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United Arab Emirates University

Facultyof Engineering

Efficient fault detection and monitoring system for a photovoltaic array

Graduation Project II Course

Graduation Project Code: EEM2-8

Submitted for Partial Fulfillment of the

B.Sc. Degree in Communications Engineering

By

Osamah Zaid Hafedh Al-Zabidi 200834956

Ahmed Ben Khadra 200834640

Project Advisor(s): Prof. Hassan Noura

Examination Committee:

Dr. Soud Al Dajah

Dr. Mousa Hussein

Dr. Imad Barhumi

Fall 2013/2014

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UAE University

College of Engineering

Industrial Training and Graduation Projects Unit

Contribution of Team Members*

Project Title: Efficient fault detection and monitoring system for a photovoltaic array

Semester / Academic Year: Fall/2013-2014 Date:

Tasks

Osamah ahmed

Student

signature

Student

signature

1. Literature review 48 52

2. Data collection 53 47

3. Draft 1 42 58

4. Decision matrices 55 45

5. Progress presentations 45 55

6. Equipment selection 57 43

7. Draft 2 51 49

8. Final report and presentation 46 54

* The total percentage for each task should be 100.

Project Advisor Name and Signature: _______________________________________

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to express our deepest gratitude and appreciation to our project

advisor Prof. Hassan Noura for his guidance, continuous encouragement and support to

complete this work. Also, we would like to thank Dr. Mousa Hussein, Dr. Imad Barhumi

and Dr. Saud Aldajah for serving as members of our final examination committee. Our

thanks go also to the Training and Graduation Projects Unit, represented by the

administration staff and our project coordinator Dr. Hend Al-Qamzi for her helpful

comments, guidance and suggestions. Finally, we wish to express our appreciation to our

family members for their unlimited help and support during our study.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PV arrays take usually a large area and require a decent effort in terms of fault

monitoring, location, and diagnostic. The smart monitoring system aims at implementing

a fault detection and monitoring system for PV arrays. The system shall be able to detect,

locate, and isolate faults based on PV cell failure criteria. Also, the system will have an

easyuser friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI), which allows an easy experience for aPV array operator to monitor, diagnose, and protect the system. The software shall be

done using LABVIEW and the data acquisition from the PV array is done using NI

(National Instruments) CompactRIO. An operating prototype of PV array, inaddition to two standby cells shall be delivered at the end of the project.

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Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................... 1

Table of Contents .................................................................................................... 3

LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................ 6

LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................. 7

LIST OF SYMBOLS, ABBREVIATIONS, NOMENCLATURE ......................... 8

.......................................................................................................................9CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 9

1.1 Problem Statement and Purpose .......................................................................... 9

1.2 Project and Design Objectives ............................................................................ 9

1.3 Intended Outcomes and Deliverables ................................................................ 11

1.4

Summary of report structure: ............................................................................ 12

.....................................................................................................................22CHAPTER 2

BACKGROUND LITERATURE AND MARKET SURVEYError! Bookmark

not defined.

2.1 Relevant Literature Search .................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

2.2 Error! Bookmark not defined.

2.3 Target Market and their needs: ...........................Error! Bookmark not defined.

2.4 Prioritized Needs / Requirements: ......................Error! Bookmark not defined.

2.5 Potential Ethical and/or Environmental Issues: ................................................ 26

.....................................................................................................................27CHAPTER 3

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CONCEPTUAL DESIGN .................................................................................... 27

3.1 Problem Review .................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

3.2 Design Specifications: ........................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

3.3 Generation of Conceptual Alternatives: .............Error! Bookmark not defined.

3.4 Selected Alternatives and Reasoning: ................Error! Bookmark not defined.

3.5 Formal Decision-Making Process and Final Concept Selection ....................... 32

3.6 Discussion and Perceived problems: ..................Error! Bookmark not defined.

.....................................................................................................................34CHAPTER 4

PRELIMINARY DESIGN.....................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

4.1 Block Diagram: ................................................................................................. 34

4.2 Preliminary design: ............................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

4.3 Safety consideration ...........................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

.....................................................................................................................34CHAPTER 5

ECONOMICAL, ETHICAL, AND CONTEMPORARY ISSUES ...................... 34

5.1 Preliminary Cost Estimation and Justification .................................................. 35

5.2 Relevant Codes of Ethics and Moral Frameworks ............................................ 36

5.3 Relevant Environmental Considerations ........................................................... 37

5.4 Relevance to UAE and Region (Social, Cultural, and Political) ....................... 37

5.5 Ethical Dilemmas and Justification of Proposed Solution ................................ 38

.....................................................................................................................40CHAPTER 6

PROJECT MANAGEMENT ................................................................................ 40

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6.1 Tasks and Schedule ........................................................................................... 40

6.2 Problems faced and solutions ............................................................................ 42

6.3 Resources .......................................................................................................... 42

6.4 Each Students Responsibilities........................................................................ 43

.....................................................................................................................44CHAPTER 7

CONCLUSION AND PLAN FOR GP2 ............................................................... 44

7.1 Restatement of Purpose of Report and Objectives ............................................ 44

7.2 Summary of how each Objective and Deliverable has been met ...................... 44

7.3 Summary of Final Design Solution ................................................................... 45

7.4 New skills learnt ................................................................................................ 45

7.5 Plan for GP2 .......................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

References ............................................................................................................. 47

APPENDIX A ....................................................................................................... 52

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LIST OF FIGURES

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LIST OF TABLES

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LIST OF SYMBOLS, ABBREVIATIONS,

NOMENCLATUREPWM Pulse Width Modulation

MPPT Maximum Power Point Tracking

Maximum Power Voltage

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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Problem Statement and Purpose

One considerable problem in PV arrays is its large spread in a single area, which

requires a considerable amount of maintenance, and fault detection efforts. This Project

aims at implementing a fault detection and monitoring system for PV arrays. The system

shall be able to detect, locate, and isolate faults based on certain PV cell failure criteria.

Thus, facilitating maintenance and lower its operating expenses (OPEX). Also, the system

will have an easy user friendly GUI, which allows an easy experience for PV array

operators to monitor, diagnose, and protect their system. The software shall be done using

LABVIEW and the data acquisition from the PV array is taken using NI CompactRIO.

The goal of this project is to provide an efficient, real time, and automated system that is

able to locate, identify, and isolate the fault to ease the maintenance and minimize the

failure probabilities of a real-world solar farm. Which in turn can minimize the cost of

solar farms operations.

1.2 Project and Design Objectives

Mismatch, heat, and shading losses are among the most important performance

impairments in PV technology. Monitoring and location of such faults in large areas is

quite tedious and difficult daily job. Hence, the project aims to design an efficient fault

detection and monitoring system. In addition, the system shall be able to automatically

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locate the faults, isolate the faulty panel, and replace it with the stand by cell. The design

objectives can be described as follows:

Use of an efficient algorithm to detect faulty panels before system failure.

Real-time monitoring and alerting system to the array operator.

Ease and increase the efficiency of the maintenance process.

Have a friendly GUI that shows real-time system status and fault locations.

Prevent single panel failure from causing full system failure.

To fulfill the objectives, the project was divided into four main blocks shown in

Figure 1.The PV array block is our main monitoring target for any faults or abnormal

operation. The PV array is monitored using sensors connected to each panel within the

array, in addition to general monitoring sensors. The sensors data is passed to the DAQ

system, which contains the LabVIEW program which identifies any faulty condition and

take immediate action through the isolation relays. At the same time, the LabVIEW

program will inform the operator through a GUI program the health state of the array or

any taken action to prevent a full system failure.

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Figure 1: general block diagram for the prototype architecture

1.3 Intended Outcomes and Deliverables

A sturdy prototype that shows a functioning, efficient, and automated algorithm to

detect, locate, and isolate any faulty PV panel within a PV array shall be delivered at the

end of this project. Also, the system will have an easy GUI to ease the operators job in

monitoring and reporting any fault.

Software Design:

The software is meant to have a user friendly GUI, which shows live data

acquired from the solar system. The data informs the user with the health state of the

solar system in a simple and neat way. Also, the exact fault location within the PV array

shall be visible to the user. In addition, the software can take automatic action in isolating

the fault panels in critical situations which needs immediate action. The faults applied

includes shade fault (accumulated dust), surface damage, and wiring connection problems

among others.

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The software shall be written using LabVIEW and the data acquisition will be

done using NI CompactRIO.

Prototype:

An actual PV array prototype shall be built. The prototype will have an adequate

volume to enable easy mobility and demonstration of the system characteristics and

features. In addition, the prototype shall demonstrate the capabilities of applying such

system in real world. A 4x2 array (three series panels in each of the two array columns)

shall be integrated with the prototype to have a real preview on the system performance.

The prototype shall be operating as a 4x2 array in real-time with two panels as stand by

in each column (i.e. parallel connection).

In conclusion, the project shall deliver the following outcomes:

A complete functioning prototype of 4x2 PV array.

A friendly and easy to use GUI.

A functioning algorithm for fault monitoring and detection.

An automatic ability to locate, isolate, and replace a faulty panel.

1.4 Summary of report structure:

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CHAPTER 2

Summary of Achievements in GP I

2.1 Proposed Conceptual designs

As mentioned in chapter 1, the project is trying to ease the maintenance,

monitoring, and fault detection in large PV farms. There are more than one approach or

philosophy regarding monitoring and fault detection in PV arrays. This project shall apply

one practical technique for detecting, identifying, and isolating a fault in PV arrays. The

project can be split into two parts. The first part is monitoring the system and identifying

any abnormalities in the system output. The second part is to interpret the abnormality,

identify the type of fault, locate the faulty panel within the array, isolate it from the

system, and replace it with a stand by cell. This type of system shall ease operation,

maintenance, and increase PV arrays reliability.

Therefore, the prototype shall have the following components:

x8 (40 Watts) solar panels.

x4 (12V, 100 Ah) GEL batteries.

x2 (24V, 20A) charge controller.

Mobile Prototype and has the ability to change the panels angle.

x8 voltage sensors (i.e. one for each panel).

x8 current sensors (i.e. one for each panel).

x9 thermocouples.

x2 pyranometers.

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x1 wind speed sensor.

x1 wind direction sensor.

x8 relays.

2.2 Selected Conceptual Designs and Preliminary Justification of

Choice

2.2.1 Solar cells

Monocrystalline Silicon Solar Cells:

Advantages:

Monocrystalline cells have the highest efficiency rates, since they are

made out of the highest-grade silicon. The efficiency rates of

Monocrystalline solar panels are typically 15-20% [3].

Monocrystalline silicon solar panels are space-efficient. When compared

to thin-film, Monocrystalline can produce up to four times of electricity in

a specified area.

Monocrystalline panels have a decent life span, which makes most

manufacturers put a 25-year warranty on their Monocrystalline solar

panels [3].

Disadvantages:

Monocrystalline panels are the most expensive panels to get. Which can be

a difficult choice for homeowners from a financial point of view.[3]

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If the solar panel is partially covered with shade, dirt or snow, the entire

circuit can break down. Micro inverters should be considered in case a

coverage problem is expected. Micro inverters make sure that the entire

solar array is not affected by shading issues with only one of the solar

panels.

The process used to produce monocrystalline silicon is called

Czochralski process. It results in large cylindrical ingots. Four sides are

cut out of the ingots to make silicon wafers, which leads to a significant

amount of waste out of the original silicon [3].

Performance of monocrystalline panel tends to be more efficient in warm

weather; yet, it starts to suffer as temperature goes up. Still,

monocrystalline heat performance is better than the polycrystalline ones.

Polycrystalline Silicon Solar Cells:

Advantages:

The process used to create polycrystalline silicon is simpler, less cost, and

produces less waste when compared to the production process of

monocrystalline panels [3].

Polycrystalline panels have lower heat tolerance when compared to the

monocrystalline. Heat can affect the performance of solar panels and

shorten their lifespans. However, this effect is minor, and most

homeowners do not need to take it into account.

Disadvantages:

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Because of the lower silicon purity, polycrystalline-based solar panels

have typical efficiency of 13-16%. Which is noticeably less than typical

monocrystalline panels efficiency.

A larger surface area is needed to output the same electrical power as a

solar panel made of monocrystalline silicon.

Thin-Film solar cells (TFSC):

Advantages:

Easier to mass-produce and potentially cheaper to manufacture than

crystalline-based solar cells.

Thin film cells can be made flexible which opens a variety of potentially

new applications.

High temperature and shading have less impact on thin film solar panels

performance when compared to crystalline-silicon based panels. [3]

Disadvantages:

Poor space-efficiency, which also means that the costs of support

structures, cables and other PV equipment increase.

Thin-film solar panels tend to degrade faster than crystalline-silicon based

solar panels, which is why they usually come with a shorter warranty.

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2.2.2 Batteries

The power generated by the PV panels can be connected directly to a load or

connected to a battery. There are several types of batteries used for PV systems storage.

The two most famous batteries are discussed as follows:

2.2.2.1 Gel Batter ies:Gel batteries are a subcategory of the VRLA (Valve Regulated Lead Acid)

batteries which is a subcategory of the lead-acid rechargeable batteries. The gel contained

in these batteries is a combination of sulfuric acid and silica and replaces the liquid acid

in the traditional acid batteries. The addition of silica to the solution thickens it and make

it easier to maintain since the user does not need to check the level of the liquid or

replenish it. The batteries contain a valve regulating system that expels any gases that

build up inside the battery to avoid any ruptures in the battery [4].

The charging of the gel battery is a critical operation on both ends, overcharging

and undercharging. The overcharging of the battery dries it up and creates holes that do

not heal. Undercharging the battery may cause on the long run- the creation of a sulfate

layer around the positive plate which prevents the battery from recharging [4].

The main advantages of the gel batteries are [4]:

1- Do not spill or leak.

2- Do not corrode.

3- Highly resistive to change in temperature, and shocks.

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2.2.2.2 L ithi um Ion Batter ies:Lithium has the highest electromechanical potential in the periodic table and also

the lightest metal. This made those batteries very effective for handheld devices. The Li-

ion batteries has many advantages [5]:

1- High electric capacity.

2- Low self-discharging.

3- Low maintenance.

4- Can be specialized to high current applications.

There are several drawbacks for the Li-ion batteries like:

1- Requires a protection circuit for voltage and current limits.

2- Aging effect even when not used.

3- Expensive manufacturing cost.

2.2.3 PV cell models:

To simulate a solar panel, a model is used. The most widely used is the equivalent

circuit model. There are two main models that are widely used:

2.2.3.1 Single diode model:It is the simplest model for simulating solar panels. It consists of a linear

independent current source in parallel with a diode (Figure 2). The required parameters

for this model are three: open circuit voltage (), short circuit current () and diodeideality factor (). The main advantage of this model is that it has a very lowcomputational burden. The model can be improved by adding a series resistance ().This model is called Rs-model. This model is deficient in cases of high temperature.

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Increased accuracy can be achieved by adding a parallel resistance () and thus it iscalled Rp-model. The latter has better accuracy but has inaccurate response in cases of

low irradiance and large computational burden. The equation is:

(

)

Figure 2: Single diode model circuit diagram

2.2.3.2 Double diode model:The double diode model is more complicated than the single diode model

obviously- and it counters most of the shortcomings of the one diode model. The tradeoff

is in the computational burden. It contains an independent current source, two diodes in

parallel, a series resistance and a shunt resistance (Figure 3). As the components increase,

the number of parameters needed and computed increases. The parameters needed from

the datasheet of the PV panel are: number of cells in the panel and their connection

scheme, irradiation (), cell temperature (), open circuit voltage (), short circuitcurrent (), temperature coefficient of (), temperature coefficient of (),maximum power voltage and maximum power current (,). The parameterscalculated in this model are: the illumination current (), diodes ideality factors (,),

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diodes currents (,), series resistance () and shunt resistance (). Furtherdiscussion about the implementation is in chapter x

Figure 3: Double diode model circuitdiagram

2.3 Embodiment Design

From the detailed block diagram of the system, we can see the following. There

are four batteries connected to the 8-panel solar system. The batteries are divided into two

groups. The first group contains two batteries which are connected in series. This group

provides power supply for the sensors. The second two batteries are connected in parallel

and are used to power the cRIO and the Wi-Fi range extender. Since these two devices

use AC power, an inverter is inserted between them and the batteries. Each group of

batteries is charged with a different group of solar panels and a charge controller is used

to regulate the charging process. Moreover, the charge controllers are used to regulate the

ON-time for the sensors and the devices, thus preventing the batteries from being drained

in vein. The LabVIEW program is on a PC connected remotely to the cRIO from which it

receives the sensors data and responds with control commands if necessary. The cRIO

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acts as a DAQ and controller for the system. it contains a voltage output module to

control the relays and rearrange the solar panel arrangement as required.

2.4 Preliminary Cost and final deliverables:

By looking to the main components and its accessories which shall be used in the

project, the cost estimation is estimated to be around 22,258 AED. This cost includes

shipping.Table 6 shows the unit price and the quantity of each product.

Table 1: Unit Price & quantity used for cost estimation

Item quantity Unit price (AED) Price (AED)

Solar panel 6 300 1800

GEL batteries 2 700 1400

Charge controller 1 950 950

Prototype stand 1 1500 1500

Voltage sensors 6 62 372

Current sensors 6 60 360

Thermocouple 7 36 252

Pyranometer 1 735 735

Wind speed sensor 1 25 25

Relays 6 4 24

IV tracer 1 148401484

0

Total estimated cost 22258

The final deliverables for the project will be:

o A complete functioning prototype of 4x2 PV array.

o A friendly and easy to use GUI.

o A functioning algorithm for fault monitoring and detection.

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o An automatic ability to locate, isolate, and replace a faulty panel.

CHAPTER 3

Updated Background Theory

3.1 Relevant Literature Search for GP2

3.1.1 Charge Controllers:

Charge controllers are current and voltage regulators to protect the batteries from

being overcharged. Since solar panels provide a variable current and voltagedepending

on solar irradiation and other factors-, charge controllers are essential to many solar

systems [1]. There are mainly three types of charge controllers:

3.1.1.1Simple controllers:

They are also called two stage controllers. They are basically are

relays with a condition upon reaching a certain voltage. They are the oldest

types basically dinosaurs as some described them [1]- but they are

extremely reliable and very cheap. The two stages are the bulk stage of

charge and the float stage of charge. The bulk stage charges the battery

quickly up to 90%. At this percentage, the float stage of charge kicks in

and the battery is charged very slowly [2].

3.1.1.2PWM controllers:

Also called three stage controllers. as all know, PWM stands for

Pulse Width Modulation. These charge controllers use pulses to charge the

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batteries. The width of the pulses depend on the state of charge for the

battery. A discharged battery will receive wide pulses that will almost look

like a continuous signal. On the other hand, a charged battery will receive

narrow pulses. The charge controller reads the state of charge for the

battery [1]. The three stages are: bulk stage, float charge and the

absorption stage. The first two stages are the same as the simple

controllers, however, the third stage is added to charge the battery up to

99% [2]. A problem in these controllers is that they may overcharge the

batteries in case of a load present. Therefore, some PWM controllers

switch to two stages in the presence of load [2]. The three stages are

shown inFigure 4.

Figure 4: Three stage charge controller voltage and current timeline.

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3.1.1.3MPPT controllers:

MPPT stands for Maximum Power Tracking Point. These

controllers are used to change the electrical operating point of the PV

panels to produce the maximum power the PV system can provide.

Batteries require certain voltage to charge. Increasing the voltage will

overcharge the battery. The MPPT charge controllers track the voltage that

will allow the PV system to provide maximum power. This voltage is

called the Maximum Power Voltage () and it is usually higher than thecharging voltage of the batteries. The MPPT controller sets the PV system

voltage to this point. Using a DC-to-DC power converter, the charge

controller converts the voltage to the charging voltage of the batteries with

increased charging current, thus utilizing the maximum power that can be

achieved from the system safely [3]. Figure 5 shows a simple block

diagram for the MPPT charge controller. The MPPT controller varies the

voltage to find maximum power point to set the DC-to-DC converter on it.

Figure 5: MPPT charge controller diagram

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3.1.2 Relays:

Relays are an extremely powerful but simple electromechanical devices. There are

four parts for the relay: (1) an electromagnet, (2) a magnetic armature, (3) a spring and (4)

electrical contacts [7]. They are numbered as inFigure 6.The electromagnet is controlled

by the control voltage. After the application of the control voltage, the electromagnet

attracts the armature. After the control voltage is dropped, the armature returns to its

original state because of the spring. InFigure 6,the armature was originally open.

Figure 6: How Relays Work

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3.2 Potential Ethical and/or Environmental Issues:

The products and methods used in any design may have ethical or environmental

issues. There are no ethical issues related to this project since it is only monitoring

environmental data and electrical aspects for PV panels systems. The environmental

issues may arise from several system components, especially the batteries. For instance,

the HT-Italia I-V curve tracer batteries are six alkaline batteries. Alkaline batteries are not

considered hazardous since they use only traces of mercury in new battery designs.

Battery manufacturers has reduced the mercury content of the batteries complying with

the laws of battery manufacturing that was issued in the 1990s [5]. In addition, the GEL

batteries will be used for power storage from the PV system. Gel batteries have one main

concern that is the harmful gases leakage that may affect nearby people. These problems

mainly arise from rapid battery charging.

On the other hand, the system is proposed to ease the fault monitoring and

detection. Thus, increasing solar energy systems efficiency, which in turn will have better

impact on the environment in reducing the amount of carbon dioxide emissions in the

atmosphere.

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CHAPTER 4

Detailed Design

4.1 Detailed level Specifications:

4.1.1 Prototype body:

4.1.1.1The base frame:

- The base is a box with the dimensions of 75x85x145cm (width x length x

height)

- The frame made out of iron angles with the specifications shown inFigure

7.

- The box has two height supports at each side distributed across its length.

There are also seven width supports at the lower side of the box to hold the

weights of the equipment inside the box especially the batteries-. There

are also supports on the upper side of the batteries for the PV Panel stands.

There are eight supports and each two panels share two supports.

- All the parts of the box are fixed together using (8mm x 5cm) bolts and

double nuts.

4.1.1.2The wheels:

- The box is fixed on eight trolley wheels with diameter of 8". Each trolley

wheel can support a maximum weight of 200kgs.

- The trolley wheels are rotatable and equipped with breaks.

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- Each wheel is fixed to the box with four (10mm x 6cm) bolts and double

nuts.

4.1.1.3The cover:

- The cover for the box is aluminum sheets.

- The upper and lower sides are of 2mm thickness. The upper sheet is one

piece and it is fixed to the box with same bolts. The lower side is made of

intersecting sheets of aluminum to strengthen the parts that hold the

equipment.

- The sides are made of complete sheets of 1mm thickness and are fixed

with same bolts of the box.

- The front and rear (along the length) sheets are the doors to the box. Each

sheet if fixed to the top of the box with five hinges.

4.1.1.4The panel stand:

- The panels are placed on iron pipes. The iron pipes are hollow with 4cm

diameter. There are two lengths, four long pipes with a length of 150cm in

the rear and four short pipes with a length of 60cm in the front. This is to

prevent shading of panels on each other.

- The pipes are welded on iron plates of width of, length of, and thickness

of. Each two pipesone short and one long pipes- are fixed using bolts and

double nuts on two upper support bars. On the top of the iron pipes, a

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xxcm length iron angle was welded to allows us to adjust the panels angle.

The

- The panels are fixed with bolts and nuts on an iron skeleton as shown in

Figure 8.The skeleton is then connected to the iron pipes and fixed with a

bolt and double nuts. The panel is first adjusted to the desired angle and

then fixed with the bolt.

4.1.2 Equipment:

The equipment used in this project are:

o x8 (40 Watts) solar panels.

o x4 (12V, 100 AH) GEL batteries.

o x2 (24V, 20A) charge controller: each two batteries has one charge

controller.

o x8 voltage sensors (i.e. one for each panel).

o x8 current sensors (i.e. one for each panel).

o x9 thermocouple (i.e. one for each panel + one for ambient).

o x2 pyranometer (in-plain of the panels, horizontal)

o x1 wind speed sensor.

o x1 wind direction sensor.

o x8 relays.

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Figure 7: Iron angles specifications.

Figure 8: Skeleton for the PV Panels

4.1.3 Simulation:

As discussed in chapter 2, the chosen model for simulating the PV panels is the two diode

model. The matlab program used for simulation is shown below:

delta_T = T-T_stc;I_pv = (I_pv_stc + K_i*delta_T)*G/G_stc;V_T = N_s*(T+273)*1.3806488E-23/1.60217657E-19;

pass_vec=[ I_pv_stc,K_i,T,T_stc,G,G_stc,delta_T,I_pv,I_sc,V_oc,I_m,V_m,a_1,N_s,V_T,K_v ];

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%clcpar0=[1e-5 1e-5 0.3 150 1.2];options=optimset('MaxFunEvals',1000,'MaxIter',1000,'TolFun',1e-6); %'Algorithm','active-set'

[sol resnorm residualexitflag]=lsqnonlin(@sys_eq,par0,zeros(1,5),[],options,pass_vec);I_o1=sol(1);I_o2=sol(2) ;R_s=sol(3);R_p=sol(4) ;

a_2=sol(5);V=0:.1:V_oc+2;I0=linspace(0,I_sc,length(V));y=(-exp(I0)+exp(I0(length(I0))))/I0(2);

fori=1:length(V)

Eq1 =@(I) I_pv - I_o1*(exp((V(i)+I*R_s)/(a_1*V_T))-1) -I_o2*(exp((V(i)+I*R_s)/(a_2*V_T))-1) - (V(i)+I*R_s)/R_p- I;

I(i)=lsqnonlin(Eq1,y(i)*I_sc/max(y),0,[],options);end

The inputs to this program are:

- Open circuit voltage (): it is provided by the manufacturer. In this project itis 21 V.

- Short circuit current (): it is provided by the manufacturer. In this project itis 2.777 A.- Illumination current at STC (): which is equal to the value of the short

circuit current under STC. This is because the current passing through the

diodes is extremely low and the series resistance is also extremely low in

comparison to the shunt resistance-.

- Temperature coefficient of (): it is provided by the manufacturer. In thisproject it is 0.00180505 A/oC

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- Temperature coefficient of (): it is provided by the manufacturer. In thisproject it is -0.08 V/oC.

- Maximum power point voltage and current (

,

): provided by the

manufacturer. In this project they are 2.473 A and 16.891 V

- Irradiation (): this value is the in-plane irradiation sensor.- Temperature (): this value is obtained from the temperature sensor that is

attached to the back of each cell.

- Ideality factor of the first diode (): this value is chosen to be 1 for simplicityand it is a sound judgement.

- Number of connected cells in series (): obtained from the manufacturer. Itis the number of series connected cells in the panel. For this project, it is 36.

Some of the

4.3 Formal Decision-Making Process and Final Concept Selection

4.3.1 Solar Cells:

There were three types of solar cells compared: Monocrystalline Silicon Solar

Cells, Polycrystalline Silicon Solar Cells and Thin-Film solar cells (TFSC). The decision

matrix for the solar cells is shown inTable 2.

Table 2: Decision matrix for choosing the most adequate PV panel type

Criteria size performance cost weight lifespan

sum

Weighting

factor

Alternatives

25% 17% 30% 13% 5% 10% 100%

Monocrystalline 9 8 5 7 9 8 72.70%

Polycrystallin 8 7 8 6 8 7 74.70%

Thin film 5 3 9 8 6 1 59.00%

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4.3.2 DAQ:

Arduino Uno and CompactRIO were considered for DAQ. Arduino Uno is an

open hardware/software with cheap cost. However, it lacks the rigidity and high

performance that is provided by CompactRIO. Moreover, CompactRIO is already

available in the department and is supported by several training workshops. Table 3

shows the decision matrix for the DAQ devices.

Table 3: Decision Matrix for the DAQ devices

Criteria

Price Ruggedness Performance

Ease of

Programming Availability sum

Weighting

factor

Alternatives

25% 7% 8% 25% 35% 100%

CompactRIO 1 7 10 10 10 75%

Arduino UNO 10 8 4 10 0 59%

4.3.3 I-V Curve Traces

Table 4 shows the decision matrix for the I-V Curve-Tracer selection.

Table 4: Decision Matrix for the I-V curve tracer

Criteria Price Range Portability sum

Weighting

factor

Alternatives

40% 25% 35% 100%

Daystar DS-100C 2 10 1 36.50%

EKO MP-160 4 5 3 39.00%

HT-Italia Solar I-V 9 8 10 91.00%

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Solmetric PVA-600 9 7 8 81.50%

Amprobe Solar 600 10 5 10 87.50%

4.3.4 PV models:

There are three models proposed to simulate the PV system: Rs model, Rp model

and double diode model. The three criteria in choosing between these models are:

performance in low radiation, performance in high temperature and the computational

burden. Since the system involves computer handling the computational process and the

parameters does not change quickly (irradiance and temperature) in most cases-, the

main criteria will be the performance. Table 1 shows the decision matrix for chose PV

model.

Table 5: Decision matrix for choosing the PV model

CriteriaHigh temperature

Performance

Low irradiation

Performance

Computational

burdensum

Weighting

factorAlternatives

45% 35% 20% 100%

Rsmodel 2 4 10 43.00%

Rpmodel 7 4 6 57.50%

Double diode model 9 8 2 72.50%

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CHAPTER 6

ECONOMIC, ETHICAL AND

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES6.1 Final Cost Estimation and Justification

By looking to the main components and its accessories which shall be used in the

project, the cost estimation is estimated to be around 27495 AED. This cost includes

shipping.Table 6 shows the unit price and the quantity of each product.

Table 6: Unit Price & quantity used for cost estimation

Item quantity Unit price (AED) Price (AED)

Solar panel 8 300 2400

GEL batteries 4 700 2800

Charge controller 2 950 1900

Prototype stand 1 2800 2800

Voltage sensors 8 62 496

Current sensors 8 60 480

Thermocouple 7 36 252

Pyranometer 2 7351,47

0

Wind speed sensor 1 25 25

Relays 8 4 32

IV tracer 1 148401484

0

Total estimated cost2749

5

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6.2 Relevant Codes of Ethics and Moral Frameworks

5.2.1 IEEE code of ethics: [27]

- The team members accept the responsibility of making decisions consistent with safety and

welfare of the public (Code#1).

- Honesty and realistic claims or estimates based on available data had a decent attention in

the project (Code #3).

- The work was distributed between team members according to their major and interests

(Code #6).

- The project will be available for all people regardless to their religion, gender and

nationality (Code #8).

- The system will not disturb publics privacy (Code#9).

5.2.2 NSPE code of ethics [28]:

- Team members shall avoid deceptive acts (Rules of practice #5).

- Team members shall be guided in all their relations by the highest standards of honesty and

integrity (Professional Obligations #1).

- The project is safe for environment and public (FundamentalCanons#1).

- The project components follow engineering standards (Professional Obligations #2.b).

- The project uses sustainable source of energy (Professional Obligations #2.d).

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- All information used in the report was referenced (Professional Obligations #3.c)

(Professional Obligations #9.a).

6.3 Relevant Environmental Considerations

The environmental problem in our system is mainly because of the batteries. The

portable I-V curve tracer has six small alkaline batteries, and the solar system will use

two gel batteries. There are two different waste management programs that can be used as

a solution. The first solution is the Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) that offers

several waste management programs including battery collection program. The Center of

Waste Management in Abu Dhabi can offer a more general solution for any waste

problem that exists in the system including damaged PV panels or electronic equipment

[29].

6.4 Relevance to UAE and Region (Social, Cultural, and Political)

This project system will be related to the UAE in the following points:

1. The climate of the UAE has two main aspects that were taken into consideration.

The high temperature values affected the equipment selection in the project. The

DAQ device, batteries, and the sensors were selected to withstand high

temperatures especially in the summer. Also, heat was addressed among the

problems that affect the PV system performance.

2. The UAE government has a trend toward renewable energy. This project aims at

increasing the efficiency of any installed PV system, and reducing the monitoring

and maintenance costs of such systems.

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6.5 Ethical Dilemmas and Justification of Proposed Solution

The project is about monitoring and fault detection of PV systems. It only

involves the gathering of electrical and environmental data. Therefore, there are no ethical

dilemmas were found which are associated with it.

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CHAPTER 7

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

7.1 Tasks and Schedule

Table 7: Gantt Chart for the project

Task Name Duration Start Finish Predecessors

Project Initiation 8 days? Sun 10-02-13 Tue 19-02-13

Choose a Team 5 days Sun 10-02-13 Thu 14-02-13

Choose Project 3 days Sun 17-02-13 Tue 19-02-13 3

Set Meeting Times 1 day? Mon 18-02-13 Mon 18-02-13 4SS+1 day

Project Definition 63 days Wed 20-02-13 Sun 02-06-132

Develop Gantt Chart 4 days Wed 20-02-13 Mon 25-02-13

Project block diagram 4 days Wed 20-02-13 Mon 25-02-13 7SS

Develop Pre-Proposal Report 7 days Wed 20-02-13 Thu 28-02-13 8SS

Develop Pre-proposal Presentation 3 days Sun 03-03-13 Tue 05-03-13 9

Literature Review 36 days Wed 06-03-13 Wed 08-05-1310

IV-Tracers 5 days Wed 06-03-13 Tue 12-03-13

PV panels faults 12 days Wed 13-03-13 Thu 28-03-13 10,12

Sensors 7 days Sun 14-04-13 Mon 22-04-13 10,13

LabVIEW DAQ and Control 12 days Tue 23-04-13 Wed 08-05-13 10,14

Set requirements and Specifications 7 days Thu 09-05-13 Sun 19-05-13 15

Get Sponsorship 10 days Mon 20-05-13 Sun 02-06-13 16

Design 34 days Mon 03-06-13 Sun 13-10-136

Suggest different alternatives 10 days Mon 03-06-13 Mon 09-09-13

Choose best alternative 4 days Tue 10-09-13 Sun 15-09-13 19

Prototype determination 10 days Mon 16-09-13 Sun 29-09-13 20

Detailed report 20 days Mon 16-09-13 Sun 13-10-13 20

Execution 77 days Mon 14-10-13 Tue 28-01-1418

Equipment ordering and Receiving 10 days Mon 14-10-13 Sun 27-10-13

Equipment testing 20 days Mon 28-10-13 Sun 24-11-13 24

Parts integration 15 days Mon 25-11-13 Sun 15-12-13 25

Prototype testing 12 days Mon 16-12-13 Tue 31-12-13 26

Design LabVIEW interface 20 days Wed 01-01-14 Tue 28-01-14 26,27

Finalization 22 days Sun 29-12-13 Mon 27-01-1423

Final Report and Presentaion 22 days Sun 29-12-13 Mon 27-01-14

Clousre 15 days Sun 10-02-13 Thu 28-02-13

Design wireless access 15 days Sun 10-02-13 Thu 28-02-13Prepare detailed report and presentation 15 days Sun 10-02-13 Thu 28-02-13

Milestones 25 days Thu 07-03-13 Thu 25-04-1310

Pre-Proposal Presentation 0 days Thu 07-03-13 Thu 07-03-13

executive summary 0 days Thu 25-04-13 Thu 25-04-13

Advisor Meeting 41 days Thu 14-02-13 Thu 25-04-13

Advisor Meeting 0 days Sun 10-02-13 Sun 10-02-13

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Figure 9: Gantt Chart Project Timeline

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7.2 Problems faced and solutions

Each project must face problems and difficulties. In this project, there were

several problems. First of all, devices selection process was hard because the devices

information are usually not complete on the companys website. The response for

information and pricing quotation from the manufacturing companies took time.

Moreover, dealing with CompactRIO was hard at the beginning since it was the first time

to deal with. This problem was solved by the training sessions provided by NI at the

request of the departments doctors. Another problem was the timing of some of the GP

progress presentation. The problem arose from finding a convenient timing for the four

groups. Therefore, some of the meetings resulted in being late for some of the classes.

Another problem faced was about the process of designing and building the prototype.

Since the mechanical design is out of our specialization, we needed to consult with the

mechanical students to provide assistance in creating the design. Building was also

problematic in terms of cutting the iron, drilling the holes and adjusting the parts to fit

together. This took some time to perform. At the end, all the problems were solved or

sometime- bypassed.

7.3 Resources

The internet, university lectures and papers were used as sources of information in

this project. Most of the literature background, like fault types, devices specifications and

data sheets, was obtained from the internet. Fault detection methods and data were

obtained mainly from papers in IEEE Xplore and ScienceDirect. University lectures were

very useful in obtaining the knowledge about the CompactRIO operation and LabVIEW

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programming. For the prototype stand, the mechanical engineers and students were very

helpful in designing and building.

7.4 Each Students Responsibilities

Tasks

Mechanical Design Both team members contributed equally.

Material Selection Both team members contributed equally.

Prototype building Both team members contributed equally.

Algorithm implementation Both team members contributed equally.GUI prgoramming Both team members contributed equally.

Progress presentations Both team members contributed equally

Draft 1 Both team members contributed equally

Draft 2 Both team members contributed equally

Final report and presentation Both team members contributed equally

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CHAPTER 8

CONCLUSION

8.1 Restatement of Purpose of Report and Objectives and the Proposed

deliverables

The purpose of this report is to document the outcomes of GP-II phase. The

objective of this project is to create a smart fault detection and monitoring system for a

mobile PV array. The mobile array should be easy to move and built to endure. The

system shall be able to detect, locate, and isolate faults based on PV cell failure criterions.

Also, the system will have an easyuser friendly GUI, which allows an easy experiencefor a PV array operator to monitor, diagnose, and protect the system. A functioning

prototype shall be delivered at the end of December 2013. This project shall help large

PV farms owners to minimize their maintenance cost and improve overall system

efficiency.

8.2 Summary of how each Objective and Deliverable has been met

A brief discussion on how the chosen technologies are helping in meeting the

objective and deliverable is done in this section. The solar panels are the main scope of

this study, and shall be used to have a real-time data, that reflects real world faulty

situations. The panels are equipped with many sensors to measure its operation condition.

The sensors readings are passed to the DAQ (i.e. CompactRIO) to interpret them and

decide a normal or faulty operation condition. In case of faulty condition detection, the

system shall isolate the faulty panel and transfer its operation to a standby panel using the

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relays, which controls the interconnection between the PV array panels. The prototype is

designed to be mobile, rigid and easy to disassemble. In addition, this report and a

presentation were prepared to describe the work done in GP-I and GP-II phase.

8.3 Summary of Final Design Solution

As discussed before. Each panel has its own isolation relay, voltage, current, and

temperature sensors. All the sensors are connected to the DAQ system (i.e. CompactRIO),

along with the isolation relays to control the array structure. The array is connected to a

charge controller, which in turn is responsible for charging the batteries. All of these parts

will be inside the portable prototype. A LabVIEW program will be responsible for

making the isolation decision (i.e. faulty panel case) based on certain failure criteria.

Also, the program has an easy, user friendly GUI, which allows an easy experience for a

PV array operator to monitor, diagnose, and protect the system.

8.4 New skills learnt

There are a lot of skills were gained from this project. First, the project improved

the skill of searching for the needed information from specialized sites and journals.

Second, the skills in writing the reports are improved in a noticeable way. Also, the

project teaches the formal communication system with authorities. In addition, the project

teaches appropriate information referencing. The project, also, teaches principle skills for

tendering, reasoning, and choosing equipment appropriately based on the projects

requirements. Moreover, new skills in the implementation of the project. There were a lot

of new skills learnt in the mechanical part of the project like: using the drilling and

cutting machines, welding, calibration and optimization, and various other skills.

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Furthermore, many skills concerning wiring of electrical devices and arrangement of

various equipment in a confined space. Sensors calibration was a painful experience but it

provided much knowledge and experience for the future. Other skills learnt were in

testing, debugging and fault detection of electrical equipment.

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References

1]

Wikipedia, "Solar energy," May 2013. [Online]. Available:

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2]

G. Whitburn, "13 Fundamental Advantages and Disadvantages of Solar

Energy," [Online]. Available: http://exploringgreentechnology.com/solar-

energy/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-solar-energy/. [Accessed 2013].

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M. A. Mhlum, "Which Solar Panel Type is Best?," [Online]. Available:

http://energyinformative.org/best-solar-panel-monocrystalline-polycrystalline-thin-

film/. [Accessed 2013].

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A. Burke, "How Does a Gel Battery Work?," eHow, [Online]. Available:

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May 2013].

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I. Buchmann, "Is Lithium-ion the Ideal Battery?," Battery University, 20

October 2010. [Online]. Available:

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[Accessed May 2013].

C. Honsberg and S. Bowden, Photovoltaic Education Network, [Online].

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6] Available: http://pveducation.org/pvcdrom/. [Accessed April 2013].

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P. Hernday, "Field Applications for I-V Curve Tracers," SolarPro, pp. 77-

106, August/Septemper 2011.

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Wikipedia, "Sensor," [Online]. Available:

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Wikipedia, "Pyranometer," [Online]. Available:

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R. Ringoir and K. &. Z. , "Pyranometer v. Reference Cell,"

renewableenergyworld, [Online]. Available:

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zonen/news/article/2011/02/pyranometer-v-refernce-cell. [Accessed 2013].

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"DAQ," National Instruments, [Online]. Available: http://www.ni.com/data-

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"What is Arduino?," Arduino, [Online]. Available:

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15]

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http://arduino.cc/en/Main/arduinoBoardUno. [Accessed 30 April 2013].

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Production," National Geographic, [Online]. Available:

http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/effects-temperature-solar-panel-power-

production-20500.html. [Accessed May 2013].

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"Atmel AVR 8-Bit Microcontroller," Amtel Corporation, June 2011.

[Online]. Available: http://www.atmel.com/Images/doc8025.pdf. [Accessed April

2013].

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S. Fitzgerald, R. Guido, D. Cuartielles, F. T. Igoe and D. A. Mellis, "Arduino

Uno," Arduino, 28 January 2013. [Online]. Available:

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A. Chouder, S. Silvestre, B. Taghezouit and E. Karatepe, "Monitoring,

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20]

E. Molenbroek, D. W. Waddington and K. A. Emery, "Hot spot susceptibility

and testing of PV modules,"IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference,pp. 547-552,

1991.

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Farnsworth, J. Gonzales, A. Voropayev and P.Symanski, "Failure analysis of design

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qualification testing: 2007 VS. 2005,"IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference,pp.

1-4, 2008.

22]

A. M. Bazzi, K. A. Kim, B. B. Johnson, P. T. Krein and A. Dominguez-

Garca, "Fault Impacts on Solar Power Unit Reliability,"IEEE, no. 11, 2011.

23]

L. Schirone, F. Califano, U. Moschella and U. Rocca, "Fault finding in a 1

MW photovoltaic plant by reflectometry,"IEEE, 1994.

24]

Y. Liu, B. Li and Z. Cheng, "Research on PV module structure based on

Fault detection,"IEEE, 2010.

25]

Y. Liu, B. Li and D. Zhong, "Research on Domestic PV Module Structure

Based on Fault Detection,"IEEE, 2010.

26]

N. Gokmen, E. Karatepe, B. Celik and S. Silvestre, "Simple diagnostic

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27]

IEEE, "IEEE Code of Ethics," [Online]. Available:

http://www.ieee.org/about/corporate/governance/p7-8.html#top. [Accessed 2013].

28]

NSPE, "NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers," [Online]. Available:

http://www.nspe.org/Ethics/CodeofEthics/index.html. [Accessed 2013].

29]

"Waste Collection," The Center of Waste Management - Abu Dhabi,

[Online]. Available: http://www.cwm.ae//index.php?page=waste-collection.

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APPENDIX A

Table 8 : comparison between different types of PV cells using an applied credentials

Parameters/Technology

Material

AreaRequiredper MW

PlantLoadFactor Vendors Credentials Positives

(in Acre) (%)

Crystallinesilicon

Polycrystalline 5 19Waaree/Tata BP

Many solarplantsinstalled with c-Si

Reliable,Time tested,Durable

AmorphousSilicon

AmorphousSilicon

8.5 20Schott/Tian

wei

Installedmore than100 MW

worldwide

Lowtemperaturecoefficient,cost effective

-csi TandemMulti junctionmicrocrystalline

7.5 20NexPower/Dupont

Togetherinstalling 3MWcurrently inIndia

Advancedform of a-si,efficiency >9 %, low cost

Cd-TeCadmiumTelluride

6.5 20FirstSolar/Abound

Installedmore than300 MW inGermany andthe US

Largestnumber ofinstallationsin last 2

years, l

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Table 9: comparison between Crystalline Silicon cells and thin films from theoretical point of view

Cell Technology Crystalline Silicon Thin Film

Types of Technology Mono-crystalline silicon (c-Si) Amorphous silicon (a-Si)

Poly-crystalline silicon (pc-Si/ mc-Si) Cadmium Telluride (CdTe)

String Ribbon Copper Indium Gallium Selenide(CIG/ CIGS)

Organic photovoltaic (OPV/DSC/ DYSC)

Voltage Rating (Vmp/ Voc) 80%-85% 72%-78%

(Higher is better as there is less gap inVoc and Vmp)

Temperature Coefficients Higher Lower

(Lower is beneficial at highambient temperatures)

I-V Curve Fill Factor 73%-82% 60%-68%

(Idealized PV cell is 100%)

Module construction With Anodized Aluminum Frameless, sandwiched betweenglass;

lower cost, lower weight

Module efficiency 13%-19% 4%- 12%

Inverter Compatibility and Sizing Lower temperature coefficient System designer has to consider

is beneficial factor such as temperaturecoefficients,

Voc-Vmp difference, isolation

resistance due to external factors

Mounting systems Industry standard Special clips and structures maybe needed. In some cases laborcost is significantly saved

DC wiring Industry standard May require more number ofcircuit combiners and fuses

Application Type Residential/ Commercial/ Utility Commercial/ Utility

Required Area Industry standard May require up to %50 morespace

for a given project size

Example Brands First solar, Solyndra, UniSolar,Konarka Dye Solar, BoschSolar,Sharp, Abound Solar

Q-Cells, Kyocera, Evergreen, Sanyo, Schuco,Canadian Solar, Sharp, Yingli, Solon Schott, REC,Solarworld

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Figure 10: efficiency comparison between wide range of PV technologies

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Current Sensor Data Sheet

Figure 11: Current Sensor Data Sheet -Page 1

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Figure 12: Current Sensor Data Sheet -Page 2

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Voltage Sensor Data Sheet

Figure 13: Voltage Sensor Data Sheet -Page 1

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Figure 14: Voltage Sensor Data Sheet -Page 2

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