MOS E
3
McCall Outdoor Science School Sustainable Energy
Spencer Goodall
Seth Massey
Jeffrey Tracy
Matt Schwisow
Kelsea Wilkins
Table of Contents
`
Executive Summary
3
Background
4
Problem Definition
5
Design Description: Mobile Solar Platform
7
Design Description: Energy-Use Monitoring
15
Educational Programming
18
Future Work
19
Appendix A: Mobile Solar Platform Education Programming
20
Appendix B: Energy-use Monitoring System Educational Programming
24
Appendix C: Bill of Materials
27
Appendix D: Solar Calculation Supplement
28
Appendix E: Owner’s Manual
38
2
Executive Summary:
The McCall Outdoor Science School Sustainable Energy team designed and manufactured a
mobile solar platform for the purpose of educating K-12 students about renewable energy production.
Additionally, the team developed an educational program to accompany the mobile solar platform with
the purpose of providing instructors at the McCall Outdoor Science School with interesting curriculum to
engage students in hands-on learning with a renewable energy source. Our team also implemented an
energy monitoring system on the McCall campus and developed an education system to accompany it.
The needs of this project outlined by the College of Natural Resources indicated the McCall
Outdoor Science School was focusing heavily on renewable, sustainable forms of energy. Integrating this
focus on renewable energy with the student’s interest in learning created the need for an educational
system or tool that would educate students about renewable energy. Our team thusly created a tool
that would introduce students to a promising, practical form of renewable energy while providing them
with the hands-on tools for understanding how it works via on-board displays and a corresponding
educational system. We integrated a solar panel onto a mobile platform with adjustable angle and onboard monitoring equipment to display both quantitative and qualitative energy production. To
accompany this tool, we devised an educational program introducing students to the concepts of energy
production and energy storage. Implementing an energy monitoring system allows both the staff and
students to view campus power consumption of the system. This system allows for hands-on learning
and creates the potential for long-term interest in the field of renewable energy.
3
Background:
The McCall Outdoor Science School has a long history of coupling teaching with fun outdoor
activities for K-12 students. Primarily, these educational programs have been introductory programs to
outdoor sciences such as building watersheds, measuring oxygen levels in streams, and understanding
the value of trees in an ecosystem. These projects have a great emphasis on natural resources and
understanding their role in the environment. The College of Natural Resources who funds the McCall
Outdoor Science School has been seeking to expand the MOSS curriculum to incorporate renewable
energy and engineering. Additionally, the college is looking to limit excessive power consumption on the
campus during winter months. This provided our team with a need to develop a useful tool or set of
tools that would introduce K-12 students to renewable energy and engineering as well as addressing
excessive campus power consumption. The project would need to embrace the outdoor nature of the
programs at McCall without sacrificing the focus on renewable energy education. In the end, this project
will provide students with a hands-on experience of renewable energy production and provide
instructors with an educational program to enhance their learning. Additionally, the project will provide
the college and campus with data regarding energy consumption and incorporate with it, an interactive
experience for McCall students.
4
Problem Definition:
Goals:
Our team is seeking to create a tool to introduce students to renewable energy and engineering
using a hands-on approach. Additionally, our team is seeking to monitor energy consumption of
the campus and display/store the data for reflection and educational projects. Finally, our team
will generate educational programs to accompany both the renewable energy tool and the
energy monitoring system.
Deliverables:
-
Interactive renewable energy tool
Educational program to introduce students to renewable energy
Energy-use monitoring system
Educational program to work in conjunction with energy-use monitoring system
Specifications:

Mobility – The platform must be mobile and able to travel over rough, uneven terrain with
relative ease. K-12 students must be able to adjust and move the platform without difficult.
5

Durability – the platform must be durable and able to withstand contact with the MOSS
campus environment as well as any accidental roll-overs or excessive abuse from students.

Safe – The platform must contain no sharp edges or unpainted surfaces to limit potential
injury to students.

Angle Adjustment – The angle of the platform containing the solar panel must be able to be
adjusted without excessive difficulty and have the ability for students to measure the angle
at a glance.

Qualitative Visual Display – There must be a visual display of power output from the solar
panel that indicates the level of power being generated based upon the angle and
orientation of the panel. This display will primarily be used for younger students to see how
certain changes to angle and orientation affect the power produced by the panel.

Quantitative Visual Display – The platform should have an easily accessible visual display of
current, voltage, and miscellaneous electronic variables for more educated students to
interact with and calculate power in order to optimize panel orientation and angle.

Minimal Maintenance – The platform must not require excessive maintenance.

Easily Repairable – Components used must be easily accessible at a local store for quick
repair of damages. Additionally, the assembly must not be overly complex, ensuring campus
facilitators will be able to repair the platform providing any damage is incurred.

Elapsed Time Display – There will need to be an elapsed time display for more educated
students to calculate energy stored based upon the time the solar panel is in the sun.

Real Time Energy Monitoring – Energy monitoring for campus power consumption showing
trends of usage over periods of time.
6
Design Description: Mobile Solar Platform
Our team chose to create a mobile solar platform as the solution to the needs of the
MOSS campus. The platform would display a qualitative and quantitative reading for power
production from a solar panel. The panel angle will also need to remain adjustable with a
measureable angle for students to interact with. The aspect of the platform will also have
measurable and adjustable aspect. The platform should handle the abuse of regular student and
instructor use, as well as abuse from regular environmental phenomena.
Our solution utilizes a small, steel utility cart as a mobile foundation. The utility cart
provides a durable base upon which both the solar panel and corresponding electrical
components can be mounted. Additionally, the painted steel frame will resist rust and harsh
impacts with worldly objects. The railings on the cart we selected are adequate for mounting an
angle adjustment mechanism on without excessive fabrication. The railings also create an easy
location for students to interact with adjusting the angle of the solar panel. The utility cart also
comes with inflatable tires and a rotating front axle attached to a handle. Inflatable tires help
reduce rolling resistance over uneven terrain and the thick rubber of the tires prevents
environmental objects from bursting the bladder of the tire. The knobby design of tread on the
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tires helps reduce slippage on the uneven ground of the McCall campus. The front axle which
rotates enables easy adjustment of aspect on the cart and enhances maneuverability for the
tight corners of the gravel pathways spread throughout the McCall campus.
The solar panel chosen for the platform is a 12 watt Monocrystalline panel with a
protective coating, charge controller and steel frame. The protective coating over the panel
provides excellent scratch and corrosion resistance. The McCall campus has many trees and
shrubs that can damage the sensitive Monocrystalline panel, a protective coating helps prevent
these environmental conditions from reducing the functionality of the panel. The steel frame
provides an excellent mounting point for the angle adjustment mechanism. The powder-coated
frame resists scratches and corrosion from debris and water. The charge controller controls
voltage and current coming from the panel. The protective film also enables students to
physically interact with the solar panel without cause damage to its sensitive surface.
8
The window adjuster mechanism retrofitted to adjust the angle of the solar panel
provides an easy, accurate way to adjust the angle of the panel. The window crank is easy
enough for K-12 students to adjust without difficulty. The adjuster also eliminates bind in the
system making the operation of adjusting the angle easy. The panel is able to be adjusted from
0-90 degrees which allows a wide range of adjustment for students to experiment with.
Cranking the window adjustor clockwise lowers the panel and counterclockwise raises it.
The aspect of the cart is measured via a compass placed flat on the steel frame of the
utility cart. The compass gives students a quantitative frame of reference to denote in their
measurements and allows them to document the corresponding change in power output as a
function of panel aspect.
9
The altitude angle is measured via a laminated card that has various angles indicated .
This feature allows older students to make complex calculations for predicted power output of
the panel. The bolt is two inches above the cart bottom. The length of the bolt’s shadow can be
used to find the altitude.
The array of LEDs will provide a qualitative display of the power output of the panel.
This allows students to capture, at a glimpse, the power output of a solar panel as the angle and
aspect are adjusted. This function primarily serves as an introduction to solar power for younger
McCall students, enabling them to move the cart around and adjust the angle to see how a
multitude of variables impact power production. The Arduino Uno is used to control the LED
light output and signals the LED’s to turn on as voltage output from the panel increases. The
Arduino is powered by 9 volt batteries and the switch needs to be turned off once
measurements are finished.
10
Two digital multimeters provides a quantitative power output reading for older McCall
students. Using this multimeter enables them to measure voltage and current from the panel
and calculate the power produced by the panel. This helps provide students with an
introduction to basic electrical calculations and understanding of the concept of power, voltage,
and current. The Red/Green leads plug into the Red/Green tape on the multimeter and the
Blue/Black leads plug into the Blue/Black tape on the multimeter. The Blue/Black multimeter
reads voltage and the Red/Green multimeter reads current.
The button level allows the tilt of the cart in all directions to be adjusted for precise
calculations and measurements. When the center bubble is aligned with the circle, the cart is
level. This aids the accuracy of measurements.
11
The protractor enables students to measure wall-solar azimuth. By aligning the
protractor with the zenith measurement angle device and the metal rail and subtracting the
measured angle from 90° provides students with the wall-solar azimuth or the horizontal angle
between the sun and the panel.
The protractor is also used to measure the vertical orientation of the panel. The angle
the protractor measures when aligned with hinge provides students with the surface tilt angle
for the panel.
To accompany this solar cart, our team devised an educational program for the students
in McCall to interact with the solar cart and introduce them to concepts of renewable power
generation.
12
How it Works:
The mobile solar platform is able to be maneuvered to various locations by means of a
handle attached to the utility cart. Students and instructors will be able to pull the cart over
uneven ground with ease. The cart will be able to be placed in any outdoor setting and the
students and instructors will be able to adjust the angle of the panel using the window opener.
The students will see the LED display light up as the solar panel captures energy from the sun.
Students and the instructors will be able to measure variables using the compass and protractor
as well as the quantitative outputs of voltage and current.
Wiring Diagram:
13
Components:
14
Design Description: Energy-Use Monitoring
Our team chose to implement a real-time energy use monitoring system called “TED”
which stands for “The Energy Detective”. This system measures energy consumption of various
buildings and routes it to a computer where it stores the information on the computer hard
drive. The interactive software allows users to establish energy-use measurement intervals and
plot that data over a set period of time.
This system captures energy consumption data by utilizing measuring transmitting units
coupled to current transformers that clamp around power input lines to breaker boxes on
homes and businesses. These units are hard wired in to the breaker box for long-lasting
installation. Mounting tabs allow for permanent mounting and clamps prevent intrusive or
lengthy wiring. This information is transmitted to a computer using a gateway unit. Each
gateway unit needs to be hooked to its own wireless router in order to transmit the information
to the computer.
Figure above shows real-time energy use, peak load, and projected energy consumption.
15
Figure above shows history of measurements and energy use during elapsed time intervals.
The interactive display shows both real-time data and long-term data allowing the user
to view trends in power consumption, real-time energy consumption, and energy consumption
over multiple days, months, years, etc. This allows both students and instructors to interact with
and view campus power consumption and find ways to reduce energy use.
How it Works:
The MTU’s and CT’s capture data regarding energy consumption and use a gateway unit
to relay the information to a computer. The computer program that comes with “The Energy
Detective” interprets and presents this information according to user requests of real-time or
long-term monitoring. We installed 3 of the gateway units and 3 MTU/CT’s to monitor overall
campus power usage and consumption of two buildings on the campus.
Installation:
16
Components:
17
Educational Programming
The objective of our educational programming is to introduce McCall Outdoor Science School
students to renewable energy and engineering. This provides the students with a hands-on approach to
renewable energy with a practical emphasis on engineering. Tailoring the program to incorporate power
calculations, zenith angles and aspect of the cart allows the students to consider variables that affect
solar panel performance. Additionally, the program introduces students to campus power consumption
and allows them to grasp a real perspective of how much power buildings require.
Solar Platform Educational Programming:




Introduces students to concepts of power production using renewable form of energy.
Asks challenging practical questions regarding how sunlight affects power production of panel,
how aspect and orientation of the panel affects power output and how different times of day
affect performance of the panel.
Engages students in hands-on group work and encourages team to orientate panel to optimize
power production.
Instructors engage students about how to properly test for performance in engineering, the
difference between quantitative and qualitative observations, and the variables that should be
tested.
Energy-Use Monitoring Educational Programming:




Students view campus-wide power consumption on www.bidgley.com
Challenges students to discuss in groups what activities cause high energy consumption at
different times during the day.
Allows staff to engage students about how to conserve energy on campus.
Relates energy consumption to renewable energy.
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Future Work:
Once the College of Natural resources is able to secure the MOSS campus from the Idaho
Department of Lands, the campus should invest money in remodeling the cabins and dining hall to
improve thermal efficiency and reduce heating costs. Once the land is procured, it would be beneficial
to install a ground-source heat pump or lake-loop geothermal system on the campus for heating in the
winter and cooling in the summer. This system could substantially reduce energy costs and would serve
as an excellent senior project for future mechanical engineering students. Our team initially sought this
as a potential project but due to the current status of the campus with the Idaho Department of Lands,
this project would be more viable in a minimum of 5 years due to legal issues. Building a source of
renewable energy such as a turbine-powered wood gasification system would reduce energy
consumption and allow selective logging of the Nokes’ property. Our team deemed this the most viable
long-term solution to the campus power consumption issue without developing the Nokes’ property.
However due to the expense of this system, it would extremely beneficial to do a long-term economic
analysis of the system prior to implementing it. This would be an excellent project for future mechanical
engineering design teams.
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Appendix A: Mobile Solar Platform Educational Programming
Title: Solar Power & Measurement
Grade Level: 5th-12th, Variable instructions for different age groups
Topic:
Sustainable Energy
Background:
Decreasing fossil fuel supplies and an increasing emphasis on
renewable energy systems of all kinds make solar power a very
relevant topic for today’s students. Data from Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory indicates that installed
photovoltaic capacity is increasing exponentially in the US, and
average installed costs have decreased by more than 50%
since 1998. Solar power development enjoys substantial and
growing support at the local, state, and federal levels. This
includes programs such as the DOE’s SunShot Initiative, which
intends to reduce the installed cost of solar power systems by
75% from current levels.
Based on this, it is likely that many students will find
themselves interacting with solar power frequently as they
continue their education and transition into the workforce. A
basic understanding of solar power systems will provide
students with useful information for their daily lives, as well as
encouraging them to learn more about renewable energy. To
help students gain this understanding, the McCall Outdoor
Science School Sustainable Energy (MOS3E) team has built a
Mobile Solar Platform for MOSS campus use.
The MOS3E Mobile Solar Platform (MSP) is an educational tool
that features a variety of solar testing and measurement
equipment. It allows students to gather data on real-world
solar panel performance under a variety of conditions. In
addition, it engages students in a cooperative outdoor activity
that helps build teamwork skills and teaches experimental
design.
Goals:
This lesson will teach students about how the orientation of a
solar panel and environmental conditions affect its output. It is
also designed to teach students critical thinking skills within a
group environment. Students are intended to finish the lesson
with a desire to learn more about renewable energy options of
all types.
Objectives:
Students will gain a qualitative understanding of the effect of a
series of variables on solar panel output. Depending on grade
level and desired lesson time, students will also determine
quantitative relationships between these variables, learn
about the basics of multimeter use, and learn how to
calculate/measure solar position and insolation. Students will
20
also engage in a discussion about the costs and benefits of
installing various solar power systems.
Materials:
Set up:

MSP & accompanying hardware

Solar calculations supplement for older age groups
To set up the Mobile Solar Platform, connect the leads from
the solar panel to the corresponding colored jacks on the
multimeters and circuit box. After the leads are connected,
turn on the circuit box and set the multimeters to measure
current or voltage as indicated.
For further information regarding multimeter settings or
wiring, consult the design description of solar platform.
Classroom Time:
1 to 3 hours, depending on age and desired level of
involvement.
Introduction (Engage):
Take students outside to an area of mixed sun and shade. Ask
them why it is warmer in the sunny areas than in the shade?
Why does sunlight make an area warmer? Explain that solar
radiation is a form of energy, and ask what the effects of the
Sun’s energy on are on the Earth? (Plants grow, keeps water
liquid, etc.) Explain that solar panels can be used to convert
the solar radiation into electrical energy. Ask them what
factors would affect the amount of solar radiation? Which of
these factors would be most important? How could they test
their predictions using the MSP? Engage in a guided discussion
about these questions.
Activity (Explore):
1. Divide students into teams of 4 or more members. Teams
have no maximum size, but every additional team member
reduces the amount of hands-on learning that individuals will
do. Structure this according to overall group size and time
constraints.
2. Give teams time to discuss how they will maximize solar
panel output and what variables they will test. Possible
variables should be discussed with the students, and a list can
be seen in the explanation section.
3. Allow each team 5-15 minutes to test the variables that they
have chosen. Make sure that students are cooperating on all
tasks and allowing each individual to work with various parts
of the MSP. For instructions on using each individual
measurement tool, see design description of solar platform.
21
4. While one team is testing, the rest of students can work on
other projects and lessons.
5. After all students have completed their testing, have them
determine qualitative/quantitative relationships between the
tested variables and power output. To calculate quantitative
relationships, use the solar calculations supplement provided.
6. Have a class discussion about what the students have found.
Questions to ask during this discussion can be seen in the
elaboration section.
Note: Ideally, each team will be able to test at multiple times
of day under varying conditions. If students cannot be briefly
pulled from other activities, all testing can be done in a block.
However, in this case, students will not be able to see the
change in solar angles and panel output at different times of
day.
Explanation:
Explain the following to the students:

Basic principles of experimental design. Key areas to
cover include how to scientifically vary the variables
that are tested and how to be data-based in evaluating
hypotheses.

The difference between qualitative and quantitative
data. Qualitative standards are useful for initial
investigation, but older students should also
incorporate quantitative analysis.

The variables that they will be able to test. Depending
on age group, these include:
 Compass orientation of the panel
 Solar altitude (angle between the Sun and the
horizon)
 Wall-solar azimuth (horizontal angle between
the panel and the sun)
 Surface tilt (angle between the panel and the
horizon)
 Time of day
 Amount of shade in test location

The ways in which they can measure solar panel
output. In order of increasing complexity, these are:
22




Elaboration:
Color of lit LEDs inside of the circuit box
Number of lit LEDs inside of the circuit box
Current and voltage values from the attached
multimeters (P=I*V)
The amount of actual power obtainable from the
panel. This panel is rated for up to 12 W. Explain this in
terms that the students will be familiar with. For
example, this output is about enough to power 3 cell
phone chargers or one standard CFL light bulb.
For explanations of how students can quantitatively evaluate
their results, see the solar calculations supplement.
Discuss the following (Note that some topics may not be
included for all age groups):
What is the relationship between solar altitude and surface tilt
as relates to panel output? Between wall-solar azimuth and
output? Why do these relationships exist? Lead students to a
discussion of how effective panel area varies with these angles,
and how total insolation is dependent on panel area.
What is the efficiency of the panel? This conversation can be
had at various levels for different age groups. Remind students
that the calculations they are using represent a rough
approximation of real world insolation.
What is the difference between solar and clock time? What
variables affect the magnitude of this difference?
How does the ideal panel orientation and tilt change with time
of day?
Evaluation:
Have students answer the following:
What is the optimal setting for a solar panel in the morning? At
solar noon? In the afternoon?
What variables are most important in determining solar panel
orientation?
The ability of students to answer these questions will give a
strong indication of their understanding of the source
assignment. More detailed answers are to be expected from
older students.
23
Appendix B: Energy-use Monitoring System Educational Programming
Title: Energy Monitoring
Grade Level: 5th-12th, Variable instructions for different age groups
Topic:
Energy Monitoring
Background:
We depend on energy for almost everything in our lives. We
wish to make our lives comfortable, productive and enjoyable.
Unfortunately, much of this energy is wasted unnecessarily.
Most of us forget that energy is available in abundance but it is
limited and hence to maintain the quality of life, it is important
that we use our energy resources wisely.
Goals:
Objectives:
Materials:
The energy monitoring system that has been installed on the
MOSS campus will allow students to observe the energy
consumption of some of the buildings during their stay.
This lesson will teach students about energy use. It is also
designed to teach students critical thinking skills within a
group environment. Students are intended to finish the lesson
with a good idea of what day-to-day activities consume the
most energy.
Students will gain an understanding of how energy is
consumed on campus. Students will engage in a discussion
about peak energy use times and what they can do to reduce
their consumption.


Computer station
Calculators
Set up:
Go to www.bidgley.com and login using
Login: mos3ecampus
Password: Mccall.mos3e
Classroom Time:
30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on age and desired level of
involvement.
Introduction (Engage):
Ask students how energy is used in day-to-day life. What tasks
take the most energy? What time of the day will the most
energy be consumed? What days of the month are the most
energy used and is there a pattern?
Activity (Explore):
1. Divide students into teams. Each team will need a computer
station so the team size is dependent on stations available.
This activity can be done in a classroom as one large group if
necessary.
2. Give teams time to discuss what activities and times during
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the day they think consume the most energy.
3. Have each team login to the Bigdely website. They can use
the daily view to find peak energy use hours per day and the
monthly view to find total energy consumption per day.
4. Have a class discussion about what the students have found
and different ways energy can be conserved.
Explanation:
Explain the following to the students:

Elaboration:
Explain power in terms that the students will be
familiar with. For example, a 15 W output is about
enough to power 3 cell phone chargers or one
standard CFL light bulb. The solar panel on the cart has
a 15 W output.
Discuss the following (Note that some topics may not be
included for all age groups):
How many solar panels would be needed to power the
building? The solar panel on the solar cart is a 15 watt panel
which means that at peak output the panel can produce 15
watts in an hour. Using this data the students can figure out
how many panels would be required to meet the building’s
consumption for a day.
Then students can consider how long a person on a stationary
bike would have to ride to produce the energy being used in a
day. A stationary bike can generate about 200 watts/hour.
Evaluation:
Have students answer the following:
What are peak energy use times during the day and why?
What times during the month is the most energy consumed? Is
there a pattern?
What are some ways students can decrease their energy usage
at home?
The ability of students to answer these questions will give a
strong indication of their understanding of the source
assignment. More detailed answers are to be expected from
older students.
25
Monitoring System Educational Program Example Answers:
During the day, there will be energy spikes from the dining hall around breakfast, lunch, and dinner
when food is being made.
The classroom will have small spikes when it is in use but there will be no discernible pattern.
During the month, there should be energy spikes on days when large groups are visiting campus.
If the each 15 W solar panel can be at full capacity for 5 hours per day, how many would be needed to
power the campus if 75.72 kWh of energy is consumed that day?
1 W = 0.001 kW
15 W solar panel = 0.015 kW
75.72 kWh/(0.015 kW * 5 h) = 1010 solar panels would be needed
If a stationary bike can produce 200 W/h of energy, how many hours would someone have to bike to
power the campus for a day (at 75.72 kWh)?
200 W = 0.2 kW
75.72 kWh/0.2 kW = 378.6 hours of biking to power the campus for a day
26
Appendix C: Bill of Materials
Part:
Instapark 15W
Mono-crystalline
Solar Panel With
a 12V solar
charge controller
Vendor:
Amazon.com
Model #’s:
Item model
number: SPCC15W
Link:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004FOG
G1E/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=
1
Sandusky Utility
Cart
Home Depot
Model #
FW3820
Arduino Uno
Radioshack
Gateway Wall
Plug & MTU/CTs
(3 of each)
Digital
Multimeters/LED
s/Resistors
The Energy
Detective
Catalog #: 276128
Product code:
177
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Sandusky-3-cuft-20-in-W-Utility-CartFW3820/202756881#.UYB5fbXvtrU
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?
productId=12268262
http://www.theenergydetective.com/ted5000st
ore/b-5002g.html
Radioshack
27
Appendix D: Solar Calculation Supplement
Solar Calculation Supplement
The purpose of this document is to provide a brief overview of the calculations that students can make
using the Mobile Solar Platform. It is not intended to explain the basis behind these calculations, or the
details of solar power generation. There are a large number of excellent online resources that can
provide further information if needed. One particularly useful source is http://www.pveducation.org/. A
brief overview of solar geometry can be found at: http://mypages.iit.edu/~maslanka/SolarGeo.pdf.
Measurable Variables
From the multimeters, students can easily measure the voltage and current output from the panel.
Voltage should be 12 volts or less, and current output should be 1 amp or less.
The MSP also allows for measurement of several fundamental angles. These are:
Surface tilt angle (θp): The angle between the panel and the horizon. Can be easily measured with a
protractor, and adjusted with the hand-crank on the side of the cart.
Solar altitude (β): The height of the sun above the horizon. This is measured using the laminated card
attached to the cart. Align the card with the shadow of its mounting bolt, and read the lowest angle that
the shadow touches.
Solar azimuth (φs): The angle between the Sun and due south. To measure, align the cart with the sun
and read the compass deviation from south.
Wall azimuth (φp): The horizontal E-W orientation of the panel. It can be measured by the compass
deviation from south at any time.
Wall-solar azimuth (Δφ): This is the difference between the wall azimuth and the solar azimuth. To
measure this angle, align the laminated card with the bolt shadow, and align a protractor with both it
and the support rail of the cart. Subtract this angle from 90° to find the wall-solar azimuth.
Note that knowledge of any two azimuths can be used to calculate the third.
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Basic Calculations
Power Output
To determine the power output of the panel, simply use the basic equation for electrical power,
𝑃 =𝐼∗𝑉
Incidence Angle
If the fundamental angles have been measured, it is then possible to calculate the solar incidence angle
on the panel (θi). The equation to do so can be seen below:
cos 𝜃𝑖 = cos β ∗ sin 𝜃𝑝 ∗ cos ∆ϕ + sin β ∗ cos 𝜃𝑝
Insolation
Once the solar incidence angle has been calculated, it is possible to determine the amount of solar
radiation that is hitting the panel. There are several levels of complexity that this calculation can be
approached from. The most basic model can be seen below, with more complicated calculations
available in the Advanced Calculations section.
The first step in calculating the insolation of the panel is to determine the intensity of direct radiation.
This value varies substantially based on atmospheric conditions, but can be approximated as Idir ≈ 1000
W/m2. From this value, the irradiance on the panel can be calculated from the equation:
𝐼𝑔𝑙𝑜,𝑝 = 𝐼𝑑𝑖𝑟 ∗ cos 𝜃𝑖
Note that this method is not very accurate, as it does not include diffuse or reflected solar radiation. This
equation will give lower values of 𝐼𝑔𝑙𝑜,𝑝 than would be seen in practice. The assumption that Idir ≈ 1000
W/m2 is also inaccurate in real world conditions. However, the model is sufficient to provide a basic
understanding of insolation. For a more accurate model, see the Advanced Calculations section.
Panel Efficiency
Multiplying this value by the area of the panel (VALUE, but you can also have the students measure it)
will give the direct insolation on the panel. The ratio of the observed panel output to this value will give
you the efficiency of the panel.
29
Advanced Calculations
The following information is from Dr. Judith Steciak’s Solar Energy notes and is reproduced with
her permission. These notes are in turn derived from the second edition of Heating and Cooling of
Buildings, Design for Efficiency by Jan F. Kreider, Peter S. Curtis, and Ari Rabl.
Solar Geometry
The earth revolves around the sun. It also rotates as it revolves. In solar radiation analysis, it is
convenient to consider the earth as fixed with the sun moving through the sky. In HVAC
analysis, it will be important to locate the sun at any given time of the day.
Path of the sun on December 21st, the winter solstice. Solar
position is shown for noon. Note the length of the shadow on the
N side of the house. Compare with the sketch below on June 21st.
30
Path of the sun on June 21st, the summer solstice. Solar position is
shown for noon. Note that it is possible to have solar gain on N
facing walls in the summer when the sun rises N of due E and sets
N of due W. Is the solar gain on the S side of the house more
direct in winter or in summer?
Solar time is the time used in all of the sun-angle relationships. It does not coincide with local
time.
Solar time – standard time = 4 (Lst – Lloc) + E
Where
4 = 1 hr/15° * 60 min/hr
Lst is the standard meridian for the local time zone
Lloc is the longitude of the location in question (longitudes are in degrees west)
E = equation of time (in minutes) determined from the figure below or from the following
equation (see Eqn. 6.1 p. 227 for another EoT and definition of B):
E = 229.2 (0.000075+ 0.001868 cos(B)– 0.032077 sin(B)– 0.014615 cos(2B)
– 0.04089 sin 2B)) (min)
Where
B = (n-1) 360/365
n = day of the year
The equation of time is plotted below. It is also graphed as the analemma on the very last page
of these notes for Topic 6. There are other Equations of Time (including one in the book; results
from that expression are in the table at the end of the notes).
31
1000
500
E( B( n) )
0
500
1000
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
n
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Plot of the Equation of Time.
Solar geometry: fundamental solar angles of your location
Latitude λ, the angular location north or south of the equator, north positive,
-90 lat 90 (47 latitude N in Moscow, Idaho)
Hour angle ω, the time of day, the angular displacement of the sun east or west of the
local meridian due to rotation of the earth on its axis at 15 per hour, morning positive, afternoon
negative.
The Earth’s rotation is 15/hour, 360/day
Noon: ω = 0
Each morning hour: + 15
Each afternoon hour: -15
For example, at 11:00 am, ω = 15.
Declination δ, time of year, depends on the day of the year. This is the angular position
of the sun at solar noon (i.e., when the sun is on the local meridian) with respect to the plane of
the equator, north positive; -23.45 d 23.45; the neutral plane occurs at the equinoxes. Refer
to the solar figures.
The sun is higher in the sky in the summer and lower in the winter. At the neutral point,
δ = 0 on the vernal and autumnal equinox. The declination tells you how high the sun is at noon
relative to this neutral plane.
You can also find the declination from the analemma. This graph lists the declination
along the LHS. Or, use Equation 6.4 (p. 229):
32
δ = arcsin(-23.45 cos((360 (n+10)) / 365.25))
Where n is the day number, n = 1 on January 1st, n = 31 + 28 = 59 on February 28th.
Latitude, hour angle, and declination are called fundamental solar angles. In actual applications,
these angles are not the most convenient set to use. It is more understandable if the sun’s
position is expressed in terms of angles relative to a point on the earth’s surface. We need two
angles for the sun’s location:
Solar geometry: angles for the sun’s location
Azimuth s, the sun’s E-W location, zero due south
The azimuth angle of the sun, s, is measured from due south (where  s = 0). By
convention, angles to the E are positive, angles to the W are negative. In the summer, s can be
greater than 90.
Altitude , angle of the sun above the horizon
The solar altitude angle,  is measured from the horizon where  = 0, positive upward,
0    90. In the text, Figure 6-5 on p. 237 also shows the zenith angle, s. The zenith angle is
measured from the pole (it is the polar angle in spherical coordinates) and it complements the
altitude.
Use the following equations to relate the altitude  and azimuth s to the fundamental
angles latitude λ, hour ω and declination δ:
sin() = cos(λ) cos(ω) cos(δ) + sin(λ) sin(δ) = cos(s)
sin(s) = cos(δ) sin(ω) / sin(s) <<= this is the expression in the book and it is suspect!!
cos(s) = ( sin() sin(λ)– sin(δ) ) / ( cos() cos(λ) )  this reproduces Fig. 6.6a on p. 233
To find the altitude and the azimuth, then, you need the latitude (easy), and declination (easy,
just use the day number) and the hour angle (tricky because there’s standard time, daylight
savings time, time zone longitude, and the apparent speed of the sun because of the non-circular
Earth orbit).
We need to find the SOLAR time of day in the civilization-imposed local time zones. Because
of established time zones and daylight saving time, solar time and clock time may be very
different.
Lst is the standard meridian for the local time zone.
Greenwich Meridian = 0
MT = 105W
PT = 120W
Lloc is the longitude in degrees west.
33
The relationship between solar time and clock time is given as:
Solar time – standard time = 4 (Lst – Lloc) + E
where standard time must be corrected for daylight savings time, and there are 4 minutes per
degree. For 2001, Daylight Savings Time starts on April 1st and ends on October 28th. Spring
ahead – turn clocks ahead one hour in April. To correct DST to ST, subtract 1 hour.
Or,
AST = LCT + TZ – LONG/15 + EQT/60
Where: AST = Actual or Local Solar Time (hr – 24 hr clock)
LCT = Local Clock Time (hr – 24 hr clock)
TZ = Time Zone correction
LONG = longitude (degrees)
EQT = Equation of Time correction (minutes)
(Compare the above expression with the one for AST given earlier for solar time.)
The TZ is determined by dividing the degrees of longitude of the local Standard Time Meridian
(STM) by 15, taking values W of the Prime Meridian (0 longitude) as (+) and east values as (-).
Time Zone
Eastern
Central
Mountain
Pacific
TZ Correction (hours)
Standard Time
Daylight Savings Time
+5
+4
+6
+5
+7
+6
+8
+7
The Equation of Time (EQT) is the amount of variation in the length of the solar day due to the
eccentricity of the earth’s orbit and tilt of its axis. The equation of time values are tabulated at
the end of the notes, are displayed on the analemma, or calculated from the correlation included
above.
We will do example calculations in class.
Solar Geometry – angles for the surface orientation
Wall (or surface) azimuth: p (toward W or E) 0 is
S, -E, +W
Wall-solar azimuth: Δ (to W or E of the sun’s
location), this is the angle between the wall azimuth
the solar azimuth. Make a sketch to find this angle
correctly. For example, for a wall azimuth of 45° and
solar azimuth 62° W of S, the wall-solar azimuth is
See the sketch to the right:
due
and
a
17°.
34
Surface tilt angle: p (angle from horizontal)
Vertical wall: p = 90
Horizontal surface, face up: p = 0
Horizontal surface, face down: p = 180
Solar Geometry - solar incident angle: i
**What we want!**
This is the angle between the surface normal and the incident rays from the sun.
cos 𝜃𝑖 = cos β ∗ sin 𝜃𝑝 ∗ cos ∆ϕ + sin β ∗ cos 𝜃𝑝
For a vertical wall: p = 90 and cos(i) = cos() cos(Δ)
For a horizontal surface: p = 0 and cos(i) = sin()
We need all these angles because we need to calculate the projected area of the surface in the
direction of incident radiation.
For a low  i, we get more direct gain on vertical surfaces. For a high  i, we get more direct sun
on horizontal surfaces.
Solar radiation
A surface normal to the sun’s rays outside of the earth’s atmosphere will receive solar radiation
at a rate of:
Solar constant = Io = 435.2 BTU/(ft2 hr) = 1,373 W/m2
Because of the eccentricity of the Earth’s orbit, the solar ‘constant’ varies depending on the day
of the year:

 360   n  
Btu
   435.2
I o  1  0.033 cos

h  ft 2
 365.25  


 360   n  
W
   1373 2
I o  1  0.033 cos

m
 365.25  

Solar radiation strikes surfaces on Earth three ways: direct, diffuse, and reflected. The total
instantaneous rate of radiation striking a surface is given as Iglo or global irradiance:
Iglo = Idir + Idif + Iref
Where
35
Idir = direct radiation on a surface
Idif = diffuse radiation on a surface
Iref = reflected radiation striking a surface
The solar radiation model we will use in class was developed in the 1970’s by Prof. Hottel at
MIT (the solar community uses weather data now). Clear sky conditions are used so that heat
gains because of solar radiation are slightly overestimated.
Direct Radiation


k 

Inor ,dir  Io a o  a1 exp 


 cos s  
The values of ao, a1, k (and the correction factors r used to find the other three constants) are
given for different altitudes and climates in Table 6-2 on p. 246.
The correction terms for the solar constant in the above expression are for a black (and clear or
non-participating gas) and a grey (or participating) gas. ‘Participating’ gases absorb and scatter
electromagnetic radiation. The degree of interference is strongly wavelength dependent.
Monatomic and diatomic gases (Ar, O2, N2) are considered non-participating, whereas H2O and
CO2 have strong wavelength interference as seen in Figure 6.12 on p. 251.
Diffuse Radiation
For clear skies, the diffuse radiation can be estimated as:
Idif  0.271 Io  0.2939 Inor ,dir cos s 
Reflected Radiation
Reflected radiation is a component of radiation on tilted surfaces.
Fsky 


1
1  cos p 
2
Fsky is the radiation view factor between the wall (surface) and the sky.
Fgrd 


1
1  cos p 
2
Fgrd is the radiation view factor between the wall (surface) and the ground. The view (or shape)
factor is the fraction of the thermal radiation energy leaving one surface that strikes another.
36
Iglo ,p  Inor ,dir cos i   Idif Fsky  Iglo ,hor  g Fgrd
I glo ,hor  Inor ,dir cos s   Idif
Iglo,hor is the rate at which the total radiation (diffuse and direct) strikes the horizontal surface in
front of the wall.
g is the reflectivity of the surface – dirt, asphalt, concrete, grass, snow, ice
Fgrd is the radiation view factor between the wall (surface) and the ground. The view (or shape)
factor is the fraction of the thermal radiation energy leaving one surface that strikes another.
37
Appendix E: Owner’s Manual
Owner’s Manual and User’s Guide:
TED 5000 & Bidgely
MOSS Campus Staff and Students
38
Outline
 Overview
 Procedure
o Finding the Footprints Software
o Live Dashboard
o History
o Graphing
o Load Profiles
o Bidgely
 Summary
 Troubleshooting
 Contacts
39
Overview
Throughout this owner’s manual, the setup and running procedure of TED, The Energy
Detective 5000 G series, will be explained within detail for any existing or new user looking for
reference to the software. The third party software Bidgely will also be covered for login
information and user interface navigation.
Procedure
1. Finding the Footprints Software
When trying to access the footprints software, the user will need to open up any internet
browser available on the local network. From there the user will type in any of the following
addresses into the URL bar of the browser:
192.168.254.227/footprints.html -- Office
192.168.254.198/footprints.html -- Dining Hall
From this point, the TED Live Dashboard User Interface should currently be present on the
monitor of the computer.
2. Live Dashboard
When first opening the TED 500 Footprints software, the user will be at the main homepage of
the system. Everything for the MOSS campus is populated on the screen and specifically chosen
for the individual building the unit is in. Working from top left, there will be a Present Readings
Box in which the general form will tell the user three variables: Date & Time, Days Left in Billing
Cycle, and the Current Rate. The two other tabs within this box show current bill amount and
the total CO2 emissions of this building. The next box shows a meter of Real Time Kilowatt (KW)
Usage followed by the Data Recordings on the far right. Towards the bottom are six meters that
show KW usage, present voltages coming from the utility company, estimated usage and
specific weather for the MOSS campus in McCall. Everything on this page has been setup for
usage for the campus by the University of Idaho’s MOS^3E Senior Design Team.
3. History
Under the History tab, the user will find hourly, daily, and monthly usage statistics of the
specific unit of the building the user is in. All three types of histories have present statistics
compared to the previous day, previous week and previous year. These cannot be altered and
are fixed for all users seeing this data.
40
4. Graphing
The graphing tab allows the user to visually see the power usage over a specific set of set time.
The time period can be selected in the lower left of the graphing screen in which the user may
select between displays of seconds, minutes, hours, day and month graphs. In each category
specifics can be set on timeframes/scaling such as 1,2,5,15,30 or 60 minute recording for the
second’s category and similar display types for the others.
5. Load Profile
The load profile tab allows the user to specify select what changes he/she wants to monitor.
Any electrical load can be monitored with this option. It allows the user the ability to specifically
select which load i.e. dishwasher, oven, and water heater, at a specific range of power usage to
trigger an event. This means if the user wants to monitor a hot water heater that turns on for a
few seconds at 4500 W, the TED software will log that event and mark it as the water heater
turning on. The software can handle up to five profiles on the given unit/setup. The load
profiles for the buildings have not specifically been set and will need to be done by the MOSS
campus employees if more information is desired. To add a device for a load profile, the user
needs to select Load Profile Wizard under the EDIT tab at the top left of the screen. A simple
instruction setup will appear and must be followed to add a device.
6. Bidgely
To access the Bidgely software, the user will need to open up any internet browser located on
their specific computer, laptop or desktop, either on or off the campus network. Next the user
will need to type bidgely.com into the URL bar. From this point, one must login with the
following Username and Password from the first line below:
Username: mos3ecampus
Password: Mccall.mos3e
(1.)
Email: Mos3esd@gmail.com
Password: mccallcampus
(2.)
This will bring the user to the Bidgely dashboard. At this place of the third party software the
user is able to see the Itemization tab to the left of the screen that breaks down how much
energy and money is being used in specific categories such as Heating and Cooling, Water
Heating, Always On, Other, Laundry and Refrigeration. In the middle of the screen is a Real
Time Display of the energy demand (vertical axis) vs. time (horizontal axis) that can be altered
to show by day, month or year of by pressing on the day, month or year hyperlink next to the
calendar directly above the graph. To the upper right of the graph the combined two units,
office and dining hall, or just single units can be adjusted by choosing from the drop down
menu. Below the Demand vs. Time graph shows the Real Time Energy Meter that automatically
41
adjusts for the demand at the current time. To the right of this the user can see the current
spending as well as the cost of the usage per kilowatt Hour (kWh).
If for any reason the user needs to check for updates or news about the software being used,
they can login to Google Mail and type the username and password from line two above and
follow the instructions given if an email is received.
Troubleshooting
If any troubles arise with the software please consult:
http://www.theenergydetective.com/tester4
http://www.theenergydetective.com/downloads/ted5000-usermanual.pdf
Contacts
Energy, Inc.
648 Marina Drive
Charleston, SC 29492
Customer Service Hours:
Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST
local: (843) 766-9800
toll-free: (800) 959-5833
Bidgely
http://bidgely.com/contact
42