Solar Powered, Multi-seated, Internetted Computer System Final Report December 3rd, 2008
Section 4 - System Integration and Conclusion
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- Integration
- Safety
- Future Improvements
- Intelligent Monitoring
- Conclusion
Section 4 - System Integration and Conclusion
IntegrationOur final project consists of a new more robust charge controller and a custom engineered battery management system. New solar panels have been chosen for our deployment area but due to their similarity to our current components they were not ordered here. We decided to change our solar panel array and battery bank from a 12V to a 24V system. This lowers our current throughout the system which leads to lower losses and smaller wire gauges. We purchased a 24V inverter to replace our 12V inverter that was left to us from the previous team. The final architecture that we chose was the single workstation multi-seat system. This allows for relatively low power consumption and the lowest cost per seat of the other architectures we researched. We were successful in having up to 4 independent simultaneous logons from a single desktop computer with multiple graphics cards. With our current hardware we can easily support up to 8 seats with only the addition of more graphics cards and accessories. We were successful in combining our objectives into a complete and functioning prototype that can and will be deployed in a rural village in Tanzania for testing. Our finished prototype has 4 user terminals connected to a large case that will hold the communications equipment, workstation, batteries, charge controller, and battery management system. This system will be hooked up to a solar panel array that should provide enough power for the system to function throughout a normal school day.
The solar panels will be mounted outside. If we mount them on the roof then we need to make sure that the cable runs go into the structure through a watertight seal. Also there will need to be an earth ground installed in case lightning hits the building. The building itself must be structurally sound enough not only for the solar panels but also for several people so that installation and maintenance is safe. If the building is orientated in such a way that the panels can not face the sun while they are on the roof then they will have to be mounted on a pole outside of the school building. In this case extra precaution must be used to insure that a person is unable to access any wire leads because the current can easily kill a person. Also the cabling will have to be run underground so the wires will have to be enclosed in the proper type of duct to that they cannot be cut by someone digging in the area. They also must be completely weatherproof to avoid the wire insulation breaking down from the elements. One advantage to this setup is that the structure that the panels hang on can be used as an earth ground for the entire system. Once inside the building all wiring outside of the case should be in ductwork. This prevents a person from easily cutting the wires and also prevents animals from chewing through the insulation. The system case must have a hole that is not sharp so that the wires cannot fray over time. Also cabling should be secured to the case so that it cannot easily be pulled out which could cause short circuits or broken hardware. Any short unintentional short circuits have a large probability of destroying the expensive equipment nearby or causing a fire. The battery bank must be carefully installed so as to minimize any possibility of short circuits. Each battery terminal should have a cover installed so that it is difficult to touch the electrodes accidently. All batteries should also be secured to the casing so that they cannot move if the whole case is tipped or moved. There must be circuit breakers at several key points in the system to insure that if there is a problem the system will cut off power to itself and hopefully save the equipment from being ruined. There will be a circuit breaker between the solar panel array and the Charge Controller and also between the Battery Bank and the Inverter. These will trip if current exceeds expected ratings and will also allow the system to be manually shut down if the need arises. Following these simple precautions should allow the system to be safe from prying fingers, weather, animals and equipment failure. Also in the case of a failure troubleshooting should be easy because if our battery management system is running it will provide feedback about which components are not working. If a breaker is reset then it will also provide clues as to which part of the system failed.
Although the team used the most efficient PV panels on the market at the time of deploying the prototype, a close eye should be kept on advancements in PV technology. Current panels are still very inefficient and expensive. This is an area that is heavily researched and as advancements develop in this field they will greatly benefit the system. Intelligent MonitoringOne of the goals of developing the power monitoring unit is to collect usage data. This includes computer and telecommunication equipment duty cycles as well as specific component power consumptions and PV array and battery efficiencies at measured operating temperatures. Before deployment many factors are estimated, once experimental data is available the system can be designed within tighter tolerances. As part of the product life cycle management minor changes can be made at identified weak links in order to maximize system efficiency. 
Figure 22 - Team budget. Conclusion:This project is special because the driving force behind it is not artificial. The team members do not care about their grade. They do not care about the outcome of the design day competition. This team is driven by passion, and the sole thing this team cares about is the successful deployment of a system that will provide hundreds of kids living in a world of great hardship with a priceless tool, a tool that all of us grew up taking for granted. A tool that has the ability of transforming people, a tool that transforms kids into students, a tool that transforms thoughts into dreams… this tool is access to information. We live in the information age. We live in a society where the term “Just Google it” is used on a daily basis. Where we are two clicks away from the answer to any question we have. So, what is it that separates us? What makes us different? How do we have access to this tool when there are people living in this world that are deprived of something so fundamental to us? We are no different. We are just lucky to be born into this society. This team is fortunate enough to have the ability to give our most prized tool to hundreds of under-privileged children. Children that go to bed at night and dream, and we want to let them dream big and turn those dreams into realities. The team members participated in every aspect of engineering a product and service from start to finish. The team not only accomplished everything outlined in their initial project description but everything that was thrown at them along the way, and what is yet to come. This December, Michigan State University’s Design Team 2 will deliver the most priceless present anyone can ever give, this is all that we care about and there is nothing that can stand in our way. Directory: classes -> ece480 -> capstone classes -> Unit 1: Exploration and Colonization classes -> Ap united States History Course Description classes -> Industrial Revolution classes -> 1–xx. The Redevelopment of a Warm Core Structure in Erin: a case of Inland Tropical Storm Formation classes -> Unit 7 Notes Organizer: C. Increasing Influences and Challenges); D. Challenges at Home & Abroad The United States in a Changing World (wwi) classes -> Unit 1: Colonial America (Twelve Days) Standard 1-2 Unit 2: Revolution (Ten Days) classes -> Review of Chapters 1-3, 8, and the appendix classes -> Seasonal Influences upon and Long-Term Trends in the Length of the Atlantic Hurricane Season capstone -> Configuring a Computer and Android Device for Android Development and Hardware Testing capstone -> Sponsor: Texas Instruments Ram Sathappan Download 4.42 Mb. Share with your friends:
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