Engineering Students To Demonstrate Devices That Convert Rainwater To Energy

NEW YORK, Sept. 19, 2011 – Most people associate green energy with technology such as wind and wave turbines, solar panels, biofuels, and geothermal heating and cooling, which in all represents approximately seven percent of the world’s energy. But, as engineering students participating in the 2011 ASME Student Design Competition will demonstrate, natural rainwater can also be utilized as an efficient and environmentally friendly energy source.

At the ASME Student Design Competition finals to be held November 13, in Denver, design teams from colleges and universities from around the world will present prototype devices made to convert water into energy to “fuel” transportation – in this case the mobility of a model car.

The competition, named H2Go: The Untapped Energy Source, will showcase the creativity and ingenuity of student engineers representing tomorrow’s workforce of energy innovators and problem solvers.

The event, set to begin at 1:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Denver & Colorado Convention Center, will require the students to run a model car in a straight line while keeping as much water as possible contained within the device.  Scoring will be based on the distance the car travels and the amount of water retained in the system.  

Team finalists participating in this year’s competition include: University of Connecticut, The College of New Jersey, Lake Superior State (Mich.), Parks College of Saint Louis University, Washington State University, Santa Clara State (Calif.), Oklahoma State University, University of North Carolina, University of South Alabama, plus international teams from Singapore, Colombia, Turkey, Pakistan, Ecuador, Mexico, Lebanon and China.  

The Student Design Competition will be held in conjunction with the 2011 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Nov. 11-17.  Featuring the theme “Energy and Water Scarcity,” the conference will include presentations and a keynote program highlighting efforts of the global engineering community to bring practical and much-needed solutions to the challenges of energy and environmental sustainability. The annual ASME Congress is a premier global conference that focuses on today's technical challenges, research updates and breakthrough innovations that are shaping the future of engineering. The Congress convenes engineers, scientists and technologists of all disciplines for the purposes of exploring solutions to global challenges and for the advancement of engineering excellence worldwide.

For more information, visit ASME 2011 International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition.

About ASME ASME helps the global engineering community develop solutions to real world challenges. Founded in 1880 as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME is a not-for-profit professional organization that enables collaboration, knowledge sharing and skill development across all engineering disciplines, while promoting the vital role of the engineer in society. ASME codes and standards, publications, conferences, continuing education and professional development programs provide a foundation for advancing technical knowledge and a safer world.