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SOLAR RESEARCH AT UMD Research
:Stage 0:
Stage 1:
Stage 2:
Education:
Minnesota Power:www.mnpower.com
30 W. Superior St. Duluth, MN 55802218-722-2641
Participants: Frank Fredrickson, Dean Talbot, Steve Lent
Minnesota Power has made a substantial contribution through its Conservation Improvement Program to start this research.
Monitoring the Existing Solar Array
This educational stage provides an opportunity for UMD ECE students to develop an educational website monitoring the Solar Array at Malosky Stadium
The goals of Stage 0 are for UMD ECE Students to: - Monitor the existing 5.8 kW solar panel at Malosky Stadium - Set up a weather station to monitor ambient conditions - Archive the weather data and solar panel data - Develop an interactive website to display the data as an educational tool
Results:The weather station is complete. The solar panel data and weather station data are being collected and archived. The interactive website is still in the process of being developed.
Website: www.d.umn.edu/solar
Summary of Solar Output Data Value
Electric Energy Produced November 15 - May 1, 09
3653 KiloWatt-Hours
CO2 Emission Reduction November 15 – May 1, 09
2.65 Tons
Average Efficiency of the Panels 12%
Concentrated Photo-Voltaic (CPV) Research
In Stage 1, three additional solar panels capable of tracking the sun will be added to the roof of the stadium. Two of the panels will have mirrored plastic film surrounding the solar cells to concentrate sunlight, doubling or quadrupling the effective surface area of the panel. The third panel will have solar cells without concentration as a control.
Research Questions: - Are CPV systems well suited to Northern Latitude locations? - What is the optimal concentration, balancing increased output against the loss of efficiency due to rise in operating temperature? - What is the Cost/Benefit ratio of optimized low-power solar concentration in northern latitudes?
This stage, and any subsequent stages, are still seeking funding.
Combined Solar Thermal and Solar Electric Systems
Stage 2 research would attempt to maximize both the light energy and heat energy in sunlight. A heat exchanger with either a glycol or phase change coolant is attached to the back of a 4X CPV panel. Optimum temperature for generating electricity in the solar panel would be maintained by the cooling system. In Summer, the excess heat is rejected to the outdoor environment. In Winter, the excess heat is released into the building through another heat exchanger. Research Questions: - Are Hybrid Solar Thermal/CPV systems well suited to Northern Latitude locations? - What is the optimal balance between the X-Power concentration and the size of the Thermal System? - What is the Cost/Benefit ratio of optimized Hybrid solar concentration in northern latitudes?
SPONSORS:University of Minnesota Duluth - Facilities Managementwww.d.umn.edu/fm
Participants: John Rashid, John Sawyer, Other Facilities Staff
UMD Facilities has provided labor and materials to equip this project
University of Minnesota Duluth – Swenson College of Science and Engineeringwww.d.umn.edu/scseParticipants: Students: Andrew Bentley, Brandon Eberle, Sean Zarn, David Hallberg, Laura Stoerzinger (all ECE Students)
Faculty: Dr. Stan Burns, Assoc. Dean of SCSE; Dr. Dan Pope, MIE; Scott Norr and Dr. Paul Weber, ECE
UMD Science and Engineering has made a financial contribution to the research and is providing the engineering services to move the research forward.
Figure 1: Output Totals for the Solar Array
Figure 2: Conceptual Drawing of the Weather Station (left) and the Stage 0 Final Result (right)
Figure 3: Electric Output Power (kW) and Energy (kWh) for the Month of April, 2009
Malosky Stadium with 5.8 kW Solar Array
Figure 4: Energy Available from the Sun (W/sq. meter) for the first half of April, 2009
Figure 5: Stage 1 CPV Experiment as Proposed (above) and Detail of a 4X CPV Cell
EXISTING SOLAR ARRAY AT MALSKY :
FACTSVALUE
Each Sharp ND-208U1F Solar Panel Power Rating
208 Watts
Total Array Power (28 Panels in Two 14 Panel
Strings)
5800 Watts
Surface Area of the 28 Panel Array
45 Sq. Meters
Array DC Voltage and DC Current
420 Vdc, 13 Adc
Sunny Boy AC Inverter Power Rating
5000 Watts
Inverter AC Voltage and Current
220 Vrms, 23 Arms
Figure 6: Stage 2 Combined Solar Thermal, Solar Electric System
Student Researchers:Andrew Bentley, ECE; Brandon Eberle, ECE; David Hallberg,
ECE; Sean Zarn, ECE; Laura Stoerzinger, ECE