Design of a Photovoltaic System for 201 Seward Place

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Design of a Photovoltaic System for 201 Seward
Place

• Scott Bresney
• Advisor Professor Wilk

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Presentation Outline

• Background
• Photovoltaic Cells
• Types of Systems
• System Design
• Building Background
• Design Description
• Data Collection
• Possible System Enhancements
• Work for Next Term

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What are Photovoltaics?

• Direct Conversion of Sunlight into Electricity
• Composed of Semiconductors - Silicon
• Light is absorbed by the atoms which knocks an
  electrons free
• The free electrons flow to form DC electricity
• Solar cells are arranged into solar modules

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Types of Systems

• Direct Connected
• Grid Connected
• Battery Backup (Stand Alone)

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Direct Connected
Panel Array
DC Load

• Solar Panel Output connected directly to the load
• Load must be DC
• The load will not be satisfied when the sun is
  not shining

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Grid Connected System
Panel Array
Inverter
Load
Electric Meter
Grid

• Electricity must be converted to AC using an
  inverter
• When the photovoltaic panels are producing more
  electricity then necessary it feeds back in to
  the electric grid
• When producing less than necessary it draws from
  the grid

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Battery Backup System
Panel Array
Inverter
Batteries
Charge Controller
Load

• Electricity must be converted to AC with an
  inverter
• Charges batteries when producing more electricity
  than needed
• Draws from batteries when not producing enough
  electricity
• This system can stand on its own

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Objectives

• Design a Photovoltaic System for 201 Seward
• Supplement the electric load
• Monitor system using data acquisition

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201 Seward

• Formerly Kappa Sigma Fraternity
• Being renovated for Facilities offices
• Attempting to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy
  and Environmental Design) Certification

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Orientation of Panels

• Place on top of new 1st floor roof
• Tilt angle equal to local latitude
• Ideally would face directly south

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Type of System Chosen

• Battery Backup System
• Will power a relatively small load, ex. copy
  machine
• Waiting for facilities to give load specifications

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Reason Chosen

• Union does not qualify for net metering
• Easily scaled up or down based on funding
• There will be many loads in this building that
  are primarily used during the day

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Data Collection

• Data will be collected real-time from the system
• Can be used in future studies and experiments
• Will collect air temperature, panel temperature,
  sunlight intensity, current and voltage from
  system, wind speed, humidity

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Other Possibilities

• Incorporate mirrors (based on research from a
  previous project)
• Use adjustable mounting brackets to vary the
  angle and orientation of the panels

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Work for Next Term

• System Modeling (PVfChart)
• Finalize Design
• Obtain Components
• Work with architect to incorporate into
  renovation
• Implement System

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Questions?