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1. INTRODUCTION
Fig. 1. Schematic of Solar-PV Water Pumping System.
For stand-alone (no utility interconnection) water pumping
systems there have been papers published comparing diesel At the USDA-ARS Conservation and Production Research
powered water pumping systems to solar-PV water pumping Laboratory (CPRL) near Bushland, TX, research has been
systems (1, 2). There are also papers on modeling and field conducted on wind powered watering pumping systems
testing of solar pumps in different locations in the world (3, since 1978 and solar powered water pumping systems since
4, 5). However, there are very few papers on the following 1992. Since our facility is in a semi-arid climate with a
topics with regards to stand-alone water pumping: declining underground aquifer, our main focus has been to
1. Choosing between a wind or solar powered system. determine the most efficient way of pumping underground
2. Advantages and disadvantages of PV module types. water for livestock, domestic use, and irrigation through use
3. Controller characteristics (efficiency, reliability, price) of wind energy, solar energy, or a combination of both.
for different systems. Several papers have been written on the performance of PV
4. Choosing the best pump based on daily water volume water pumping systems at CPRL including the following:
requirements and pumping depth. 1. Performance of PV powered diaphragm pump (6, 7).
This paper will focus on the list of items above to help the 2. Comparison of wind to solar powered water pumping
reader in the selection of the best stand-alone water systems (8).
pumping system. Fig 1 shows a typical solar-PV water 3. Fixed versus passive tracking PV panels (9, 11).
pumping system containing a PV array, disconnect 4. Performance of PV powered centrifugal pump (10).
5. Comparison of amorphous-silicon (a-Si) to cadmium-
telluride (CdTe) PV modules in water pumping (12). based on pyranometers measuring global solar irradiance
6. Effect of PV module temperature on pumping and not normal irradiance pyranometers (NIP) which
performance (13). measure direct normal irradiance (DNI) – DNI is used for
7. Performance of a PV powered helical pump (14). evaluating solar hot water heating systems or concentrated
solar thermal power plants. For solar resource terminology
2. DISCUSSION – see www.bom.gov.au/sat/glossary.shtml
2.1 Choosing between a wind or solar powered system. The USDA-ARS-CPRL facility is located near Bushland,
TX (Latitude = 35.184o North, Longitude = 102.083o West),
To determine whether a wind or solar water pumping and since all of the data shown in this paper were gathered
system is the best one to use, the first step is to evaluate the at this location, the wind and solar resource of Texas is
wind or solar energy resource at the location. Fig 2 and 3 shown in Fig 4 and 5. While the solar resource is good near
show the wind and solar resource of United States (U.S.). Bushland (PV array tilt angle = latitude setting, ~ 5.75
(www.nrel.gov). The wind resource in U.S. is best in the kWh/m2/d), the wind resource is excellent with a class 4
Great Plains in the middle part of the country and also off rating (400 to 500 W/m2 at a 50m height).
shore along the Atlantic and Pacific Coast lines The solar
resource is good for a larger portion of U.S. land area than At 50 m (164 ft) ht. Texas Wind Power Classification
that of the wind resource, and the solar resource is very www.windenergy.org
0-200 W/m2 Bushland
good to excellent for southwestern part of U.S. 200-300 W/m2
300-400 W/m2
400-500 W/m2
500-600 W/m2
600-800 W/m2
>800 W/m2
Assumptions:
1. Sea Level
Standard Day
2. Shear exp. = 0.14
3. Rayleigh Wind
Distribution
Bushland
14
12
10
8
6 Fig. 8. PV Array tilt angle in spring and summer at
4 Bushland, TX.
2
PV water pumping systems in 1996 (8), but solar water
0
Jan Feb M ar Apr M ay Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec pumping systems have become much more efficient, more
Solar(Fixed) Solar(Tracking) reliable, and less costly than shown in that paper, and the
fact that small wind turbine manufacturers have
W ind(10m ht) W ind(50m ht)
concentrated mainly on the grid-tie electricity market has
Fig. 6. Comparison of Wind and Solar Energy at resulted in the choice for stand-alone water pumping
Bushland, TX. systems less than 2 kW being predominantly between using
mechanical windmills or solar-PV. As the power
requirements get higher though (e.g. multi-acre irrigation),
hybrid systems using wind turbines and solar-PV are more
likely since wind turbines become more cost effective for
larger power requirements compared to solar-PV systems.
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Fig. 7. PV Array tilt angle in fall and winter at
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Bushland, TX. Global (5.21 kWh/m^2/day) Latitude Tilt (5.78 kWh/m^2/day)
Vary Tilt* (6.25 kWh/m^2/day) Tracking (7.14 kWh/m^2/day)
* - During spring/summer set PV Module tilt to 25 deg and during Fall/Winter set PV Module tilt to 45 deg
Fig 9 shows how the daily average solar insolation changes
monthly at Bushland for global, latitude tilt, and varying PV Fig. 9. Measured Daily Solar Radiation at Bushland, TX.
array tilt angle twice a year for fixed and passive tracking.
For solar resource at other locations in U.S. states and 2.2 Type of PV Modules and Fixed Versus Tracking
territories see http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/old_data/nsrdb/.
Although resource assessment is the first step in Currently there are two types of PV modules that are used
determining whether to choose a wind or solar powered for solar-PV water pumping: multi-crystalline and thin film
pumping system, there are more things to consider like: (thin film modules used so far are amorphous-silicon and
does the resource match the daily water requirement for cadmium-telluride). The advantages of using multi-
each month, what are the maintenance requirements, what is crystalline modules for water pumping are:
the reliability, and finally what is the life cycle cost (15). 1. Currently 85% of PV modules manufactured in
A comparison was made between wind-electric and solar- world are multi-crystalline, so less worry on being
able to find replacement modules or adding but at comparable PV power ratings of 330W and 440W, the
additional modules to array. higher voltage 110W PV modules could pump more water.
2. Module efficiency is higher than thin film (12 to However, for PV power ratings of 440W and 660W (110W
14% versus 3 to 9%), so less modules are required higher voltage modules) and 640W (160W lower voltage
for a specific power (takes up less space). modules), the pumping performance was the same due to
3. Lifetime over 30 years has been demonstrated and the maximum pumping rate being reached by the helical
warranties up to 20 years are obtainable (thin film pump. Fig 11 shows the daily water volume as a function of
modules have only been around since 1988, and insolation for all cases shown in Fig 10 except for the
major problems with performance degradation with lowest power cases (e.g. 110W and 220W). While these
time for early models of thin film modules). graphs show in terms of pumping performance the higher
4. Can be disposed of in landfills while the thin film voltage PV modules are better, currently the 110W PV
cadmium-telluride (CdTe) can not (e.g. CdTe is modules have been discontinued due to not enough demand,
toxic). so any 110W modules broken can’t be replaced, so for now,
5. Only slightly declining power output with time the more common lower voltage modules are the better
(~1% per year) while amorphous-silicon (a-Si) thin choice.
film modules experience about a 20% decrease in
power output during first 6 months when exposed
to sun, but performance decrease similar to multi- Solar Powered Helical Pump
crystalline after initial 20% decrease (16). 75m Head, 6SQF-2 Grundfos Pump
3. Less percentage power loss for increased panel 220W 330W 440W 660W
BP Solar Modules are solid symbols
temperature for thin film compared to multi-
Grundfos Modules (higher voltage) are open symbols
crystalline.
Fig. 10. Affect on Flow Rate of Same Type of Modules
High voltage PV modules are only an advantage if the pump
but at Different Voltage Ratings.
motor requires high voltage. Diaphragm pump motors are
rated at 24V, so they don’t require high voltage modules. Solar Powered Helical Pump
Helical and centrifugal pump motors (< 1 kW) usually are 75m Head, 6SQF-2 Grundfos Pump
10000
Daily Water Volume (liters)
1500 The piston pumps are usually driven by solar powered pump
1000 jack, and are predominantly used for very deep pumping
500 depths (> 150 meters). The technology (borrowed from oil
0
field) of balancing the long column of water with counter
4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0 weight of pump jack allows these solar-PV systems to pump
Daily Solar Energy (kWh/m^2) water from very deep pumping depths. We have not tested
these systems at USDA-ARS-CPRL because it is not
160W PV --> 20m 30m 50m 70m
100W PV --> 20m 30m 50m 70m possible to simulate deep pumping depths with pressure
(e.g. the sucker rod gets stuck in tight pressure seal), and
Fig. 15. Measured Sun Pumps High Head Diaphragm wells this deep were not close by for testing.
Pump Daily Water Volume.
Shurflo High Head Diaphragm Pump There has been a tremendous growth in the use of helical
pumps since 2002. They are predominantly used for
4500 livestock watering at pumping depths ranging from 50 to
Daily Water Volume
4000 150 meters. Previous figures (10, 11, 14, 15) have shown
3500
3000
the pumping performance of Grundfos helical pumps, but
(liters)
9000
7000
8000 6000
7000 5000 Helical Pump
6000 4000
3000 Diaphragm Pump Piston
5000
2000
4000 1000 Pump
3000 0
2000 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120
1000
Pumping Depth (meters)
0
4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0 Diaphragm Lower Boundary Diaphragm Upper Boundary
Daily Solar Energy (kWh/m^2) Helical Lower Boundary Helical Upper Boundary
Lorentz --> HR07-2(50m) HR07-2(75m) HR07-2(100m)
Grundfos --> 6SQF-2 (50m) 6SQF-2(75m) 6SQF-2(100m) Fig. 20. Determining Type of Pump for Different Daily
Note: Grundfos 6SQF-2 data with 2003 Controller. Water Volume/Pumping Depth Combinations.
Fig 18. Comparing Daily Water Volume of Two Different
Helical Pumps. Daily Water Demand & Solar Energy Available
Amarillo, Texas (2007)
SOLAR 2009
Including
Proceedings of 38th ASES Annual Conference
Proceedings of 34th National Passive Solar Conference
Proceedings of the 4th Renewable Energy Policy and Marketing
Conference
Buffalo, New York
May 11‐16
Editor
R. Campbell‐Howe