Energy Trainer
Training Case

Imparting basic knowledge of energy technology with method

Providing "basic education in energy technology" is one of the important challenges of modern educational policy. Only with the right basic knowledge can concepts for energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources be understood. But how can the subject area of energy be made accessible to children of primary school age? This question led to the development of the energy trainer, which is based on the proven Christiani energy wheel.

With first, qualitative energy experiments, pupils learn about the physical effort, which amount of energy has to be used for the operation of an active loudspeaker, the lighting or the heat generation. From this the student can already derive basic rules of conduct for saving energy. With the energy trainer, students (alone or in group work) acquire elementary, practical basic knowledge largely independently.

The following topics can be worked on in theory and practice:

• Qualitative evaluation:

Which energy application in the house requires the most energy (communication and entertainment electronics, lighting or heating technology)?

• Energy efficiency:

Energy saving strategies and optimisation possibilities of energy use in our everyday life, our school or our home

• Energy converters:

Energy chain from solar energy to food as energy storage, from muscle energy and mechanical energy to electrical energy

• Quantitative assessment:

How much "food energy" (e.g. chocolate) does a student get for energy compensation when he heats the metal plate in the MET by 5 Kelvin in 5 minutes? What does he achieve?

• Data collection:

Exploring the energy quantities for everyday processes, e.g. annual electricity demand, energy for home heating, air travel, annual energy demand for Germany, Europe, the world, etc.

• Energy system comparisons:

Compilation of energy balances for transport systems, e.g. bicycle - car; train - plane or ship, etc.
Energy balances for lighting systems, communication, EDP, building services applications such as vacuum cleaners, coffee machines, heating circulation pumps, etc.

• A new understanding of the basic parameters of electrical and energy technology on the basis of "Ohm's Law" and of power and energy calculations, of energy efficiency and the use of renewable energies!

Additional equipment for the teaching and learning system Energy Trainer:

For an extension and deepening of energy technology experiments and presentations Christiani offers a supplementary equipment with which further attractive applications for energy technology can be developed!

With the additional equipment to the energy trainer the following action-oriented learning processes can be realized:

• Projects:

With the energy trainer the electrical operation of a small model railway system can be demonstrated.

• know-how:

Examine storage solutions with a battery storage or a simulated pumped storage power station where the Energy Trainer supplies the electrical storage energy. These experiments can be used to investigate the efficiency of these possible storage scenarios for securing our electrical energy supply.

• Substitute power plant:

With the Energy Trainer, up to 30 watts of power can be supplied via an inverter 230 V AC for various energy applications with electrical appliances.
Examples: Small 230 V AC devices, PC, television, LED spotlights, etc.

General learning objectives

With the energy trainer you impart basic knowledge about energy technology.

The student can

• Classify electrical appliances according to their energy requirements
• networking energy-related variables with one's own world of imagination and experience
• Break down energy saving measures according to their efficiency

Learning objectives for the individual experiments

The experiments included in the instructions are suitable for an interesting and exciting lesson, where the students can give their own hands-on experience. These are just a few of the learning goals pursued:

The student can

• supply various consumers with energy via the measuring and switching board
• develop energy judgement through estimation, investigation and evaluation
• derive conclusions for energy user behaviour from the result
• recognise why saving energy does not only mean saving electricity
• calculate the power and energy values from current, voltage and time values
• critically evaluate the mechanical performance of a human
• calculate the time required to produce one "kWh" of energy from human muscle power
• experience and evaluate the heating of a small metal plate by measuring the temperature
• perform power and energy calculations from the measured values
• Evaluate energy conversions in energy systems
• correctly classify the savings potential of LED lamps compared to other lamps
• Specify energy saving suggestions for the operation of consumer electronics
• Physically experience and describe the basic principles of electrical engineering

• All general education schools: from primary level
• Vocational schools: for all areas where a basic understanding of energy is required
• Company and inter-company training centres (initial and continuing training)
• Clubs and associations: in the fields of environmental protection, energy and energy technology

• Manually operated energy trainer with generator for 12 V DC; Pmax = 35 W in a compact experiment case
• Measuring and switching board with triple LED display of the optimally generated voltage by the hand crank
• Analog display for the current and voltage at the various consumers
• Switchable heat generator on metal plate with digital temperature display. This temperature display has its own solar power supply, which serves as an example of photovoltaic applications
• Another four switchable consumers via two 12-volt sockets, one LED lamp with 12 V DC; 3 W and one halogen lamp 12 V; 20 W
• High-quality active loudspeakers with integrated MP3 player. Further audio sources such as walk- and discman, radio recorder, DVD player, etc. can be connected to the active speakers via the 3.5 mm jack plug
• Attachment to the experimental table with two screw clamps
• Experimental instructions