Julanne McCulley, PI
The MEPP Project
The Mobile Elemental Power Plant (MEPP) originated as a research project in the spring of 2011. The purpose was to determine the feasibility of a developing a portable power plant using various forms of alternative energy that could replace a typical gas powered generator. The project would provide Engineering Technology students with a real world application of alternative energy that could be used throughout coursework in all disciplines. The MEPP project was the largest multidisciplinary capstone project completed in the Engineering Technology department, involving over 24 students from four disciplines: Design Engineering Technology, Electronics Engineering Technology, Manufacturing Engineering Technology, and Mechanical Engineering Technology.
Initially, in the spring of 2011, four Electronics Engineering Technology (EET) students participated in a capstone project to determine the major system components, budget and timeline for the MEPP project. They were also involved in research to investigate forms of alternative energy that would be appropriate for this project.
In the fall of 2011, a multidisciplinary team of 24 engineering technology students and four faculty members engaged in a collaborative effort to design and build the Mobile Elemental Power Plant. The students were divided into five cross-discipline teams: trailer, mast assembly, solar, electrical, and battery bank. Each subteam was responsible for design, analysis, budget, purchasing, fabrication, assembly, and testing. A weekly MEPP meeting was attended by all students and faculty on the project to discuss design issues and report status.
The MEPP team held a PDR in December of 2011, where the teams presented thier designs and discussed integration issues. By January 2012, all components were purchased and the fabrication of subassemblies began. Integration of the subsystems took place in March 2012 with the final assembly completed in April 2012. The MEPP was displayed at the National Conference for Undergraduate Research in April 2012 and at Weber State University College of Applied Science and Technology graduation ceremonies in April 2012.
For more details on the MEPP project, click on the links to the published technical papers below.
Dissemination
McCulley, J., Birch, D., Leatherbury, M., Harward, K. (2012) Multidisciplinary Mobile Elemental Power Plant (MEPP) Project. American Society for Engineering Education. AC 2012-4590. pdf
McCulley, J. (2013) Mobile Elemental Power Plant (MEPP). IEEE SUSTECH 2013