MOTOR CONTROL USING A SOLAR

PANEL
Hamza Kadir
Mansour Alazmi
Nenad Zezelj
ECET521: Solar Energy Systems
Spring Semester, 2012
Purdue University Calumet
INTRODUCTION

This is project for designing a power circuit
for a solar powered motor. We studied the
characteristics of the solar panel to be used
and used the V-I characteristics graph to
achieve an optimum design. This kind-of a
circuit, with some modifications, can be
applied to any application where a
regulated solar electricity is required.
REASON BEHIND CHOICE
Our course ECET521 played a very
important role in introducing us to use of
renewable energy for power, cooling and
heating systems. We were most interested in
use of solar cells. We chose this project to
study the characteristics of solar panels
hands-on.
BASIC FUNCTIONALITY
Connecting a solar panel directly to a motor
will make it run. However, there will be jitter
and a rather unsmooth performance. So a
circuit which regulates the power flow to the
motor from the solar cell will allow a
smoother run of the motor. This circuit may
be built with capacitors for the smoothness
and a smith trigger or similar functionality for
the detection of minimum availability of
sunlight.
THUNDERBOLT MAGNUM SOLAR - item#68692 1.5
Watt Solar Battery Charger

SOLAR PANEL
Plugs into 12 volt cigarette lighter
Blinking LED charge indicator
Panel mounts easily to windshield or dash - includes suction
feet for mounting
Includes cigarette lighter adapter and battery terminal clamps
SOLAR PANEL OUTPUT CHARACTERISTIC
Solar cell type: Amorphous crystal
Peak output power: 1.5 watts
Voltage (max): 24
THE SCHEMATIC
It is the basic concept of a voltage triggered solar engine. The 555
is actually configured to function like a Schmitt inverter, and used
as a voltage detector. The trigger voltage is about 2.6 V.


THE CIRCUIT
The speed of the DC servo motor was measured at roughly 50
rpm at 12 pm on a full sunny day. However our trials to run it using
strong lamps in the lab did not show satisfactory results.

IMPROVEMENT SCOPES
A Darlington Pair can increase the level of current to the
load by many factors.

We can substitute replacing the 2N3904 with a 2N2222
to provide higher current for driving the motor.
Unavailable at the shop.

Super capacitor: Illinois CAPACITOR 407DCN2R7K
SUPERCAPACITOR Alum Elect 400F 10V

Choice of better panel: Ramsond 100 Watt
Monocrystalline Photovoltaic PV Solar Panel Module
12V Battery Charging

DIFFICULTIES
Sunlight / Rain
Producing indoor light power source
Small panel
Circuit component sizing


CONCLUSION
We believe we have a better understanding
of uses of solar panels, having undergone
this project. This will help us for our future
projects to come.
QUESTIONS??