About:
This project was part of my design capstone requirements for becoming an engineer. It was never actually supposed
to be implemented but one thing led to another. In the class this was done for, one of our initial assignments was
to write up a mock proposal for something electrical on campus. Mine was a proposal on upgradding and bringing the
Whittemore Hall solar array back on line. After the assignment was due, the professor actually handed our proposals
in to the department for review, and completely by surprise, mine was approved!
Because of that approval, the remainder of the class was utilized to actually implement my plans. I got to play project
head and deliberate sub-tasks to my class mates. This was all very good resume foder :-)
So the quick overview of this project was to replace the old panels, design a new electrical grid capable of supporting
the current generated by the new panels, and integrating the power back into the existing electrical grid.
The Array:
Before and Almost-After (2 panels short of completion)
The New Panels:
Here are the brand new BP Solar panels. Each originally cost a grand, but since we were doing this for a
research project, we were able to get them marked down to about 700 each. Once they were delivered, we found
that their mounting holes wouldn't match up with the support structure on the roof so we had to jimmy them into
our little drill press and make our own holes. Then to get them up to the roof, I used my nearly lost boyscouts
knowledge to knot a rope to them so they could be gently hoisted up one by one.
Mounting and Alignment:
As we brought the panels up to the roof, since they were exposed to direct sunlight, we could test their output
and angle them towards the noon-time sun (that is when the panels operate most efficiently and coincidentally also
the period of highest energy consumption).
Aditional Pictures:
|
Me and the new power gear. (power transformers, inverter, and cut off switch).
|
|
The whole group.
|
