Building and study of a small scale micro-grid : The use of PV panels as an alternate energy source
Knuuti, Joni (2013)
Knuuti, Joni
Tampereen ammattikorkeakoulu
2013
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201304245006
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201304245006
Tiivistelmä
Today’s emphasis in teaching energy technology to engineering students lies heavily on the renewable section. The renewable energy-engineering students in KHBO are studying a multitude of topics of theory that cover a wide variety of renewable energy sources. To implement the theory into practice, like all educational facilities should, some sort of equipment is required in a laboratory environment to showcase what students are supposed to do with the knowledge given to them in classroom.
To create such an environment the school had aqcuired or received the right equipment that was left to the author to acquaint himself with, install and operate for the first time. The equipment included 9 photovoltaic panels, one solar PV inverter, one off-grid inverter and batteries to store and withdraw energy to/from. The work included the check of the equipment compatibility, initialisation and setup and case studies of the complete system once operational.
The system was built in a classroom on top-floor of the school building with the windows facing SEbS (southeast by south, ~145°). Panels were placed on a wooden frame with the inverters and batteries behind them. External connection to the grid was made from a distribution board across the hall to avoid blackouts to the adjacent computer class in case of a short-circuit etc.
To monitor the validity of the results of panel production there are two pyranometers that connect with LabView. There is also a LabView program to perform tests on panel performance vs. manufacturer specifications by using a source measurement unit.
This text should provide the reader sufficient knowledge on what was done during the build-up, how to operate the system and what can be done in the future to develop it further in educational use.
To create such an environment the school had aqcuired or received the right equipment that was left to the author to acquaint himself with, install and operate for the first time. The equipment included 9 photovoltaic panels, one solar PV inverter, one off-grid inverter and batteries to store and withdraw energy to/from. The work included the check of the equipment compatibility, initialisation and setup and case studies of the complete system once operational.
The system was built in a classroom on top-floor of the school building with the windows facing SEbS (southeast by south, ~145°). Panels were placed on a wooden frame with the inverters and batteries behind them. External connection to the grid was made from a distribution board across the hall to avoid blackouts to the adjacent computer class in case of a short-circuit etc.
To monitor the validity of the results of panel production there are two pyranometers that connect with LabView. There is also a LabView program to perform tests on panel performance vs. manufacturer specifications by using a source measurement unit.
This text should provide the reader sufficient knowledge on what was done during the build-up, how to operate the system and what can be done in the future to develop it further in educational use.