Content
ENI / FirstWord
Articles for ENI.com
October 11th 2016
Solar L.Hub
Solar L.Hub is an architectural model on a scale of 1:25, exploiting the potential
of Eni LSC and OPV solar technologies. It was created by + LAB, the Milan
Politecnico lab at the cutting edge of 3D printing in Italy.
As both a laboratory and community centre, Solar L.Hub is a designed as a
hybrid space for social gatherings, learning and play. The building is brought to
life by means of solar energy, collected and put into use via photovoltaic
technologies.
The building consists of two wings – one housing the learning spaces,
classrooms, laboratories and auditorium, the other sports facilities. Located at the
intersection of the two is a triple-height space with underground playing field and
a multi-function conference room on the first floor. The two wings, together with
the surrounding area, enclose the outdoor public spaces and playgrounds. The
structure is made up of arch and reverse-arch shapes that define the space and
its internal functions without physically dividing them. In this way the perception
of the building, at human eye level, is marked out only by the plan geometry of
the same, allowing its combined effects of light and colours, using OPV panels in
the roof and LSC sheets on the facade, to be admired. [what does this sentence
mean? We would recommend cutting it out completely]
The undulating geometry of the roof – created using organic photovoltaic panels
(OPVs) – expands and compresses according to the function below. At the same
time, variations in its pitch allow the sun's rays to be captured more consistently.
The angles are also oriented so as to facilitate rainwater drainage, capture and
subsequent reuse.
The OPV cells are photovoltaic modules produced by organic materials
deposition techniques. Flexibility is one of their most important qualities, made
possible thanks to the innovative combination of polymer materials devices is
their lightness, which increases the range of possible uses.
The particular geometry of the facade, through the combination of luminescent
solar concentrator (LSC) thermo-formed and flat sheets, allows for natural
ventilation of the space.
LSC technology permits coloured elements to be incorporated in the design
capable of collecting the sun's energy before transporting it to solar cells placed
at the edges of the array. In this way it is possible to create large collection
surfaces, increasing the electricity production of solar cells without having to
increase their size – as would be the case with traditional solutions based on
crystalline silicon.
It took about 300 hours of printing to produce the Solar L. Hub model and about
10kg of PLA (for a filament length of 5km).
Its creation was made possible by the use of multiple rapid prototyping
processes. The two most used were 3D printing – both fused deposition
modelling (FDM) and multi-jet modelling (MDM) – and laser cutting.
Solar Park (kids' area and workshops)
The Solar Park is a playground animated by the sun. In this playground, children
– and not only children! – can learn about the features and potential of
photovoltaic technologies on offer from Eni through interaction with three games:
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SOPHIA (SOlar PHotovoltaic Is Awesome),
STEVE (Solar Tracking Empowers Vibrant Energies)
PEK
STEVE
STEVE is a robot that teaches kids how to have fun using solar energy.
It is programmed to store up light at a special station from where, guided by
children using four coloured buttons, it collects the energy needed to start him
dancing.
STEVE was built by laser-cutting large luminescent solar concentrator (LSC)
sheets – transparent plastic panels able to concentrate light at their edges that
can be recovered by miniaturised photovoltaic cells and converted into electrical
energy.
Building STEVE required an Arduino Mega, six hours of welding, 20-odd hours of
programming and many hundreds of metres of cabling.
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SOPHIA
SOPHIA is a little ghost that teaches children how to share solar energy.
SOPHIA consists of a helium balloon wearing a bandana on its head. Flexible,
ultra-lightweight organic photovoltaic (OPV) panels are fitted to the bandana
which enable the ghost, guided by children using four coloured buttons, to send it
to charge up with energy from a special illuminated station.
After collecting the required amount of energy, SOPHIA goes back to 'base' to
share the same energy with her fellow adventurers on the stage below.
Building the whole structure took 30 hours of 3D printing, hundreds of metres of
cabling, an Arduino Uno, seven hours of welding and 14 hours of programming.
PEK
PEK is a game that encourages children to exercise their creativity and bring it
into play with solar energy. It is a new variation on Munari’s traditional creative
workshops, during which each child has various materials available (including
recycled ones) and uses them to build whatever his or her imagination suggests.
PEK enables objects and routes to be constructed, driven by motors controlled
by OPV and LSC photovoltaic cells.
PEK will be used in workshops targeting children between 8 and 10 years old.
Children signed up to participate in the workshops will receive a certificate in the
form of a kit that allows them to build a solar monocle all on their own. This
special eyeglass is made from a pre-cut cardboard shape on which a small LSC
cell is hooked – similar to those used in the workshop – by means of two elastic
bands. The cell, when exposed to sunlight, turns on an LED inside the monocle
that illuminates the certificate. [we are not clear if this should be certificate or
ticket?]
Building each station and its components took about 30 hours of 3D printing, two
hours of laser cutting, nine hours of welding and three hours of programming.
FirstWord
Media
11th October 2016
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