Solar data monitoring, logging, and analysis
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Campus where you would like to present
SURC Ballroom C/D
Start Date
16-5-2013
End Date
16-5-2013
Abstract
The purpose of this project was to monitor and log the output of solar panels mounted at different angles. Two solar panels are mounted on the roof of Hogue hall, one at 20 degrees, and one at 37 degrees. I expect the power output of the panel mounted at 20 degrees to be approximately 5 percent greater than the panel mounted at 37 degrees during April and May. A field programmable gate array (FPGA) from National Instruments was used to collect the data. The module used in the FPGA only accepts voltage levels between -10 and 10 volts. Because of this, a voltage divider was used to decrease the panel's voltage to an acceptable level. The voltage readings are sent through an Ethernet connection to a host computer where the current and power are calculated. The voltage, power, and a time stamp were then logged to a text file for analysis. The initial readings support the hypothesis that a 17 degree shallower panel angle correlates to about 5 percent greater power output during the spring months.
Recommended Citation
Olin, Jacob, "Solar data monitoring, logging, and analysis" (2013). Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 114.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2013/posters/114
Poster Number
14
Additional Mentoring Department
Industrial and Engineering Technology
Solar data monitoring, logging, and analysis
SURC Ballroom C/D
The purpose of this project was to monitor and log the output of solar panels mounted at different angles. Two solar panels are mounted on the roof of Hogue hall, one at 20 degrees, and one at 37 degrees. I expect the power output of the panel mounted at 20 degrees to be approximately 5 percent greater than the panel mounted at 37 degrees during April and May. A field programmable gate array (FPGA) from National Instruments was used to collect the data. The module used in the FPGA only accepts voltage levels between -10 and 10 volts. Because of this, a voltage divider was used to decrease the panel's voltage to an acceptable level. The voltage readings are sent through an Ethernet connection to a host computer where the current and power are calculated. The voltage, power, and a time stamp were then logged to a text file for analysis. The initial readings support the hypothesis that a 17 degree shallower panel angle correlates to about 5 percent greater power output during the spring months.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Nathan Davis