Team Five was approached by GE with the dilemma of providing a reliable cellular phone service to...
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Team Five was approached by GE with the dilemma of providing a reliable cellular phone service to areas with unreliable electric grids, while maintaining
Team Five was approached by GE with the dilemma of providing a
reliable cellular phone service to areas with unreliable electric
grids, while maintaining a green approach environmentally. We chose
to implement a solar powered cell tower in northern Ethiopia, in a
region known as Tigray. We plan to maintain the systems electric
power with mainly solar power but to also back up the system with a
generator and battery system.
Slide 3
It is an frustrating problem for people who live in regions
with no or unreliable energy grids to half to deal with the lack of
cellular service. To this end, GE is spending time and resources to
help solve the solution and has reached out to some engineering
students to help solve the problem. Team five has decided to focus
on the densely populated region of Tigray due the high potential
for solar energy.
Slide 4
In order for individuals to better themselves and allow
business and economy to grow, it is important to have a reliable
means of communication, which is something that the region of
Tigray lacks. Designs need to be made to create a reliable cell
tower that does not rely on the regions power grid. To create a
reliable cellular tower that runs off the abundant solar power in
that region that is backed by battery power and a generator.
Slide 5
The population density of Tigray stands at 87 people per square
kilometer. The people that are most likely to be using cell phones
are those who live in the urban environment, and Tigray has 842,723
urban inhabitants. We were able to conclude that the average power
produced per day due to solar radiation is roughly 7.0 kwh/m^2 per
day in Tigray, which we can assume is enough solar radiation to
produce 1.2 kw of power from our 125 by 125 square foot solar
panel. The most important part of this project to the consumer is
to provide a reliable cellular service, so above all else we need
to make sure the tower will never run out of power. In this respect
we must find the most energy efficient way to work our customer
base happy. Also, the company of GE wants the project to not only
be efficient but green as well.
Slide 6
Team Fives design plans to use the average of 7.0 kwh/m^2 of
power that is available in the Tigray region via solar power, and
convert that to electric energy using solar panels. This electric
energy will then help power a cellular tower while also charging GE
Durathon batteries. A backup diesel powered generator will be used
in circumstances where solar power is not available.
Slide 7
Slide 8
Wind Power: Wind Power was a good green source of renewable
resource, but in this region of Tigray it would be expensive to get
a wind turbine sufficient enough to gain the necessary power.
Slide 9
Water Wheel: A Water Wheel was a good source of energy and
reliable due to the good amounts of rain in the region, but the
limited locations for this type of power made it undesirable
Slide 10
Solar Power: Solar Power was a good green source of energy
because Tigray has a good potential for solar power and solar
panels have a very flexible location possibility.
Slide 11
Selection CriteriaConcepts WindWater WheelSolarDiesel
(Reference) Durability-+00 Energy Potential0-+0 Durability0-00 Cost
Efficiency-000 Location Flexibility0-+0 Sum +s0120 Sum s2305 Sum
0s3130 Net Score-2 20 Rank311Combine
Team Five has decided to move forward with this project with a
solar powered system that is backed by a diesel fueled generator to
ensure the dependability of the tower. The abundance of power from
the sum in this area makes it by far the most energy efficient
choice.
Slide 14
Slide 15
Slide 16
Slide 17
Slide 18
Slide 19
Team Fives Design Includes: 1 Lattice Cell Tower 1 Lattice Cell
Tower 125x125 Solar Panels 125x125 Solar Panels Custom Designed HUT
Custom Designed HUT 10,000 Watt Diesel Generator 10,000 Watt Diesel
Generator GE Duration Batteries GE Duration Batteries 12.4 kw/hr
energy output from Solar panels 12.4 kw/hr energy output from Solar
panels
Slide 20
Team Five was put to the task of creating a green and
dependable cell tower in Northern Ethiopia in a region called
Tigray where there is no dependable engery grid. Our design
includes the following: Sustainable Solar Panels Sustainable Solar
Panels GE Duration Batteries GE Duration Batteries Backup Diesel
Generator Backup Diesel Generator These things allow this cell
tower to be consistently powered without any outside assistance
from a power grid. The Solar panels control the solar energy and
directly power the cell tower while also charging the Durathon
batteries. At any point in time that there is not enough solar
power to power the tower, the batteries begin to discharge their
stored energy to power the tower. If at any point the batteries run
out of charge, the diesel generator will kick on to keep the tower
running until a point that there is enough solar energy to power
the tower.