Ge Transportation: Off-grid telecom base station

Designed by:Nathaniel LagemanCol in KreftJerry Lynch Benjamin Sepe

EDSGN 100.14

GE TRANSPORTATION:

OFF-GRID TELECOM BASE STATION

Project Objective Recognition of the Need Defining the Problem Design Specifications Background on Location The Sources of Power

Battery Solar Panels Wind Generator

Concept Generation Sketches Final Design Selection Cost Analysis Conclusion

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Design a telecom cell phone base station that uses sustainable energy sources, a diesel generator system, and sodium metal halide batteries to optimize green power used to run a base station.

The system should optimize available power in areas with either no energy grid or a highly unreliable one.

*GE Hand-Out

PROJECT OBJECTIVE

We recognize the need to develop an easily implemented telecom base station that utilizes renewable energy.

RECOGNIZING THE NEED

Our issue stems from the unreliable grid

What sources of renewable energy will we use

To what extent will we rely on what source

THE PROBLEM AT HAND

1.2 Kilowatt loadImplementation of GE’s Sodium Metal Halide

BatteryNo access to the gridRenewable energy sources

DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS

48 familiesOccupation: Coffee FarmersRegion is Mountainous12 hours of sunlight on average

GAINING INSIGHT: WIRUCA, NICARAGUA

Sodium Metal Halide Battery New battery made by GE 32 kwh effective capacity Charging efficiency: 97% Discharging efficiency: 92%

Solar Systems 6 kw system Priced around $35,000 Converts the Sun’s UV rays into energy High startup cost Low running cost

SOURCES OF POWER

Wind turbinesConverts wind into energyHigh startup costLow running cost

GeneratorConverts a fuel into energy Low startup costHigh running cost

SOURCES OF POWER

Solar only Unreliable

Wind only Unreliable

Solar and Wind only Too expensive to make reliable

Solar, Wind, and Generator High cost

Solar and Generator only Good output for the cost

Wind and Generator High running cost

CONCEPT GENERATION

SKETCHES

SKETCHES

Solar and Generator6 kw systemCharges batteries during the daylight hours

Generator runs when the solar system and battery are unable to sustain 1.2kw load

FINAL DESIGN

6 kw solar system Price ~ $35,000 Provides 90% of the power

Generator Runs ~ 1,306 hours Uses 156 gal Sustaining cost ~ $590 per year

Money saved Over 10 years the telecom centers can save over $20,000 Over 20 years the telecom centers can save over $65,000

COST ANALYSIS

COMPLETED DESIGN

COMPLETED DESIGN

We decided to use a 6 kw solar system and a generator

A telecommunications base station

Use of alternative energy

Utilizing the GE Battery

SUMMARY

http://www.ge.com/

http://www.solarhome.org/

http://www.affordablehomeelectronics.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=111006

REFERENCES

?QUESTIONS