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Solar Panel and Water Storage Design
By: Ethan Abraham
Components of Solar Panel Design
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Include silicon solar cells, aluminum metal frames, glass sheet casing, 12V wire, bus wire, and Plexiglas, and inverters
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Glass casing adds durability and protection for silicon PV
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Casing for insulation limits heat dissipation and humidity inside panel
Crystalline Panels Mono vs. Poly
Monocrystalline
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Composed of single crystal of silicon (dark in coloring)
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Higher efficiency rates and better solar conversion in low light conditions
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Good use in limited roof space
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Good pairing with micro-inverters
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Sensitive to soiling and shade and mass use of silicon used in manufacturing
Polycrystalline
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Composed of multiple silicon crystals
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More efficient manufacturing process
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More cost effective
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Silicon is lower in purity in these crystalline
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Efficiency rates range 13-16%
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Weak performance in low light conditions
String Inverters or Microinverters?
String Inverters
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Used for residential solar applications
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Converts DC electricity from panels into AC electricity at ground level by service panel
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Leads to central inverters with high voltage use
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Recommended for large photo-voltaic systems with no shading concerns
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Slight shading affects one panel, inverter is affected. Need built in power control
Microinverters
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Mounted behind solar panels
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Convert DC electricity into AC electricity
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Maximizes potential output of system
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Eliminate hazardous high voltage wiring
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Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) optimizes electricity by responding to varying levels of light
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Can connect with web based software
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Easy design, installation, and scalability
Week 2
Methods to Collect Rainwater
Rain Barrels
Pros:
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Barrels are easy to attain and install for any type of residence
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They take up very little space so they can be placed in many areas
Cons:​
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The capacity is quite small, at about 50 to 100 gallons
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They can overflow easily, which leads to loss of collection opportunity
"Dry" Systems​
Pros:
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Has large amount of space for storage
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Maintenance is simple due to an uncomplicated system and is inexpesnive to implement
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Advantageous in climates with larger storm events that occur infrequently
Cons:​
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The storage space has to be placed next to your house
"Wet" Systems​
Pros:
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Can be used to collect water from your entire collection surface, including mltiple gutters and downspouts
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The tank can be located away from your house
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It can hold a very large amount of water
Cons:​
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Expensive to implement because of the underground piping
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There must be a sufficient difference between the gutters and tank inlet
Week 3-Week 4
Components of Rainwater Harvesting
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Catchment
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Surface that receives rainfall directly
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May be terrace, courtyard, or paved/unpaved open ground
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Transportation
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Rainwater should be carried down via water pipes or drains to storage system
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Water pipes should be UV resistant
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Water from sloping roofs can be caught in gutters and transferred via pipe systems
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Should contain wire mesh to resist floating material
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First Flush
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Flushing of first shower to avoid contamination of water being collected within storage system
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Help in cleaning of silt and other material within roof during dry seasons
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Filter
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Used to remove turbidity, color, and microorganisms from water
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Gravel, sand, or netlon mesh filter is placed on the storage tank to keep silt, dusts, leaves, and other organic matter from entering storage tank
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Filter should be cleaned daily. Clogged filters prevent water from easily entering tank and can lead to overflow
Filters for Water Purification
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Sand Gravel Filter
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Commonly used filters
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Constructed by brick masonry and filleted by pebbles, gravel, and sand
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Separated by wire mesh
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Charcoal Filter
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Can be made in-sit or in a drum
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Pebbles, gravel, sand, and charcoal should fill drum or chamber
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Separated by wire mesh and thin layer of charcoal absorbs odor
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PVC-Pipe Filter
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Filter made by PVC pipe of 1-1.20 in length and 8 inches in diameter
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Each component filled with gravel and sand with charcoal inserted in between. Split components have wire mesh inserted
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Sponge Filter
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Easiest and cheapest form of filtration, suitable for residents
Wet Rainwater Harvesting System
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Wet systems works by collecting water off the roof into gutters
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Water fed into airtight down-pipes that meet underground and flow into one large pipe. Then the riser pipe is where water pressure force water up
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Needs to have a significant drop from gutters to water tank
​
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Advantages include: neater, minimal pipes visible, avoids messy array of piping, and produces high quality drinking water. Disadvantages: potential for stagnant water. Must have a diverter inside system to separate water from contamination.
Week 5
Above Ground Storage System
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Quick and easy to install
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Low cost and simple to inspect for any damages
Underground Rainwater System
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Aesthetically pleasing
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Saves space and can be placed essentially anywhere
Ideal Solar Panel Tilt
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In the winter the ideal angle is about 60 degrees (northern hemisphere)
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In the spring the ideal angle is about 45 degrees (northern hemisphere)
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In the summer the ideal angle is about 20 degrees (northern hemisphere)
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In the northern hemisphere for the most direct sunlight the solar panels should face true south.
Week 6-Week 7
Week 8-Week 9
Above is the solar energy output of the SunTegra solar shingles implemented on the roofing of our building. Based off the solar irradiation and area of the roof and efficiency of the shingles, the energy output per year is 153 kWh.
Taking into consideration all the activities in the home that use water, the volume of water used as well as the frequency of each appliance is important. With the house occupying 5 inhabitants, a lot of water used is to be expected. In a day, it was calculated that the house will consume approximately 3144 gallons of water to meet the needs of major appliances that use water.
Above is the monthly rainfall collection potential for the wet rainwater harvesting system. In Ambler, Pennsylvania, most of the rainfall occurs in the spring and occasionally in the remainder of the year. The site does not gather much rainfall per month. But it is not a dry climate. Considering if our catchment system operated at 100% efficiency, the yearly collection would come to approximately 59,000 gallons of water collected by the wet rainwater harvesting system.
Above is the one-line diagram to represent the wet rainwater harvesting system to be implemented in the house. At the top of the diagram is a mesh filter to filter out pollutants when water first enters through the gutter and into the pipe. A rain head is placed after the mesh filter to block debris and any leaves from entering. The water is then pushed for flushing before it heads into the underground storage tank for safekeeping until it is ready for use.
Backup filters are attached at the other end of the storage tank to ensure pure quality of water to ensure safe health for people living in the home and reduce chances of bringing in polluted water. A pipe at the end of the diagram represents the flow of water into the home. Air pressure within the tank will push water into parts of the home that use water (bathrooms, kitchens, etc.)
Above is the one-line diagram to represent the flow of solar generation via SunTegra solar shingles. The sunlight is collected via solar shingles and the inverter is responsible for converting the solar energy from direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC). The charge controller is implemented to control the amount of energy used from the solar battery. The solar battery is implemented as a backup energy storage device in case if there is lack of sunlight or heavy storms that cut off power. Once the energy is converted, this energy flows into the home to power appliances. The goal is to produce enough electricity generation to not rely on the utility system.