This is the same brainstorming research method as the two pieces of work before this, only this time focusing on hydroelectric dams. However this time, the brainstorm is slightly more varied in its topic branches, as they link to other branches of information.
Brainstorms usually serve me well in generating ideas for any subject as they allow me to link together lots of different research points as a broad 'display'.
Dams have always interested me, which is strange considering I have a violent phobia of large underwater structures. Petrifying images of large turbines and floodgates aside, I am fascinated in how hydroelectric dams operate, what computers control them, the safety features implemented when dealing with them and the devastation they can cause if they break or malfunction.
The physical version of this brainstorm can be viewed in the yellow folder.
Dams (Hydroelectricity)
Materials:
Concrete
Origins:
No information given
Safety measures:
Floodgates
Warning sirens
Quickly contacts emergency services
Constant CCTV surveillance
Thick, hardened walls
Physics which lever out the water pressure so that it's even and not focused on one area
Benefits:
Generates sustainable energy
Generates more energy than wind turbines
Provides irrigation for people in a wide area
Provides jobs
Can boost the economy because they provide more irrigation
Drawbacks:
High risk of flooding for surrounding environment, should the dam burst
Can be unsafe if people are left unsupervised near the reservoir or machinery
High cost to build and maintain
Requires lots of land
Can cause problems for the local wildlife
Can 'dry up' some landscapes if not monitored correctly
Can cause drought for some wildlife
Natural dams:
Beavers
Wooden sticks
People involved:
Engineers
Computer programmers
Construction workers
Security guards
Tourists (?)
Site visitors
Excavators
Locations/countries:
Hoover Dam, U.S.A
Jersey, Channel Islands (sweeps safely out to the sea instead of into a town or city)
Common 'features'
Long walls
Very large turbines
Very deep water
Floodgate system
Master computer control panel
15/10/2019
Week 3: 14/10/2019 - 20/10/2019