Chapter 5 Solar SYstems Sizing

(Thermal and Photovoltaic)

DifferenFe between PV and Ihermol

converts sun light
Solar thermal systems convens suniight energy into heat while PV systems
energy into electricify. Solar thermails concemed about the heat content of sunlight while PV
cells and modules do not r.tilize the heat but only the light'

Criteria for sizing

. Average energy s';ppiy must be equal at least to the average energy consumption
r Energy must be avaiiable at the time when needed or demanded

1. PV system sizing

(if energy is
. The co m pc i-,e i-,ts of a sim ple sta nd alone system are PV panel, Battery storage
neeoec at I gr:\,, poi.,,er conditioners e.g regulators, inverters and choppers
. All ccrr:cr.=nts s;:es srould be determine!.in sizinS for a good system

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Consider 2 factors

. Energy yield (maximum solar energy for the place)

. Ene6y demand ' ',. .,
,-.

Determine solar radiation of the place where system is to be installed i,e may be got through estimation
from measured or predicted data measured in sun shine hours for example consider Kampala average
insolation is 4.6 sun shine hours per day.

Determine the daily load requirement. List all appliances, their duration cf operation and voltage

lqrnps f, 20 3 180

Iarnps 1
I 2D 1 ?a

radio 1 4 io 40

'1 'l 30
TV 15

27A

Determine system losses. Assume 30% following losses which will arise from battery and regulators
which all consume power system losses will be 81wh/day'

tl The total daily energy requirement will be 81+270 =351 Wh/day

It
lt
* Pfrwsr geilerfrticn from the panets wilt be
Total daily gnerg.Y demand
=-
H.il.
--...---..::#

-insolation 76'5 W*
*35:-/4,6 thus the panel should produce
. Chos$e a panel that will provide the abuve
you
power depending on what is sn market
tagether
fflay string a number of panels
. Determine the batterY size
Required battery capacity
urill be ]
T o t a I rt af ly e ftet
g y d e.yt0ffd,Y r e s er s^.q'*? !
u-

ffi;VAG char g e xsYstern v *w ag e

' Determine Charge Contronler slze
voltage and
This depends on the srlstern
current that can be produced frem
maxirnum
the panel
2. Soldr Thermal sizing
e Deterrnlne the thermal energy rlield
ener$Y that can he
got
tmaxirnum tharmal
type)
fram a specified solar collectcr
of the
* TFris depends on the ahsorpmnce
collectorta}andthelnsolationofthearea{u
rThusenersYahsorded*|gW/rnz
in the thermal
' Determine the heat losstql)
sy$tert
due to
heat losses in the syslern are
rCInvectlcR, rond uction 6
nd rad:iatisn
energy(qr)
Determine the useful therrnal
Qrt = Ia * qt

the thermal energy demand (Q)

" Determine
'Q =rnc(foot-Tt")
be heated
Where m-'rnass of fluid to
of fluid
c-sPecific heat caPacitY
fiowing out *f the
Too*-temp*rature of tluid
csliectot:
T,n*terxperature of ftuid
flowing in to the
cotlector
 . Petcrrnine the n of the collector which will
be

n *: o
LT14

Note; to accurately determine q* the heat

rernoval factor needs to be determined"

Example:
one 75 watt refrigerator that runs for 12
A house has the following electrical appliance usage:
hours per day, one oo watt fan used for 2 hours
p"i a.y and one 18 watt fluorescent lamp used
and the panel generation
4 hours per day. The overall systems energy loss is estim:Iq.:,30%
factoras3.4.Thesystemwillbepoweredby12Vdcandll0WPPVrnodule'
(i) Deterrnine power consumption demands
(ii) Size the panel ,- -!!^-.. i^ oto/
(assume the battery is 85% efficient
(ii) Detern^:ne the battery size for"l days autonomy
r,vlth a 60?/. dePth of discharge)

Duration of Daily energY

Appliance quantitY
demand (watt-
operatiort

Refrigerator

Energy loss (307" of X092

Total demand

(i) 1419.6 Wl^r.'cjaY

(ii)Porvergener.ationfromthepanel=ffi=,#=4L7.52Wp

power output' What you are

But you don't :ave a single panel that can produce 4t7.sZWo
given is several PV moCuies of 110 Wo power output. Decide
how many you will need to

connect in series to generaie 4l7.sZW p'

Number of 110 !v, modules required in series = 417 .521110 = 3.79 (round off to 4)
 in series are required)
in series is required (or 4 PV modules
pV panel of 4 modules
Hence, A

(iii)

Battery caPacitY =
"T,'-w -L'!4-
T otal doilv
" ffi
ffi"--.-
opeiating of the
uottag-e system)
(nomlnal
u ]-
L41s.6
-T x 0; :- Sg1.5 Amp - hours (AH)

't provide 89%ofits original

[oj;;;;;;, be d v ded bv 0 85
'i.
::;Tffi',.:il;1,:,-;J::TJilil:T;ff::1ffilllT
system'
provide a reliable battery

Thebatterysizeshouldbe=591.5AH/0.s5=655'88AH(roundoffto656At.l)
Battery sizing Tips {Read this privatelv }

ENGINEERING DESIGN FACTOR: r- - maximum depth of

the battery for cyclic applications to a -^..i*rrv
Many battery manufacturers will advise sizing
discharge of SD%.That would mean doubling
the size of the battery' some batteries have trouble
days of autonomy
would"mean for the 50 AH/Day load with 5
recovering from deep iischarges. That using a 600 AH battery; so
that they would.advise
(total AH for 5 days = 50 AH/Day X 5 day = 300 AHL AH)' However, some
minimum battery capacity is at 300
that at maximum depth of discharge of 50% the
battery brands do not have this discharge
depth limitation' (lg0% is the
Considerthatthe battery is repiaceable when it does not provide 80%of its originalcapacity
be divided by 0'80 to
that the same 300 AH requirement
battery efficiency). Therefore, r.,'e recommend That represents a
using a 375 AH battery'
provide a reliable battepyri"r, We would recommend
significant savings.

OPERATING TEM PERATU RES:

ThetemperatureofthebaitenTcanbeamajorfactorinsizingthesystem.Leadacidbatterycapacityis
high temperatures'
life is shortened in
reduced in cold tempei'atures. Lead acid battery

battery itself and ambient temperature can be vastly

It should be noiec that the temperature of the change is much
change very quickly, battery temperature
different. whlle arnc,ent temperatures can and it
slower, Thls ls C;e :ne mass of the battery,
lt tak--es time for the battery to absorb temperature
takes tin:e fc: the battery to relinquish
temperature'

for the Past 24 hours Plus or minus a

The bater/s lel.:.,perature is normally the average temperature
to heat or cool the battery and we must take
few degrees. .t -a11/ cases it can be difficult or iripossible
continuously at Oe F' (-18e C')wlll
temperature in:c c:nsideration. A batterythat is required to operate
rr*" ur*",y operated continuously in a 95e F' (35e c')
provide about 5l;:. of its capacity. This
environment ca n l:se half its expected life'

Theearthisagreatheatsinkwhichprovidesgreatinsulationinhighorlowtemperatures,Byburying the life of the

Japacity in cold temperatures and increase
the battery in the g:cunC lve can increase its can be brought
battery in high terr,peratures. The battery with
only 60% of its capacity at 0e F' [-18e C']
the battery can
up to 85% to 909t1 capaclry by burying it.
Wi; life cut in half at 95e F' [35e C']' burying
bring it back to near ncrrnal life expectancy'

DAYS OF AUTONOIvIY: weather'

every day, at night and during inclement
The sun does noi siine rvith equal intensity is the amount of solar
(lnrolation measured
cloud cover, ra n, snorv, etc, diminish the daity'lnsoLtion factor must
energy dellver-ed to tne earth's surface. f
nrotattn is measured in kWatts/mete12)' A storage
these periods'
system to operate reliably throughout
be ern plcye c ic a llc',v the photovoltaic battery
daily depth of
life of the battery by limiting its average
in addition, it ls desired to obtain the best service of Battery Autonomy"' The
discharge. Thls siorage factor is commonly
ieferred to as "Number of Days
for the lowest
Peak Hours of Sun per Day [(kwm2)/day]
number of days ls establlshed by evaluating the that month'
oriented for maximum output during
lnsolation month of the year; with the ,otu. uioy
 i

The minimum number of days that should be considered is 5 days of storage for even the
sunniest
locations on earth. ln these i,igh run locations there will be days when the sun is obscured and the
desired battery's average daily depth of discharge is limited to 2O%'

Therefore, the recommended days of autonomy storage are listed on the following cha

Recornmended DavsioTAutOno@
Recotrmende of AutonorTl! St'
[<W/m'lday Days of Storage
4.5+ 5
3.5 to 4.5 o
2-7 W 3,5 7
2"ff to 2.7 I
<2,0 Up to 14.
*Special Conslderations Req uired

SUMMARYI
provide
A properly designed PV system with adequate array, battery capa:ity and cuaii:y regulator can
a

power source many years of highly reliable ehergy.

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