Date of Award
12-1-2024
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Mechanical Engineering
First Advisor
Nsofor, Emmanuel
Abstract
Residential buildings consume a substantial amount of energy in the United States. This has necessitated the need for research on energy consumption in these buildings with a view to reducing reliance on fossil fuel consumption and mitigation of environmental impact. Solar energy emerges as a promising alternative for residential buildings due to its renewable nature and potential for rooftop installations. In this project, a scaled solar photovoltaic energy storage system (SPVESS) that can be utilized in a typical US family residential building was developed. The system consists of a photovoltaic panel array, battery storage, a charge controller, and an inverter. The thermal response analysis of this system provided promising insights into the efficiency of the solar photovoltaic energy storage system for application in buildings. Year-round data was gathered on the ambient conditions, wind speed, solar radiation, cell conditions, power generated by the system, etc. Analytical expressions accurately represented the performance of the PV module in diverse weather conditions. The experimental result and analytical results were found to be 88% comparable. Key findings include the dependency of PV module efficiency on weather conditions, providing valuable insights for optimizing energy output. The results showed a 60% significant contribution towards achieving self-sufficiency in residential energy consumption through solar collection on a sunny day and 26% on a shady day. Furthermore, the computer program developed, and demonstrated predictive capabilities, providing a practical tool for projecting daily energy generation based on real-time weather data. Additionally, the study highlights the significant influence of operating temperature on solar cell efficiency, emphasizing the importance of effective temperature management for maximizing system performance and ensuring the sustainability of solar energy as a renewable power source.
Access
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