Download Motor Control Using a Solar Panel

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.
SOLAR PANEL

THUNDERBOLT MAGNUM SOLAR - item#68692 1.5 Watt Solar
Battery Charger
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??