Design And Construction Of A Solar Energy System

ABSTRACT

This work is on solar energy system or solar inverter. Solar energy converts the variable direct current (DC) output of a photovoltaic (PV) solar panel into a utility frequency alternating current (AC) that can be fed into a commercial electrical grid or used by a local, off-grid electrical network. It is a critical component in a photovoltaic system, allowing the use of ordinary AC-powered equipment.

In solar energy, Solar panels produce direct electricity with the help of electrons that are moving from negative to positive direction. Most of the appliances that we use at home work on alternative current. This AC is created by the constant back and forth of the electrons from negative to positive. In AC electricity the voltage can be adjusted according to the use of the appliance.  As solar panels only produce Direct current (24vdc) to the inverter which is used to produced a 220vac supply through a device called a solar power inverter.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE

APPROVAL PAGE

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ABSTRACT

TABLE OF CONTENT

CHAPTER ONE

1.0      INTRODUCTION

1.1      OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT

1.2      PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT

1.3     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT

1.4      LIMITATION OF THE PROJECT

1.5      APPLICATION OF THE PROJECT

1.6      SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

CHAPTER TWO

2.0     LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1      HISTORITICAL BACKGROUND OF PHOTOVOTAIC CELL

2.2         THEORETICAL REVIEW OF SOLAR CELL

2.3      REVIEW OF SOLAR CELL EFFICIENCY

2.4      REVIEW OF SOLAR CELL MATERIALS

2.5      REVIEW OF EARLY INVERTERS

CHAPTER THREE

3.0     CONSTRUCTION

3.1      BASIC DESIGNS OF A SOLAR INVERTER

3.2     BLOCK DIAGRAM OF THE SYSTEM

3.3     DESCRIPTION OF SOLAR INVERTER UNITS

3.4     MODIFIED SINE WAVE POWER SOLAR INVERTER CIRCUIT USING IC 4093

3.5      CIRCUIT OPERATION

3.6     DESCRIPTION OF COMPONENTS USED

3.7      HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST INVERTER BATTERY

CHAPTER FOUR

RESULT ANALYSIS

4.0      CONSTRUCTION PROCEDURE AND TESTING

4.1      CASING AND PACKAGING

4.2      ASSEMBLING OF SECTIONS

4.3      TESTING OF SYSTEM OPERATION

4.4     COST ANALYSIS

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0      CONCLUSION

5.1      RECOMMENDATION

5.2      REFERENCES

CHAPTER ONE

1.0                                                        INTRODUCTION

Solar panels produce direct electricity with the help of electrons that are moving from negative to positive direction. Most of the appliances that we use at home work on alternative current. This AC is created by the constant back and forth of the electrons from negative to positive. In AC electricity the voltage can be adjusted according to the use of the appliance.  As solar panels only produce Direct current the solar inverter is used to convert the DC to AC.

An inverter produces square waves or a sine wave which can be used for running lights, televisions, lights, motors etc. However these inverters also produce harmonic distortion. Expensive inverters make use of lots of steps to produce a sine wave and thus are found in residential solar inverters. Basically inverters should be a large one so that it supplies enough power to all the necessary appliances.

Many people using solar inverters these days which prove that its necessity has been increased in the current years. A Solar inverter is similar to a normal electric inverter but uses the energy of the Sun, that is, Solar energy. A solar inverter helps in converting the direct current into alternate current with the help of solar power. Direct power is that power which runs in one direction inside the circuit and helps in supplying current when there is no electricity. Direct currents are used for small appliance like mobile e phones, MP3 players, IPod etc. where there is power stored in the form of battery. In case of alternative current it is the power that runs back and forth inside the circuit. The alternate power is generally used for house hold appliances. A solar inverter helps devices that run on DC power to run in AC power so that the user makes use of the AC power. If you are thinking why to use solar inverter instead of the normal electric one then it is because the solar one makes use of the solar energy which is available in abundant from the Sun and is clean and pollution free.

Solar energy systems are also called as photovoltaic solar inverters. These devices can help you save lot of money.  The small-scale grid  one have just two components i.e. the panels and inverter while  the off grid systems are complicated and consists of batteries which allows users to use appliances during the night when there is no Sunlight available.  The solar panel and the batteries that are placed on rooftops attract Sun rays and then convert the Sunlight into electricity. The batteries too grab the extra electricity so that it can then be used to run appliances at night.

1.1                                   AIM AND OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT

The main aim of the study is to discuss how solar energy is produced by getting an input dc voltage ( say, 24vdc) from the solar panel and convert it to 220vac output which can be use to power ac appliances. At the end of the study, student involved shall be able to:

1. Understand the principle of solar energy conversion
2. Operation of an solar inverter

• How to build solar inverter

1. Identify components and accessories responsible for the solar energy conversion.

1.2                                              PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT

The purpose of a solar energy system is to transform direct current (24v) generated by a PV system into alternating current (220v), which can be sent into an AC appliances. These inverters can be used either in concert with battery systems or to directly power certain devices.

1.3                                         SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT

• Solar energy has always helped in reducing global warming and green house effect.
• Also use of solar energy helps in saving money many people have started using solar based devices
• A solar energy helps in converting the Direct current into batteries or alternative current. This helps people who use limited amount of electricity.
• There is this synchronous solar inverter that helps small homeowners and power companies as they are large in size
• Then there is this multifunction solar inverter which is the best among all and works efficiently. It converts the DC power to AC very carefully which is perfect for commercial establishments
• This inverter is cost effective i.e. less expensive than generators
• Apart from solar inverters there are other devices too that make use of solar energy namely, solar cooker, heater.
• Solar inverters are the best way and they are better than the normal electric ones. Also their maintenance does not cost much money

1.4                                           LIMITATION OF THE PROJECT

• Initially you need to shell out a lot of money for buying a solar inverter
• It will work effectively and produce direct current only when the Sunlight is strong.
• The solar panels that are used to attract Sunlight requires lots of space
• The device can work efficiently only if the presence of the Sun is strong.
• The device is powered using 24v solar panel and 24v battery – for storing the energy in the day which will be later used during sunset.

1.5                                          APPLICATION OF THE PROJECT

Concentrating Solar Power (CSP): Concentrating solar power (CSP) plants are utility-scale generators that produce electricity using mirrors or lenses to efficiently concentrate the sun’s energy. The four principal CSP technologies are parabolic troughs, dish-Stirling engine systems, central receivers, and concentrating photovoltaic systems (CPV).

Solar Thermal Electric Power Plants: Solar thermal energy involves harnessing solar power for practical applications from solar heating to electrical power generation. Solar thermal collectors, such as solar hot water panels, are commonly used to generate solar hot water for domestic and light industrial applications. This energy system is also used in architecture and building design to control heating and ventilation in both active solar and passive solar designs.

Photovoltaics: Photovoltaic or PV technology employs solar cells or solar photovoltaic arrays to convert energy from the sun into electricity. Solar cells produce direct current electricity from the sun’s rays, which can be used to power equipment or to recharge batteries. Many pocket calculators incorporate a single solar cell, but for larger applications, cells are generally grouped together to form PV modules that are in turn arranged in solar arrays. Solar arrays can be used to power orbiting satellites and other spacecraft, and in remote areas as a source of power for roadside emergency telephones, remote sensing, and cathodic protection of pipelines.

Solar Heating Systems: Solar hot water systems use sunlight to heat water. The systems are composed of solar thermal collectors and a storage tank, and they may be active, passive or batch systems.

Passive Solar Energy:  It concerns building design to maintain its environment at a comfortable temperature through the sun’s daily and annual cycles.  It can be done by (1) Direct gain or the positioning of windows, skylights, and shutters to control the amount of direct solar radiation reaching the interior and warming the air and surfaces within a building; (2) Indirect gain in which solar radiation is captured by a part of the building envelope and then transmitted indirectly to the building through conduction and convection; and (3) Isolated gain which involves passively capturing solar heat and then moving it passively into or out of the building via a liquid or air directly or using a thermal store. Sunspaces, greenhouses, and solar closets are alternative ways of capturing isolated heat gain from which warmed air can be taken.

Solar Lighting: Also known as daylighting, this is the use of natural light to provide illumination to offset energy use in electric lighting systems and reduce the cooling load on HVAC systems. Daylighting features include building orientation, window orientation, exterior shading, saw tooth roofs, clerestory windows, light shelves, skylights, and light tubes. Architectural trends increasingly recognize daylighting as a cornerstone of sustainable design.

Solar Cars: A solar car is an electric vehicle powered by energy obtained from solar panels on the surface of the car which convert the sun’s energy directly into electrical energy. Solar cars are not currently a practical form of transportation. Although they can operate for limited distances without sun, the solar cells are generally very fragile. Development teams have focused their efforts on optimizing the efficiency of the vehicle, but many have only enough room for one or two people.

Solar Power Satellite: A solar power satellite (SPS) is a proposed satellite built in high Earth orbit that uses microwave power transmission to beam solar power to a very large antenna on Earth where it can be used in place of conventional power sources. The advantage of placing the solar collectors in space is the unobstructed view of the sun, unaffected by the day/night cycle, weather, or seasons. However, the costs of construction are very high, and SPSs will not be able to compete with conventional sources unless low launch costs can be achieved or unless a space-based manufacturing industry develops and they can be built in orbit from off-earth materials.

Solar Updraft Tower: A solar updraft tower is a proposed type of renewable-energy power plant. Air is heated in a very large circular greenhouse-like structure, and the resulting convection causes the air to rise and escape through a tall tower. The moving air drives turbines, which produce electricity. There are no solar updraft towers in operation at present.

1.6                                SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

A solar power system is made up of multiple photovoltaic (PV) panels, a Dc to AC power converter (called inverter) and a rack system that holds the PV panels in place.

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) panels are generally fitted on the roof. They should face in an easterly, northerly or westerly direction. The panels should be tilted at particular angles to maximize the amount of sunlight that hits the panels.

Solar PV panels on the roofs of homes and businesses generate clean electricity by converting the energy in sunlight. This conversion takes place within solar panels of specially fabricated materials that make up the solar panels. It is a process that requires no moving parts. In most cases solar panels are connected to the mains power supply through a device called a solar power inverter.