Abstract
This paper presents the development of a wireless instrumentation system for accurate characterization and evaluation of solar modules performance parameters under variable atmospheric conditions. A wireless transmitter that operate at 5V (315MHz) was designed and constructed to transmit electrical parameters of three different solar panels measured via current, temperature and voltage sensors to a constructed Omni-directional receiver that is made up of inbuilt storage system. The measured electrical parameters from individual panels were evaluated in terms of their responses to variable atmospheric conditions and compared with that of manufacturer’s ratings. The results based on the plotted curves show that as individual panel temperature increases the output voltage also increases. Increase in output voltage result into increase in output current measured across the load resistor which also results into corresponding increase in output power of individual panel. The measured electrical parameters are within the manufacturer’s ratings range, except maximum output currents and maximum powers which show little differences from that of manufacturer’s ratings due to choice of load resistors used in the design which impede the free flow of current to some extent. Keywords : Design, Construction, wireless instrumentation, solar modules DOI : 10.7176/JNSR/9-10-09 Publication date :May 31 st 2019
Highlights
Solar Panels applications require accurate panel’s parameter specifications and reliable material characterization from the modules or panels manufacturers before site installations for efficient energy utilization (Biicher, 1997)
Significant part of inaccuracies observed during evaluations, characterizations or performance predictions of solar panels are due to error accrued from the parameters measuring instruments when it is desired to measure their performances before installations
In the course of the design and construction, the materials that were coupled together to form the instrumentation system are microcontroller – PIC18F452, current sensors – ACS712 (X4), temperature sensors – DS1820 X4, storage battery – sealed lead acid (7AH), charging unit and solar panel for charging, transmitter – XY –MK- 5V (315MHz), processor board,voltage regulators – 7805 and LM317 while the receiving system components are LCD display – HD7768 (2.0 character X4 lines), receiver module – XY – FST (315MHZ), Micro controller – PIC18F452, memory card holder + memory card 2 Giga byte and LED Indicators while the materials specifications are as shown in table 1
Summary
Solar Panels applications require accurate panel’s parameter specifications and reliable material characterization from the modules or panels manufacturers before site installations for efficient energy utilization (Biicher, 1997). These prompt, the need for re-evaluation and re-characterization before installations so as to ascertain the accuracies of the manufacturer’s specifications, since some researchers has pointed out that manufacturer’s ratings are not always accurate (King, 1997; Ugwuoke & Okeke, 2012). Www.iiste.org manual and cable methods, some of the measured data obtained during characterizations and performance evaluations cannot be said to be very accurate or precise due to human and instrumental errors. The measuring instrumentation components were thoroughly designed to realise its higher accuracy
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