Installation And Performance Index Analysis Of Power Solar Inverter For Computer Laboratory

ABSTRACT

Sunlight is a form of radiant energy that travels to the earth as electromagnetic waves. In reality, the light we see is just a small part of the energy we receive from the Sun. The radiant energy from the Sun covers the full breadth of the electromagnetic spectrum. Using solar technology, we are able to “capture” the Sun’s radiant energy and convert it to either heat or electricity. This sun is captured using solar panel, which is a set of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules electrically connected and mounted on a supporting structure. A PV module is a packaged, connected assembly of solar cells. Solar panels can be used as a component of a larger photovoltaic system to generate and supply electricity in commercial and residential applications. Each module is rated by its DC output power under standard test conditions (STC). This work describes the procedure of solar panel installation and Performance Index (PI) determination.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 TITLE PAGE

APPROVAL PAGE

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ABSTRACT

TABLE OF CONTENT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT
• PROBLEM STATEMENT
• AIM OF THE PROJECT
• OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT
• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT
• ADVANTAGES OF SOLAR POWER
• APPLICATIONS OF SOLAR ENERGY
• LIMITATION OF THE PROJECT
• ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF SOLAR PANELS

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1      OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY

2.2      OVERVIEW OF SOLAR ENERGY

2.3      MAXIMIUM ANGLE OF INCLINATION

2.4      SOLAR PANEL

2.5      HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF SOLAR PANEL

2.6      REVIEW OF DIFFERENT PHOTOVOLTAIC MOUNTING SYSTEM

CHAPTER THREE

3.0      METHODOLOGY

3.1      REQUIRED TOOLS

3.2      SOLAR SYSTEM COMPONENTS

3.3      SOLAR PANEL INSTALLATION PROCESS

3.5      INSTALLATION CALCULATION

CHAPTER FOUR

4.1      TESTING OF SOLAR PANELS

4.2      SOLAR PANEL MAINTENANCE

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0      CONCLUSION AND RCOMMENDATION

• CONCLUSION
• RECOMMENDATION

5.3     REFERENCES 

CHAPTER ONE

• INTRODUCTION

1.1                                          BACKGOUND OF THE PROJECT

Solar panels are getting a lot of attention as part of the solution to our energy crisis. Solar energy, also called photovoltaic energy, is undergoing rapid changes. Solar cells are very thin, about 1/100th of an inch thick and usually 3 to 4 inches square. These cells convert sunlight to energy by the photovoltaic effect (we will discuss this effect in detail in a later article). These cells do not require fuel and have a standard lifetime of 20-30 years.

Photovoltaic (PV) cells are assembled together to create a solar module. The module is what you are used to seeing as a panel. It has anywhere from 2 to 200 cells assembled together, encased in tempered glass and aluminum to make them weather resistant.

Like batteries, cells can be combined in series or in parallel to create larger and more specific voltages and amperages. For instance, four 1-volt/1-amp cells in series will combine for 4 volts, but the amperage will stay at 1 amp. By contrast, four 1-volt/1-amp cells in parallel will maintain 1 volt but have 4 amps of output. You can multiply the amperage by the wattage (in the example above 4 x 1) to get the watts generated. A watt is a measure of energy (think of a 40-watt light bulb).

Modules can be made in a many sizes and shapes to fit their application. Panels come in standard rectangular, triangular, foldable, and even thin-film rolls. This means they can be used in a wide variety of applications, from boats and rv’s to electric cars and space stations.

Modules are combined to create solar arrays. An array is a group of modules assembled together and designed to meet a certain electrical load. You’ve probably seen most arrays mounted on the rooftops of homes. These arrays are designed to generate a certain amount of electricity over the course of a year.

Generally solar modules convert about 10-15% of the energy that strikes them into electricity. This means that for every 100 units of energy that actually hit the panel, only 15 of them actually enter the home as electricity. This is the biggest area of research now, as scientists recognize that significant advancements in solar efficiency will lead to cheaper solar energy.

Panels generate direct current (DC) electricity. Think of a garden hose that is simply turned on produces water in a steady stream. Most household electronics and the electrical power grid are designed to take alternating current (AC) power. Now imagine that the water of coming out of the garden hose is being turned off and on so quickly that it has a “pulse”. This is done because AC power travels over long distances much more efficiently.

This means however, that the electricity coming out of the solar array must be converted to AC if it is going into your home. This is done with an inverter, which takes the DC power and makes AC power. The power is then ready to service your home, an electrical grid, or a device. Some devices (certain lights, batteries, special devices) use DC power and therefore do not need an inverter.

1.2                                                  PROBLEM STATEMENT

If there is one factor that has perpetually maintained the status of Nigeria as a less developed country, it is its electricity sector. Till date, many computer laboratory cannot be guaranteed of 24 hours supply of electricity from the National grid. At this stage of Nigeria’s social and economic development, the country cannot deliver sufficient energy to the citizens despite huge financial resources that have been expended in the sector.

Rather, Nigerians have continued to rely on electricity generators for their power supply, fuel marketers are taking significant portion of households’ institutions of learning’and businesses’ incomes to supply power, noise pollution from regular humming generators have become integral part of living for many Nigerians with imaginable consequences on their health. The institution computer laboratory is not immune to the aforementioned problems of Nigeria’s power sector, which has led to increase in day to day running cost of the university. Because of these problems, there is a need to install hybrid solar panel inverter for the department of computer engineering  to complement or augment the electricity supply from the National grid, reduce cost of energy consumed and eliminate noise/environmental pollution that is associated with running of generator.

1.3                                                   AIM OF THE PROJECT

The main aim of this project is to install and determine the Performance Index (PI) of a solar inverter used in computer laboratory.

1.4                                            OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

The objectives of the work are:

1. To study how solar energy works
2. To study how to install solar panel and inverter

• To determine the performance index (pi)

1. To provide efficiency, steadiness in the use of power appliances, by ensuring continuous availability of power supply in the cause of main outage during an execution of an important or urgent assignment thereby enabling the department laboratory to meet up with its duties even when mains power is not available.
2. Reduce load on the National grid that turn to be reduce the overall energy consumption dependency on the main energy supply in the country
3. Decrease customer utility bill on energy utilization because of its non-fuel consumption, low price and maintenance cost as compared to the convectional sources of power supplies within International and Local market.

• Again, reduce carbon discharges and subsequently reduce global warming particularly in a period when poor climatic change has become a threat to human survival and life in general to all living creatures hence an ever increasing concern to control it.

1.5                                           SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Currently solar panels are used to provide hot water (solar thermal) and heating to homes and small ensembles. You tried to build solar power plants, using turbines, convert the stored heat into electricity, but these experiments have failed substantially to the low yield of these power relationships with high operating costs and the interruption of electricity supply (but see As for the panels that the concentration of last generation). The photovoltaic panels are used mainly to power devices away from electrical networks (space probes, the phone repeaters in the mountains, etc.) or with reduced energy requirements so that a connection to the grid would be uneconomical (light road signs, parking meters, etc.) and improper from an organizational perspective. Obviously, these devices must be equipped with batteries that can accumulate the electricity produced in excess during the day to power the equipment at night and during cloudy periods.

With current technology photovoltaic panels are also sensitive to infrared radiation (invisible) of solar radiation and therefore produce power even in case of cloudy weather and rain. The amount of energy delivered is variable and unpredictable, this discontinuity makes it difficult to meet demand at all times current, less than a production with a wide safety margin above the peak annual demand.

1.6                                        ADVANTAGES OF SOLAR POWER

1.7                                       APPLICATIONS OF SOLAR ENERGY

• Solar Thermal

Solar thermal technologies can be used for water heating in homes or commercial and space heating or space cooling for buildings. Solar water heating systems use different type of collectors to gather and store the solar energy for heating water used in residential, commercial and industrial applications. For space heating and cooling in warm temperature region, the thermal mass materials is needed to keep building cool by absorbing solar energy during a day and radiate stored heat to cooler atmosphere at night. However they can be used in cold temperature areas to maintain warmth as well.

• Solar Electric Power Generation

Solar energy can be directly converted to electricity by photovoltaic cells. Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems provide electricity to home or business for lighting, TV, fan, computer, stereo, refrigerator, water pump or livestock feeders, without connection to utility grid. They are also used to power watches, calculators and sign lights.

1.8                                           LIMITATION OF THE PROJECT

The estimated lifetime of the solar panels is about 30 years. The main defects of these systems are the cost of the panels and the storage of energy.

The second obvious problem with this kind of system is that energy is produced only during daylight hours and is not suitable for any situation, being a form of energy electricity hardly accumulate in large quantities.

During the installation, is not always easy to track or position the panel to the right place that will attract sun rays.

1.9                 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF SOLAR PANELS

Advantages

Solar panels are clean – while generating electricity from sunlight, solar panels produce virtually no pollution, whereas burning fossil fuels releases large quantities of toxic gases into the atmosphere.

For the consumer, solar panels can free the individual from reliance on the power grid and the monopolistic energy supplier. Once you make the initial investment in hardware, you will have free electricity for years to come.

Fossil Fuels are limited – Although fossil fuel reserves are expected to run dry within the next century, solar power is clean, abundant, and will remain a renewable resource that can meet all of Earth’s energy needs for billions of years to come.

Disadvantages solar panels

Admittedly, while solar power is certainly much cleaner than the burning of fossil fuels, and moderately cleaner than the production of nuclear power, solar panels installation are very pricey and in many years demand for solar panels exceeds supply. When we ask ourselves – why are solar panels necessary, we must consider the costs of production as well as the costs of using much more harmful means of producing electricity. Solar Panels also require more square yardage per kilowatt for the power-generating facility than fossil fuel power plants or nuclear power.