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