Questions tagged [solar-energy]
Use for questions about non-photovoltaic solar energy applications, such as passive solar heating or concentrated solar thermal power. For PV applications, use the photovoltaics tag instead.
0
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1answer
24 views
What is the solar window (solar altitude angle range) of Bangalore? [on hold]
What is the solar altitude at Bangalore at solar noon during summer solstice, March equinox, Winter solstice and September equinox? In other words, What is the solar window (solar altitude angle range)...
3
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1answer
33 views
How are solar panels at equator placed?
Are solar panels placed horizontally at the equators since the solar altitude (solar window) changes direction from north to south?
0
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1answer
26 views
What is the purpose of the isolated subpanel terminal of a solar inverter?
In a grid-connected (utility-interactive) battery-based PV system, what is the purpose of the 'Isolated Subpanel' terminal of the inverter?
EDIT: Found this descriptive image and hence answered the ...
1
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0answers
19 views
Hybrid Energy Monitoring Systems
I have been doing research on renewable energy systems and I must admit that I am a newbie in this specific area. I have noticed that stand-alone systems have their own specific monitoring system ...
1
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1answer
34 views
Electronics confusion
I want to build my own off-grid system but confused with what sizes (V, I) to get.
I want to run a 24v system powering 4.4kWh/day. I have 4 hours of usable sunlight a day and space for panels and ...
1
vote
1answer
38 views
Solar Thermal heat gain formula converted to CO2e and trees saved
We have invented a solar thermal heating system with interseasonal storage, recently patented. I want to display the trees saved and carbon offset on the control display based on temperatures coming ...
1
vote
4answers
65 views
Is it practical to make a solar furnace for small scale metal production?
Solar furnaces using mirrors to concentrate sunlight on a small area do not produce much power - perhaps 1kW per square metre of mirror - but can reach very high temperatures. From the earliest ...
0
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0answers
20 views
How can I make MPPT charge controller with database to get information about changing irradiance levels and the best V for each state
New to programming, I'm working on an MPPT project. I want to use the P&O algorithm but the issue of instability bothers me. I believe if the controller can be made smart, it'll be able to pick ...
0
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2answers
30 views
Did a RTC solar tracker need any photosensor?
I planned to do a solar tracker for my project and I am going to make a RTC solar tracker(actually still considering). So, do I still need photosensor like LDR for tracking the sun?
4
votes
2answers
100 views
Solving heat loss equation associated with solar trough concentrators
My project is about finding the efficiency of solar trough (cylindrical parabola) concentrator that will boil water in a pipe located at the focus (check picture please). In the process of doing so (...
4
votes
1answer
48 views
Is it better to heat a heat pump evaporator or the load directly?
I have a heat pump which moves heat from outside to inside. I also have a solar heating array that collects radiant heat from the sun. Given that my goal is to heat the inside (with minimal energy ...
0
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0answers
460 views
TP4056 alternative with 2A charging current
all.
I am searching for an alternative to TP4056 that would be capable of 2A charging current.
I have a set of 18650 batteries in parallel that power a wireless device. To charge them, I use 6V solar ...
0
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0answers
29 views
Solar microinverter in parallel with sine wave inverter
A solar micro inverter operates as long as the grid is available. I am looking for a solution to power up my house when the grid is down but the sun shines.
If I connect a pure-sine wave inverter in ...
2
votes
1answer
173 views
CUF v/s PLF of power plants
What is the difference between capacity use factor (CUF) of solar power plant and plant load factor (PLF) of coal based power plant? Can we compare both since they seem analogous?
1
vote
0answers
25 views
Charging a Li-po battery (battery output current)
I would like to design a buck converter to use a PV panel to charge a 11.1V 3000mAh 3S 30C Lipo battery.
I want to choose the minimum inductance for a CCM ($L=\dfrac{V_{out}T_s}{2I_{out}}$), what is ...
0
votes
2answers
87 views
Why not skip inverters and use solar power directly as dc?
To maximize efficiency and reduce cost I am contemplating using the power from solar cells directly as dc without conversion to ac. I plan to wire and connect the solar panels in series and parallel ...
2
votes
1answer
173 views
Design of Compound Elliptical Concentrator and Compound Parabolic Concentrator
What is the process in design a Compound Elliptical Concentrator and Compound Parabolic Concentrator if I wanted to achieve 100% optimal concentration ? Let's assume random numbers of: A light source ...
5
votes
2answers
450 views
Can solar panels absorb heat for energy?
Solar panels can absorb sunlight and use it for energy, but can they absorb the heat that is generated from their use and use the heat for energy?
1
vote
2answers
51 views
What material (preferably relatively inexpensive), can I use for absorber in a fresnel solar concentrator
I am thinking of building a prototype for a solar generator using a fresnel lens to concentrate sun rays to a relatively small area, for the purpose of harnessing the thermal energy.
The problem ...
1
vote
2answers
74 views
How to extract solar energy from a wall?
I have a vertical wall which faces the sun (North in my case as I am in New Zealand) and it gets hot in Summer.I should like to take some of that heat and transfer it into a nearby swimming pool as it ...
1
vote
1answer
71 views
Thermodynamics of an Arctic Greenhouse
QUESTION
For a business project, I'm looking into the viability of a greenhouse situated in Canada's far northern town of Iqaluit. The problem is how to mathematically simulate the internal air ...
-1
votes
1answer
38 views
What tools to use for a solar powered backup? [closed]
Recently, we experienced complete outages for around 8 hours, due to construction on a nearby road. We have decided to install a backup battery and solar array to prevent this from happening in the ...
2
votes
1answer
39 views
What happens if current provided to mono phase motor is less than rated power
I have a 0.5 kW single-phase AC motor. What happens if the supply is 220 V but can't supply the full current needed? Will the motor torque be lower? Or will it be slower?
Will it be any ...
0
votes
1answer
171 views
Surface in the sun vs. surface in the shade [closed]
What is the difference in temperature between a surface in the sun as supposed to one in the shade and how is it calculated?
For instance:
What will the temperature be if a metal sheet lies in the ...
0
votes
1answer
47 views
Daylighting, how to improve coverage
I am doing this daylighting project for which we must bring the light far down into a bunker. I have found .
I have heard and read that the quantity of light that you bring in a cable decreases, 60% ...
6
votes
2answers
142 views
Did I wire these solar panels correctly?
recently I bought 3 solar panels rated at 5V 200 mA each. I want to use them to charge a 5V battery bank to charge a phone. Thinking about the proper way to put them, I thought i can connect all in ...
11
votes
7answers
4k views
What are the disadvantages of concentrated solar thermal power?
Concentrated solar power looks on the surface to be an excellent source of grid power. It's sustainable, has no obvious waste products to deal with either during construction or operation, and with ...
12
votes
4answers
3k views
Will more electricity be generated by using a lens to focus sunlight onto solar cells?
I have been wondering about this question for quite some time. Assuming an ideal case, the energy from photons hitting solar cells is converted into electric energy as described by the equation:
$RI^...
4
votes
1answer
180 views
Is it possible to modify a home gutter to absorb sufficient solar energy to melt ice?
This is related to the question Will dark gutters stay ice free better than light colored gutters? The current consensus seems to be that the mass of the gutters and limited light may make simply ...
