Project solar roadways- AK

8/10/2019 Project solar roadways- AK

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CHAPTER 1

Introduction

An increase in the individual ownership of motorized vehicles has led to an exponentialincrease in the number of vehicles on the roads in commercial areas and urbanestablishments and an increase in the number of long distance highways connectingremote corners of the country. While this has significantly improved the quality of life ithas also come with a host of problems- increase in traffic cause increase in travel time forsmall distances, concentration of traffic in certain routes that cause traffic jams, increasein the number of accidents between cars and increase in vehicular collation with animals,constructions and inanimate obstacles. This had put human life, animal life andinfrastructure in jeopardy. A solution that integrates the different mitigating factors andremains constantly vigilant against the possibility of collision is required.

The three key areas in which improvement is called for are sensing, prevention andmapping. Sensing involves real-time sensing and relaying of information about which

portions of the road are occupied, what is the speed of the objects that are on the road,what are the conditions of the road in terms of wear and tear, humidity etc. Prevention isthe use of the sensed information to predict calamity and prevent it, either by warning the

participants involved of the impending catastrophe or by activating systems that have been implemented to prevent the sensed calamity. Mapping involves that placement,nature and distribution of the legends- like electrical traffic signs and inanimate paintedSTOP signs, lane demarcation, distributions etc that allow the road to communicate withthe traffic and direct it.

Furthermore, we need a smart system that reduces that possibility of accidents byrelaying real-time information about traffic, the conditions of the road. Such a systemneeds to be capable of communicating and relaying information with a computer, be easyto repair and be capable of change.

On the other hand, with an increase in demand for energy and the rapid depletion of non-renewable energy sources, there is an urgent need to develop technologies that arecapable of harnessing the natural resources that we have in a manner that is lucrative andeffective. With electricity being a universally needed resource- whether it be in thedomestic field with household appliances and artificial climate control, the social sphere-for the lighting and operation of public spaces [roadways, stations], commercialendeavors- in large and small scale factories to run machinery, or medical establishmentslike large and small scale hospitals.

The leaders of both developing and developed nations have been calling for a large scaleoverhaul in our power production systems with an increasing social awareness of theimpeding energy crisis and the impact of conventional energy sources on theenvironment. Individual entrepreneurs, social reformers and small scale industry has


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responded to this need with a wide array of solutions that address small scale individualneeds- like lighting for domestic purposes, powering of daily use gadgets etc.

Though this exodus towards alternate sources is not entirely unprecedented, it differsfrom its predecessors in one major way- it not only seeks to find a sustainable alternate

energy source, it seeks minimize the environmental impact of such a move. It has now become important not only to find a source of energy that will be sufficient to reliablymeet the energy needs of this and the next generation, but for this source not beantagonistic to the environment. While there are quite a few such sources to be found innature, one source that has risen quickly to prominence as a plausible solution to ourneeds is solar energy.

Solar energy aims to harness the power of the global incident sunlight and channel this to perform work. While traditional methodologies have used this energy since ancient timesto perform small scale domestic tasks, it has only been recently that solar technology has

become a viable solution- after technology to covert solar energy to electricity has been

developed and improved.Large scale solar projects, while not at the pace required to address the energy crisis, are

slowly being undertaken by corporations and governments that recognize their value.Countries like China already derive a significant portion of their domestic energy fromsolar powered power stations and are looking to expand their solar power productioncapacities. This project looks into a way to address the energy demands using solartechnology.

1.1 Objective and goal of the project

This project is a study, proposal and prototyping of a solar powered intelligent highwaythat is made up of solar cells and has [through an array of sensors] the capacity of sense,

prevent and map. This is inspired by the work of a startup in Idaho that is striving to dothe same for a small community in its state.

1.1.1 Objective

The objective of this project is to propose a solution that will simultaneously address twourgent problems and open up the field of possibilities for in intelligent and eco-friendlysystem. The key objectives are to study the needs, constraints and advantages of different

possible solutions and create a proposal accordingly.

In the following pages, I will outline the need for an alternate resource of energy, theconstraints and advantages of solar energy. I will also outline the features of an intelligenthighway and the aspects that I intend to prototype.


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1.1.1.1- Requirements of an energy source- the key needs that must besatisfied by an energy source if it is to be viable.

For any solution to be viable for large scale use I needs to fulfill the followingcriteria-

Continuity- It needs to provide energy continuously throughout the daywhenever there is a demand for it. This can be done by focusing the

production to certain parts of the day and storing the producedelectricity in storage devices.

Reliability- The source needs to produce energy without beingsusceptible to failure due to small changes in the physical environmentor operation

Sustainability- The source needs to last long term without needing fuelwhose availability might compromise the production of energy or beingsusceptible to some other factor that might be likely to change anddisrupt production

Environmental impact- The source needs to be eco-friendly and notcause any short or long term damage to the environment during itsimplementation and operation.

1.1.1.2- Why solar technology? The need for a switch to solartechnology and the shortcomings of conventional technology.

Of all the available renewable eco-friendly sources of energy that areavailable for harnessing the most promising right now for immediateimplementation is solar energy. The following are the reasons why-

Universality- Sunlight is available almost everywhere and for a major portion of the year [if not the whole year round] unlike tidal/wind/hotsprings etc.

Cost of implementation- The main requirement for production of solarenergy is a solar cell. Individual cells and panels while expensive, arenot nearly as expensive to be effective as wind farms and tidal power

plants. Efficiency of technology- due to the commercial interest and viability

of solar technology there is a lot of scientific research in the field ofsolar energy that has led to the creation of solar technology that iseffective.


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1.1.1.3- Constraints in application and practical problems

There are certain constraints with the commercial applications of solar

technology. They are the following-

Space requirement The space required to put up a working powersolar power plant is much larger that the space required for othertechnologies as the solar plant. This is because the solar plant convertsincident solar radiation into energy and to do so it needs maximizeincident radiation.

Conversion efficiency While there have been great strides in solartechnology the maximum efficiency of conversion is still quite low [41-54% for high grade specialized industrial applications]

1.1.1.4- Intelligent highways- what they entail, ways in which they canbe used.

Highways have become a common feature of the urban landscape andhighways and roadways occupy a large portion of the landscape. The currentsystem of highways and road has a few inherent problems they aresusceptible to wear and tear but not easy to replace, they are not environmentfriendly, and they need to be monitored externally. An intelligent highwaycircumvents these problems and has the following features-

Sensing -Real-time sensing and relaying of information about which portions of the road are occupied, what is the speed of the objects thatare on the road, what are the conditions of the road in terms of wearand tear, humidity

Prediction and prevention- sensing information to predict calamity and prevent it, either by warning the participants involved of theimpending catastrophe or by activating systems that have beenimplemented to prevent the sensed calamity.

Mapping- placement, nature and distribution of the legends- like

electrical traffic signs and inanimate painted STOP signs, lanedemarcation, distributions etc that allow the road to communicate withthe traffic and direct it.


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1.2 Goals

The goals of this project are the following-

Application of solar technology- an analysis and comparison of the existing solartechnology and proposal on the ideal choice for implementation of the same.

Implementation of smart highway o Creation of obstacle detection system to detect of objects on the roado Creation of speed detection system to detect the speed at which obstacles

are moving.o Creation of accident prevention system- to predict based on the speed of

obstacles and the direction in which obstacles are movingo Warning system- to activate a system of road lights to ensure that if a

collision has been detected the road will glow red to warn the vehicle.o Creation of road humidity sensing systemo Intelligent marking system to make changeable markings on the road

using LED lights.o Neural networks based prediction system to analyze road traffic.

1.3 Literature survey

Since the idea of a solar roadway is relatively new and only being attempted one otherresearch team, there are only a few papers relating directly to this topic. Most of therelevant literature is theoretical or pertaining to solar power production.

WCECS (2008) Development of Generalized Photovoltaic Model UsingMATLAB/SIMULINK This paper suggests a plan for the matlabimplementation of a PV panel that will be useful for all the simulations of PV

panels that are done in the project for testing of commercial PV panels. Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies (2011)- Analysis of

Road Traffic Fatality Data for Asia- This provides a study centered in Asia thatconcentrates on the WHO report for accidents and checks its statistics for theAsian countries. It provides useful insights into the causes of accidents.

ScienceDirect (2009) Economic Feasibility of solar-powered led roadwaylighting- This is a study on the feasibility of the LED roadway and it is useful tosee the comparison between traditional systems of lighting and this proposedalternative.


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CHAPTER 2

2 The principles behind solar power production and accidentprevention

Solar cells covert the energy from the rays of the sun into usable electricity.Based on the way this conversion is done to achieve the goal of electricity, solartechnology is divided into two types- solar thermal energy and photovoltaicenergy [PV]. The type that I will be using in this project is PV. In the following

pages, the methods for conversion and considerations are discussed in brief.

A majority of road accidents are preventable occurrences that have been caused by an error in human response and judgment. In the following, I have briefed thestatistical evidence related to the same and demonstrated the need for anintelligent highway.

2.1 Solar power generation

The generation of a current of inducement of a voltage in a material upon exposure to light isknown as photovoltaic effect. PV cells ae units of silicon based semiconductor substancethat use the photovoltaic effect to turn the suns energy directly into electricity.

To generate as much electricity as possible, PV panels need to spend as much time as possible in direct sunlight. The semiconductor is also coated in an antireflectivesubstance, which makes sure that it absorbs the sunlight it needs instead of scattering ituselessly away.

When sunlight strikes the panel and is absorbed, it displaces valence electrons from some

of the atoms in the semiconductor. The electric field applied on the semiconductor actson the loose electrons and a force is developed on them, creating an electric current. Thecurrent produced from PV panels is DC. Before it can be used, it has to be changed intoAC current using an inverter.
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2.2 Solar resource

Reliable solar resource data are essential for the development of a solar project. Whilethese data at a site can be defined in different ways, the Global Horizontal Irradiation (thetotal solar energy received on a unit area of horizontal surface) is generally of mostinterest. A high long term average annual GHI is desired.There are two main sources of solar resource data: satellite derived data and land-basedmeasurement. Since both sources have particular merits, the choice will depend on thespecific site. Land based site measurement can be used to calibrate resource data fromother sources (satellites or meteorological stations) in order to improve accuracy and

certainty.As solar resource is inherently intermittent, an understanding of inter-annual variability isimportant. At least 10 years of data are usually required to give the variation to areasonable degree of confidence.

A computer simulated rendition of the total area required based on the solar resource ofthe location is attached at the end of this chapter- Image 2.1.

Image 2.1: A rendition of the surface area required to power global energy needs.

2.3 Road accident causes and the need for a smart system


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The majority of road crashes are caused by human error. Research has shown that drivererror accounts for over 80% of all fatal and injury crashes on roads.In 2004 The World Health Organization pointed out Without new or improvedinterventions, road traffic injuries will be the third leading cause of death by the

year 2020 in the World Report On Road Traffic Injury Prevention .In order to address this problem, we need to create a system that not only senses and predicts the possibility of human error leading to accidents but also works proactivelywith the drivers to ensure that the possibility of human error is significantly reduc

2.4 Solar power highways

The surface area of land mass that is covered by highways in India is 4,689,842kilometers which makes it the second largest network of roadways in the world. Thequantitative density of India's road network (0.66) is similar to that of the United States(0.65) and far higher than that of China (0.16) or Brazil (0.20).

The major roadway in India- the national superhighways, the golden quadrilateral- areused by freight traffic that transports goods across state lines.

While the overall number of such users is high, the density of traffic in many regions islow due to the expansiveness of the roadways. This leaves several thousands of miles ofhighway that is exposed to incident sunlight on a daily basis with little to no interruption.

The second major factor in the consideration of the solar roadways is the fact that amassive proportion of freight traffic that uses highways to transport goods, enters themajor cities only at night.

The trucks are high weight vehicles that move at speeds exceeding 80kmph whichincreases drastically the risk of fatal accidents. Furthermore, the drivers of freight trafficare predominantly hired contractors who work on a shipment basis and often travel long

periods of time without sleep or rest, which decreases their alertness and increases theirresponse time.

This dramatically increases the risk of accident due to human error. It is to address thisrisk that a system needs to be developed.


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CHAPTER 3

Design of intelligent highway

There are several aspects to consider in the implementation of the solar roadway whichdeal with both the problems faced by design for conventional roads and the uniqueimplications of a solar powered smart road. In the following pages, I will discuss the keyconsiderations to take into account, the solutions for the same.

3.1 Design considerations in the implementation of a solar roadway

In the design and implementation of any roadway there are some aspects to be taken intoconsideration for the roadway design to be commercially viable and fiscally responsible.They include but are not limited to-

Durability perhaps the most important consideration in the design of a highwayis its ability to withstand the mechanical load without sustaining too muchdamage. The highway must be capable of handling very heavy loads [upwards of4000kgs for class2/class3 trucks] for long durations without developingmechanical issues.

Ease of repair- Since all forms of roadways, no matter the material ofconstructions, are eventually likely to sustain damage, it is important that they areeasy to repair- spot replacements of segments of the road as compared tocomplete reconstructions of entire sections of roadway. This will become all themore important in an economically distressed world where countries cannotafford the regular and large scale maintenance of roadways.

Usage- In any system of roadways it is important to consider whether the cost ofconstruction is justified by the regularity of use. In a conventional system wherethe only use of the roadway is to convey traffic, this calculation is done based onthe average vehicular traffic for that segment of the road and the estimated needfor connectivity. In a solar highway, because the highway is being productiveeven when there is not vehicular traffic, such an analysis would have to considerthe profit from power production and solar capacity.

3.2 A basic classification of roadways based on the estimatedincident radiation on that segment of the road and use


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The different segments of a proposed solar highway can be classified based onthe potential applications of that segment. By demarcating different segments ofthe road to address different needs we can better maximize the use and reduce thecosts that will be associated with wastage of potential. Such a classification can

be done by gathering data about incoming solar radiation, incident traffic and

use. It can also be improved upon by using a neural network based algorithm touse real time information and compute the changes accordingly. The types ofroads based on such a classification could be-

Power production units- Will consist of pv cell only and will be used predominantly for the purpose of power production. Ideally this will beunits that will receive maximum sunlight and minimum traffic so longstretches of national highway that are away from commercial areas.

Dual roadway lighting/intelligent pathway and power production Forsuburban areas where the traffic is only limited to certain times of the day[like the morning and evening between 7-9AM and 5-7PM] the roads are

exposed to sunlight for most of the day. Further, in domestic settingsthere is an increased risk of accidents between pedestrian traffic andvehicles. Hence these areas can be calibrated to perform dual function.

Intelligent pathway units [connected to gird]- In the portions of the roadthat see heav y traffic throughout the day, there isnt much scope for solar

power production but there is a great need for relaying real timeinformation and for directing traffic safely. These sections can draw

power from the power production sections of the road and utilize theenergy.

The most important feature of this classification as demonstrated is the incident solar

radiation available to the road. Using the governmental classification of roadways we cancompare it to the aforementioned to see which road will be useful for which purpose

Express highways- They are divided highways with at least 4 lanes, usuallyinterstate- Ideal for production of power because the incoming solar radiation isnever blocked for sustained periods of time

Partial Access Highways: A highway that allows access at other streets, probablyat a stop light- there are some chances of a traffic jam at peak hours but duringrest of the day, power can be produced.

Domestic/County roadways-Need smart roadways as they are most accident prone/Due to high occurrence of traffic jams/parked cars, not optimal for power

production

3.3 Design challenges


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Due to the regulatory restrictions that have been imposed by the government, industrystandards and equipment compatibility, there arise certain design challenges that need to

be addressed. In the following pages they have been described.

3.3.1 Maximum number of modules in a string

The maximum number of modules in a string is defined by the maximum DC inputvoltage of the inverter to which the string will be connected to (Maximum voltage ofinverter DC). Crossing the limit can decrease the inverters operational lifetime or renderthe device inoperable.

Highest module voltage that can occur in operation is the open-circuit voltage in thecoldest daytime temperatures at the site location.

Therefore for different parts of a national [longer] highway this will be different but for adomestic environment it is not needed to change the string length.The commercial norm for string length is 36 modules and the simulations have been donewith this string length.

3.3.2 Number of strings

Maximum number of PV array depends on the maximum allowable PV array current andthe maximum inverter current. Exceeding this limit leads to premature inverter ageingand yield loss of the inverter.

This therefore depends on the selection of the inverter

3.3.3 Leakage resistance valueLeakage resistance must be used to prevent discharge of current between the ground [at 0

potential] and the solar cell mounted onto the ground. There are two competing parameters to be considered- The larger the resistance the lesser the leakage but largerresistances are very expensive. So from the simulation we will find an acceptable level ofleakage resistance to be used in the system

We measure voltage values and compare the result


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Figure 3.1:

Equivalent p-v system used for leakage resistance simulation


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Figure 3.1: Simulation of PV module to calculate voltage at different leakageresistances


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From the simulations illustrated in Figure 3.2 it can be seen that for all the values ofresistance above 1000 ohms the voltage fluctuation is limited and withinan acceptablerange [between 1.81 to 1.85V] so 1000ohms is a sufficient amount of leakage reistance.

3.3.4 Inverter sizing- according to government standards

As a rule of thumb it is bent to use an inverter-to-array power ratio less than 1.In this way the inverter manages to curtail power spikes not anticipated by the irradiance

profiles. Grid code compliances will also be met using this ratio

3.3.5 Thermal considerations- impact of heat on solar cells

The ambient environment in which a solar cell operates can affect its efficiency of power production. To calculate the impact of temperature on the solar cell -using an ideal cellcomparing different external temperatures we find-


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Figure 3.2: Comparision of the voltage production of an ideal solar cell underdifferent temperatures.


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The productivity of the solar cell at 0 centigrade is highest for the string [21.1V at 273K]and it progressively drops as temperature increases [20.86V at 293K, 20.72V at 303K,20.4V at 323K, 20.1V at 353K]

The ideal temperature will be 0C but practically achieving this will require power

consumption- so in the choice of the material material must be heat resistant to maintainthe temperature in the 293-303K range

3.4 Material choices

One of the important decisions to be taken in the design of a power plant is the choice ofappropriate material. This choice is driven by the materials compliance to the followingfactors

Durability- The material chosen must have the ability to withstand heavyweights and changes in temperature and humidity.

o Thermal properties- material chosen must have resistance to heat to reducethe temperature or maintain the temperature within the ideal range in orderto ensure that the solar cells that are operating under it can have aconversion efficiency that is maximum.

o Transparency- The material chosen must be transparent so that the solarcell can produce power efficiently without compromising the quality ofquantity of the incoming solar radiation.

o Cost efficiency The material chosen must be cheap in order for the project to be viable economically and for the solar roadway to beimplemented widely.

o Environmental impact- The material chosen must not be hazardous to theenvironment.

o Ease of access- The material chosen must be readily available/easy tomanufacture if this is to be implemented on a large scale.

3.4.1 Material Choice 1: Toughened glass

Toughened glass is also known as tempered glass and it is a type of safety glass thatis processed by controlled thermal or chemical treatments of ordinary glass. It is treatedto increase its strength compared with normal glass. There are certain advantages to using

toughened glass, they are- It is physically and thermally stronger than regular glass which makes it

very durable even with very high loads. It does not shatter when broken-this reduced risk of injury from damaged

roads It is highly transparent so in no way affects the incoming solar radiation to

the cells


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But there are also certain disadvantages to the same a few of which are-

There can be no structural change can be made once hardened so if there is animprovement in the design then it can only be implemented by completely

overhauling the system It has a high price It must be custom forged so it takes longer to get and is only supplied by a few

suppliers.

3.4.2 Material Choice 2: Polycarbonate

Polycarbonates, are a particular group of thermoplastic polymers that are easily worked,molded, and thermoformed. This makes them useful for a wide array of differentapplications. The advantages of this material are the following-

It has excellent toughness so in terms of durability it is a viable option for hightraffic heavy load carrying regions of the road.

It has a very good heat resistance so it can maintain the solar cells at the idealtemperature.

Its transparency is almost equal to glass It has excellent dimensional and color stability Can be made flame resistant so there is no possibility of damage in case of an

explosion on the road the cells will be protected

The only disadvantages of this material is that it is moderately expensive and does nothave the chemical resistance of toughened glass.

Figure 3.3: Impact strength of polycarbonate

3.4.3 Comparison of materials


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A comparison of the physical properties of the two materials is as follows-

Property Polycarbonate Hardened glass

Refractive index 1.58 1.40006

Upper workingtemperature

115c-130c 230c-250c

Minimum thicknessneeded

1mm-2mm 6.5-8mm

Thermal resistance Superior [0.19w/mk] 1.5w/mk

Mechanical properties Strong, durable and highshock resistance

Strong, susceptible toshattering and thermalexpansion

From the table of properties of the two materials we can make the followingcomparisons-

Polycarbonates are cheaper than hardened glass Hardened glass has refractive index much closer to real glass [1.40016 to 1.58 of

polycarbonate] which means its transparency is greater which means that itdoesnt interfere with power production .

Hardened glass also has better upper working temperature [230c to 130C of polycarbonate] which means it will not respond negatively to fires.

Hardened glass very thick [6.4mm]and cannot easily be made into differentshapes to polycarbonate can be made to 1 mm

Polycarbonate though has far superior thermal resistance [0.19 to 1.5 of polycarbonate] and is much more effective in keeping the equipment thermally

isolated Polycarbonate is also mechanically much stronger than glass and capable ofwithstanding high weights

So based on a cost/voltage/equipment fragility/mechanical load requirements the choicecan be made

Since we need the surface to mechanically durable for high loads and have very goodthermal resistivity but also be easy and cheap to make we should choose polycarbonate.


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3.5 Choice of the PV Cell: Comparison of 36 module strings ofdifferent manufacturers for current

In the following few pages I will compare the different commercially available solar cellsand contrast their voltage and power ratings and choose the best option.

Figure 3.5: Simulation of a PV cell used for the analysis


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Figure 3.4: Simulations of Fraunhaufer, sharp PV response to temperature 293K

Comparing we see that thought Kyocera is most affected by the change in temperature[not a continuous level of voltage maintained] and Kyocera produces least volatge inideal temperature if we can be sure that at all times in the day and all months of the yearthe temperature will not be below 20C then Kyocera might be the ideal choice for solarcell.

CHAPTER 4

For the prototype of the smart highway, the following implementations have been made.In this chapter, I will outline in detail the method, circuit diagram and code for the same.

4.1 System for the detection of speed of obstacles and colorsensor for braking vehicles

In the following I have outlined the hardware setup and the code that has been used to

4.1.1 Independent proximity sensing IR sensor

For applications where a control unit is not required and only detection of obstacle isneeded for example in lighting distant portions of the road if there is a pedestrian oranimal crossing- an independent IR sensor can be used to activate an LED light. Theintensity of the light is a function of the proximity of the obstacle


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4.1.1.1 Supply voltage regulation unit

To power the module we need a source of constant power supply of 5V for which weneed a power modulation unit.

4.1.1.1.1 Parts used

9V battery PCB LM7805 Capacitors: 0.1uF ceramic disk (code 104), 1.0uF, 10uF electrolytic Resistor: one 330 ohm Red LED

4.1.1.1.2 Circuit diagram

The connections were made according to the following circuit diagram

Figure 4.1: Circuit diagram for power modulator

4.1.1.2 Independent IR sensor

An IR sensor is made up of two LEDS- one emits the IR radiation and the other is an IRradiation sensor. When an obstacle is close by the IR radiations are reflected off it and

picked up by the IR sensor which conducts electricity as a result.


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Figure 4.2: Working of an IR sensor

4.1.1.2.1 Parts used

Controlled voltage source PCB IR Led pair Capacitors: 0.1uF ceramic disk (code 104), 1.0uF, 10uF electrolytic Resistor: one 330 ohm White LED

4.1.1.2.2 Circuit diagram

Figure 4.3: Circuit diagram for independent IR sensor

4.1.2 Speed detection using ultrasonic sensor


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The ultrasonic sensor functions in much the same way as an IR sensor except instead ofsending out IR light it sends out sound beams and collects reflected sound beams.

4.1.2.1 Components and hardware setup

The components the Arduino board and the ultrasonic sesnsor [along with the breadboard, connecting wires etc] are connected as follows-

Figure 4.4: Circuit diagram for connection of a single ultrasonic sensor

4.1.2.2 ProgramIn the following program I use the analog signal from the ultrasonic sensor, convert the

microsecond time measurement into a distance in cms and use the time delay to calculate speed.

int trigPin = 2;int echoPin = 4;

void setup() {Serial.begin(9600);

}

void loop(){long duration;float cm;pinMode(echoPin, INPUT);pinMode(trigPin, OUTPUT);digitalWrite(trigPin, LOW);delayMicroseconds(2);digitalWrite(trigPin, HIGH);delayMicroseconds(10);digitalWrite(trigPin, LOW);duration = pulseIn(echoPin, HIGH);


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cm = microsecondsToCentimeters(duration);Serial.print(cm);Serial.print("cm");Serial.println();delay(1000);

}float microsecondsToCentimeters(long microseconds){

return (microseconds*0.034029)/2;}

4.2 Systems for the control of an LED matrix that representsinterconnected solar cells using an IR remote control

To implement a road that is capable of intelligently mapping itself by changing theactivation of LEDs along the individual units in it.

The cells are connected in a grid with a series running through the length part of thesystem and the positive end connected across the lateral.The cell LEDs can be controlled individually by activating a specific row or columnassociated with the cell or they can be controlled together by activating multiple row andmultiple columns

4.2.1 LED matrix

To implement a road that maps the following is a scheme for an LED matrix that can becontrolled by an Arduino


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Figure 4.5: Circuit diagram for the LED matrix

4.2.2 IR remote control

The IR remote is a device that transmits a decodable number that can be read by an IRreceiver and used to develop code that responds to the activation

4.2.2.1 Components and hardware

IR Remote IR Reciever TSOP4383 LEDs Resistors- 330 Ohms Breadboard Ardino board


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Figure 4.6: Circuit diagram for connection of IR receiver to Arduino

4.2.2.2 Code

Code for initially calibrating the IR sensor to the Arduino and getting the values of the IRremote

#include int IRpin = 11;

IRrecv irrecv(IRpin);decode_results results;

void setup(){

Serial.begin(9600);irrecv.enableIRIn();

}

void loop(){

if (irrecv.decode(&results)){

Serial.println(results.value, DEC); // Print the Serial 'results.value'irrecv.resume();

}}

Code values from the remote


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power=33441975mute=40600806351 first=33444015

2nd=334786953th=334868554th=334358555th=334684956th=334521757th=334236158th=334848159th=334623750th=33480735

mode=33446055eq=33431775rpt=33427695scn=33460335volm+=33448095volum-=33464415paypause=33456255rewind=33439935forward=33472575

left0=33425655right0=33433815

Code used for the control of the matrix

#include

int IRpin = 11; // IR sensorint col1 = 0;int col2 = 1;

int col3 = 2;int rowr1= 3;int rowr2= 4;int rowr3= 5;int rowr4= 6;int rowr5= 7;int rowr6= 8;int rowg1= 9;


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int rowg2= 10;int rowg3= 12;int rowg4= 13;int rowg5= A0;int rowg6= A1;

IRrecv irrecv(IRpin);decode_results results;

void setup(){

Serial.begin(9600);irrecv.enableIRIn();pinMode(col1, OUTPUT);pinMode(col2, OUTPUT);pinMode(col3, OUTPUT);pinMode(rowr1, OUTPUT);pinMode(rowr2, OUTPUT);pinMode(rowr3, OUTPUT);pinMode(rowr4, OUTPUT);pinMode(rowr5, OUTPUT);pinMode(rowr6, OUTPUT);pinMode(rowg1, OUTPUT);pinMode(rowg2, OUTPUT);pinMode(rowg3, OUTPUT);pinMode(rowg4, OUTPUT);pinMode(rowg5, OUTPUT);pinMode(rowg6, OUTPUT);

}

void loop()

{ if (irrecv.decode(&results)){

irrecv.resume(); // Receive the next value

}

switch(results.value){

case 33441975:digitalWrite(col1, LOW);

digitalWrite(rowg1,HIGH);


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case 33444015:digitalWrite(col1, LOW);

digitalWrite(rowr1,HIGH);digitalWrite(rowr2,HIGH);



default:digitalWrite(rowr1,LOW);}

}


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CHAPTER 5

Results and Analysis

5.1 Physical design

It was seen that the two most important considerations in the physical design of the roadare thermal and material choice.

5.1.1 Thermal Considerations

The environment in which a solar cell operates affects its efficiency of power production

Based on the simulations previously presented we saw that the productivity of the PV

panel at 0 centigrade is highest for the string [21.1V at 273K] and it progressively dropsas temperature increases

5.1.2 Material Choice

It was seen that the choice of material [based on the requirements of the design] needs to be durable, transparent, cost efficient, chemically resilient and immune to temperaturechange.

A comparison of the available choices for materials was done and the significant resultswere-

Property Polycarbonate Hardened glass

Refractive index 1.58 1.40006

Upper workingtemperature

115c-130c 230c-250c

Thermal resistance Superior [0.19w/mk] 1.5w/mk


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5.2 Electrical design

Electrical design of the system involved designing a system that would be capable ofaccepting input from sensors and analyzing that input in order to assess the possibility ofaccidents. It also involves choosing the right commercially available PV cell based on

simulations of the physical environment in which that cell will operate.

5.2.1 Choice of PV cell

The choice of PV panel depends on the response of the panel to environmental conditionsand its voltage and current levels for the given irradiance profile for the location ofimplementation.

The three best commercially available brands that produce PV panels for industrial useare Fraunhaufer, Sharp and Kyocera. A comparative analysis of them was done.Comparing we saw that thought Kyocera is most affected by the change in temperature[not a continuous level of voltage maintained] and Kyocera produces least volatge inideal temperature, if we can be sure that at all times in the day and all months of the yearthe temperature will not be below 20C then Kyocera has the best productivity.

5.2.2 Implementation of applications

The applications to be implemented were sensing, prediction and mapping. They wereachieved in the following way-

5.2.2.1 Sensing

Sensing was done using three sensors- humidity sensor, ultrasonic distance sensor, IRreader and IR sensor. The range of the sensors used in the prototype are in cms and forthe actual implementation it is recommended that sensors with much wider range areused.

The sensors were made to work independent of a control unit [like in the case of the IRsensor which was used to light the road only when an obstacle is in its path.

The ultrasonic sensor, IR reader and humidity sensor were used with the Arduino controlunit to constantly monitor the values on the sensor and get real-time information from the

road.

5.2.2.2 Prediction

The most important prediction function was the accident prevention system. This wasimplemented using a code that reads the input from the ultrasonic sensors which was fedinto the Arduino which was then used to compute the speed and direction of obstacleswhich was then used to calculate if the obstacles were on a collision path. If it was found


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that they were then the program would, based on the calculated speed activate a portionof the LED matrix to signal to the vehicle that it was on a collision path.

5.2.2.3 Mapping

The smart mapping was simulated by creating an RGB LED matrix that is connected toan Arduino that is controlled by an IR remote control device. This allows us to remotelychange the markings on the road.


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CHAPTER 6

Conclusion

The energy crisis has become a defining problem for this generation and solutions thatare implementable and beneficial must be found soon. This project is one such solutionand as demonstrated in the course of this study, aside from the benefits of energy

production, there are a lot of other applications that can be implemented in a move to anintelligent highway system that is made up of interconnected units that are capable of

producing energy and relaying information via sensors.

In the study, we saw that polycarbonate, due to its superior thermal and mechanical properties and its relatively cheap price and easy availability is the ideal choice for a

material. We saw that temperature is s determining factor in the power productioncapacity of a cell and with ambient temperature of the subcontinent in mind the KyoceraPV is the best commercially available option. Then, using a set of sensors that have beenlinked to a control unit, an implementation of the proposed solar powered highway wasdone. In conclusion, such a highway would go a long way in solving both- the issue ofshortage of clean energy and the prevention of human error based accident.


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REFERENCES

[1] IEEE Std.2363. IEEE guide for selection, charging, test, and evaluation of leadacid batteries in stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) system;2003

[2] Elvik, R. & Vaa Truls [2004] The handbook of road safety measures. Amsterdam[3] Elsevier. Expert Committee On Auto Fuel Policy [2002] Urban road traffic and

air pollution in major cities: Volume 1. Government of India, New Delhi.[4] Jacobs, G., Aeron-Thomas, A. & Astrop, A. [2000] Estimating Global Road

Fatalities. Transport Research Laboratory, Crowthorne, U.K.,[5] TRL Report 445. Kopits, E. & Cropper, M. [2005] Traffic fatalities and economic

growth. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 37, [1] 169-178.[6] Mohan, D. [2008a] Traffic Safety and City Structure: Lessons for the Future[7] Mohan, D. [2008b] Road traffic injuries: a stocktaking. Best Practice & Research

Clinical Rheumatology, 22, [4][8] W.H.O. (2009a) Road traffic injuries publications and resources: Related

resolutions. World Health Organization, Geneva.[9] W.H.O. (2009b) Global Status Report on Road Safety: Time For Action, World

Health Organization, Geneva.

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