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Full-Text Articles in Engineering
Pv Mppt Water Pump Controller, Jacob R. Lamkin
Pv Mppt Water Pump Controller, Jacob R. Lamkin
Electrical Engineering
The intention of this project is to create a low cost way to extract the maximum useful power from a PV module to power a water pump. This approach will yield maximum financial and technical accessibility for end users. The project was successful in powering a water pump from a PV module as desired, and the microcontroller driven control circuitry was capable of finding and maintaining operation at the maximum power point of the PV module. Due to the low performance of the buck converter used in this project, this approach was not as efficient as desired and would require …
Modeling And Testing Powerplant Subsystems Of A Solar Uas, Luke J. Bughman
Modeling And Testing Powerplant Subsystems Of A Solar Uas, Luke J. Bughman
Master's Theses
In order to accurately conduct the preliminary and detailed design of solar powered Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), it is necessary to have a thorough understanding of the systems involved. In particular, it is desirable to have mathematical models and analysis tools describing the energy income and expenditure of the vehicle. Solar energy income models may include available solar irradiance, photovoltaic array power output, and maximum power point tracker efficiency. Energy expenditure models include battery charging and discharging characteristics, propulsion system efficiency, and aerodynamic efficiency. In this thesis, a series of mathematical models were developed that characterize the performance of these …
Solar Shingle Experience: Evaluating Their Value In Today's Market, Kevin R. Church
Solar Shingle Experience: Evaluating Their Value In Today's Market, Kevin R. Church
Construction Management
Solar technology has been on the rise in popularity in recent years and we are starting to see more of it across the US. As the technology and capabilities of photovoltaic (PV) cells advance, there has been an increase in the number of different product designs that incorporate PV cells. Building integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) products have been some of the most popular introduced to the market. In the last five years, one of these BIPV products, a solar system integrated into the roofing shingles of residential homes has been sensationalized and, according to a California solar installer, that has encouraged …
Viability Of Solar Power On Jobsites, Braden J. Levalley
Viability Of Solar Power On Jobsites, Braden J. Levalley
Construction Management
The use of solar energy has slowly been on the rise over the past few decades, the full potential of solar energy has not been realized in the realm of construction. Solar power in construction has been slow to catch on, as many of the upfront costs associated with solar power has created a feeling that investing in such systems will ultimately not be worth the investment. This paper attempts to address the issues of upfront costs, the willingness for contractors to invest in renewable energy both now and in the future, and will also identify possible uses for solar …
Logistics Of Construction In Agbokpa, Ghana, Fletcher David Podosek
Logistics Of Construction In Agbokpa, Ghana, Fletcher David Podosek
Construction Management
In August of 2019, three Cal Poly CM students will travel to the remote fishing village of Agbokpa in Ghana. Our project is to install a water filtration system that will create potable water for the villagers that currently have to walk miles to obtain clean water. We will be laying nearly 1000 ft of pipe, installing a solar powered pump, and building a water filtration system hours away from any electricity. A project of this type requires a great deal of logistical planning in order to ensure that all aspects of the project is thought of and planned for. …
Insulated Solar Electric Cooker With Phase Change Thermal Storage Medium, Justin Brett Unger, Nathan Robert Christler, Matthew Weeman, Marcus Edward Strutz
Insulated Solar Electric Cooker With Phase Change Thermal Storage Medium, Justin Brett Unger, Nathan Robert Christler, Matthew Weeman, Marcus Edward Strutz
Mechanical Engineering
This final design review document outlines the senior design project carried out by a team of four mechanical engineering students at the California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo under the sponsorship of Dr. Peter Schwartz of the Cal Poly Physics department. The aim of this project was to improve upon the design of previously developed Insulated Solar Electric Cookers (ISECs) by adding a thermal storage system to allow for quicker cook times and the ability to cook food at non-peak solar hours. The team’s goal was to develop a working prototype utilizing a phase change medium as the …
Vaccine Cooler For The Global Poor, Benjamin J. Larson, Cooper E. Gibson, Eilbron Younan, Cody R. Volk
Vaccine Cooler For The Global Poor, Benjamin J. Larson, Cooper E. Gibson, Eilbron Younan, Cody R. Volk
Mechanical Engineering
Cal Poly physics professors Peter Schwartz and Nathan Heston approached the Solar Freeze team with the problem that remote communities in Africa have limited access to modern-day medicine or vaccines. They suggested that we try and design a cooling device that can keep vaccines cold for multiple days at a time while the medicine is transported to remote villages. Currently, there are vaccine cooler products on the market, but most of them are very expensive or lack portability. Peter and Nate have tasked the Solar Freeze team to come up with a less expensive solution that is also portable and …
Ares Cleaning System, Andy Sagers, John Cunningham, Peter Greig, Jack Glynn
Ares Cleaning System, Andy Sagers, John Cunningham, Peter Greig, Jack Glynn
Mechanical Engineering
In this Final Design Review, the team outlines the general scope of the ARES Cleaning System project and the final design direction chosen and built. This team consists of a group of four mechanical engineering students who have been tasked with designing and manufacturing an autonomous ARES cleaning system to help their sponsor, Fracsun, better track soiling losses measured at large solar arrays. They designed, conceptualized, manufactured, and tested throughout the project as they looked to create a final, functioning product. In creating this Final Design Review, they have identified how the product will perform the desired functions and what …