Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Energy Efficient Industrialized Housing Research Summary Of Fy1998 Activities (July 1998 - August 1999), Florida Solar Energy Center, Janet Mcilvaine

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The objectives of this work are to increase the market share of energy-efficient housing by conducting field testing and monitoring, research, development, design assistance, and training activities in partnership with housing manufacturers, production builders, non-profits and related members of the housing industry.

Evaluation Of Energy Efficient Improvements To Portable Classrooms In Florida, Florida Solar Energy Center, Michael Callahan

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Florida has over 25,000 portable classrooms in use around the state. Energy costs for these structures exceed $20 million a year - or about 11% of all energy-related expenditures for educational facilities. Research has also shown interior ventilation rates in these classrooms typically fall far below the recommended levels in ASHRAE Standard 62-1989.

To explore ways in which costs might be reduced and the physical learning environment improved, we conducted a two year experiment in two highly instrumented portable classrooms at Silver Sands Middle School in Volusia County. A series of retrofits, aimed to cut energy use and improve ventilation …

Diagnostic Test Report On Florida Power Corporation's 15-Kwp Amorphous Silicon Photovoltaic System, Florida Solar Energy Center, Fsec Pvdg Division

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Florida Power Corporation (FPC) owns and operates a 15-peak-kilowatt (kWp) amorphous silicon photovoltaic (PV) system at its Econ substation in Orlando, Florida. The PV system, commissioned on August 23, 1988, was designed to generate power that would be injected directly to the FPC electric grid. The Solar Progress Generating Station was developed as part of FPC's interest in new power generation technologies. The PV system design and installation was a collaborative effort among FPC, the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).In March 1999, FPC informed FSEC that the PV system …

Evaluation Of Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems At The Nature Conservancy - Disney Wilderness Preserve, Florida Solar Energy Center, James Dunlop

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This report presents the results of an evaluation of two grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems installed at the Disney Wilderness Preserve, in Kissimmee, FL. Conducted by the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), this evaluation consisted of visual inspection of the equipment and installation, as well as electrical performance measurements on the PV array and operating system. Following lists the key results from this evaluation.

• The two grid-connected PV systems at this site were functioning properly and their operational performance is within expectations. The photovoltaic array installation is generally pleasing and complete, and uses listed equipment (PV panels, inverter and combiner box). …

Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition Experiment Using The Advanced Communications Technology Satellite - Lessons Learned, Florida Solar Energy Center, Carol Emrich

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Satellite Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) of a Photovoltaic (PV)/diesel hybrid system was tested using NASA's Advanced Communication Technology Satellite (ACTS) and Ultra Small Aperture Terminal (USAT) ground stations. The setup consisted of a custom-designed PV/diesel hybrid system, located at the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), which was controlled and monitored at a remote hub via Ka-band satellite link connecting two USATs in a SCADA arrangement. The robustness of the communications link was tested for remote monitoring of the health and performance of a PV/diesel hybrid system, and for investigating load control and battery charging strategies to maximize battery …

Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition Experiment Using The Advanced Communications Technology Satellite, Florida Solar Energy Center, Carol Emrich

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Satellite Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) was tested using the Advanced Communication Technology Satellite (ACTS) Ka-band signal and Ultra Small Aperture Terminal (USAT) ground stations. The SCADA system included a photovoltaic (PV)/diesel hybrid power generator designed to provide electricity to a rural community in a developing country. End-to-end baseline hardware checkout experiments have been completed. Results show that continuous two-second data transfers for real time monitoring can be completed with an error rate of less than 1%. The system recovers from simulated perturbations quickly and gracefully. Specifically, normal operation is resumed within 36 seconds following loss of power to …

An Assessment Of Renewable Energy Options At Brooks Camp, Katmai National Park And Preserve, Florida Solar Energy Center, Gerard Ventre

FSEC Energy Research Center®

At the request of Brad Richie, NPS Alaska Support Office and manager of the Brooks Camp relocation project, a renewable energy team (RET) from the Department of Energy/Federal Energy Management Program (DOE/FEMP) conducted an on-site power system assessment at Brooks Camp. The assessment included:

• An evaluation of the current electrical loads at the site,
• An evaluation of the current facility power system,
• A review of the plans for the relocated facility and planned power needs,
• An assessment of the renewable resources and possible siting options, and
• The identification of potential opportunities for renewable power systems.

The RET activities were coordinated …

User Evaluation Of Prototype Pv Equipment For Disasters, Florida Solar Energy Center, William Young

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Natural disasters, such as hurricanes, floods and tornados, can happen at any time, destroying homes and businesses. One such disaster, Hurricane Andrew, devastated South Florida in 1992, leaving several hundred thousand people homeless. Many people were without electrical service, functional water and sewage systems, communications and medical services for days and weeks in the aftermath of the storm. Emergency management teams, the military, and countless public and private organizations staged a massive relief effort.

In response to the Hurricane Andrew disaster, the staff at the Florida Solar Energy Center, with assistance from Sandia National Laboratories, transported PV-powered equipment to Miami …

Installing Photovoltaic Systems: A Question And Answer Guide For Solar Electric Systems, Florida Solar Energy Center, Fsec Photovoltaic Division

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This Question and Answer Guide for Solar Electric Systems addresses general considerations about photovoltaics (PV) technology and requirements for installing photovoltaic power systems, including building-integrated applications. Contained in this guide are commonly asked questions about the technology, and responses based on current state-of-the-art equipment and industry design practice.

Program Plan For Photovoltaic Buildings In Florida, Florida Solar Energy Center, Gerard Ventre

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This document outlines plans developed by the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) to support photovoltaic (PV) building applications in the State through the next decade. Implementation of the plan will be a collaborative effort among the Florida Energy Office (FEO) of the Department of Community Affairs, Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), the photovoltaic industry, nine end-user groups, and FSEC.

Recommendations For Maximizing Battery Life In Photovoltaic Systems: A Review Of The Lessons Learned, Florida Solar Energy Center, James Dunlop

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This report contains notes, observations and recommendations about the use of batteries in small stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) systems. The conclusions of this work are based on the results of more than a decade's worth of battery testing at the Florida Solar Energy Center and related work with Sandia National Laboratories, the PV industry and user groups. The most critical findings were the relationship between battery state-of-charge and battery life and the importance of an adequate PV array-to-load ratio.

Pv Lighting Systems For Bcc - Evaluation Of Vrla Batteries And Pwm Controls, Florida Solar Energy Center, James Dunlop

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This report presents the initial seven-month performance summary for these 15 PV lighting systems, for the period February 13 through September 15, 1997. During this time, the systems were configured with three types of valve-regulated lead acid (VRLA) batteries (five systems using each type of battery), all operating with pulse-width-modulated (PWM) battery charge controllers. Details of the system configurations are presented in this report. Prior to initial operation, extensive baseline data was collected on the individual components installed in each system. This data included battery capacity and high-rate load measurements, battery weights, charge controller set points, PV array currents and …

Energygauge Usa: A Residential Building Energy Simulation Design Tool, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) is developing a new software (EnergyGauge USA) which allows simple calculation and rating of energy use of residential buildings around the United States. In the past, most residential analysis and rating software have used simplified methods for calculation of residential building energy performance due to limitations on computing speed. However, EnergyGauge USA, takes advantage of current generation personal computers that perform an hourly annual computer simulation in less than 30 seconds. A simplified user interface allows buildings to be quickly defined while bringing the computing power and accuracy of an hourly computer simulation to …

Energy And Resource Assessment Of The Caribbean Marine Research Center, Lee Stocking Island, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

A project is being coordinated by the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) with the Perry Foundation and the Caribbean Marine Research Center (CMRC) on Lee Stocking Island in the Bahamas. The purpose of the research is to demonstrate energy and water savings associated with efficient technologies in an isolated sub-tropical climate. The project is being used as a test case to examine how energy and resource independent eco-tourism projects might be successfully accomplished in Florida and other Caribbean locations.

FSEC plans to monitor energy and water consumption in two buildings at the center. The VIP (Scientists' quarters) building has been …

Florida Photovoltaic Buildings Program: Mounting Methods For Rooftop Photovoltaic Arrays Shingle, Tile, And Metal Roofing Systems, Florida Solar Energy Center, Gerard Ventre

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The decision to install a PV array on a rooftop should be followed by the questions where, what, and how. Site selection determines where the array will be installed. The system design provides details on what hardware will be used; and the selected mounting method determines how the array will be attached to the roof.

Field Evaluation Of Efficient Building Technology With Photovoltaic Power Production In New Florida Residential Housing, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The objective of the project, sponsored by the Florida Energy Office and Sandia National Laboratories, is to test the feasibility of building very efficient residential buildings that when combined with utility-interactive PV power, exert little net demand on the utility during the summer peak demand period.

Two single family homes - one, a super efficient residence with a utility interactive photovoltaic (PV) system, and another, a control home - have been constructed in Lakeland, Florida. The PV residence, or PVRES, was constructed with many measures designed to make it more efficient (Fig.E-1). These include a white tile reflective roof system, …

A Summary Report On The Application Of Photovoltaic Systems And Metal Roofs, Florida Solar Energy Center, Stephen Barkaszi

FSEC Energy Research Center®

A recent resurgence of interest in roof-mounted photovoltaic systems has prompted the Florida Solar Energy Center to assess the current state of the technology from a systems viewpoint. A major part of the system that is often underestimated in the performance and economics of the system is the roof structure. The type of roof can significantly affect both the initial cost of an installation and the life cycle costs.

Stand-Alone Photovoltaic Lighting Systems - A Decision-Maker's Guide, Florida Solar Energy Center, James Dunlop

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This document provides general considerations for evaluating the feasibility of photovoltaic (PV) lighting applications. These considerations include assessing lighting requirements, understanding site conditions and investigating alternative lighting and power source options. These guidelines are intended to help prospective buyers of PV lighting equipment evaluate applications, as well as helping those supplying systems and equipment identify potential markets for their products. Also covered in this document is an overview of popular PV lighting system applications, including area and sign lighting, signal and warning systems, consumer lighting devices and solar home lighting systems.

Measured Ceiling Fan Performance And Usage Patterns: Implications For Efficiency And Comfort Improvement, Florida Solar Energy Center, Jeffrey Sonne

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Simulations suggest residential cooling energy use can be reduced up to 15% through the use of ceiling fans with thermostat set-up. However, monitoring data from a large scale study of Florida homes found that air conditioning consumption was not lower because thermostats settings were not raised in response to fan use, and many fans were apparently left on for long periods in unoccupied zones. To further study these findings, we collected field data on actual ceiling fan usage patterns and how they might be affected by education. We also studied power characteristics and air moving efficiency of current generation ceiling …

Comparative Summer Attic Thermal Performance Of Six Roof Constructions, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) has measured summer attic thermal performance of six roofs at a heavily instrumented test site, the Flexible Roof Facility (FRF). The FRF is a 1,152 square foot (107 m2) building with six roof adjacent test cells which are heavily insulated from each other. Some 233 channels of data were obtained; this includes twenty temperature measurements per cell, extensive meteorological conditions, surface and tower wind speeds and attic humidity and roof surface moisture accumulation. The data were collected over the ASHRAE definition of summer (June - September) to compare cooling season thermal of roofing systems. Six …

Needs Assessment: Photovoltaics In Disasters, Florida Solar Energy Center, William Young

FSEC Energy Research Center®

In recent years, solar energy has been used sporadically for disaster relief. Disaster relief organizations knew very little about photovoltaics; therefore, the technology was not included in their plans or operations. Likewise, the photovoltaic (PV) industry has not been directly involved on disaster teams, and did not aggressively pursue associated markets.

However, the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) recently completed an energy needs assessment of disaster response, recovery and mitigation activities. The study found that PV is best suited for specialized or dedicated applications that need to operate for long periods of time. This paper …

Measured Energy Savings From Retrofits Installed In Low-Income Housing In A Hot And Humid Climate, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) is metering energy use in a Habitat for Humanity housing development. The objective is to understand the way in which energy is used in low income housing and how it can be effectively reduced.

The ten homes come from a conventional housing project built by in 1993 Habitat for Humanity in Homestead, Florida. The instrumentation was installed in the homes in July of 1994 with over three years of 15-minute data collected on all sites. Data were obtained on seven electrical end-uses (air conditioning, heating, hot water, dryer, range, refrigerator, washer/freezer) as well as …

Monitored Summer Peak Attic Air Temperatures In Florida Residences, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) has analyzed measured summer attic air temperature data taken for some 21 houses (three with two different roof configurations) over the last several years. The analysis is in support of the calculation within ASHRAE Special Project 152P which will be used to estimate duct system conductance gains which are exposed to the attic space. Knowledge of prevailing attic thermal conditions are critical to the duct heat transfer calculations for estimation of impacts on residential cooling system sizing.

The field data was from a variety of residential monitoring projects which were classified according to intrinsic differences …

Ventilation, Humidity, And Energy Impacts Of Uncontrolled Airflow In A Light Commercial Building, Florida Solar Energy Center, Charles Withers, Jr.

FSEC Energy Research Center®

A small commercial building was monitored before and after energy saving retrofits to study the impact of retrofits upon ventilation rates, humidity, building pressure and air conditioning energy use. Duct airtightness testing identified severe duct leakage as a significant source of uncontrolled airflow. Differential pressure and infiltration measurements using tracer gas indicated an attic exhaust fan as another significant source of uncontrolled airflow. Duct repair resulted in a 31% drop (30.5 kWh/day) in cooling energy, and an increase in relative humidity from 72% to 76%. Turning off the attic exhaust resulted in an additional 36% energy savings (14.3 kWh/day), including …

Evaluation Of The Pv Systems At Martin Power Plant. 07-14-98 (Rev. 07-23-98), Florida Solar Energy Center, Jennifer Skislak

FSEC Energy Research Center®

On June 3, 1998, researchers from the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) conducted a field test of six, independent photovoltaic (PV) systems at the Florida Power and Light (FPL) Martin Power Plant. The weather conditions during test were hazy with a few clouds. This test was performed at the request of FPL to determine the operational status of the PV systems and to provide recommendations for upgrading or repairing these systems. Of the six systems, three were fully operational and were providing power to the grid.

Energy-Efficient Florida Educational Facilities: Improvements To A Portable Classroom At A Volusia County School. Final Report. 06-98, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

An ambitious project by the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) and sponsored by the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) is monitoring the energy use of two adjacent portable classrooms to see how they might be made more energy efficient in a hot-­humid climate. These classrooms have been monitored for one year to collect baseline data before the energy efficient measures are installed. These measures include an efficient lighting system, a new air conditioner, and a reflective white metal roof.

Solar Weatherization Assistance Program, Program Final Report, Volume 1: Main Report. 08-25-98, Florida Solar Energy Center, John Harrison

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The Solar Weatherization Assistance Program (SWAP) was a joint effort of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the Florida Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) to provide solar water heating systems for low-income residents in Florida.

Raising families, incurring everyday bills and purchasing common necessities are all part of daily life that can rapidly drain a family's budget. This is especially burdensome for low-income and elderly residents on a fixed income. A major part of the budgetary concerns are the recurrent and unavoidable electric bills.

In northern colder climates, weatherization programs assist low-income clients …

Advanced Fenestration And Daylighting Systems, Florida Solar Energy Center, Ross Mccluney

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Advanced fenestration and daylighting systems form an interesting new class of devices and products for introducing natural lighting (daylight illumination) into buildings. They are split into two distinct classes. Advanced fenestration systems are new high-performance glazing and reflecting systems for otherwise conventional windows which offer specialized spectral and/or angular selectivity, intended for improved illumination quantity and quality while managing solar radiant heat gain to meet both human comfort and energy conservation objectives. These spectral and/or angular selectivities can be built into the glazings, incorporated into new objects placed between the panes, or they can be part of objects attached to …

Standards And Verification Protocols For Commissioning Air Flows In Buildings, Florida Solar Energy Center, James Cummings

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Commissioning involves three major elements - 1) process, 2) standards, and 3) protocols to verify compliance with the standards. Process is the step-by-step oversight of and involvement in the design, build, and start-up of the facility, to make sure that the design matches the customer's needs, that the design is consistent with good building science practice, that construction matches the construction documents, and that systems and system interactions are properly tested at start-up. This paper does not address process, rather it focuses on the second and third elements -- standards and compliance protocols. It presents standards related to airtightness, air …

Leaking Electricity: Individual Field Measurement Of Consumer Electronics, Florida Solar Energy Center, David Floyd

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Leaking electricity or "parasitic load" is energy wasted by electronic devices when they are not performing any useful function, typically in an "off" or "standby" state. Before this study, little was known about the magnitude or source of this waste. While whole house losses have been estimated to be approximately 50 watts, little data has been available to quantify energy waste from individual loads. This paper summarizes measurements of over 600 consumer electronic devices taken by researchers at both the Florida Solar Energy Center and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Combined they form the largest data set of consumer electronic loads …