Testing a Hybrid Solar Panel

docx

School

University of Massachusetts, Lowell *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

4030

Subject

Mechanical Engineering

Date

Feb 20, 2024

Type

docx

Pages

Uploaded by jidewand83

University of Massachusetts Lowell James B. Francis College of Engineering Department of Mechanical Engineering MECH4030 Thermo-Fluids Laboratory Section number: 806 C Group Letter: C Experiment Number and Title: Testing a Hybrid Solar Panel Date of Experiment: December 5 th , 2017 Group Names: 1. J. Didier Wandi 2. Chris Mautino 3. James Bremic ________________________________________________________________________________ Instructor’s Comments: Date of submission: December 5 th , 2017 Grade: …………………

Testing a Hybrid Solar Panel UMass Lowell The optimal azimuth that the modules should be directed towards would be true south, since this is the direction that the northeastern United States that receives the most energy from the sun. The azimuth can be approximated by using Figure 1 , with the knowledge that Lowell, MA, is located at approximately 42.6334 o N. Figure 1: Azimuth of Solar Panel vs Latitude of Test Site, take latitude and follow it to as close to 100%, then read azimuth http://www.renewable-energy-concepts.com/solarenergy/solar-basics/orientation- azimuth-angle.html The angle (amount of tilt) that the solar collectors should be mounted at depends on the latitude of the test location. The optimal tilt angle can then be found using Table 1 . Testing a Hybrid Solar Panel 2 1/20/2024

Testing a Hybrid Solar Panel UMass Lowell Table 1: Optimal Tilt Angles for Solar Collectors Based on Latitude http://www.solarpaneltilt.com/ Latitude Summer angle Spring/autumn angle Winter angle 25° -1.3 22.2 46.3 30° 3.3 27.1 50.7 35° 7.9 32.0 55.2 40° 12.5 36.9 59.6 45° 17.1 41.8 64.1 50° 21.7 46.7 68.5 The optimal tilt angle was interpolated to be approximately 14.9 o , assuming that the experiment would be carried out during the summer months. This is shown in Figure 2. Figure 2: Azimuth and Tilt Angle of Solar Panels The thermocouples would be located on top of the solar panels, in a configuration such as shown in Figure 3. They would be divided evenly among each panel (15 each). Testing a Hybrid Solar Panel 3 1/20/2024

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

Testing a Hybrid Solar Panel UMass Lowell Figure 3: Location of Thermocouples on Solar Panel One of the panels is a standalone system which would be used as the control for the experiment. The other panel would be hooked up to the SunDrum system. Both systems would then feed the voltage and current data taken from their respective thermocouples, through the selector switch, to the multi-meter where it can be verified by the experimenter. It will then be fed into the software program where it can be further analyzed. Figure 4 shows the overall setup of the experiment. Testing a Hybrid Solar Panel 4 1/20/2024

Testing a Hybrid Solar Panel UMass Lowell Figure 4: Experiment Layout The data collected would consist of the voltage, current, and temperature of each of the solar panels taken at every hour. Testing a Hybrid Solar Panel 5 1/20/2024

Testing a Hybrid Solar Panel UMass Lowell Test 5:0 0 AM 6:0 0 AM 7:00 AM 8:0 0 AM 9:0 0 AM 10:0 0 AM 11:0 0 AM 12:0 0 AM 1:0 0 PM 2:00 PM 3:0 0 PM 4:0 0 PM 5:0 0 PM 6:0 0 PM 7:0 0 PM Power Power Amps Angle TC 1 T 1 T 2 TC 2 T 1 T 2 TC 3 T 1 T 2 TC 4 T 1 T 2 TC 5 T 1 T 2 TC 6 T 1 T 2 TC 7 T 1 T 2 TC 8 T 1 T 2 TC 9 T 1 T Testing a Hybrid Solar Panel 6 1/20/2024

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

Testing a Hybrid Solar Panel UMass Lowell 2 TC 10 T 1 T 2 TC 11 T 1 T 2 TC 12 T 1 T 2 TC 13 T 1 T 2 TC 14 T 1 T 2 TC 15 T 1 T 2 ** TC represents Thermocouple ** Extended all to TC 15 The results of the experiment can be used to prove the claim made by Sundrum. A flash of power was made in the lab setting to understand how sunlight can heat up the solar panel. A P-I chart was generated that represented how the solar panel will achieve a certain point where the voltage drops off. This is important to understand how the solar panel will behave in an outdoor setting. The experiment shows the voltage at 50°C drops off significantly earlier than the 25°C panel for 1,000 W/m 2 power. The sun has a power of 1,000 W/m 2 , but the power will change according to the suns position throughout the day. Power, voltage, angle and temperature of the thermocouples will be measured every hour the sun is in the sky. It was decided that significant sun positions occur hourly. The temperature and voltage drops can be used to create a similar plot to the lab experimentation. Comparing the real life solar panel temperature, which is presumably higher than the ambient temperature of 25°C, will result in showing voltage drop offs occur due to higher temperatures. The Testing a Hybrid Solar Panel 7 1/20/2024 Information Recorded to Test Efficiency of Sun Drum Solar Panel

Testing a Hybrid Solar Panel UMass Lowell efficiency can be calculated based on this voltage percent difference. The laboratory results show that the voltage drops off is significant at 50°C; however, this is not a likely outside temperature on a daily basis. The surface temperature of the solar panel will be tested resulting with voltage outputs that can be compared in graphs. This can prove or disprove the claim of 3-4% more efficiency. The voltage and current temperature coefficients could easily be calculated after data collection. The results will be very predictable assuming the solar panel does not degrade with use. Depending on the number of clouds, trees blocking, and position to the sun, the voltage and current relations can be calculated using simple relations of P = IV and P A = e σT 4 . Assuming the sun is a perfect blackbody the coefficients can be predicted. Testing a Hybrid Solar Panel 8 1/20/2024