PROJECT MANAGER: ANTHONY ESTEVIS PROJECT MEMBERS: HAYDEN ENGELING, PHILIP FITZPATRICK ADVISOR: DR. RAVI DROOPAD 1.3 Networked Insolation Sensor SPONSOR: KEVIN KEMP, FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR
FOCUSES ON: EDUCATION, RESEARCH, AND OUTREACH IN RENEWABLE ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY HARDWARE: WIND TURBINES, OFF-GRID POWER SYSTEMS, AND SOLAR CELLS System Modeling and Renewable Technology (SMART) Ingram School of Engineering
I wonder… How efficient are the solar panels in the SMART lab? Are they taking in all of the sun’s energy possible?
A little background Reaching Earth: 1400 Watts/m 2 Solar spectrum: Ultraviolet, Visible, and Infrared “The amount of solar energy that falls on the Earth’s surface in 40 minutes = the total annual energy consumption of all the world’s people.” –Texas Solar Energy Society
How do we measure effectively? Area of material intended to absorb light (m 2 ) Ascertain the amount of energy that reaches that specific surface. (AKA Irradiance) But… Light can be at different intensities at different times of the day. the answer is… Insolation = Power x Time / Area
What is out there? APRS World: $ $30 Apogee Instruments: $ Campbell Scientific: Request a quote Solar-Log: $277.00
Our approach We found: Robotshop: $10.45Rohm Semiconductor: $0.51 Osram: $0.82 UltravioletVisible Infrared
Our approach 3 sensors to implement Record and average data at certain time interval Transmit data over Freescale’s THREAD protocol to server and upload data to web page Budget (for one array): <$50
Non-technical constraints Environmental: None Social: None Manufacturability: Opportunities to be explored
Where we’re at now
PLEASE COME SEE US AT THE POSTER TABLES. 1.3 NETWORKED INSOLATION SENSOR Thank you!