PROJECT MANAGER: ANTHONY ESTEVIS

PROJECT MEMBERS: HAYDEN ENGELING, PHILIP FITZPATRICK

ADVISOR: DR. RAVI DROOPAD

1.3 Networked Insolation Sensor

SPONSOR: KEVIN KEMP, FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR

FOCUSES ON:• EDUCATION, RESEARCH, AND

OUTREACH IN RENEWABLE ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY

HARDWARE:• WIND TURBINES, OFF-GRID

POWER SYSTEMS, AND SOLAR CELLS

System Modeling and Renewable Technology (SMART) Lab @ Ingram

School of Engineering

I wonder…

How efficient are the solar panels in the SMART lab?

Are they taking in all of the sun’s energy possible?

A little background

• Reaching Earth: 1400 Watts/m2

• Solar spectrum: Ultraviolet, Visible, and Infrared

“The amount of solar energy that falls on the Earth’s surface in 40 minutes =the total annual energy consumption of all the world’s people.” –Texas Solar Energy Society

How do we measure effectively?

Area of material intended to absorb light (m2)Ascertain the amount of energy that reaches

that specific surface. (AKA Irradiance)

But…Light can be at different intensities at

different times of the day.the answer is…

Insolation = Power x Time / Area

What is out there?

APRS World: $175.00 + $30 Apogee Instruments: $235.00

Campbell Scientific: Request a quoteSolar-Log: $277.00

Our approach

We found:

Robotshop: $10.45Rohm Semiconductor: $0.51Osram: $0.82

UltravioletVisible Infrared

Our approach

3 sensors to implementRecord and average data at certain time interval

Transmit data over Freescale’s THREAD protocol to server and upload data to web page

Budget (for one array):<$50

Non-technical constraints

Environmental: NoneSocial: NoneManufacturability: Opportunities to be explored

Where we’re at now

PLEASE COME SEE US AT THE POSTER

TABLES.1.3 NETWORKED

INSOLATION SENSOR

Thank you!