Project of the Year Final Report_Group D

8/3/2019 Project of the Year Final Report_Group D

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Design of an Emergency

Energy ModuleSELECT Project of the Year 2010/11

Awrasa Montrichok

Fahid RiazMuditha Abeysekera

Nanda Kumar

Vincenzo Capogna

Supervised by Associate Professor Viktoria Martin, KTH

5/30/2011

This document is submitted as the final written report of the work phase 2 of SELECT -

Project of the Year 2010 2011 In the Erasmus Mundus Masters program in

Environomical Pathways for Sustainable Energy Systems, KTH, Sweden.


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Abstract

Natural and manmade disasters result in emergency situations with many helpless people each

year. Providing energy solutions in these emergency situations is a challenging task. This project

envisions to design an Emergency Energy Module (EEM) which will be fuel flexible, reliable,

cost effective, easy to transport and simple in operation and maintenance fulfilling the basic

energy-related needs of people and relief aid units in emergency situations. This report explainsdifferent kinds of emergencies as well as their result and the different response activities. It also

identifies people's needs in these different situations. The report compares various energy

technologies, analyzes a selection of these technologies for the EEM, and provides a detailed

design of the EEM. Case studies are included in order to validate this design. A preliminary

business model for the EEM is discussed along with its supporting detailed study of finances,

logistics, customers, etc. used to gain a competitive advantage over competitors in capturing the

market.


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Table of Contents

1 Introduction .........................................................................................................................5

1.1 Objectives ........................................................................................................................5

1.2 Methodology ....................................................................................................................6

2 Emergency Situations ..........................................................................................................7

2.1 Emergency Response Protocols .........................................................................................7

2.1.1 U.S ArmyAn Emergency Response Protocol Example ............................................7

2.1.2 Non-profit Organizations and Other Resource Agencies .............................................8

2.2 Basic Human Needs ..........................................................................................................8

2.3 Natural Disasters ...............................................................................................................9

2.3.1 Risk Statistics of Natural Disasters .............................................................................9

2.3.2 Population Density.................................................................................................... 11

2.4 Concluding remarks on the challenges to be met at an emergency/disaster ....................... 12

3. Problem formulation .......................................................................................................... 13

3.1 Water requirement analysis.............................................................................................. 13

3.2 Auxiliary Energy Services to be catered .......................................................................... 16

3.3 Load profile for the Emergency Energy Module .............................................................. 19

3.4 Energy conversion technologies available to provide the need in context of an EEM ....... 20

3.5 Problem Statement .......................................................................................................... 26

4. Pre-Design of the EEM...................................................................................................... 27

4.1 Energy Flow Model for the Conceptual EEM .................................................................. 27

4.2 HOMER as a Techno economic Optimization Tool ......................................................... 28

4.3 Component Selection ....................................................................................................... 32

4.4 HOMER Simulation for Base case of the D Brick EEM................................................... 34

4.5 Results for the Base Case Simulation ............................................................................... 35


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4.4 Control System and Standard Container........................................................................... 37

4.4.1 Energy Management and Control Strategy ................................................................ 38

4.5 Container Solution .......................................................................................................... 40

5 Case studies ....................................................................................................................... 41

5.1 BangladeshKutubdia Island ......................................................................................... 41

5.2 Uganda-Nakivale Refugee Camp case study .................................................................... 47

6. Market Analysis and Business Plan ................................................................................... 50

6.1 Logistics plan and Ware house locations .......................................................................... 52

6.2 Web Application Strategy ................................................................................................ 54

7. Discussion ......................................................................................................................... 57

8. Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 57

Nomenclature ............................................................................................................................ 58

Acknowledgement .................................................................................................................... 60

Bibliography ............................................................................................................................. 61

Appendix A............................................................................................................................... 64

Appendix B ............................................................................................................................... 72


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1 IntroductionAll across the globe natural hazards menacing humanity are on the rise. When earthquakes, floods,

storms, draughts, other events are combined with circumstances such as poor urban governance,

vulnerable rural livelihoods, and the decline of ecosystems, not only are there economic losses that can

cripple nations but, more tragic, the massive loss of human lives and the creation of large-scale humanmisery.

We as SELECT engineers aspire to design a mobile and flexible rescue unit that provides energy for clean

water supply and electricity required by relief aid teams to assist the victims of a natural disaster. In

autumn 2010, we completed Phase 1 of the Project of the Year, which comprised of extensive background

research on current rescue methodologies, modular renewable energy conversion technologies, and water

purification methods. Our preliminary concept of the Emergency Energy Module (EEM) was also

developed in Phase 1 and details regarding this design are explored in depth in our Emergency Energy

Module Phase 1 Written Report.

The start of 2011 marks the beginning of Phase 2, where we further sculpt our design concept along with

a preliminary business plan. Our aim in this phase was to make concrete our unique approach that willappeal to relief organizations focusing on delivering a strategy in a timely manner with a solution based

on simplicity.

This written report describes our concept development and summarizes the final design and findings of

the project. It begins with a summary of the background research we have done so far as well as our

objectives. A detailed explanation of our problem formulation and design methodology is then followed

by an analysis of our results. This report is concluded with an overall discussion of our solution,

approach, and business objectives.

1.1 ObjectivesThe objectives of this years project of the year is to come up with a design and preliminary

business plan for an emergency energy module that could withstand harsh conditions of a natural

disaster and provide relief for the effected people as well as for relief aid units operating in relief

response activities.

In the context of this preliminary phase of the project the main challenge was to decide on the

best combination of technologies that should go into a module that can be easily transported to

the disaster location and can start operation as soon as possible. However the considerations of

technologies should also incorporate economical viability apart from the technical capability of

the module as it is important when we think of a business strategy that could get this design to

compete in the open market for similar kind of solutions.Therefore the objectives of this phase of the long running project was understood to be able to

consider all options of available technologies that could support a disaster situation with

providing emergency energy at an affordable price for the consumer as well as the personal who

will bear the initial costs of having the unit operating. Also a strategy was required to have such

a business operating and be profitable in a challenging situation such as providing for

emergencies which was also identified as an objective of this phase of the project.


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1.2 Methodology

To start the design process of EEM the first step is to understand the practical needs of the

people of in an emergency situation with respect to the different time frames after the occurrence

of disaster. From the background study of emergency situations and the case studies of different

kinds of disasters in different parts of the world we have realized that it is not easy to understand

the complexities of real scenarios developed after the disaster. The situations vary with respect to

different kinds of disasters and locations. Therefore it was understood that it will be difficult to

find out a general solution for a variety of situations caused at a range of locations. After the

initial 1-2 weeks of rescue operations, the analysis of the volume of damage done by the disaster

becomes apparent and local, national and international actors join hands to help the affected

people. At this stage people are very much in need of external help. They need shelter, food,

clothes, water, lighting, heating, security etc. to sustain their lives. Obviously, a single design

cannot accommodate all of these needs. From our understanding of the practical situations, we

have concluded that the most important use of the energy at an emergency situation is thepurification of water. Because either this factor is ignored or very expensive ways are used to

provide water like bottled water which also require a structured transportation services in many

cases. Also energy or electricity can be used for communication (charging of mobiles etc.),

lighting to ensure security in nights especially, thermal comfort of relief teams and running

refrigerators for preserving vaccines. The severity of any of these needs varies with different

situations.

To start off with the design process of an emergency energy module we envision ourselves as a

company that provide energy services for these kinds of challenging environments. We call

ourselves D-Brick aligned with the containerized module we plan to provide for these situations.

The design process started off with a thorough background study of emergency situations and

their energy requirements which was carried out in autumn 2010. With that understanding a load

demand was formulated for an average no of 5000 people to be served at a refugee camp. The

demands were calculated to support a Reverse Osmosis Water Purification system, a

communication unit for a relief aid team, a medical refrigerator and Lighting units for the camp

area. A rigorous discussion on the viable technologies to support the function of an emergency

energy module was carried out. Thereafter using HOMER (1), which is a micro power system

modeling software, the optimum combination of different technologies for varying resource

conditions were found. This enabled us to narrow down the configuration of technologies and the

component mix that can go into the containerized module that was envisioned. Two case studies

were done, one at a disaster prone location in Bangladesh and the other at a long term refugee

camp in Uganda to test the model and to come up with an optimal solution for each location.

Finally a preliminary business plan was put together that could realize the findings of this project

to be brought into a marketable product.


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2 Emergency SituationsThe United Nations defines an emergency situation or a major disaster as a serious disruption of the

functioning society, causing widespread human, material, or environmental losses that exceed the ability

of the affected society to cope using only its own resources. (2) In the classification of the emergency one

important element is the time extension, and there are three main types of emergencies (2): Sudden-Onset

Emergencies, such as the earthquake in Haiti; Slow-Onset Emergencies, like the child hunger crisis that

plagues parts of Africa; and Complex Emergencies illustrated by the various civil conflicts and warfare in

the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Our Emergency Energy Module, however, will focus mainly on

providing energy for sudden-Onset Emergencies that result from major natural catastrophes but allowing

the flexibility to be a good solution for refugee camps as well.

2.1 Emergency Response ProtocolsDepending on the nature and location of the disaster, various organizations focus on and carry outdifferent protocols when responding to specific crisis. However, an emergency response can generally be

categorized into four separate and broad phases (2): Emergency preparedness and contingency planning or

mitigation; Acute emergency response; Chronic humanitarian response; and Transition and recovery.

In the context of this project, we will narrow our scope to address the second and third phases, which are

the acute emergency response phase and the chronic humanitarian response phase. The Acute emergency

response phase corresponds with the immediate response operations to save lives, protect property, and

meet basic human needs. These basic needs will be described in more detail in section 2.2. Long-term

refugee camps are examples of a chronic humanitarian response, which will be described in more detail in

the subsequent sections.

2.1.1 U.S Army An Emergency Response Protocol Example When a disaster strikes in the U.S, the federal government responds after local and state resources and

capabilities have been exhausted (3). In a catastrophic disaster, the U.S. Department of Homeland

Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) can mobilize federal resources for search

and rescue, electrical power, food, water, shelter and other basic human needs. Federal assistance can also

take many other forms, including financial assistance, technical assistance, and most often, logistics.

National voluntary organizations work alongside federal agencies to help provide disaster relief goods

and services as well.

The U.S government created the Federal Response Plan (FRP) (4) to establish a process and structure to

coordinate this federal assistance to address the consequences of a major disaster. The FRP covers the

full range of complex and constantly changing requirements following a disaster: saving lives, protecting

property, and meeting basic human needs (response); restoring the disaster-affected area (recovery); and

reducing vulnerability to future disasters (mitigation). FEMA steps in with initial coordination with


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national and international volunteer organizations to provide more long-term aid and reconstruction. Our

EEM design concept specific to refugee camps can address this stage.

Sometimes, military support is necessary since the Department of Defense maintains significant resources

(personnel, equipment, and supplies) that may be available to support the Federal response to a major

disaster or emergency(5)

.

Take for instance, the U.S Army Corp of Engineers (5) whose purpose is to provide public works and

engineering support to assist the State in need related to lifesaving or life protecting and major property

protection following a major disaster. This includes providing emergency power and potable water. Our

EEM design concept goal is to provide an organization like the U.S Army Corp of Engineers(USACE)

with a solution to their energy and potable water needs.

2.1.2 Non-profit Organizations and Other Resource AgenciesWhen a major disaster strikes, various organizations and agencies step in to provide relief and aid to

disaster victims (5). Usually, these organizations work in parallel with a nations military, where both

parties rely on each other for support. Non-governmental and/or humanitarian organizations are likely to

have more local knowledge about the people, region, and situation whereas the military can provide

security, technical assistance, and access to remote areas.

Besides military organizations like the USACE, the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and inter-

governmental organizations (IGOs) are also our target market. We aim to provide both temporary and

long-term energy for water, and other practical needs that the major players of a disaster require to

support the people in need. We also aim to provide a strategy to these potential clients with our user-

friendly web application similar to the Table of Organization and Equipment the U.S Army relies on (4).

Unlike the U.S Army Corp of Engineers, for instance, who must be strictly monitored by FEMAaccording to the FRP, NGOs and other relief organizations are not monitored and enforced with set rules

by any kind of authority. However, there are several standards and guidelines that these organizations

adhere to in order to ensure that proper relief and attention are given to disaster victims and that their

basic needs are met and their dignity maintained.

2.2 Basic Human NeedsThe very basic human need for survival starts with water, followed by food and shelter (6). Electrical

power is needed for heating, cooking, lighting, refrigeration, and sometimes water purification. In our

design, we will focus on designing an EEM that can supply electricity for clean water and electrical

power. But first, we need to determine the basic water and energy needs of a person at such a disaster

condition.

The Sphere Project was created by a group of humanitarian NGOs and the Red Cross and Red Crescent

movement (6). The Code of Conduct6 for The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and

NGOs in Disaster Relief, was developed by eight of the world's largest disaster response agencies. It lays

down ten points of principle that all humanitarian organizations should adhere to in their disaster response


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work. The Handbook for Emergencies (7) published by the United Nations High Commissioner for

Refugees also provides guidelines for maintaining the well being of refugees during displacements due to

emergencies.

As an overview, from these guidelines and studies (6) (7), the minimum drinking water requirement for an

average person has been estimated to be approximately 3 liters per day, given average temperate climateconditions and coping levels. In addition to drinking requirements, water is usually used for sanitation

purposes, basic hygiene needs, and for food preparation. This increases the water requirement to 7-15

liters a day. Details regarding water needs, the various technologies that exist today to provide clean

water, and our EEM solution will be discussed in more detail in the subsequent sections pertaining to

water.

Electrical power is needed for heating, cooking, refrigeration (for medical and food preservation

purposes), lighting, and sometimes water purification. In the Energy section of this report, more details

about the amount required, the technologies out there to produce electricity sustainably, and our solution

will presented.

The purpose is to identify the Minimum Standards to be attained in disaster assistance, in each of five key

sectors: water supply and sanitation, nutrition, food aid, shelter and health services. Most of the water

and sanitation requirements that our project will use as our baseline come from The Sphere Project study

as will be discussed in more detail in the Water section of this report.

2.3 Natural DisastersMajor natural catastrophes can happen anywhere at any time. Although our EEM concept will satisfy the

requirement of flexibility with regards to handling a variety of emergency situations in various

geographical locations, our design and focus will center on regions where the highest number ofcatastrophes have occurred. It is a great advantage, in terms of compatibility, to be able to reduce the

range of locations and therefore, situations with which our module has to face. It will also take into

account where the population is dense in relation to these disaster hot spots.

2.3.1 Risk Statistics of Natural Disasters

A study titled, Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction (2009)(8), details where the highest

risks for natural disasters lie. This study integrates the areas of the globe that have been affected most by

natural calamities, the density of the population, the level of development of the region, as well as theGDP. The map below illustrates the level of disaster risk based on the risk of mortality across the globe.


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Figure 2.1: Disaster Risk Regions(9)

In a report titled Natural Disaster Hotspots(10): A Global Risk Analysis, the global risks of two disaster-

related outcomes are assessed: mortality and economic losses. Risk levels are estimated by combining

hazard exposure with historical vulnerability for two indicators of elements at riskgridded population

and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per unit areafor six major natural hazards: earthquakes, volcanoes,

landslides, floods, drought, and cyclones. The following two diagrams depict some of the results from

this report.

Figure 1.2: Global Distribution of highest risk disaster hotspots by hazard type with regards to mortality risk(10)


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Figure2.2 : Mortality hotspots and the top 20 recipients of humanitarian relief (1992-2003)(10)

The highest-risk areas are those in which disasters are expected to occur most frequently and losses are

expected to be highest. Many countries highlighted in Figures 2.1,2.2 and 2.3 have high proportions of

population, GDP per unit area or land surface within areas classified as multi-hazard, high mortality and

total economic loss risk hotspots, respectively. Presumably, as disasters continue to occur, these and other

high-risk countries will continue to need high levels of humanitarian relief unless their vulnerability is

reduced. Figure 2.3 above illustrates the top 20 countries with highest mortality risks that receive the

most humanitarian relief.

2.3.2 Population Density

The map below illustrates the world population density in 1994 (10). Although outdated, a correlation can

be made between the mortality risks of a natural disaster and the density of the population. This

correlation will help us to focus our project scope on regions that have the highest risk of mortality.


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Figure 2.4: Population density in 1994(9)

An observation of disaster risk patterns and trends at the global level allows a visualization of the major

concentrations of risk described and an identification of the geographic distribution of disaster risk across

countries, trends over time and the major drivers of these patterns and trends.

We have derived from the above-mentioned reports and studies that:

o Disaster risk is geographically highly concentrated, in particular, the tropical region, centralAfrica (most of all for the wars and the drought), and in the highly populated sub tropical region

like the south-central Europe and America.

o Disaster risk is very unevenly distributed. Hazards affect both poorer and richer countries, but inaddition to hazard severity and exposure a range of other risk drivers related to economic and

social development play a crucial role in the configuration of disaster risk.

o Disaster risk is increasing driven by the growing exposure of people and assets becausevulnerability decreases as countries develop, but not enough to compensate for the increase inexposure.

2.4 Concluding remarks on the challenges to be met at an emergency/disasterComing up with our EEM solution will not be without challenges. One of the major challenges faced

deals with social issues that can be unique to each location. For example, a solution for a refugee camp

may have to consider the threat of locals removing parts of the module to sell for cash. Other issues can

be financial, for instance the lack of adequate funds of an organization to purchase an EEM solution. This

issue could potentially affect the motivation of an organization to opt for a more sustainable and

environmentally friendly solution than a more inexpensive solution relying solely on diesel. Then, once

the module is put in place and operating, the module may face harsh weather conditions that could impact

various aspects to the unit. Designing a solution to address the varying needs of a location and utilize the

varying resources for energy is another challenge. Our web application discussed later in this report aims

to minimize this challenge as much as possible. However, after the conceptual solution has been

determined, we will face the challenge of ensuring smooth logistics with a proper and timely set up of the

EEM.


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3.Problem formulationAs explained in the previous paragraphs, extreme living conditions, like the refugee camps or the

natural disaster ones, are often characterized by scarcity or absence of the clean water and the

lack of electrical energy for the failures in the grid or complete absence of grid connection (7). At

the same time, in these situations, essential concerns are represented by the access to clean

drinking water and food together with the electricity which is the most common and diffuse

energy vector for the operation of all the primary emergency devices. In fact, electrical power is

needed for heating, cooking, refrigeration (for medical and food preservation purposes), lighting,

communication and sometimes also for the water purification itself.

To design of a flexible and cost-effective product it is necessary to prioritize these needs in order

to provide a satisfactory relief response in a range of different disaster condition. At the same

time, it should be a cost efficient and a reliable emergency solution that are compatible with the

low budget of refugee camps. The module is structured as a stand-alone electrical energygenerator, mainly powered by a mix of renewable energy sources.

The main problem addressed by our module is the supply of electricity to run a water purification

system. In fact, we defined this as the first priority; the access to clean drinking water because it

is the most essential need for the human survival (7) and because its lack is the first cause of

diseases that can easily create widespread of epidemics or fatal illnesses.

The module also should also supply electricity for low intensive power purpose as internal and

external lighting (a priority to assure a safely conditions in the camp) communication devices,

(necessary to coordinate the organization and logistical activities) and medicine conservation(e.g. vaccine refrigeration) that can strongly help to support the medical care facilities.

However, the module is envisioned as a flexible and an autonomous power generator so that it

will be possible to connect to it also different kinds of loads (e.g. a camp hospital) just through

adjusting settings of the programmable control system for a different load profile in order to have

an optimized system.

3.1Water requirement analysisQuickly start the immediate measures to protect human life must be needed while first few days

and week after the emergencies. Especially water hygiene is important to prevent epidemic

diseases like diarrhea, malaria, cholera etc., For example below fig shows the causes of death, all

ages, kohistan district, Afghanistan at 26 November 2000 to 4 April 2001 (Total number of

persons died = 108). (11)


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Figure 3.1: Causes of deaths in Kohistan District Afganistan (26th November 2000 to 4th April 2001)

Here the major portion is diarrhea of about 25 %. It was mainly due to unhygienic water.

Recently in Haiti Jan 2010, WHO announced that Haiti people were at risk of epidemics due to

bad sanitation especially through water. (12)

Quality of water required for different uses at a disaster

The required water qualities for different uses at emergency conditions are important to know

and to satisfy required water quantity as well as quality. World Health Organization (WHO)

discussed and documented water requirement quality and quantity during emergency conditions.

(13)

Figure 3.2: Hierarchy of water requirements(13)

25%

7%

16%19%

33%

Causes of death, all ages, Kohistan District,Afghanistan

November 26, 2000 to April 4, 2001

Diarrhoea

Scurvy

Measles

Respiratory TractInfections

Other


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When we go through fig 3.2, hierarchy of water requirements, required water quality for drinking

is higher than sanitation purposes for example washing clothes. (13) Short term Survival (drinking

and cooking): The water quality for short term survival is mentioned in Guidelines for drinking

water quality by World Health Organization (WHO) published at Geneva 2004

Guideline for water quality for different uses

A water quality guideline given by WHO for different purposes. (14)

1. Microbiological quality of drinking waterAny 100 ml sample should not have Escherichia coli or thermo tolerant coli form bacteria.

2. Treatment of drinking waterUnprotected water sources are treated to produce drinking water to ensure microbiological

safety.

3. Chemical and Radiological Quality of drinking waterThe water quality should meet either National standards concerning chemical and radiological

parameters or WHO guidelines for drinking water quality

4. Acceptability of drinking waterThe water should not contain any color or odor or taste.

5. Water for other purposesWater is not for drinking and it can be used only for cleaning, laundry and sanitation. For

cleaning, laundry and sanitation dont required drinking quality water but for hand washing,

bathing, dishwashing needs to be in drinking water quality. Similarly for food preparation and

washing utensils the drinking water quality must be used.

Technologies for Water Purification and the electrical/thermal needs

Water needs to be purified effectively especially during emergency period to avoid epidemicdiseases. As technologists reverse osmosis is best option for purifying water effectively. But it

requires pre filtration to remove any suspended particles which choke the reverse osmosis filter.

The emergency energy module conceptualized by D-Brick uses the specifications of the

following RO water purification unit to be supplied.

Electrical requirement for the reverse osmosis based water purification equipment is 3 KW.

The technical specification is attached on the appendix B.

Table 3.1: Specifications of the water purification unit


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3.2 Auxiliary Energy Services to be catered

Apart from the dire need of drinking water in disaster/emergency situations, the need for

electrical power also increases as the worst has passed by. Electrical power is usually required by

the following applications at an emergency (2)

1. Communication equipment used by relief aid units for sending and receiving information2. Operation of medical facilities Setting up hospitals and for refrigeration of medicines

and vaccines

3. Indoor and outdoor lighting of camp areasEnsuring security in camps4. Thermal comfort and ventilation5. Food preparation6. Charging laptops and mobile phones

However, it should be understood that there will be limitations on how much a self sustaining

energy module can provide to fulfill the energy needs at such a challenging situation. Therefore

in the context of our Emergency Energy module we restrict ourselves to provide for selected

electricity requirements of a relief aid team operating in a disaster/emergency situation. Our aim

will be to provide power for communication equipment, a refrigerator for storing essential

medicines and vaccines, lighting around and inside the EEM and power for laptops and mobile

phone charging of the relief aid team.

Communication Equipment

Communication from and to the disaster striken area is almost always a common problem after a

disaster occurrence. This is due to large infrastructure damages caused by disasters. Thereforehaving access to communication equipment becomes important for relief aid units working in

these areas to improve their efficiency and to plan their activities according to instructions given

by main base stations.

A typical communication unit at a remote base station will include a High frequency (HF)

transceiver, a HF modem, a laptop or a PC with email, fax and data system software and a mains

power supply unit (15). Typical loads of such equipment are as tabulated in the following table.


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Table 3.2: Communication equipment needed by a remote base station (15)

Equipment Typical load /(W)

Operatingcurrent/

(A)HF transceiver (2-30 MHz) 125 < 0.5

HF modem 25 0.4

Laptop or PC with e mail,

fax and system software

10

Refrigerator for essential medical storage

Medical facilities play a major role in the recovery period of a disaster. Large scale medicalcenters will be operational as soon as the threat of the situation is no more apparent (16). However

in the scope of our module we will not accommodate power supply for the operation of medical

units but rather will have the capacity to power small refrigerator units that can be used for the

purpose of storing essential medicines and vaccines for use by relief aid units.

Specifications of possible alternatives of medical refrigerators to be used in the EEM are

provided below.

Table 3.3: Specifications of medical refrigerators to be used in the EEM

Product Name LR110 GG Refrigerator(17)

RFVB-134a (Sunfrost)(18)

Net Volume 92 Litres Freezer-34Litres & Refrigerator55Litres

Dimensions 820mm x 560mm x 580mm

Voltage 220-240 V 12 V

Frequency 50 H -

Power 80 W ~60W

Energy

Consumption

0.75 kWh/day @32oC0.44 kWh/day

Refrigerant type R600a

Figure


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Lighting inside and outside the EEM

Lighting becomes an important requirement for a unit operating in an emergency situation as we

cannot rely on other methods of illumination to be already operating in the locality. The EEM

should be able to provide for lighting inside the conceptualized module as well as outside,

mainly for security reasons and also for facilitating refugee camps.

Nowadays, it is possible to find energy efficient lighting mechanisms that are being widely used

for residential and outdoor lighting purposes which will suit our application.

LED technology is one such promising improvement in the lighting industry which provides

bulbs that are capable of producing the same luminance of the conventional bulbs but at a much

less energy consumption. Specifications and data of lighting products to be used in the EEM are

given below.

Table 1.4: Product specification for Indoor lighting of the EEM

Product name Diogen Bulb 800 (19)

Dimensions Dia. 6.75 x 11.34 cm H

LED Source 158 PCS

Input Voltage 120V/60HZ

LED power consumption 12 W

Initial Luminous Flux 560Lm

Color Temperature

(Custom available)

Warm White 3000-4000K

Cool White 5000-6000K

Color Rendering Index 62

Dim ability Dimmer Safe

Efficacy 48.8 Lm/W

Ambient Temperature -20 to 40 C

Viewing Angle Omni Directional

Rated Life 50000 hours

Warranty Coverage 2 years


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Table3.5: Product specification for outdoor lighting of the EEM

Product name WP LED20 (20)

Input Voltage 120V-277V/60HZ

LED power consumption 20 W

Initial Luminous Flux 1401 Lm

Weight 2.76 kg

Efficacy 65 Lm/W

Ambient Temperature -30 to 50 C

Rated Life 50000 hours

Warranty Coverage 5 years

3.3 Load profile for the Emergency Energy Module

Considering the aforementioned needs to be supported at an emergency, we can formulate a

rough load profile which the emergency energy module should be able to provide. In context of

the EEM we have considered supporting a refugee camp of 5000 resident people. After

identifying the equipment to be supported by the EEM, we should propose a strategy to optimize

the use of this equipment throughout the day. In the base case the following loadings are

assumed.

1. The reverse osmosis water purification unit will run through 08:00hrs to 21:00hrs (13hours per day)

2. 6 units of LED lights will be used to illuminate inside the container throughout the day3. 5 units of outdoor lights will be operated from 19:00hrs in the night to 08:00hrs in the

morning (13 hours per day)

4. An HF transceiver will be operational throughout the day while the PC for e-mail and faxwill be operating from 08:00hrs to 20:00hrs (12 hours per day)

5. A medical refrigerator for storage of medicines will operated throughout the day6. Membrane Distillation Water purification will be carried out when co-generation

equipment is in operation

It should be noted here that this is a sample case scenario to formulate the load profile for the

EEM, but this will vary according to needs at a specific location as well as with resource

availability to produce power in any given time. Also the peak load will vary as we will operate

the water purification unit as a deferrable load.

We have used an excel worksheet to formulate the load profile and is attached with the appendix.

The maximum electrical load to be supplied was 3kW between 19:00-20:00hrs. Total daily


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energy consumption was accounted to be around 37kWh/day. Typical daily load variation in this

case would be as presented in Figure .

Figure 3.3: Load profile for the Emergency Energy Module

3.4 Energy conversion technologies available to provide the need in context of

an EEM

There are different energy resources/technologies available which can be used in an emergency

energy module (EEM) for example: Fossil fuel (Diesel Engine/Micro Gas Turbine), Solar

Energy (PV/Solar Dish), Wind Energy (Micro Turbines), Bio Fuels / Bio Gas

(Gasification/Digestion), Hydro Power (Run of river turbines) etc. All the different technologies

have their own advantages and disadvantages. The selection of the most suitable technology or

the combination of technologies is the most important aspect of the design of EEM. For this

purpose there are different features (which are required to be defined and understood) on the

basis of which different technologies can be compared. So these features act as our criteria of

selection.

For the emergency or disaster response the priority is to provide the services for the immediate

relief of affected people. Therefore, EEM must be: fuel flexible, reliable, easy to transport, easy

to operate, and cost effective. These features are the main criteria for comparing different energy

technologies.

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24

Total Electrical Load (kW)

Total Electrical Load (kW)


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Fuel Flexible -

Considering the availability of different energy resources in the locality of a disaster suggests

that it is advantageous to have the designed solution to be fuel flexible. Fuel flexibility in relation

to EEM is the ability to utilize various energy sources, subjected to availability, to provide a

continuous, reliable power output.

Reliable -

Reliability is of utmost importance in the EEM as the module is to be placed under demanding

conditions of a disaster and should not fail to provide its services. Reliability refers to the long

term operation of the unit without any maintenance requirements and problems.

Sustainable-

Even though it would be difficult to think on sustainability at a disaster response activity, this

project challenges the energy engineers to develop an energy module that will be independent of

fossil fuel supply in the long run and utilize local renewable energy sources for power.Sustainability also considers the fact that the unit leaves minimum effect on the environment it

operates in.

Easy to transport

As experience and research show, one of the devastated functions after a disaster is the

transportation sector and the ability to reach the destination with relief supplies. Therefore, it is

important that the disaster relief equipment should be manageable with weight and size. The

specific power (Power produced per unit weight) of EEM should be maximized.

Easy to operateIt is recommended that EEM should not require highly trained personnel for its installation and

operation. The system should be simple to operate and require very little and simple interactions

from the outside.

Cost effective -

Cost effectiveness means that the cost of module itself (initial capital investment), cost of

operation and cost of transportation should be less. This feature will enable us to compete in the

market and hence to be successful with our business and social goals of capturing more and more

market.

After defining different features as criteria for comparison of different technologies now we will

proceed to the analysis of different technological option for EEM.


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Fossil Fuels:

Fossil fuel systems like diesel engine are reliable, easy to transport, easy to operate and cost

effective (21).We need to provide continuous supply of fuel to run our fossil fuel based system.

These are compact systems and do not need any kind of installation before they start their

operation. These systems are very suitable for meeting the base load with continuous supply. If

our system is required to provide energy to big area with lot of people then fossil fuel based

system might be the only solution. Most of the worlds emergencies and catastrophes have been

handled by using a suitable diesel generator. If we want to use our system more effectively, we

can use the exhaust of the engines (which is usually at a quite high temperature) to run a thermal

water cleaning unit or thermal heating or cooling (vapor absorption cycle). Diesel engines are

capable to use the biofuels without any major modification. So biomass gasifier can be added in

the system if we want to reduce the dependence on the transport of fossil fuels in the areas where

abundant biomass resource is available.

Solar Energy(21):

There are two kinds of solar power systems; solar thermal and photovoltaic panels. Solar thermal

systems like solar dish (Stirling Engine) are suitable for high solar intensities. PV panels on the

other hand can even utilize the diffused solar radiations to produce power. They are required to

be cooled constantly for high efficiencies. The disadvantages of solar power are that it is

expensive energy and is not available in the night. Either we need some energy storage

mechanism or some other means of energy production during the night time. Solar power is

suitable for water cleaning system because the use of clean water is not affected by the

intermittent nature of the solar system. Clean water can be produced using solar PV panels toproduce electric power which is used to run pumps to clean water through reverse osmosis. Solar

insolation is not constant everywhere so the usability depends on location. At the locations where

solar radiation intensity is high solar dish can be a good option. The usability of solar systems is

also dependent on the available season because in many parts of the world solar energy is not

available in the winter season. For very high radiation intensity areas like Sudan, solar cookers

have also been used to cook the food in emergency situations. For the solar systems to meet the

base load a strong storage system should be used. Batteries can be used but batteries are

expensive and have shorter life comparatively but in the recent years there has been a lot of

development in this area. Hydrogen is another way to store energy. Electricity is used for the

electrolysis to water to produce hydrogen and then hydrogen is used in a fuel cell to produce

electricity again. Solar PV panels are stand alone systems and are used for long term

requirements. In a location where utility power can be restored in a short period of time PV may

not be the correct solution. If the disaster is big scaled and hundreds of kilowatts are required

then PV is not the right choice because large areas of open space would be required and the cost

will be very high to make it highly unsuitable.


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Wind Power:

The cost of wind power production depends on the available wind speed (22). For good wind

speeds the wind power is the most cost effective renewable technology, which can compete with

the conventional energy resources. Wind production is intermittent because it depends upon

velocity of wind, which is not constant at a location. This is why the capacity factor is always

less than 1 and a typical value is 0.3. So just like solar system we need some storage system for

wind energy systems as well. If the wind power is remarkable at the disaster location, wind

power can be used to produce power. Again in this case of wind power the problem of storage

can be solved if the production of clean water is the main load of EEM.

Biomass:

As explained earlier in the fossil fuels section if abundant supply of biomass is available in thevicinity of the emergency location, small biomass converters can be used to produce biofuel

(liquid) or biogas. This fuel can be used in a diesel engine to produce electricity and heat.

Similarly, biogas can be used in some gas engine or micro gas turbine. The good thing about

biomass is that it is not intermittent and can be used to meet the base loads so it does not require

any special storage system. Biomass is a very good form of renewable energy and it has been

used for centuries by humans to meet their energy demands for cooking, heating and lighting.

While developing biomass power production systems it should be critically analyzed that the

biomass to be used should not replace or reduce the food production in any way. Municipal

wastes, wastes from different industries like paper and sugar, and sustainable production of wood

in forests are very good examples of biomass to be used for power production. Biomass can bedirectly burned in boilers or can be converted to liquid or gaseous fuels to be used in

conventional systems like cars. Biomass power production is continuous and sustainable as long

as the supply chain is closely monitored and biomass is only obtained from certified producers.

Hydro Power:

Hydro power technology is very much developed and tested by time. In terms of reliability and

control no other technology can compete with hydro power (21). Hydro power is fairly cheap as

well. Small hydro power is a very good and cheep resource of energy which can be installed on

the run of the river but it requires the selection of special locations and the installation time and

cost are high. This is the reason hydro power is unsuitable to be used in an emergency situation.

Similar is the case with geothermal, Ocean thermal, tidal and wave energies. These are

developing technologies but are highly unsuitable for emergency situations.


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To get the quick idea on some basic energy technology efficiencies and their reliability and

robustness the following table has been developed.

Table 3.6: Comparison of different technology options

Efficiency Reliability and Robustness

Solar PV10-15 % El. Eff. W.r.t.

irradiation

Solar power is not constant and rely on

Weatherly and seasonal variations,

Equipment is not very huge so can with

stand difficult situations

Small Scale Wind 40 % at the design speed

The variation of power is remarkable

therefore, detailed wind data is needed

before the decision of using wind, as

they are vertical structures so storms can

damage the equipment but quite robust

designs are also available in the market.

Micro Hydro 50-60%

Hydro turbines are very much developed

technology and are reliable in operation

but depend on the flow of water. The

system should be designed for floods etc.

which make it a little expensive.

Diesel/Gas Generator 35-40 % fuelVery reliable and very robust.

Technology is fully developed.

Micro CHP 80% total, 20 % El.

Gas turbines are a developed technology

but for micro gas turbine there are not

many suppliers available because it is a

new concept.

Fuel Cells50 % max. for Solid oxide

FC

The technology is not very much

developed and improving with the

research going on.


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Selection of the Technologies for the EEM

Now after defining the criteria for selection of energy technology for EEM and then analyzing

different sorts of available energy technologies we are in position to decide which energy

technology will be the correct option to put inside an EEM.

We have reached to the following energy flow diagram which indicates the combination of

technologies and their interaction with each other to produce Power and Water output form

EEM.

Figure 3.4: Energy Flow Model for the Emergency energy Module

The solar power from PV and wind power from micro wind turbine are main renewable

technologies. Diesel engine or Micro gas turbine is the main fossil fuel system. The combination

of both renewable and fossil technologies will allow us to harvest the positive features of both

and to manage the negative features. The main feature of our strategy is the customized solution

for every situation. So the basic control system will allow us to design a specific module for

specific location and the type of disaster. This means that the number of wind turbines, PV panel

and energy auxiliaries will decided to optimize the performance for unit input cost. Micro gas

turbine will be preferred for the location with high variation of input fuels and the possibility of

finding biomass inputs in the gasifier. The electricity will be used to produce clean water using


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reverse osmosis system and to run other electrical utilities. The heat will be utilized to run

membrane distillation unit for cleaning water. The use of both electrical and heat energy make

the system a co generation system increasing the overall efficiency. The battery usage is for the

operation of inverter and control and for very small electrical energy usage. The fact that the

clean water is the main load makes this possibility of using less storage because it is not a

continuous load so the production of clean water can be increased or decreased depending of the

availability of the renewable power which is always varying.

3.5 Problem Statement

After identifying the essential needs at an emergency situation, we have narrowed down the

support functions to providing drinking water for a refugee camp of around 5000 people, and to

provide electricity for a relief aid team to operate in such a challenging situation independently.

The relief aid team will be equipped with a remote base station communication unit, a medical

refrigerator for essential medicines and vaccines storage and outdoor lighting equipment in the

case of having to provide illumination to a refugee camp area.

The problem to be solved can be identified as to provide for these requirements (Energy load

profile-Figure 3.3) with a simple and robust power conversion solution which will be flexible in

terms of resource supply, independent of fossil fuel availability, cost effective and

environmentally friendly in its operating life cycle.

And also this solution should be flexible/customizable according to location of application andshould be delivered within a few days after the incident occurrence to support the relief aid units

operational in the area.


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4.Pre-Design of the EEMThe main design problem in the context of this project work was to decide on the best combination

of energy conversion technologies that would be most effective to support the load demand

formulated for a disaster setting. There are various important parameters/factors to be considered

when we design for such a challenging situation.

One of the most important considerations is the technical feasibility of the combination of these

technologies to support the minimum energy requirement of the situation. Therefore a technical

solution is of prime importance. The technical parameters to be optimized would be

1.Maximum Capacity shortage2.The power capacity of the system3.Storage capacity

In a more pragmatic approach when designing for a business some of the parameters to be

optimized in the design solution should be

1.Total Net Present Cost ($)2.Initial Capital Investment ($)3.Cost of Operation and Maintenance ($/year)4.Requirement of fossil fuel (Liters/month)5.Reliability and robustness (Maintenance cost and maintenance intervals)

However there are some intangible factors such as the maturity of technology that should also be

considered when selecting a particular technology onboard the energy solution.

4.1 Energy Flow Model for the Conceptual EEM

According to the reasoning provided in section 3.4 we narrow down the technologies we considerfor use in the EEM to Solar PV systems, Small wind turbines, Diesel Engines, Microturbines and

Micro CHP engines.

To construct the energy model of the proposed EEM we take into account the energy sources that

are available to be utilized, the energy conversion technologies, and the energy loads to be served.

Figure 4.1 shows the technology options that will be considered for application.


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Figure 1: Energy System Model

Figure 4.1: Energy Flow diagram for the Emergency Energy Module

According the location of application the optimum combination of technologies and also the

capacity of components assembled will vary. This is due the fact that different locations will have

different resources available to be utilized. This optimization routine as explained above should be

able to solve for the technical feasibility as well as economical effectiveness in its function. For this

purpose HOMER which is a micro power system modeling software was used due to its flexibility in

terms of the diversity of systems it can simulate. HOMER simulations will be carried out to

determine which technology options should be selected in different applications of the EEM.

4.2 HOMER as a Techno economic Optimization Tool

A fitting tool to ease the burden of this otherwise complicated optimization procedure is HOMER.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) developed HOMER to meet the renewable energy

industrys system analysis and optimization needs(1).

HOMER is a computer model that simplifies the task of evaluating design options for both off-grid

and grid-connected power systems for remote, stand-alone and distributed generation (DG)

applications. HOMER's optimization and sensitivity analysis algorithms allow the user to evaluate

the economic and technical feasibility of a large number of technology options and to account for

uncertainty in technology costs, energy resource availability, and other variables. HOMER models

both conventional and renewable energy technologies (22).

Therefore HOMER was decided to be used as the optimization tool in this project to compare

system configurations and optimize the combination of technologies to meet the load demand of the

proposed energy module.


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Functionality of the Software(22)

HOMER performs three principal tasks: simulation, optimization, and sensitivity analysis. In the

simulation process, HOMER models the performance of a particular micropower system

configuration each hour of the year to determine its technical feasibility and life-cycle cost. In the

optimization process, HOMER simulates many different system configurations in search of the one

that satisfies the technical constraints at the lowest life-cycle cost. In the sensitivity analysis process,

HOMER performs multiple optimizations under a range of input assumptions to gauge the effects of

uncertainty or changes in the model inputs. Optimization determines the optimal value of the

variables over which the system designer has control such as the mix of components that make up

the system and the size or quantity of each. Sensitivity analysis helps assess the effects of

uncertainty or changes in the variables over which the designer has no control, such as the average

wind speed or the future fuel price.

Figure 4.2 illustrates the relationship between simulation, optimization, and sensitivity analysis. Theoptimization oval encloses the simulation oval to represent the fact that a single optimization

consists of multiple simulations. Similarly, the sensitivity analysis oval encompasses the

optimization oval because a single sensitivity analysis consists of multiple optimizations.

Figure 4.2: Conceptual relationship between simulation, optimization, and sensitivity analysis.(22)

To limit input complexity, and to permit fast enough computation to make optimization and

sensitivity analysis practical, HOMERs simulation logic is less detailed than that of several

other time-series simulation models for micro power systems, such as Hybrid2, PV-DesignPro, and

PV*SOL (22). On the other hand, HOMER is more detailed than statistical models such as

RETScreen, which do not perform time-series simulations. Of all these models, HOMER is the most

flexible in terms of the diversity of systems it can simulate.


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(A)

(B)Figure 4.3: (a) Process of running a simulation in HOMER (b) Schematic of a HOMER model

Creating a model in HOMER

Figure 4.3 shows the procedure of creating and running a micro power system model in HOMER.

After a clear question that should be answered is formulated, we use the built in user interface of the

software to form the schematic of the power system (Figure 4.3b). The project details such as

lifetime of the project and the annual real interest rate along with technical constraints such as

maximum annual capacity shortage are fed to the model through user friendly command windows.

Next the load demand particulars and the component details (PV panel technical specifications,

Wind turbine efficiency curve etc.) along with their cost information are fed into the model.

HOMER allows the modeler to enter multiple values for each component capacity or number which

becomes a decision variable for the optimization routine. The resource details available at the

operating location, such as annual hourly wind variation or the solar irradiation variation details are

Formulate aQuestion

Build theSchematic

Enter project detailsand constraints

Enter loaddetails

Enter componentdetails

Enter resourcedetails

Examineoptimization results

Refine the systemdesign

Add sensitivityvariables

Examine sensitivityresults


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either provided through a user created file that could be imported to the model or by meteorological

databases that are linked to the software available on the World Wide Web.

Simulation(22)

HOMER models a particular system configuration by performing an hourly time series simulation of

its operation over one year. HOMER steps through the year one hour at a time, calculating the

available renewable power, comparing it to the electric load, and deciding what to do with surplus

renewable power in times of excess, or how best to generate (or purchase from the grid) additional

power in times of deficit. When it has completed one years worth of calculations, HOMER

determines whether the system satisfies the constraints imposed by the user on such quantities as the

fraction of the total electrical demand served, the proportion of power generated by renewable

sources, or the emissions of certain pollutants. HOMER also computes the quantities required to

calculate the systems life-cycle cost, such as the annual fuel consumption, annual generator

operating hours, expected battery life, or the quantity of power purchased annually from the grid.

The quantity HOMER uses to represent the life-cycle cost of the system is the total net present cost(NPC). This single value includes all costs and revenues that occur within the project lifetime, with

future cash flows discounted to the present. The total net present cost includes the initial capital cost

of the system components, the cost of any component replacements that occur within the project

lifetime, the cost of maintenance and fuel.

Optimization(22)

Whereas the simulation process models a particular system configuration, the optimization process

determines the best possible system configuration. In HOMER, the best possible, or optimal system

configuration is the one that satisfies the user-specified constraints at the lowest total net present

cost. Finding the optimal system configuration may involve deciding on the mix of components thatthe system should contain, the size or quantity of each component, and the dispatch strategy the

system should use. In the optimization process, HOMER simulates many different system

configurations, discards the infeasible ones (those that do not satisfy the user-specified constraints),

ranks the feasible ones according to total net present cost, and presents the feasible one with the

lowest total net present cost as the optimal system configuration. The goal of the optimization

process is to determine the optimal value of each decision variable that interests the modeler. The

overall optimization results table in particular tends to show many system configurations whose total

net present cost is only slightly higher than that of the optimal configuration. The modeler may

decide that one of these suboptimal configurations is preferable in some way to the configuration

that HOMER presents as optimal.

Sensitivity Analysis

The HOMER user can perform a sensitivity analysis with any number of sensitivity variables. Each

combination of sensitivity variable values defines a distinct sensitivity case.One of the primary uses

of sensitivity analysis is in dealing with uncertainty. If a system designer is unsure of the value of a


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particular variable, he or she can enter several values covering the likely range and see how the

results vary across that range. The optimal solution under a set of varying conditions can then be

figured.

4.3 Component Selection

For use in the pre design of an EEM we resolve to use the aforementioned technologies available in

the market or similar. It should be noted here that no agreements or only preliminary communication

were made with the manufacturers and suppliers of these components. The selected components

(Table 4.1) will represent a growing market for distributed energy technologies. Most of the data

provided were extracted from official web sites maintained by manufacturers and suppliers of these

products while some are only average values in the present day distributed generation technology

scene. The following technologies were considered.

1. Diesel Generator2. Microturbine (Compower)3. Micro CHP (Senertec DACHS HR 5.3)4. Solar PV5. Small Wind GeneratorMore information of the selected technologies and specifications of products selected for the

application are attached with appendix.


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Table 4.1: Specifications of technology options for HOMER simulations

Technology/EquipmentCapacity

considered

InitialCapital

Cost

O&M Cost Lifetime Other comments

USD USD/kWh hours

EmergencyEnergy

Diesel Generator(21)

Per 1 kW 800 /kW 0.02 15000O&M considered to be every 200-400hours

Compower Microturbine 5kWe/17kWt 6000 0.02 10000Capital cost predicted for10000 units/y production

Mini CHPSenertec HR5.3

(23)

5.5kWe/12.5kWt

2670/kW 0.02 20 years

RET

Solar PV(24)

Per 1 kW 2000 /kW1% of InitialCapital/yr

20 years

Micro Wind Generator

(25)

Per 1 kW 3000/kW 0.007 15

BOS

Converter(21)

Per 1 kW 1000/kW 10 / year

Electrochemical Cells(26)

Li-Ion Batteries 300 Ah 300 20


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4.4 HOMER Simulation for Base case of the D Brick EEM

These technological options were modeled in HOMER to analyze the cost effectiveness of each and

to come up with the best combination that would work in term of economic feasibility.

Question formulated for HOMER

To analyze the variations in optimal combination of technology options to supply the load demand

at varying resource conditions.

Schematic of the Energy Model

The base model for the D-Brick EEM considers a Diesel Generator, a Compower type Microturbine,

2 types of Micro Wind Turbines and Solar PV panels as its core electricity producing components.

An electrochemical cell storage system for energy storage and a converter for switching between AC

and DC were used in the model. Specifications of these components are appended.

Three types of loads were modeled wherein the major electrical load which is the water purification

unit was modeled as a deferrable load and the auxiliaries were modeled primary (Deferrable load

modeling will be explained in the load sections). A thermal load demand was given to make use of

the available thermal energy in case of the microturbine being used. The specifications of these loads

were described in section 3.2 and 3.3. The thermal energy demand was not considered primary.

Figure 4.4: Schematic Model of the HOMER Simulation for the Base case D Brick

Project details and constraints

A project lifetime of 15 years at an annual real interest rate of 6% was used for the optimization.

This was in alignment with the background research on projects of this nature. No capacity shortage

was allowed.


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It was observed that this variation is aligned with resource availability which suggests that in areas

of high annual solar irradiance and low wind potential a PV/Diesel/Battery system is the best

solution while the wind potential increase pushes the system configuration to have a micro wind

turbine onboard.

This result is one of the key findings of this project work which allows us to map different locations

of the world into this figure allowing approximating the best combination of technologies that should

go into the D-Brick EEM when operating in these different locations.

While analyzing the component mix of the two dominant configurations the following results were

shown.

(a) For the PV-Diesel-Battery Backup system

(b)For the PV-Wind-Diesel-Battery Backup system

Figure 4.6: Results of the optimization for the base case EEM


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The three dominant optimal results could be summarized as given in table 4.2.

Table 4.2 : Three main configurations of the base case design

These 3 main configurations will serve as base designs for configurations where

1. Solar PV panels are the dominant Renewable Technology2. Solar PV Panels and Micro Wind Turbines both having small capacities where the resources are scarce3. Solar PV Panels and Micro Wind Turbines both used in large capacities due to high resource availabilityThis base simulation also emphasizes and proves the fact that it is difficult to design an EEM that

can be used to the same effect at every location. Therefore it is essential that we have the flexibility

in our design to accommodate these changes in the optimal combination of components when we

serve different locations. To suit this challenge we envision the use of a control system that can

adapt to different plug in of electricity producing components and also to use a method to optimize a

combination for each application of use. To test the developed model for these specific locations we

have carried out 2 case studies which will be elaborated in the following sections.

4.4 Control System and Standard Container

The SELECT Emergency Energy Module represents the integration on different energy conversion

systems (micro wind turbine, PV panels, diesel generator and batteries). The control unit is

necessary in order to manage the different components of the energy system and their power flow. A

well design control system permits to match the fluctuating energy conversion from renewable

energy with the specific load profile maintaining voltages and the currents in their operational limit,

Configuration 1 Configuration 2 Configuration 3

Solar Irradiance(kWh/m2/day)

3-6 3-4.5 4.5-6

Wind Potential (m/s) 3-3.5 3-4.5 3.5-6

Solar PV Panel (kW) 4.5 3 4.5

Micro Wind Turbines (kW) - 1.8 2

Diesel Generators (kW) 3 3 3

Converter (kW) 3 1 8

No of Batteries (Li Ion

300Ah)

4 4 3

Initial Capital (US $) ~15600 ~16000 ~27598

Operating Cost ~4216 ~4519 ~1418

Total Net Present Cost 56544 59891 41367


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optimizing the system resources and preserving the battery life time. The main controller receives

the values obtained from the measurements on the different devices. As showed in the fig. 4.7 all the

devices composing the overall system is integrated with the necessary presence of the power

electronic and of the switching and control unit. Hence, the control system is an essential and

important component in the EEM in particular to ensure a high reliability of the system limiting as

much as possible the charge-discharge cycles for the battery pack.

Fig. 4.7 Overall System Diagram with Switching and Control Unit

4.4.1 Energy Management and Control Strategy

The SELECT EEM has three main different combinations and for every of these there are

different energy conversion systems integrated. Consequently, the control system will beprogrammable in order to be adapted to the particular configuration and, moreover, to be shapedon some particular requirements. The main controller provides the autonomous operation withthe required measurements, decisions and controls by collecting data through the sensors andproducing the commands for the power converters connected to the inputs/outputs of thecomponents used in the hybrid system (27).The main operating strategies used in the controller will be the following:


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- The power generated by the renewable conversion system (PV panels and/or wind turbines) hasthe priority in being used to satisfy the power demand;

- The water purification system (if it is present) will be used as a deferrable load so its powerdemand will increase when the power generated by the renewable conversion system (PV panels

and/or wind turbines) exceed the base demand;

- However, a certain supply of clean water (definable by the costumer) has to be ensured so thewater purification system can be run also in a fixed setting, running the backup system, when

clean water it is necessary and no enough power can be generated by the renewable conversion

system (PV panels and/or wind turbines);

- If no deferrable load is available the extra energy from the renewable conversion system (PVpanels and/or wind turbines) will be storage in the battery stack;

- A dumping power system will be considered in the (extremely rare) case no other load can beturn on and the battery bank will be fully charged;

- If the power generated by the renewable conversion system (PV panels and/or wind turbines) isless than the demand the difference will be supply by the storage system, further increase in the

demand will be covered by the back-up system (diesel generator);

- To increase the life of the batteries, over charges (higher than 80% of the total capacity) and deepdischarge (lower than 20% of the total capacity) will be avoided.

The following flow chart shows the control logic of SELECT EEM for the three main

configurations:

Fig. 4.8 SELECT EEM Control Logic Flow Chart


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4.5 Container Solution

Figure 4.9: Containerized Solution of the Emergency Energy Module

The two drawings above are the top and side views of the inside of container. These drawingsshow how and where different equipment will be placed for the transportation. The cross

sectional door of the container will be used while moving the different equipments in and out of

the container. The small 3 feet wide door will be used by the people to move in and out when the

container is in operation. All the dimensions of different equipments have been taken from the

products available in the market except for control system and tool box. Some gaps have been

given in between some equipment to ease movement of equipment and to provide practical

adjustments. The extra space can be used for additional equipments which are not shown in the

drawings like water storage vessels and water supply pumps etc. The drawing shows the wind

turbines with the capacity of 5 KW at 5.4 m/s wind speed (28) and at the same time it shows PV

panels with total peak power capacity of 5 KW. This means that if we want and if our simulation

results show us the possibility then we can adjust up to 10 KW of renewable power very easily.

In the side view, the dotted lines show the hidden objects behind some other objects. The

numbering of wind turbine shipping boxes makes it easy to understand the side view. The

numbering of the hidden boxes is also shown in dotted way in the side view.


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5 Case studies5.1 Bangladesh Kutubdia Island

Bangladesh is a frequent disaster occurring area because of its geographical location at the Bayof Bengal which is most vulnerable area for storm and flood. (29) The below fig 5.1&5.2 shows

statistics from Prevention web(29), that explains frequencies of disaster.

Figure 5.3 Average disaster per year(29)

Figure 5.4:Natural disaster occurrence reported(29)

The frequent occurrence of disaster shows us the need of an emergency module at Bangladesh to

be ready at all times for service.

Water Requirement in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a nation gifted and cursed with plenty of water. Rain, Storm, Flood in the rivers

are common in Bangladesh. The Ganges and Brahmaputra are carrying of about 795000 m 3 and

2m rainfall annually. But groundwater is contaminated in 60 out of 64 districts by natural

arsenic. (30) Therefore water treatment is one of the most essential requirements for Bangladesh.

Our EEM module will provide electrical energy for water purification during emergencysituations.

Resources availability:

Bangladesh located at a tropical, sea shore region is sunny, windy and have good biomass

resource availability.

Drought: 0.10

Earthquake: 0.23

Epidemic: 0.87

Extreme temp: 0.61

Flood: 2.19

Insect infestation: ...

Mass mov. dry: ...

Mass mov. wet: 0.06

Volcano: ...

Storm: 3.48

Wildfire: ..


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But after few days of flood, there will be very less dry biomass. (31) (32) (33) So Solar and wind

energy will be good at the initial time and after few weeks biomass can be implemented

depending on resource availability.

Wind Potential

Bangladesh is having 724 km of coastal line and situated at a latitude between 20.34 - 26.38N

and longitude between 88.01 to 92.4E. The flood and storm happens at monsoon period

(March to September) (31). The wind blows mainly from march to September (monsoon wind)

with an average speed of 3 m/s to 6 m/s and maximum wind speed occurs on June and July. The

wind data analyzed at 4 main coastal areas namely Teknaf, Kutubdia Island, Sandwip Island,

Kuakata, Mongla which is predominant for flood and storm are given in Figure 5.3. (33)

Figure 5.3: wind variations for disaster prone locations in Bangladesh

Table 5.1: Average wind potential data for disaster prone locations in Bangladesh (33)

Location Mean wind speed (m/s)

Teknaf 3.22

Kutubdia 5.17Sandwip 5.12

Kuakata 3.58

Mongola 3.44

.


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Solar potential

Annual amount of solar irradiation varies from 1575 to 1840 Kwh/m2 which is 50 to 100 %

higher than Europe (31). So we can utilize the solar PV panels with the EEM.

Biomass Potential

Bangladesh has a high potential for biomass resources. Commonly known biomass fuels in

Bangladesh are fuel wood from reserved forest 2% , animal dung 16%, homesteads 14%

and agricultural residues68%. (32)

Biomass utilization is difficult after few days of flood and storm but can be used after few weeks.

For this simulation due to its complexity of arranging a regular supply we will not consider bio

mass as an option.

Kutubdia

Out of 5 studied places, we took Kutbdia Island as it was a place with available data for

simulations. It is covered with sea and located at the neck region of Bay of Bengal where thefrequent storm occurring area. At least 4 to 5 storms per year are attack Kutubdia. High tide is

always a threat along with monsoon floods. It is also located close to Chittagong which is

earthquake prone region. (30)

Figure 5.4: Kutubdia Island on a map of Bangladesh

Results from HOMER Simulation

Figure 5.5 depicts the optimal results obtained by running the energy model for Kutubdia in

HOMER..


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Figure 5.5: HOMER Simulation results for Kutubdia-Bangladesh

The optimum combination of components for an application of the EEM at Kutubdia appeared to

be (Details of the simulation are attached with appendix c)

Solar PV Panels3.5 kW Micro Wind Turbine1 turbine- 400 W Diesel Generator3 kW Li Ion Batteries8 no. of 300 Ah capacity Converter- 3 kW

Economic Feasibility of a D-Brick solution

We calculated economic viability for the D-Brick solution by comparing with a standard

solution. We took the standard as Diesel + Battery solution which is the most predominantly

used technology and assumed values for it based on current market values (21). Below the table 1

shows the investment cost and operating and maintenance costs for the D Brick Solution and the

standard (Diesel +Battery) solution.

Table 5.1: Cost comparison of initial investment cost for a D-Brick Solution and Diesel Solution

Energy solutions Initial cost (USD) Operating and maintenance cost

(USD/month)

Standard

(Diesel+Battery)

~7800 ~800

D-Brick Solution ~19000 ~400


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Table 5.2: Economics comparison of D-Brick Solution and Diesel Solution

Parameters Diesel+Battery

Pack Solution

D- Brick

Solution

Initial Capital Cost US $ 7800 19000

Operating Cost US$/month 800 420

Cost of Energy US $/kWh 0.704 0.46

Diesel Consumption (L/yr) 7233 3596

Above table 5.2 comparing the initial cost, operating and maintenance cost, cost of energy, and

diesel consumption for D-brick energy solution and standard (Diesel + Battery) energy solution.

It explains that the standard solution (Diesel + Battery) require less investment cost and high

operating and maintenance cost compared with D-Brick solution.

Figure 5.6: Cash flow for the standard diesel+Battery solution

Figure 5.7: Cash flow for the D-Brick energy solution


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Figure 5.8:5 Cash flow comparison for Standard solution Vs D-Brick Solution

Fig 5.6 and Fig 5.7 shows us the cash flow over the years for the standard solution as well as D-

Brick solution. Fig 5.8 shows us the time when D-Brick have an economic advantage over

standard solution. It clearly shows that after 2 years of purchase D-Brick energy solution has the

economic advantage and as well as its a more sustainable and environmental friendly solution

than a standard energy solution.

Finally as a conclusion for this case study, the D-Brick solution gives the better way of operating

an emergency energy system with more sustainability, reliability and is also the most

economically viable solution for Kutubdia to provide electricity for water purification, lighting,

communication etc, at a disaster.


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5.2 Uganda-Nakivale Refugee Camp case study

Uganda has 1.6 million internally displaced refugees (34). These are not refugees from

the Sudan or the Congo. They are Ugandan citizens who have had their possessions stolen, their

homes and villages destroyed, and their loved ones kidnapped or killed. They have fled to the

safety of these refugee camps, which have been informally and spontaneously organized on

church or public

Documents

Project of the Year Final Report_Group D