Course Project: Solar Energy Powered Boat University of Puerto Rico –Mayagüez Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering TMAG 4005 – Agricultural Electrification 2nd Semester 2005 - 06 Course Project: Solar Energy Powered Boat By: Omayra Ortiz Santiago (802-03-5293)

Team Members From right to left: Omayra Ortiz Christian Colmenares Jeremy Ramirez

Model Picture Direction Control Solar Cells Motor Head Light Propeller Passenger Seat

Challenges in the Design and Construction of the Electrical System We decided to use solar cells from a calculator, we were pleased because we read a 4.06 of voltage, and its was ideal for our motor system; because the electrical motor only needed 1.0 V for it to run. Then of failures intents, our solar cells did not work… We concluded that the solar cells did not have enough current. Individual Work

Electrical Material List Soldering Kit Electrical Wires Black Tape Electrical Pliers Two Sided Tape

Electrical Materials Electrical Multimeter Electrical Switch Negative and Positive Terminal Wires 3v Lithium Battery Little Light Bulb

Challenges in the Design and Construction of the Electrical System We decided to use a solar cells that we bought from radio shack. These solar cells, each one have 0.55 V. It is in series elements are enough for the electrical motor boat. To connect the solar cells we weltered the cables together and covered them with black tape. We read with the electrical multimeter that the electrical motor boat was used 0.962 V, and 0.16 A. Individual Work

Mechanical Material List Powerade Plastic Bottles Frozen Chicken Foam Base Candy Egg Case Apple Juice Plastic Handle Toy Boat Steering Wheel UHU and Silicon Glue Scissors, Grabs Drill, little toy paddle Spray Paint, Knife, Screw

Challenges in the Design and Construction of the Mechanical System Our group consult what mechanical boat we wanted. We related our ideas, and we decided to make as a catamaran little boat. So we used recycle materials. Individual Work

Challenges in the Design and Construction of the Mechanical System Cut the apple bottle plastic handle to make a strong mirror boat, where the motor would be connected. Connect the Powerade plastic bottles with grabs to the chicken foam base. Individual Work

Challenges in the Design and Construction of the Mechanical System 3. The cover of the motor and propeller was modified because we wanted it to have free movement. To achieve this we had to cut it a little and put a screw. 4. Then we painted our boat, for originality… Individual Work

Challenges in the Mechanical Control Direction System We did a hole to attach a little toy paddle. Individual Work

Propeller Material List We did not build the propeller We used a Motor with Toy Boat Propeller Electrical Wires Individual Work

Challenges in the Design and Construction of the Propeller System We made the holes to pass the wires. The motor and propeller are connect with a switch. Individual Work

Electrical Diagram of Propulsion System

Electrical Diagram of Little Head Light

Power Requirements of the Propulsion Boat Voltage (V) Current (A) Power Requirement Theoretical Value 1.10 0.18 Direct Sunlight Experimental Value 0.962 0.16 Voltage (V) Current (A) Power Requirement Theoretical Value 1.10 0.18 Direct Sunlight Experimental Value 0.962 0.16

Power Requirements of the Little Head Light Voltage (V) Current (A) Power Requirements Theoretical Value - 3 V Lithium Battery Experimental Value 1.96 0.03 Theoretically we did not know how many voltage and current the little head light used.

Calculations With the experimental results its possible to calculate the resistance of the motor. With Ohm’s Law And to calculate the power of the motor; For the little head light, Individual Work

Electrical Safety Considerations Wires are secured with electrical black tape. Another special tape (blue tape) was used in the base area (foam) where the wires where connected.

Mechanical Safety Considerations The boat was tested with excess weight to prove buoyancy of the plastic bottles. The foam material (base) is also buoyant.

Passenger Transport Area The passenger transport area was designed especially for the transportation of an egg so we used a candy egg case for the real egg transportation seat.

Main Challenges Make that solar cells produce the enough voltage and current. The angle which the solar cells could receive enough energy from the sunlight to power the propulsion system. To produce the enough voltage we put the solar cells in series and for obtain a angle we decided to leave it directly faced (plane) to the sun.

Team Overview Workload distribution Member participation Model outcome Fair Member participation Model outcome Excellent Workload distribution: Christian, Jeremy and I did the electrical system and I did the construction of the little boat. Member participation: I could say that Christian did help me a lot. Model outcome: I think that our idea was complete and successful.

Project Overview Applied concepts Project content Project difficulty Application of Undergrad Studies Project content Irrelevant to field of work Project difficulty OK Individual Work

Final Comments This little solar boat was really a experience to demonstrate and stimulate our invent capacity. I consider that a project like this should continue to be part of the course. I would develop a different alternative project, like a project with motors of a system that we could use in the agricultural field. A recommendation should be not to use solar cells, probably another renewable sources for example, methane gas. Individual Work