Post on 30-Dec-2015
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) Lab @ 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/m2
• 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 (m2)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: $175.00 + $30 Apogee Instruments: $235.00
Campbell Scientific: Request a quoteSolar-Log: $277.00
Our approach
We found:
Robotshop: $10.45Rohm Semiconductor: $0.51Osram: $0.82
UltravioletVisible Infrared
Our approach
3 sensors to implementRecord 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: NoneSocial: NoneManufacturability: Opportunities to be explored
Where we’re at now
PLEASE COME SEE US AT THE POSTER
TABLES.1.3 NETWORKED
INSOLATION SENSOR
Thank you!