminates form
waste water using natural processes. Examples of natural systems options include constructed
and artificial wetlands and bio filters. Conventional systems include using septic tanks or a small
scale commercial waste water treatment system using chemicals to process contaminates.
1. Constraints
Economics
Maintenance
Environmental Costs
2. Wastewater Treatment Systems
Integrated Septic Systems
Primary Treatment in Septic Tank
Low maintenance
Provides 70% of treatment
Conventional Secondary Treatment
Absorption fields
Dispersion fields
3. Ideal Secondary Treatment
Environmental Friendly
Low Cost of Operation
Minimal Maintenance
Pollution Control
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4. Secondary Treatment Options
o Absorption/ Dispersion fields
No pollution control for organics, nutrients, or bacteria
Clogging Problems
o Constructed Wetlands
Native or Adaptive Vegetation filters pollutants
Naturally filters organics, nutrients, and bacteria
5. Treatment Economics & Maintenance
Septic Tank
High Construction Costs
Low Maintenance
Constructed Wetlands
Construction Costs are 50-90% less than Conventional Systems
Regular Inspections & Care of Vegetation
6. Works Cited
Environmental Building news. Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater. Retrieved
from http://www.buildinggreen.com/auth/article.cfm/2009/7/30/Constructed-
Wetlands /
Purdue Residential Onsite Wastewater Disposal. Purdue Engineering. Retrieved
from: https://engineering.purdue.edu/~frankenb/NU-prowd/
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2.21 Primary Treatment Systems
2.22 Secondary Treatment Systems
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3 Appendix
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