DEM Project:
Kenyan Solar Solution
Created by: Brian Brosnan, Jason
Ochs, Tomas Quinteros Amat, Rachel
Wiggins
Mission Statement
To provide the poverty-stricken rural population of Kenya
with an affordable means of charging personal electronics
to a full charge through renewable resources and without
the need for significant travel.
Background:
Target: Rural Nakuru, Central Kenya
Secondary Market: larger scale, urban areas
82% of Kenyans use cell phones
Climate: arid, drought-stricken
Monsoon winds/storms in some parts of country
Rural Poverty: $0.68/Day
Decision Matrix
Prototype 1
***Following final concept selection****
Design for the case, not the mount
Tests:
Water Resistance
Debris
Stress
Drop Sensitivity
Prototype 1 Test Results:
Water Resistance Test: waterproof except for one corner
Debris Test: mud, dirt, and food residue rinse right off
Stress Test: strongest vertically and diagonally with compression
Drop Test: no damage until drop from 6ft
Weight Test: acrylic can survive compression of 110+ pounds
Smash Test: acrylic cannot withstand impact and shatters
Water Resistance Test
When the case was under running water, water entered
through one corner in drops
When submerged, bubbles were seen in the same corner
Debris Test
Debris
Dirt
Mud
Coffee
Grounds
Amount of
Debris
Visual
Observations
Hard to
Clean?
Scale (15)
Cover Acrylic
cleans off
completely
very easy,
run under
water
5
Cover Acrylic
cleans off
completely
very easy,
run under
water
5
Cover Acrylic
Cleans off
completely
very easy,
run under
water
5
Stress Test
Position
of Product
Horizontal
Vertical
Diagonal
# Turns of
Crank
1¼
3
2¾
Visual Observations
Scale
(1-5)
wood starts to break apart on
edge, cracking sound
3
Glass separating, little
bending, hard to turn,
warping, cracking sound
4
Warped Acrylic, warped
corners, acrylic and wood
frame separates on side
2
Drop Test
Height (ft)
Visual Observations
Scale (1-5)
1
No damage seen
5
2
No damage seen
5
3
No damage seen
5
4
Small Chip breaks off
from the bottom
4
5
No damage seen
5
6
Acrylic breaks apart
from 3 out of the 4 sides
2
After 6 foot drop
Weight Test
Weight (lbs)
Visual Observations
Scale (1-5)
25
No changes/ damages
5
50
No changes/ damages
5
75
Starts to depress, dips, no damages
4
100
Dips/ depresses, no damage
3
105.3
Dips/ depresses, no damages
3
110.1
Dips/ depresses, no damages
3
105.3 lbs
Smash Test
After one hit with a hammer
Improvements for Prototype 2
Adjustment for new solar panel
Angled Mount
Polycarbonate Covering (25x+ stronger)
Waterproofing
Stronger bond for clear cover
Prototype 2
Wooden blocks for optimal angles
Affixed to roof
5V 240mAh Panel
Circuitry: panel, rectifier, USB port, and
Prototype 2 Testing
Pending parts arrival and assembly
Prototype 3
Plastic material
Versatility to connect to other power sources
Rubber waterproofing
How Design Will Benefit the Customer
Frugal - Stays w/in the $10 budget
Estimated Cost Breakdown: $9.92
Rectifier Diodes: 4x $0.50
Simple installation, simple
maintenance
Easy to shift for optimal power
Voltage Regulator: $0.58
Weather tested for tropical climate
USB Port: $0.72
Small Size, Worked into daily lives of
consumer
Solar Panel (5V, 240 mA, 1.2W, 110x
69 mm) : $2.52
Based on Samsung b310 Piton, a
phone available in Kenya, would
QUESTIONS
References
"Kenya." Weather & Climate (+ Climate Chart). Safari Bookings, n.d. Web. 09 Sept. 2015.
"Population Density Map of Kenya." By BestCountryReports.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Sept. 2015.
Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 09 Sept. 2015.
"Climate & Agriculture." Our Africa. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2015.
"East Africa Living Encyclopedia." East Africa Living Encyclopedia. Web. 14 Sept. 2015.
Hanson, Stephanie. "Understanding Kenya’s Politics." Council on Foreign Relations. Council on Foreign Relations, 25 Jan. 2008. Web. 15 Sept.
2015.
"Kenya: Unequal Access to the School System | Education for All | DW.COM | 03.05.2012." DW.COM. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2015.
"Healthcare in Kenya." Healthcare in Kenya. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2015.
"Food Security Report (Prepared by Kenya Agricultural Research Institute | Food Security Portal." Food Security Report (Prepared by Kenya
Agricultural Research Institute | Food Security Portal. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2015.
"Water In Crisis - Spotlight Kenya." The Water Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2015.
Central Bank of Kenya - www.centralbank.go.ke
Denmark in Kenya - About Kenya - Economy - https://kenya.um.dk/en/about-kenya-new/economy-new/
Index Mundi - Kenya - http://www.indexmundi.com/minerals/?country=ke
The World Bank - http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/kenya/overview
Trading Economics - Kenyan Shilling - www.tradingeconomics.com/kenya/currency
Poverty in Kenya: The Impact of Unemployment, Child Labor, & HIV - http://www.poverties.org/poverty-in-kenya.html
solarelectricityhandbook.com/solar-angle-calculato.html
Schwartz, Drew. “Polycarbonate (Lexan) vs. Acrylic (Lucite).” 25 Sept. 2015 - http://www.coloradoplastics.com/blog-0/bid/42625/PolycarbonateLexan-vs-Acrylic-Lucite
Reference continued:
Researched Products:
http://www.amazon.com/ReStore-Portable-Charging-Rubberized-Exterior/dp/B00E5NK3B4
http://www.amazon.com/smartmo-Portable-Capacity-ElectricIntelligent/dp/B00TDEG13E/ref=sr_1_89?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1442382227&sr=1-89
http://www.amazon.com/Sunnytech%C2%AE-109ma-Solar-ModuleCharger/dp/B00MAYVHHO/ref=sr_1_8?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1442382171&sr=1-8
http://www.microsoft.com/en/mobile/phone/105/specifications/
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/5V-240mA-1-2W-Solar-Panel-Module-DIY-for-Cell-Charger-Toy-69410/32324831127.html
http://www.newark.com/exar/sp7805v-l/ldo-voltage-regulator-1a-5v/dp/24R1322
http://www.newark.com/fairchild-semiconductor/1n4001/diode-standard-1a-50v-do-41/dp/18C8911
http://www.newark.com/te-connectivity/1734366-1/usb-2-0-type-a-plug-th/dp/18M6973
http://www.homedepot.com/p/LEXAN-10-in-x-8-in-Polycarbonate-Sheet-31-GE-XL-1/202090134
http://www.instructables.com/id/Survival-USB-Charger-Use-any-power-source-to-charg/?ALLSTEPS
http://www.instructables.com/id/Self-Correcting-Polarity-Protection/
http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/semiconductors/chpt-3/rectifier-circuits/
https://www.jumia.co.ke/samsung-b310-piton-blue-79156.html