Remote Power Presentation Alpha Energy and OutBack · PDF filePropane Generator added for...
Transcript of Remote Power Presentation Alpha Energy and OutBack · PDF filePropane Generator added for...
Copyright © 2010 The Alpha Group. All Rights Reserved.
Alpha Energy & OutBack Power
Innovations in Solar Power Supply
Designs
Copyright © 2010 The Alpha Group. All Rights Reserved.
Alpha Group Overview
The Alpha Group is an industry leader in the design and manufacturing
of AC and DC power conversion, protection, and standby products for
global markets
1975
1976 1978 1986
2010 1997
ATS, Inc
1999
Copyright © 2010 The Alpha Group. All Rights Reserved.
Latin America
• Oil & Gas
• Telecom
• Rural Electrification
North America
Telecom
Oil & Gas
Railroad
Government
OEM
Grid-Tie
Africa
• Oil & Gas
• Telecom
• Rural Electrification
Europe
• Grid-Tie Asia / Australia
• Oil & Gas
• Telecom
• Rural Electrification
Middle East
• Oil & Gas
• Telecom
• Rural Electrification
Alpha Energy Overview and Focus
Alpha Energy is an engineering and project develop group delivering
innovative power conversion solutions that integrates solar, wind and
alternative resources to provide reliable electric power for the most
demanding remote off-grid applications.
Solar and Photovoltaic Basics
Location and Time-of-Year
• Determines Available Solar
Resource
– Average sun resource requires smaller
PV (saves money)
– Worst case sun resource requires
larger PV (but guarantees no loss of
load)
Average Case Insolation Worst Case (December)
Insolation
Photovoltaics
• Photovoltaics is an energy conversion technology that converts light energy directly into electricity.
• Solar energy is converted to electricity at an atomic level, there are no moving parts and modern solar panels (PV modules) are designed to generate electricity for thirty years or more.
Example Average System Output
• Two locations, same
size array
• Contiguous array (no
row spacing on roof
of trailer)
• Continuous power
(Avg) is the yearly
average output
• Continuous power
(Dec) is the worst-
case output
Alpha Energy Solutions
Optimum Power Solutions- OPS
OPS in New York
• This system was designed to allow for
real time monitoring and system
control of a groundwater collection and
treatment system
• Needed internet connection to power
and run equipment
• Located at a remote site, a quarter mile
from nearest utility power access point
System Specifications:
• Solar Array: 246W
• Battery Bank: 324Ah
• System Voltage: 12VDC
Solar Skid
Deployable and expandable with essentially no site prep
Substantial savings over system requiring concrete supports to be
installed for PV arrays
System sizes to support small load of less than 25 watts to hundreds of
watts
Inverters can be added to support AC loads
Propane Generator added for hybrid operation with Solar
Solar Skid Designs
1500 watt system
500 watt system
Border Security, USA / Mexico
Deployment: 17 systems
Application: Border Security
HPS in Sierra Vista, AZ
• A cellular repeater along a remote stretch of
highway initially powered by a 10kW propane
generator.
• Cost over $21,000 to annually power 250W load.
• Alpha Energy’s solution was to install an HPS
that combines two power sources, photovoltaic
and an engine generator, with battery back up.
• The PV array delivers 75% of total energy
consumed by repeater and reduced generator
run time from 8760 hours per year to less than
200.
• Allows for a smaller, lighter-duty generator to
be used.
System Specifications: •24 VDC system voltage
•300W (DC) continuous load
•900W, 24VDC PV array
•Kohler COM-6 propane generator
•1500Ah, 24VDC battery bank
Sign Company
Examples of Poor Designs
Resulting in Safety and Reliability
Concerns
Safety Wyoming
Two rows of 5 - 8D batteries
stacked on top of each other.
Significant challenge to work on
and service the batteries
Significant wiring safety Hazard,
in the event of a short circuit, all
+ & - battery wires melt into each
other causing a critical
cascading short of each battery
resulting in fire, & explosion
Competing Systems?
Rubbermaid battery boxes
1.5” TV antennae mast, will not withstand
the wind to the industry standard of 90 MPH
One battery box in the sun, cooking the
batteries, the other shaded, potential for
battery explosion.
Dark Colored battery boxes will absorb heat
with no apparent ventilation explosion
hazard
Open wires no conduit, rodents can chew
the insulation, catastrophic short circuit,
fire & explosion? Definite code violations!!!
Insufficient skid size for PV array and wind
load, Tipping Hazard, catastrophic failure?
Energy Storage
A General Description of Batteries
Responsible battery design
accounts for:
– Temperature
• Hot temperature: loss of life
• Cold temperature: loss of
capacity
– Autonomy: Realistic length of
backup during poor weather
– Depth of Discharge: Average %
use of capacity reduces lifetime
PV energy output is
sent to the batteries
Solar Skid, Deka Unigy II
Batteries
50% DOD 1800 cycles
40% DOD 2000 cycles
80% DOD 1200 cycles
21
Battery Sizing Guidelines
• Accurate load profile: kWh or Amp-hours per day
• Characterize loads as: cyclical, random, coincidental, non- coincidental, and
demand factor (load control required?)
• Account for parasitic losses and system inefficiencies
• Include the appropriate factors: Temperature, autonomy, EOL capacity,
design margin, parasitic losses, and DOD.
• Do not discharge the batteries too deeply
• Use the correct rating (5hr, 20hr, 100hr), or a rate that approximates the
actual load (functional hour rate)
• Choose the correct technology (Flooded, AGM, Gel)
Battery Comparisons
Battery Type Application Maintenance Safety Cycling
Ability
Recharge
Ability Cost
Flooded
Lead Acid
Wet-Cell
Off-grid,
central office /
Telco
Watering is required
Equalization cycle is
periodically required
Spill able
Operated upright only
Must be vented
Good deep
cycle life
More tolerant of
improper
recharge
voltages and
abuse
Lowest initial
cost
Has cost of
maintenance
Lead Acid
VRLA
grid-
interactive, off-
grid, UPS and
backup power,
emergency
vehicles,
Maintenance-Free
Superior shelf life
Electrolyte does not
need to be replaced
Does not require
equalization
Sealed
Spill Proof
Leak Proof
Good cycle
ability at 50%
DOD
Charge voltage
must be limited
Moderate initial
cost
Lithium-ion
Deep cycle,
peak shaving.
Hybrid EV’s
Can be
charged or
discharged
rapidly and
operated at
higher
temperatures
Maintenance-Free
Must be used with an
onboard battery
management system
to prevent over-charge
/
over-discharge /
thermal runaway
Superior
cycling ability
Charge
conditions
must be
controlled
Very high initial
cost
Solar and Battery Capacity
Batteries must be sized to support the loads when there is little to no
Sunshine.
The text book definition of this is Days Of Autonomy or DOA meaning
the number of Days that the load can operate from energy in the
battery alone
This is the industry standard however it is flawed
Many Solar designs use DOA calculations that are often based upon
the average weather and not the worst case. Therefore when unusual
storms come along the batteries do not have enough stored energy
and the load fails
Solar and Battery Capacity
Large battery banks can be expensive, large and
heavy
Sizing Considerations
Even on the poorest day there is still daylight and solar panels convert
light into power
If 3 weeks of autonomy are required then factoring in the lowest or
poorest Solar recorder on a daily bases in the last 20 years then all you
typically need is two weeks of battery DOA
DC to DC Converters
26
DC to DC Converters
• Batteries are best placed in series, not parallel, and typically the fewer
series strings the better.
• It is more economical to use a longer series string of batteries to
increase the capacity or Kwhrs.
• Down convert the higher voltages with DC to DC converters that
operate at about 90% efficiency.
• Converters can also be used for sensitive electronics that require tight
voltage regulation.
• Isolating positive and negative ground equipment in the same
installation
Typical Deployment of LION batteries in remote sites
due to temperature extremes, inaccessibility and
Capex & Opex Value
Endeavor HPS Site Photos
Ft. Bliss ‘Endeavor’ Site, Motorola
• 7000 watt load capable of being
powered by completely by Solar
with 20% safety factor
• 63 kW PV Array
• 3 sub arrays for redundancy
• 16,000 AH Battery Bank, 35 Tons
• 18 Outback Charge Controllers
• Cordex controller
• Propane DC Gen set for backup
only
Boundary Bay Airport PVUPS GRID TIED
PVUPS LION
PVUPS - LION
• Ultra high efficiency round trip at a CEF of 98%
• Full Recharge time in 30 minutes at 2C rate!
• Continuous discharge rate of 250 amps continuous per
battery or 10C for 30 seconds
• 5 year warranty standard and upgradeable to 10 year
warranty if monitored or an approved design. More than
double the warranty of most battery warranties (2 years)
• ¼ the size and ¼ the weight of equivalent Lead Acid
battery capacity
• Built in BMS, monitoring each cell
Lithium NMC
Cell Technology
Bullet Penetration (Field Test)
Hot Oven @150℃
UL1642
SBA G1101
UL1642
Level Level 0 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5
Criteria No Change Leak Smoke,
<200℃
Smoke,
>200℃
Fire Explosion
Results Criteria Test Method
Level 1
Level 0
Level 0
Level 1
Level 2
Level 2
Hot Oven @150℃
Thermal Abuse
Level 3 SBA G1101 Nail Penetration
Level 3 UL1642 Crush
Level 3 UL1642 Impact
Level 3 UL1642 External Short
Mechanical Abuse
Level 3 UL1642 Forced Discharge
Level 3 UL1642 Overcharge @1.0CmA
Electrical Abuse
SLPB UL Safety Test Results
UL1642 Level 3 Level 2
Case Studies
Premiere Application
Remote Commercial
US Cellular BTS installation, Mount
St. Helens, Washington
Overlooking North America’s most deadly active volcano
Premiere Application:
Green education
Camp Kernow, Cornwall, UK
Net-zero children’s camp designed to teach sustainability techniques in a fun atmosphere, using OutBack charge controllers to maximize solar harvesting under challenging geographical conditions
Rifugio Alimonta climbing station, Italian Alps Combination base, lodge and cafeteria at 8,464 ft/2,580 m in the Dolomites
Premiere Application:
Extreme hospitality
Solar and Wind Hybrid Power System
• Test facility ensures thorough product testing
• 7.5kW Wind Turbine
• 4kW Watt Solar Array
• 5kW Alpha Generator
• Alpha DC Power 450A, 48V Alpha DC Power Plant,
533Ah, 48V Battery Bank
Hybrid Test Facility
• 5 KW Fuel Cell
• Electric Scooter
charging station
Gord Petroski
(360) 392 - 2354
Technical Support Hotline:
(360) 618 - 4363
Additional Info available at:
www.outbackpower.com
Questions