CONCLUSION

Based on the development of photovoltaic-thermoelectric hybrid energy harvester as electricity generator is very interesting.  This hybrid system as electricity generator is a combination of two types of renewable energy that connected in series to charge controller circuit. Core intent is to design and evaluate a new electrical system with used of sunlight and heat.  This system combine both energy that created from the sunlight. From this hybrid system as renewable energy and it can be implement in application as unlimited energy source. because, sunlight gives energy to solar panel will convert the energy into electrical power . Using this hybrid system, can reduce use of fuel which can give bad effect to the earth. Then, by using this hybrid system, the bill of electricity can be saved. In Malaysia, most of the area received enough amount of sunlight radiation, so that this hybrid system is very suitable to use.

WORK PLAN

The time frame allocated for this research study is 6 months. It start in july 2012 and completed in November 2012. The gantt chart for the project and miles stone are shown as table 1.

            In this project, the most difficulty  is to design and test the circuit because circuit need to be perfectly function. When construct the circuit will have some problem such as failure of components or module , lack of maintenance and system overload. So the knowledge about the circuit and component should be taken a long period to be done. Other than that, the difficulty that wills faces is environment factors (such as not enough photon energy from sunlight, didn’t have wind and etc.). To solve these kind of problems it should be referred to professional that familiar with the hybrid energy harvester prototype and also do troubleshoot by correcting the failure parts or system. This data is then analyzed, with many simplifying assumption applied. The result will be display by using DAQ and LABVIEW software.

The prototype of PV-TE hybrid system will be develop to enables the community to visualize the impact and application of the proposed methods in determining the best solution in PV-TE hybrid system design with respect to reliability and cost. This prototype will be presented in the FYP Presentation Day. we are also need to take a video as a demonstration when we are try the prototype in case there are something happens that will influence the process in that day. 

BENEFITS/CONTRIBUTION

Environmental Benefits: As PV generates electricity from light, PV produces no air pollution or hazardous waste. It doesn't require liquid or gaseous fuel to be transported or combusted.Economic and Social Benefits: Sunlight is free and abundant. Photovoltaic systems allows to generate electricity and store it for use when needed. It frees  from uncertainties and foreign oil dependence. This energy source is free, clean and highly reliable. PV systems are long-lasting and require little maintenance. The benefits of Photovoltaics far outweigh the initial cost the systems.

Solar cells make absolutely no noise at all. They do not make a single peep while extracting useful energy from the sun. On the other hand, the giant machines utilized for pumping oil are extremely noisy and therefore very impractical. Solar energy creates absolutely no pollution. This is perhaps the most important advantage that makes solar energy so much more practical than oil. Oil burning releases harmful greenhouses gases, carcinogens and carbon dioxide into the precious air. Very little maintenance is required to keep solar cells running. There are no moving parts in a solar cell, which makes it impossible to really hurt them. Solar cells tend to last a good long time with only an annual cleaning to worry about. Solar panels and solar lighting may seem quite expensive at first purchase it, but in the long run use will find that saving quite a great deal of money. After all, it does not cost anything to harness the power of the sun. Unfortunately, paying for oil is an expensive prospect and the cost is still rising consistently. Solar powered panels and products are typically extremely easy to install. Wires, cords and power sources are not needed at all, making this an easy prospect to employ. Solar power technology is improving consistently over time, as people begin to understand all of the benefits offered by this incredible technology. As our oil reserves decline, it is important to turn to alternative sources for energy. Solar energy is a completely renewable resource.

Combined photovoltaic and thermoelectric source are an almost miraculous way of producing electricity directly from sun without concern for energy supply or environment harm.

OBJECTIVE

The main objective of the project Develop and performance analysis of photovoltaic-thermoelectric hybrid energy harvester prototype on wall building by using labview  is to combine two types of energy source at difference situation to a single electric generator system. The main idea is to design a prototype of an electrical energy device for renewable energy sources of solar and thermal into a single electric generator system. There are several objectives focused on this project:

Flow chart

Figure 4: Block diagram

   Explanation block diagram

               This project focuses on designing the hybrid solar and thermal for low voltage application. The hardware part, which is for input voltage is solar panel and thermoelectric module The main devices of this project is  thermoelectric cell, solar panel and other related circuit. The photovoltaic panel is use to detect light energy from solar which is main sources, thermoelectric module is use as a device to collect heat produce The two devices are connected in series to provide more output voltage. From the block diagram, there is a 3 differences type of thermoelectric cell will place at difference situation. In Type 1, the thermoelectric will connect to rectifier circuit. So, that the output in thermoelectric will be  hybrid with solar panel output voltage. The ouput voltage from two sources will connect to two supply controller. After that, the result will be send to DAQ by using LABVIEW software. The function of rectifier circuit is to not allowed the current in thermoelectric in reverse direction. This step of work are same goes with type 2 and type 3.

    Material used:

Figure 5: photovoltaic panel

Types of photovoltaic panel that be used in this project is mono-crystaline silicon. Photovoltaic system use solar electric panels to directly convert the sun energy into electricity. Figure 5  above shows the photovoltaic panel that be used in this project.

Figure 6:  Thermoelectric Module TEC-12730T200 

In this project, the types of thermoelectric module that being used is type TEC1-12730T200 which consists of 49 thermocouples arranged electrically in series and thermally in parallel. The bonded metal conductors enable the HZ-14 module to operate continuously at temperatures as high as 250°C (480F) and intermittently as high 400°C (750F) without degrading the module. While the TEC1-12730T200 is well suited for waste heat recovery its reversible properties make it ideal as a thermoelectric cooler, especially for high temperature application where sensitive electronic equipment just be cooled to below the ambient temperatures. 

METHODOLOGY

INTRODUCTION

This chapter will explained on the methodology and material of the final year project report. Each part that has been selected has as its own purpose. This project focuses on designing the solar and thermoelectric place at wall building for low voltage application. Mean that it’s consist of hardware and software part which for input voltage especially solar panel and thermoelectric module. The software part is to display the output get by using LABVIEW. The rest information of this project will be informed throughout this report.

METHODOLOGY

The main focus of this research is to test and measure the voltage output of combination of photovoltaic and thermoelectric. The method or source that are used to find the information is from internet research for example google and blog. Other than that is article, journals, magazine, and book. The solar with thermoelectric system is a project that combines the solar cells (photovoltaic and thermoelectric) The main device of this project is thermoelectric and photovoltaic. The photovoltaic panel is used to detect UV light energy from solar which is main sources, thermoelectric module is use as a device to collect heat produce. This two source are connect in series to provide more output voltage. This project is involve engineering software such as labview to display electrical properties and multisim to construct circuit.

Figure 3: three difference situation to place the thermoelectric cell.

Present Work

Hybrid energy harvester

A hybrid energy harvester is an electric power system comprising two or more energy that supply power to a single output. In this project, there are 3 difference situation to place thermoelectric cell for measure and analysed what situation can generate more electricity. Whereby for the first situation place the thermoelectric cell inside the wall room with low temperature condition. Second situation is place the thermoelectric cell outside the wall  room and the third situation is place the thermoelectric cell for both situation which is inside and outside the room.  After do testing with the prototype,  the computer will display the electrical properties by using LABVIEW. The main objective of this research is to measure the best output from 3 different situation at thermoelectric.

In theoretically, by using seebeck effect knowledge. Thermoelectric is describes the potential generated when the junction of two dissimilar metals experiences a temperature difference. That means, the more difference between cold and hot temperature, the more electric will be generate. Then, from basic knowledge will know situation three will generate more electricity because this situation have more differences between hot temperature and cold temperature.

           

This project is generally have reduced fuel consumption, reduced maintenance, and provide highly reliable electric power compared with non-hybrid generators. Most non hybrid engine-driven electric generators run continuously and at a high, fixed RPM, resulting in excess fuel consumption when the load is low. Hybrid energy automatically shut the engine off when sufficient alternative energy sources are available to meet the demand load.

 Previous Work

The thermoelectric effect was discovered by Thomas J Seebeck in 1821. He discovered that when heated different metals, as the temperature get hotter a small voltage will increase. By bonding the metals like iron with constants, for example, and then heating the bonded junction area, a small voltage is generated.

This bonded junction called a thermocouple is widely used as a control device in applications and equipment where heat in used. For example, natural gas devices including furnaces, hot water heaters, gas fireplace inserts and outdoor propane barbeque grills use this thermocouple process to verify the pilot flame is burning prior to allowing the main gas valve to open.  The newer discoveries with the p-n junction are leading to new technologies in P-N thermoelectric usage.

Both N-type and P-type Bismuth Telluride thermoelectric materials are used in a thermoelectric cooler. This arrangement causes heat to move through the cooler in one direction only while the electrical current moves back and forth alternately between the top and bottom substrates through each N and P element. N-type material is doped so that it will have an excess of electrons (more electrons than needed to complete a perfect molecular lattice structure) and P-type material is doped so that it will have a deficiency of electrons (fewer electrons than are necessary to complete a perfect lattice structure).

The extra electrons in the N material and the "holes" resulting from the deficiency of electrons in the P material are the carriers which move the heat energy through the thermoelectric material. Most thermoelectric cooling modules are fabricated with an equal number of N-type and P-type elements where one N and P element pair form a thermoelectric "couple." For example, the module illustrated above has two pairs of N and P elements and is termed a "two-couple module". Cooling capacity (heat actively pumped through the thermoelectric module) is proportional to the magnitude of the applied DC electric current and the thermal conditions on each side of the module. By varying the input current from zero to maximum, it is possible to regulate the heat flow and control the surface temperature

LITERATURE REVIEW

 

INTRODUCTION

            On this chapter,  it will discuss about the literature review which is about the history of the previous project  and present work. The references of the explanation are done by referring to the books, internet, journals, articles pamphlet and other sources. While there are two main methods for hybrid energy (thermoelectric and photovoltaic,), the literature review is to discuss about this two types of sources.

 

HISTORY

 Previous Work

PV (Photovoltaic) refers to a SOLAR PANEL. A flat panel that you place in the Sunlight which makes electricity directly from Sunlight. Photo refers to light and Voltaic refers to voltage or electricity. These panels do not produce Heat this make electricity.

 

The photoelectric effect was first noted by a French physicist, Edmund Bequerel, in 1839, who found that certain materials would produce small amounts of electric current when exposed to light. In 1905, Albert Einstein described the nature of light and the photoelectric effect on which photovoltaic technology is based, for which he later won a Nobel prize in physics. The first photovoltaic module was built by Bell Laboratories in 1954. It was billed as a solar battery and was mostly just a curiosity as it was too expensive to gain widespread use. In the 1960s, the space industry began to make the first serious use of the technology to provide power aboard spacecraft. Through the space programs, the technology advanced, its reliability was established, and the cost began to decline. During the energy crisis in the 1970s, photovoltaic technology gained recognition as a source of power for non-space applications.[2]

One common style of solar cell is build using a fused silicon wafer stack. This arrangement is called a P-N Junction sandwich. The bottom plate of the stack is a conductive plate. The next layers in order are the p-type crystal material layer, the n-type material layer, a conductive screen contact area, and a protective covering that allows the light through.[3] This p-n junction is the foundation of the semiconductor process and will be described in more detail in the general semiconductor section later in the book.

           

 

LITERATURE REVIEW

• This part will discuss about history, previos work and present work.
• Do some research about the history of photovoltaic and thermoelectric effect. 
• Find another existing project that are almost same with the present project.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Photovoltaic-thermoelectric hybrid energy harvester on building wall is a combination of solar cell and thermoelectric cell into single electric generator. This project show that the hybrid system can be used to supply the output power more efficient. So that, hybrid system can be used to backup the supply when one of the source is not function well. Most of  problem in this project occur when the weather is bad. Such as, the sunlight to produce thermo source are not satisfactory and no wind blowing. Because of this problem, the project are fail to generate electricity. Other than that, the reason why the project is not functioning well is because of failure of components or module , lack of maintenance, environment factors and system overload.

This is flexible system that can adapt to most building types , orientations and climate. It has the ability to provide varying degrees of opacity to modulate heat gain, light transmission and view. Because of modular design, it will be able to include more efficient and less expensive photovoltaic modules once those products are available and cost effective Other than that, efficiencies of the solar thermal power system having been develop in which solar energy is used as main heat source are not satisfactory. In addition, solar energy utilization is subject to the change of season and weather.

 INTRODUCTION

 

A solar cell in which the sun's energy is first converted into heat by a sheet of metal, and the heat is converted into electricity by a semiconductor material sandwiched between the first metal sheet and a metal collector sheet. 

A thermoelectric cell is a device that converts heat (temperature differences) into electricity, using a phenomenon called the "Seebeck effect" (or "thermoelectric effect").  Their typical efficiencies are around 5-10% [1]. This effect can be used to generate electricity.

The objective of this project is to develop and performance analysis of photovoltaic – thermoelectric (PV – TE) energy harvester prototype on building wall using LABVIEW. This project function is to evaluate the best performance when thermoelectric cell place at wall building. The output from project will connect to DAQ using LABVIEW software. This project will more focus about thermoelectric cell. The performance of the result will compare with 3 type of thermoelectric cell place difference situation. The output will combine with photovoltaic output.  

      In everyday life, the electricity are used by consumption of fossil fuel which produce carbon dioxide and can give negative impact of our environment, because of solar energy is clean, free and easy to get, this source is getting more attention nowadays. The concept of developing solar thermal is by combining two sources of energy which are solar and thermal into single output. Furthermore, these types of energy are suitable in Malaysia because in Malaysia it received a huge amount of sunlight.

        The advantage of this project are power is free of cost because its get from the sunlight. Then the power is zero emission. Silent production energy and lastly  is power is available “on the go”.  Nowadays, most of the building especially houses are using solar panels as their power generators. But there has a some difficulty by used this solar panel which is solar panel is expensive and having high installation cost and  much weight.

ABSTRACT

Hybrid energy is an electric power system comprising two or more energy that supply power to a single output. This project is to design a prototype of electrical generator device combines photovoltaic and thermoelectric to a single electric generator system. The result is display by using labVIEW. The focus of this project is more to thermoelectric system.  There are 3 circumstances to place thermoelectric cell whereby for the first situation place the thermoelectric cell inside the wall room with low temperature condition. Second situation is place the thermoelectric cell outside the wall room and the third situation is place the thermoelectric cell for both situations which is inside and outside the room.

The electrical properties of PV/TE hybrid cells will be represent at labVIEW. The output will be measure and analyzed. From basic knowledge, the best output result is by using situation 3 because there is larger difference temperature between thermoelectric cell.  This new technology would pave the way for new energy harvesting applications.

Solar cell supply sunlight and heat then convert it into electrical energy. By combining the two of renewable energy can prevent the problem that occur when the absent of sunlight and heat to generate electricity. This renewable energy, can replace the resources of existing electricity and save the cost of electricity payment. So that, by combining this type of sources, will be increase the output voltage and current produce. This research study will conclude with recommendation on the output Voltage by combining two sources

INITIAL STAGE

• Start find information about this project
• Data collection :- 

1. Internet research
2. Article
3. Journal
4. Magazine
5. Book

PROJECT TITLE SELECTION

Final Year Project (FYP) 1 briefing:

• First briefing  on 02 AUGUST 2012
• The briefing is focus on deadline of  FYP title and supervisor selection 
• Exposed the importance of FYP planning.

Title and supervisor for FYP1 has been selected:

• Has chosen Sir Ahmad Zaki Bin Abdul Karim as a supervisor for FYP.
• Select DEVELOP AND PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF PHOTOVOLTAIC-THERMOELECTRIC(PV-TE)  ENERGY HARVESTER PROTOTYPE ON BUILDING WALL BY USING LABVIEW as title for FYP project.