United Arab Emirates University Faculty of Engineering

Efficient fault detection and monitoring system for a photovoltaic array

Graduation Project II Course

Graduation Project Code: EEM2-8

Submitted for Partial Fulfillment of the B.Sc. Degree in Communications Engineering By

Osamah Zaid Hafedh Al-Zabidi Ahmed Ben Khadra 200834956 200834640

Project Advisor(s): Prof. Hassan Noura

Examination Committee:
Dr. Soud Al Dajah Dr. Mousa Hussein Dr. Imad Barhumi Fall 2013/2014

UAE University College of Engineering Industrial Training and Graduation Projects Unit

Contribution of Team Members*

Project Title: Efficient fault detection and monitoring system for a photovoltaic array Semester / Academic Year: Fall/2013-2014 Date:

Osamah Tasks 1. Literature review 2. Data collection 3. Draft 1 4. Decision matrices 5. Progress presentations 6. Equipment selection 7. Draft 2 8. Final report and presentation * The total percentage for each task should be 100. Project Advisor Name and Signature: _______________________________________
Student signature

ahmed
Student signature

48 53 42 55 45 57 51 46

52 47 58 45 55 43 49 54

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to express our deepest gratitude and appreciation to our project advisor Prof. Hassan Noura for his guidance, continuous encouragement and support to complete this work. Also, we would like to thank Dr. Mousa Hussein, Dr. Imad Barhumi and Dr. Saud Aldajah for serving as members of our final examination committee. Our thanks go also to the Training and Graduation Projects Unit, represented by the administration staff and our project coordinator Dr. Hend Al-Qamzi for her helpful comments, guidance and suggestions. Finally, we wish to express our appreciation to our family members for their unlimited help and support during our study.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
PV arrays take usually a large area and require a decent effort in terms of fault monitoring, location, and diagnostic. The smart monitoring system aims at implementing a fault detection and monitoring system for PV arrays. The system shall be able to detect, locate, and isolate faults based on PV cell failure criteria. Also, the system will have an easy user friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI), which allows an easy experience for a PV array operator to monitor, diagnose, and protect the system. The software shall be done using LABVIEW and the data acquisition from the PV array is done using NI (National Instruments) CompactRIO. An operating prototype of addition to two standby cells shall be delivered at the end of the project. PV array, in

Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................... 1 Table of Contents .................................................................................................... 3 LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................ 6 LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................. 7 LIST OF SYMBOLS, ABBREVIATIONS, NOMENCLATURE ......................... 8 CHAPTER 1 .......................................................................................................................9 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 9 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Problem Statement and Purpose .......................................................................... 9 Project and Design Objectives ............................................................................ 9 Intended Outcomes and Deliverables ................................................................ 11 Summary of report structure: ............................................................................ 12

CHAPTER 2 .....................................................................................................................22 BACKGROUND LITERATURE AND MARKET SURVEYError! not defined. 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Relevant Literature Search .................................Error! Bookmark not defined. Error! Bookmark not defined. Target Market and their needs: ...........................Error! Bookmark not defined. Prioritized Needs / Requirements: ......................Error! Bookmark not defined. Potential Ethical and/or Environmental Issues: ................................................ 26 Bookmark

CHAPTER 3 .....................................................................................................................27 3

CONCEPTUAL DESIGN .................................................................................... 27 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Problem Review .................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. Design Specifications: ........................................Error! Bookmark not defined. Generation of Conceptual Alternatives: .............Error! Bookmark not defined. Selected Alternatives and Reasoning: ................Error! Bookmark not defined. Formal Decision-Making Process and Final Concept Selection ....................... 32 Discussion and Perceived problems: ..................Error! Bookmark not defined.

CHAPTER 4 .....................................................................................................................34 PRELIMINARY DESIGN.....................................Error! Bookmark not defined. 4.1 4.2 4.3 Block Diagram: ................................................................................................. 34 Preliminary design: ............................................Error! Bookmark not defined. Safety consideration ...........................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

CHAPTER 5 .....................................................................................................................34 ECONOMICAL, ETHICAL, AND CONTEMPORARY ISSUES ...................... 34 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Preliminary Cost Estimation and Justification .................................................. 35 Relevant Codes of Ethics and Moral Frameworks ............................................ 36 Relevant Environmental Considerations ........................................................... 37 Relevance to UAE and Region (Social, Cultural, and Political) ....................... 37 Ethical Dilemmas and Justification of Proposed Solution ................................ 38

CHAPTER 6 .....................................................................................................................40 PROJECT MANAGEMENT ................................................................................ 40 4

6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4

Tasks and Schedule ........................................................................................... 40 Problems faced and solutions ............................................................................ 42 Resources .......................................................................................................... 42 Each Students Responsibilities ........................................................................ 43

CHAPTER 7 .....................................................................................................................44
CONCLUSION AND PLAN FOR GP2 ............................................................... 44 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Restatement of Purpose of Report and Objectives ............................................ 44 Summary of how each Objective and Deliverable has been met ...................... 44 Summary of Final Design Solution ................................................................... 45 New skills learnt ................................................................................................ 45 Plan for GP2 .......................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. References ............................................................................................................. 47 APPENDIX A ....................................................................................................... 52

LIST OF FIGURES

LIST OF TABLES

LIST OF SYMBOLS, ABBREVIATIONS, NOMENCLATURE

PWM MPPT Pulse Width Modulation Maximum Power Point Tracking Maximum Power Voltage

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Problem Statement and Purpose
One considerable problem in PV arrays is its large spread in a single area, which requires a considerable amount of maintenance, and fault detection efforts. This Project aims at implementing a fault detection and monitoring system for PV arrays. The system shall be able to detect, locate, and isolate faults based on certain PV cell failure criteria. Thus, facilitating maintenance and lower its operating expenses (OPEX). Also, the system will have an easy user friendly GUI, which allows an easy experience for PV array operators to monitor, diagnose, and protect their system. The software shall be done using LABVIEW and the data acquisition from the PV array is taken using NI CompactRIO. The goal of this project is to provide an efficient, real time, and automated system that is able to locate, identify, and isolate the fault to ease the maintenance and minimize the failure probabilities of a real-world solar farm. Which in turn can minimize the cost of solar farms operations.

1.2 Project and Design Objectives

Mismatch, heat, and shading losses are among the most important performance impairments in PV technology. Monitoring and location of such faults in large areas is quite tedious and difficult daily job. Hence, the project aims to design an efficient fault detection and monitoring system. In addition, the system shall be able to automatically

locate the faults, isolate the faulty panel, and replace it with the stand by cell. The design objectives can be described as follows: Use of an efficient algorithm to detect faulty panels before system failure. Real-time monitoring and alerting system to the array operator. Ease and increase the efficiency of the maintenance process. Have a friendly GUI that shows real-time system status and fault locations. Prevent single panel failure from causing full system failure. To fulfill the objectives, the project was divided into four main blocks shown in Figure 1. The PV array block is our main monitoring target for any faults or abnormal operation. The PV array is monitored using sensors connected to each panel within the array, in addition to general monitoring sensors. The sensors data is passed to the DAQ system, which contains the LabVIEW program which identifies any faulty condition and take immediate action through the isolation relays. At the same time, the LabVIEW program will inform the operator through a GUI program the health state of the array or any taken action to prevent a full system failure.

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Figure 1: general block diagram for the prototype architecture

1.3 Intended Outcomes and Deliverables

A sturdy prototype that shows a functioning, efficient, and automated algorithm to detect, locate, and isolate any faulty PV panel within a PV array shall be delivered at the end of this project. Also, the system will have an easy GUI to ease the operators job in monitoring and reporting any fault. Software Design: The software is meant to have a user friendly GUI, which shows live data acquired from the solar system. The data informs the user with the health state of the solar system in a simple and neat way. Also, the exact fault location within the PV array shall be visible to the user. In addition, the software can take automatic action in isolating the fault panels in critical situations which needs immediate action. The faults applied includes shade fault (accumulated dust), surface damage, and wiring connection problems among others.

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The software shall be written using LabVIEW and the data acquisition will be done using NI CompactRIO. Prototype: An actual PV array prototype shall be built. The prototype will have an adequate volume to enable easy mobility and demonstration of the system characteristics and features. In addition, the prototype shall demonstrate the capabilities of applying such system in real world. A 4x2 array (three series panels in each of the two array columns) shall be integrated with the prototype to have a real preview on the system performance. The prototype shall be operating as a 4x2 array in real-time with two panels as stand by in each column (i.e. parallel connection). In conclusion, the project shall deliver the following outcomes: A complete functioning prototype of 4x2 PV array. A friendly and easy to use GUI. A functioning algorithm for fault monitoring and detection. An automatic ability to locate, isolate, and replace a faulty panel.

1.4 Summary of report structure:

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CHAPTER 2 Summary of Achievements in GP I

2.1 Proposed Conceptual designs
As mentioned in chapter 1, the project is trying to ease the maintenance, monitoring, and fault detection in large PV farms. There are more than one approach or philosophy regarding monitoring and fault detection in PV arrays. This project shall apply one practical technique for detecting, identifying, and isolating a fault in PV arrays. The project can be split into two parts. The first part is monitoring the system and identifying any abnormalities in the system output. The second part is to interpret the abnormality, identify the type of fault, locate the faulty panel within the array, isolate it from the system, and replace it with a stand by cell. This type of system shall ease operation, maintenance, and increase PV arrays reliability. Therefore, the prototype shall have the following components: x8 (40 Watts) solar panels. x4 (12V, 100 Ah) GEL batteries. x2 (24V, 20A) charge controller. Mobile Prototype and has the ability to change the panels angle. x8 voltage sensors (i.e. one for each panel). x8 current sensors (i.e. one for each panel). x9 thermocouples. x2 pyranometers. 13

x1 wind speed sensor. x1 wind direction sensor. x8 relays.

2.2 Selected Conceptual Designs and Preliminary Justification of Choice

2.2.1 Solar cells

Monocrystalline Silicon Solar Cells: Advantages: Monocrystalline cells have the highest efficiency rates, since they are made out of the highest-grade silicon. The efficiency rates of Monocrystalline solar panels are typically 15-20% [3]. Monocrystalline silicon solar panels are space-efficient. When compared to thin-film, Monocrystalline can produce up to four times of electricity in a specified area. Monocrystalline panels have a decent life span, which makes most manufacturers put a 25-year warranty on their Monocrystalline solar panels [3]. Disadvantages: Monocrystalline panels are the most expensive panels to get. Which can be a difficult choice for homeowners from a financial point of view. [3]

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 If the solar panel is partially covered with shade, dirt or snow, the entire circuit can break down. Micro inverters should be considered in case a coverage problem is expected. Micro inverters make sure that the entire solar array is not affected by shading issues with only one of the solar panels. The process used to produce monocrystalline silicon is called Czochralski process. It results in large cylindrical ingots. Four sides are cut out of the ingots to make silicon wafers, which leads to a significant amount of waste out of the original silicon [3]. Performance of monocrystalline panel tends to be more efficient in warm weather; yet, it starts to suffer as temperature goes up. Still, monocrystalline heat performance is better than the polycrystalline ones. Polycrystalline Silicon Solar Cells: Advantages: The process used to create polycrystalline silicon is simpler, less cost, and produces less waste when compared to the production process of monocrystalline panels [3]. Polycrystalline panels have lower heat tolerance when compared to the monocrystalline. Heat can affect the performance of solar panels and shorten their lifespans. However, this effect is minor, and most homeowners do not need to take it into account. Disadvantages: 15

 Because of the lower silicon purity, polycrystalline-based solar panels have typical efficiency of 13-16%. Which is noticeably less than typical monocrystalline panels efficiency. A larger surface area is needed to output the same electrical power as a solar panel made of monocrystalline silicon. Thin-Film solar cells (TFSC): Advantages: Easier to mass-produce and potentially cheaper to manufacture than crystalline-based solar cells. Thin film cells can be made flexible which opens a variety of potentially new applications. High temperature and shading have less impact on thin film solar panels performance when compared to crystalline-silicon based panels. [3] Disadvantages: Poor space-efficiency, which also means that the costs of support structures, cables and other PV equipment increase. Thin-film solar panels tend to degrade faster than crystalline-silicon based solar panels, which is why they usually come with a shorter warranty.

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2.2.2

Batteries

The power generated by the PV panels can be connected directly to a load or connected to a battery. There are several types of batteries used for PV systems storage. The two most famous batteries are discussed as follows: 2.2.2.1 Gel Batteries: Gel batteries are a subcategory of the VRLA (Valve Regulated Lead Acid) batteries which is a subcategory of the lead-acid rechargeable batteries. The gel contained in these batteries is a combination of sulfuric acid and silica and replaces the liquid acid in the traditional acid batteries. The addition of silica to the solution thickens it and make it easier to maintain since the user does not need to check the level of the liquid or replenish it. The batteries contain a valve regulating system that expels any gases that build up inside the battery to avoid any ruptures in the battery [4]. The charging of the gel battery is a critical operation on both ends, overcharging and undercharging. The overcharging of the battery dries it up and creates holes that do not heal. Undercharging the battery may cause on the long run- the creation of a sulfate layer around the positive plate which prevents the battery from recharging [4]. The main advantages of the gel batteries are [4]: 1- Do not spill or leak. 2- Do not corrode. 3- Highly resistive to change in temperature, and shocks.

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2.2.2.2 Lithium Ion Batteries: Lithium has the highest electromechanical potential in the periodic table and also the lightest metal. This made those batteries very effective for handheld devices. The Liion batteries has many advantages [5]: 1- High electric capacity. 2- Low self-discharging. 3- Low maintenance. 4- Can be specialized to high current applications. There are several drawbacks for the Li-ion batteries like: 1- Requires a protection circuit for voltage and current limits. 2- Aging effect even when not used. 3- Expensive manufacturing cost. 2.2.3 PV cell models:

To simulate a solar panel, a model is used. The most widely used is the equivalent circuit model. There are two main models that are widely used: 2.2.3.1 Single diode model: It is the simplest model for simulating solar panels. It consists of a linear independent current source in parallel with a diode (Figure 2). The required parameters for this model are three: open circuit voltage ( ), short circuit current ( ) and diode

ideality factor ( ). The main advantage of this model is that it has a very low computational burden. The model can be improved by adding a series resistance ( ).

This model is called Rs-model. This model is deficient in cases of high temperature. 18

Increased accuracy can be achieved by adding a parallel resistance (

) and thus it is

called Rp-model. The latter has better accuracy but has inaccurate response in cases of low irradiance and large computational burden. The equation is: ( )

Figure 2: Single diode model circuit diagram

2.2.3.2 Double diode model: The double diode model is more complicated than the single diode model obviously- and it counters most of the shortcomings of the one diode model. The tradeoff is in the computational burden. It contains an independent current source, two diodes in parallel, a series resistance and a shunt resistance (Figure 3). As the components increase, the number of parameters needed and computed increases. The parameters needed from the datasheet of the PV panel are: number of cells in the panel and their connection scheme, irradiation ( ), cell temperature ( ), open circuit voltage ( current ( ), temperature coefficient of ), short circuit ( ),

( ), temperature coefficient of , ).

maximum power voltage and maximum power current ( calculated in this model are: the illumination current ( 19

The parameters ),

), diodes ideality factors ( ,

diodes currents (

), series resistance (

) and shunt resistance (

). Further

discussion about the implementation is in chapter x

Figure 3: Double diode model circuitdiagram

2.3 Embodiment Design

From the detailed block diagram of the system, we can see the following. There are four batteries connected to the 8-panel solar system. The batteries are divided into two groups. The first group contains two batteries which are connected in series. This group provides power supply for the sensors. The second two batteries are connected in parallel and are used to power the cRIO and the Wi-Fi range extender. Since these two devices use AC power, an inverter is inserted between them and the batteries. Each group of batteries is charged with a different group of solar panels and a charge controller is used to regulate the charging process. Moreover, the charge controllers are used to regulate the ON-time for the sensors and the devices, thus preventing the batteries from being drained in vein. The LabVIEW program is on a PC connected remotely to the cRIO from which it receives the sensors data and responds with control commands if necessary. The cRIO 20

acts as a DAQ and controller for the system. it contains a voltage output module to control the relays and rearrange the solar panel arrangement as required.

2.4 Preliminary Cost and final deliverables:

By looking to the main components and its accessories which shall be used in the project, the cost estimation is estimated to be around 22,258 AED. This cost includes shipping. Table 6 shows the unit price and the quantity of each product.
Table 1: Unit Price & quantity used for cost estimation

Item Solar panel GEL batteries Charge controller Prototype stand Voltage sensors Current sensors Thermocouple Pyranometer Wind speed sensor Relays IV tracer Total estimated cost

quantity Unit price (AED) Price (AED) 6 2 1 1 6 6 7 1 1 6 1 300 700 950 1500 62 60 36 735 25 4 14840 0 2225 8 1800 1400 950 1500 372 360 252 735 25 24 1484

The final deliverables for the project will be: o A complete functioning prototype of 4x2 PV array. o A friendly and easy to use GUI. o A functioning algorithm for fault monitoring and detection. 21

o An automatic ability to locate, isolate, and replace a faulty panel.

CHAPTER 3 Updated Background Theory

3.1 Relevant Literature Search for GP2
3.1.1 Charge Controllers:

Charge controllers are current and voltage regulators to protect the batteries from being overcharged. Since solar panels provide a variable current and voltage depending on solar irradiation and other factors-, charge controllers are essential to many solar systems [1]. There are mainly three types of charge controllers: 3.1.1.1 Simple controllers: They are also called two stage controllers. They are basically are relays with a condition upon reaching a certain voltage. They are the oldest types basically dinosaurs as some described them [1]- but they are extremely reliable and very cheap. The two stages are the bulk stage of charge and the float stage of charge. The bulk stage charges the battery quickly up to 90%. At this percentage, the float stage of charge kicks in and the battery is charged very slowly [2]. 3.1.1.2 PWM controllers: Also called three stage controllers. as all know, PWM stands for Pulse Width Modulation. These charge controllers use pulses to charge the 22

batteries. The width of the pulses depend on the state of charge for the battery. A discharged battery will receive wide pulses that will almost look like a continuous signal. On the other hand, a charged battery will receive narrow pulses. The charge controller reads the state of charge for the battery [1]. The three stages are: bulk stage, float charge and the absorption stage. The first two stages are the same as the simple controllers, however, the third stage is added to charge the battery up to 99% [2]. A problem in these controllers is that they may overcharge the batteries in case of a load present. Therefore, some PWM controllers switch to two stages in the presence of load [2]. The three stages are shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4: Three stage charge controller voltage and current timeline.

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3.1.1.3 MPPT controllers: MPPT stands for Maximum Power Tracking Point. These controllers are used to change the electrical operating point of the PV panels to produce the maximum power the PV system can provide. Batteries require certain voltage to charge. Increasing the voltage will overcharge the battery. The MPPT charge controllers track the voltage that will allow the PV system to provide maximum power. This voltage is called the Maximum Power Voltage ( ) and it is usually higher than the

charging voltage of the batteries. The MPPT controller sets the PV system voltage to this point. Using a DC-to-DC power converter, the charge controller converts the voltage to the charging voltage of the batteries with increased charging current, thus utilizing the maximum power that can be achieved from the system safely [3]. Figure 5 shows a simple block diagram for the MPPT charge controller. The MPPT controller varies the voltage to find maximum power point to set the DC-to-DC converter on it.

Figure 5: MPPT charge controller diagram

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3.1.2

Relays:

Relays are an extremely powerful but simple electromechanical devices. There are four parts for the relay: (1) an electromagnet, (2) a magnetic armature, (3) a spring and (4) electrical contacts [7]. They are numbered as in Figure 6. The electromagnet is controlled by the control voltage. After the application of the control voltage, the electromagnet attracts the armature. After the control voltage is dropped, the armature returns to its original state because of the spring. In Figure 6, the armature was originally open.

Figure 6: How Relays Work

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3.2 Potential Ethical and/or Environmental Issues:

The products and methods used in any design may have ethical or environmental issues. There are no ethical issues related to this project since it is only monitoring environmental data and electrical aspects for PV panels systems. The environmental issues may arise from several system components, especially the batteries. For instance, the HT-Italia I-V curve tracer batteries are six alkaline batteries. Alkaline batteries are not considered hazardous since they use only traces of mercury in new battery designs. Battery manufacturers has reduced the mercury content of the batteries complying with the laws of battery manufacturing that was issued in the 1990s [5]. In addition, the GEL batteries will be used for power storage from the PV system. Gel batteries have one main concern that is the harmful gases leakage that may affect nearby people. These problems mainly arise from rapid battery charging. On the other hand, the system is proposed to ease the fault monitoring and detection. Thus, increasing solar energy systems efficiency, which in turn will have better impact on the environment in reducing the amount of carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere.

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CHAPTER 4 Detailed Design

4.1 Detailed level Specifications:
4.1.1 Prototype body: 4.1.1.1 The base frame: - The base is a box with the dimensions of 75x85x145cm (width x length x height) - The frame made out of iron angles with the specifications shown in Figure 7. - The box has two height supports at each side distributed across its length. There are also seven width supports at the lower side of the box to hold the weights of the equipment inside the box especially the batteries-. There are also supports on the upper side of the batteries for the PV Panel stands. There are eight supports and each two panels share two supports. - All the parts of the box are fixed together using (8mm x 5cm) bolts and double nuts. 4.1.1.2 The wheels: - The box is fixed on eight trolley wheels with diameter of 8". Each trolley wheel can support a maximum weight of 200kgs. - The trolley wheels are rotatable and equipped with breaks. 27

- Each wheel is fixed to the box with four (10mm x 6cm) bolts and double nuts. 4.1.1.3 The cover: - The cover for the box is aluminum sheets. - The upper and lower sides are of 2mm thickness. The upper sheet is one piece and it is fixed to the box with same bolts. The lower side is made of intersecting sheets of aluminum to strengthen the parts that hold the equipment. - The sides are made of complete sheets of 1mm thickness and are fixed with same bolts of the box. - The front and rear (along the length) sheets are the doors to the box. Each sheet if fixed to the top of the box with five hinges. 4.1.1.4 The panel stand: - The panels are placed on iron pipes. The iron pipes are hollow with 4cm diameter. There are two lengths, four long pipes with a length of 150cm in the rear and four short pipes with a length of 60cm in the front. This is to prevent shading of panels on each other. - The pipes are welded on iron plates of width of, length of, and thickness of. Each two pipes one short and one long pipes- are fixed using bolts and double nuts on two upper support bars. On the top of the iron pipes, a

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xxcm length iron angle was welded to allows us to adjust the panels angle. The - The panels are fixed with bolts and nuts on an iron skeleton as shown in Figure 8. The skeleton is then connected to the iron pipes and fixed with a bolt and double nuts. The panel is first adjusted to the desired angle and then fixed with the bolt. 4.1.2 Equipment:

The equipment used in this project are: o x8 (40 Watts) solar panels. o x4 (12V, 100 AH) GEL batteries. o x2 (24V, 20A) charge controller: each two batteries has one charge controller. o x8 voltage sensors (i.e. one for each panel). o x8 current sensors (i.e. one for each panel). o x9 thermocouple (i.e. one for each panel + one for ambient). o x2 pyranometer (in-plain of the panels, horizontal) o x1 wind speed sensor. o x1 wind direction sensor. o x8 relays.

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Figure 7: Iron angles specifications.

Figure 8: Skeleton for the PV Panels

4.1.3

Simulation:

As discussed in chapter 2, the chosen model for simulating the PV panels is the two diode model. The matlab program used for simulation is shown below: delta_T = T-T_stc; I_pv = (I_pv_stc + K_i*delta_T)*G/G_stc; V_T = N_s*(T+273)*1.3806488E-23/1.60217657E-19; pass_vec=[ I_pv_stc,K_i,T,T_stc,G,G_stc,delta_T,I_pv,I_ sc,V_oc,I_m,V_m,a_1,N_s,V_T,K_v ]; 30

%clc par0=[1e-5 1e-5 0.3 150 1.2]; options=optimset('MaxFunEvals',1000,'MaxIter',1000,'Tol Fun',1e-6); %'Algorithm','active-set' [sol resnorm residual exitflag]=lsqnonlin(@sys_eq,par0,zeros(1,5),[],options, pass_vec); I_o1=sol(1); I_o2=sol(2) ; R_s=sol(3); R_p=sol(4) ; a_2=sol(5); V=0:.1:V_oc+2; I0=linspace(0,I_sc,length(V)); y=(-exp(I0)+exp(I0(length(I0))))/I0(2); for i=1:length(V) Eq1 =@(I) I_pv - I_o1*(exp((V(i)+I*R_s)/(a_1*V_T))-1) I_o2*(exp((V(i)+I*R_s)/(a_2*V_T))-1) - (V(i)+I*R_s)/R_p - I; I(i)=lsqnonlin(Eq1,y(i)*I_sc/max(y),0,[],options); end

The inputs to this program are: Open circuit voltage ( ): it is provided by the manufacturer. In this project it is 21 V. Short circuit current ( ): it is provided by the manufacturer. In this project it is 2.777 A. Illumination current at STC ( ): which is equal to the value of the short circuit current under STC. This is because the current passing through the diodes is extremely low and the series resistance is also extremely low in comparison to the shunt resistance-. Temperature coefficient of ( ): it is provided by the manufacturer. In this o project it is 0.00180505 A/ C 31

Temperature coefficient of ( ): it is provided by the manufacturer. In this o project it is -0.08 V/ C. Maximum power point voltage and current ( , ): provided by the manufacturer. In this project they are 2.473 A and 16.891 V Irradiation ( ): this value is the in-plane irradiation sensor. Temperature ( ): this value is obtained from the temperature sensor that is attached to the back of each cell. Ideality factor of the first diode ( ): this value is chosen to be 1 for simplicity and it is a sound judgement. Number of connected cells in series ( ): obtained from the manufacturer. It is the number of series connected cells in the panel. For this project, it is 36.

Some of the

4.3 Formal Decision-Making Process and Final Concept Selection

4.3.1 Solar Cells:

There were three types of solar cells compared: Monocrystalline Silicon Solar Cells, Polycrystalline Silicon Solar Cells and Thin-Film solar cells (TFSC). The decision matrix for the solar cells is shown in Table 2.
Table 2: Decision matrix for choosing the most adequate PV panel type

Criteria Weighting factor Alternatives Monocrystalline Polycrystallin Thin film

size

performance

cost

weight lifespan

sum

25%

17%

30% 13%

5%

10%

100%

9 8 5

8 7 3

5 8 9

7 6 8

9 8 6

8 7 1

72.70% 74.70% 59.00%

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4.3.2

DAQ:

Arduino Uno and CompactRIO were considered for DAQ. Arduino Uno is an open hardware/software with cheap cost. However, it lacks the rigidity and high performance that is provided by CompactRIO. Moreover, CompactRIO is already available in the department and is supported by several training workshops. Table 3 shows the decision matrix for the DAQ devices.

Table 3: Decision Matrix for the DAQ devices

Criteria Price Weighting factor Alternatives CompactRIO Arduino UNO 1 10 7 8 10 4 10 10 25% 7% 8% Ruggedness Performance

Ease of Programming

Availability

sum

25%

35%

100%

10 0

75% 59%

4.3.3

I-V Curve Traces

Table 4 shows the decision matrix for the I-V Curve-Tracer selection.
Table 4: Decision Matrix for the I-V curve tracer

Criteria Weighting factor Alternatives Daystar DS-100C EKO MP-160 HT-Italia Solar I-V

Price 40% 2 4 9

Range 25% 10 5 8

Portability 35% 1 3 10

sum 100% 36.50% 39.00% 91.00%

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Solmetric PVA-600 Amprobe Solar 600

9 10

7 5

8 10

81.50% 87.50%

4.3.4

PV models:

There are three models proposed to simulate the PV system: Rs model, Rp model and double diode model. The three criteria in choosing between these models are: performance in low radiation, performance in high temperature and the computational burden. Since the system involves computer handling the computational process and the parameters does not change quickly (irradiance and temperature) in most cases-, the main criteria will be the performance. Table 1 shows the decision matrix for chose PV model.
Table 5: Decision matrix for choosing the PV model

Criteria Weighting factor Alternatives Rs model Rp model Double diode model

High temperature Performance 45% 2 7 9

Low irradiation Performance 35% 4 4 8

Computational burden 20% 10 6 2

sum 100% 43.00% 57.50% 72.50%

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CHAPTER 6 ECONOMIC, ETHICAL AND CONTEMPORARY ISSUES

6.1 Final Cost Estimation and Justification
By looking to the main components and its accessories which shall be used in the project, the cost estimation is estimated to be around 27495 AED. This cost includes shipping. Table 6 shows the unit price and the quantity of each product.
Table 6: Unit Price & quantity used for cost estimation

Item Solar panel GEL batteries Charge controller Prototype stand Voltage sensors Current sensors Thermocouple Pyranometer Wind speed sensor Relays IV tracer Total estimated cost

quantity Unit price (AED) Price (AED) 8 4 2 1 8 8 7 2 1 8 1 300 700 950 2800 62 60 36 735 25 4 14840 0 2749 5 0 25 32 1484 2400 2800 1900 2800 496 480 252 1,47

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6.2 Relevant Codes of Ethics and Moral Frameworks

5.2.1 IEEE code of ethics: [27] - The team members accept the responsibility of making decisions consistent with safety and welfare of the public (Code#1).

- Honesty and realistic claims or estimates based on available data had a decent attention in the project (Code #3).

- The work was distributed between team members according to their major and interests (Code #6).

- The project will be available for all people regardless to their religion, gender and nationality (Code #8). - The system will not disturb publics privacy (Code#9).

5.2.2 NSPE code of ethics [28]: - Team members shall avoid deceptive acts (Rules of practice #5).

- Team members shall be guided in all their relations by the highest standards of honesty and integrity (Professional Obligations #1).

- The project is safe for environment and public (FundamentalCanons#1).

- The project components follow engineering standards (Professional Obligations #2.b).

- The project uses sustainable source of energy (Professional Obligations #2.d).

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- All information used in the report was referenced (Professional Obligations #3.c) (Professional Obligations #9.a).

6.3 Relevant Environmental Considerations

The environmental problem in our system is mainly because of the batteries. The portable I-V curve tracer has six small alkaline batteries, and the solar system will use two gel batteries. There are two different waste management programs that can be used as a solution. The first solution is the Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) that offers several waste management programs including battery collection program. The Center of Waste Management in Abu Dhabi can offer a more general solution for any waste problem that exists in the system including damaged PV panels or electronic equipment [29].

6.4 Relevance to UAE and Region (Social, Cultural, and Political)

This project system will be related to the UAE in the following points: 1. The climate of the UAE has two main aspects that were taken into consideration. The high temperature values affected the equipment selection in the project. The DAQ device, batteries, and the sensors were selected to withstand high temperatures especially in the summer. Also, heat was addressed among the problems that affect the PV system performance. 2. The UAE government has a trend toward renewable energy. This project aims at increasing the efficiency of any installed PV system, and reducing the monitoring and maintenance costs of such systems.

37

6.5 Ethical Dilemmas and Justification of Proposed Solution

The project is about monitoring and fault detection of PV systems. It only involves the gathering of electrical and environmental data. Therefore, there are no ethical dilemmas were found which are associated with it.

38

39

CHAPTER 7 PROJECT MANAGEMENT

7.1 Tasks and Schedule
Table 7: Gantt Chart for the project
Task Name Project Initiation Choose a Team Choose Project Set Meeting Times Project Definition Develop Gantt Chart Project block diagram Develop Pre-Proposal Report Develop Pre-proposal Presentation Literature Review IV-Tracers PV panels faults Sensors LabVIEW DAQ and Control Set requirements and Specifications Get Sponsorship Design Suggest different alternatives Choose best alternative Prototype determination Detailed report Execution Equipment ordering and Receiving Equipment testing Parts integration Prototype testing Design LabVIEW interface Finalization Final Report and Presentaion Clousre Design wireless access Prepare detailed report and presentation Milestones Pre-Proposal Presentation executive summary Advisor Meeting Advisor Meeting Duration 8 days? 5 days 3 days 1 day? 63 days 4 days 4 days 7 days 3 days 36 days 5 days 12 days 7 days 12 days 7 days 10 days 34 days 10 days 4 days 10 days 20 days 77 days 10 days 20 days 15 days 12 days 20 days 22 days 22 days 15 days 15 days 15 days 25 days 0 days 0 days 41 days 0 days Start Sun 10-02-13 Sun 10-02-13 Sun 17-02-13 Mon 18-02-13 Wed 20-02-13 Wed 20-02-13 Wed 20-02-13 Wed 20-02-13 Sun 03-03-13 Wed 06-03-13 Wed 06-03-13 Wed 13-03-13 Sun 14-04-13 Tue 23-04-13 Thu 09-05-13 Mon 20-05-13 Mon 03-06-13 Mon 03-06-13 Tue 10-09-13 Mon 16-09-13 Mon 16-09-13 Mon 14-10-13 Mon 14-10-13 Mon 28-10-13 Mon 25-11-13 Mon 16-12-13 Wed 01-01-14 Sun 29-12-13 Sun 29-12-13 Sun 10-02-13 Sun 10-02-13 Sun 10-02-13 Thu 07-03-13 Thu 07-03-13 Thu 25-04-13 Thu 14-02-13 Sun 10-02-13 Finish Predecessors

Tue 19-02-13 Thu 14-02-13 Tue 19-02-13 3 Mon 18-02-13 4SS+1 day Sun 02-06-13 2 Mon 25-02-13 Mon 25-02-13 7SS Thu 28-02-13 8SS Tue 05-03-13 9 Wed 08-05-13 10 Tue 12-03-13 Thu 28-03-13 10,12 Mon 22-04-13 10,13 Wed 08-05-13 10,14 Sun 19-05-13 15 Sun 02-06-13 16 Sun 13-10-13 6 Mon 09-09-13 Sun 15-09-13 19 Sun 29-09-13 20 Sun 13-10-13 20 Tue 28-01-14 18 Sun 27-10-13 Sun 24-11-13 24 Sun 15-12-13 25 Tue 31-12-13 26 Tue 28-01-14 26,27 Mon 27-01-14 23 Mon 27-01-14 Thu 28-02-13 Thu 28-02-13 Thu 28-02-13 Thu 25-04-13 10 Thu 07-03-13 Thu 25-04-13 Thu 25-04-13 Sun 10-02-13

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Figure 9: Gantt Chart Project Timeline

41

7.2 Problems faced and solutions

Each project must face problems and difficulties. In this project, there were several problems. First of all, devices selection process was hard because the devices information are usually not complete on the companys website. The response for information and pricing quotation from the manufacturing companies took time. Moreover, dealing with CompactRIO was hard at the beginning since it was the first time to deal with. This problem was solved by the training sessions provided by NI at the request of the departments doctors. Another problem was the timing of some of the GP progress presentation. The problem arose from finding a convenient timing for the four groups. Therefore, some of the meetings resulted in being late for some of the classes. Another problem faced was about the process of designing and building the prototype. Since the mechanical design is out of our specialization, we needed to consult with the mechanical students to provide assistance in creating the design. Building was also problematic in terms of cutting the iron, drilling the holes and adjusting the parts to fit together. This took some time to perform. At the end, all the problems were solved or sometime- bypassed.

7.3 Resources
The internet, university lectures and papers were used as sources of information in this project. Most of the literature background, like fault types, devices specifications and data sheets, was obtained from the internet. Fault detection methods and data were obtained mainly from papers in IEEE Xplore and ScienceDirect. University lectures were very useful in obtaining the knowledge about the CompactRIO operation and LabVIEW

42

programming. For the prototype stand, the mechanical engineers and students were very helpful in designing and building.

7.4 Each Students Responsibilities

Tasks Mechanical Design Material Selection Prototype building Algorithm implementation GUI prgoramming Progress presentations Draft 1 Draft 2 Final report and presentation Both team members contributed equally. Both team members contributed equally. Both team members contributed equally. Both team members contributed equally. Both team members contributed equally. Both team members contributed equally Both team members contributed equally Both team members contributed equally Both team members contributed equally

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CHAPTER 8 CONCLUSION
8.1 Restatement of Purpose of Report and Objectives and the Proposed deliverables
The purpose of this report is to document the outcomes of GP-II phase. The objective of this project is to create a smart fault detection and monitoring system for a mobile PV array. The mobile array should be easy to move and built to endure. The system shall be able to detect, locate, and isolate faults based on PV cell failure criterions. Also, the system will have an easy user friendly GUI, which allows an easy experience for a PV array operator to monitor, diagnose, and protect the system. A functioning prototype shall be delivered at the end of December 2013. This project shall help large PV farms owners to minimize their maintenance cost and improve overall system efficiency.

8.2 Summary of how each Objective and Deliverable has been met
A brief discussion on how the chosen technologies are helping in meeting the objective and deliverable is done in this section. The solar panels are the main scope of this study, and shall be used to have a real-time data, that reflects real world faulty situations. The panels are equipped with many sensors to measure its operation condition. The sensors readings are passed to the DAQ (i.e. CompactRIO) to interpret them and decide a normal or faulty operation condition. In case of faulty condition detection, the system shall isolate the faulty panel and transfer its operation to a standby panel using the 44

relays, which controls the interconnection between the PV array panels. The prototype is designed to be mobile, rigid and easy to disassemble. In addition, this report and a presentation were prepared to describe the work done in GP-I and GP-II phase.

8.3 Summary of Final Design Solution

As discussed before. Each panel has its own isolation relay, voltage, current, and temperature sensors. All the sensors are connected to the DAQ system (i.e. CompactRIO), along with the isolation relays to control the array structure. The array is connected to a charge controller, which in turn is responsible for charging the batteries. All of these parts will be inside the portable prototype. A LabVIEW program will be responsible for making the isolation decision (i.e. faulty panel case) based on certain failure criteria. Also, the program has an easy, user friendly GUI, which allows an easy experience for a PV array operator to monitor, diagnose, and protect the system.

8.4 New skills learnt

There are a lot of skills were gained from this project. First, the project improved the skill of searching for the needed information from specialized sites and journals. Second, the skills in writing the reports are improved in a noticeable way. Also, the project teaches the formal communication system with authorities. In addition, the project teaches appropriate information referencing. The project, also, teaches principle skills for tendering, reasoning, and choosing equipment appropriately based on the projects requirements. Moreover, new skills in the implementation of the project. There were a lot of new skills learnt in the mechanical part of the project like: using the drilling and cutting machines, welding, calibration and optimization, and various other skills. 45

Furthermore, many skills concerning wiring of electrical devices and arrangement of various equipment in a confined space. Sensors calibration was a painful experience but it provided much knowledge and experience for the future. Other skills learnt were in testing, debugging and fault detection of electrical equipment.

46

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http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/effects-temperature-solar-panel-powerproduction-20500.html. [Accessed May 2013]. [ "Atmel AVR 8-Bit Microcontroller," Amtel Corporation, June 2011.

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[Accessed May 2013].

51

APPENDIX A
Table 8 : comparison between different types of PV cells using an applied credentials Area Required per MW (in Acre) Plant Load Factor (%) Many solar plants installed wit h c-Si Reliable, Time tested, Durable

Parameters / Technology

Material

Vendors

Credentials

Positives

Crystalline silicon

Polycrystalline

19

Waaree/Tat a BP

Amorphous Silicon

Amorphous Silicon

8.5

20

Schott/Tian wei

Installed more than 100 MW worldwide

Low temperature coefficient, cost effective

-csi Tandem

Multi junction micro crystalline

7.5

20

Nex Power/Dupo nt

Together installing 3 MW currently in India

Advanced form of a-si, efficiency > 9 %, low cost

Cd-Te

Cadmium Telluride

6.5

20

First Solar/Aboun d

Installed more than 300 MW in Germany and the US

Largest number of installations in last 2 years, l

52

Table 9: comparison between Crystalline Silicon cells and thin films from theoretical point of view Cell Technology Types of Technology Crystalline Silicon Mono-crystalline silicon (c-Si) Poly-crystalline silicon (pc-Si/ mc-Si) String Ribbon Thin Film Amorphous silicon (a-Si) Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIG/ CIGS) Organic photovoltaic (OPV/ DSC/ DYSC) Voltage Rating (Vmp/ Voc) (Higher is better as there is less gap in Voc and Vmp) Temperature Coefficients Higher Lower (Lower is beneficial at high ambient temperatures) I-V Curve Fill Factor (Idealized PV cell is 100%) Module construction With Anodized Aluminum Frameless, sandwiched between glass; lower cost, lower weight Module efficiency Inverter Compatibility and Sizing 13%-19% Lower temperature coefficient is beneficial 4%- 12% System designer has to consider factor such as temperature coefficients, Voc-Vmp difference, isolation resistance due to external factors Mounting systems Industry standard Special clips and structures may be needed. In some cases labor cost is significantly saved May require more number of circuit combiners and fuses Commercial/ Utility May require up to %50 more space for a given project size Example Brands Q-Cells, Kyocera, Evergreen, Sanyo, Schuco, Canadian Solar, Sharp, Yingli, Solon Schott, REC, Solarworld First solar, Solyndra, UniSolar, Konarka Dye Solar, Bosch Solar,Sharp, Abound Solar 73%-82% 60%-68% 80%-85% 72%-78%

DC wiring Application Type Required Area

Industry standard Residential/ Commercial/ Utility Industry standard

53

Figure 10: efficiency comparison between wide range of PV technologies

54

Current Sensor Data Sheet

Figure 11: Current Sensor Data Sheet -Page 1

55

Figure 12: Current Sensor Data Sheet -Page 2

56

Voltage Sensor Data Sheet

Figure 13: Voltage Sensor Data Sheet -Page 1

57

Figure 14: Voltage Sensor Data Sheet -Page 2

58

Figure 15: Voltage Sensor Data Sheet -Page 3

59