Renewable energy is the path for a sustainable future. The development in this field is progressing rapidly and solar energy is at the heart of this development. The performance and efficiency limitations are the main obstacles preventing solar energy from fulfilling its potential. This research intends to improve the performance of solar panels by identifying and optimizing the affecting factors. For this purpose, a mechanical system was developed to hold and control the tilt and orientation of the photovoltaic panel. A data acquisition system and electrical system were built to measure and store performance data of the photovoltaic panels. A design of experiments and Response Surface Methodology were used to investigate the impact of these factors on the yield response as well as the output optimization. The findings of the experiment showed an optimum result with a tilt of 60° from the horizon, an azimuth angel of 45° from the south, and a clean panel condition. The wind factor showed insignificant impact within the specified range.
The shortage of freshwater resources in the world has developed the need for sustainable, cost-effective technologies that can produce freshwater on a large scale. Current solutions often have extensive manufacturing requirements, or involve the use of large quantities of energy or toxic chemicals. Atmospheric water generating solutions that minimize the depletion of natural resources can be achieved by incorporating biomimetics, a classification of design inspired by nature. This research seeks to optimize thermoelectric cooling systems for use in water harvesting applications by analyzing the different factors that affect surface temperature and water condensation in TEC devices. Further experiments will be directed towards developing a robust, repeatable system, as well as an accurate measurement system. Surface modifications, device structure and orientation, and power generation will also be studied to better understand the ideal conditions for maximum water collection in thermoelectric cooling systems.
The continuous growth in the human population and climate change exacerbates the problems related to water scarcity. Harvesting the atmospheric water can mitigate the water scarcity in many regions around the globe. Fog collection using hybrid hydrophilic-superhydrophobic surfaces has the capacity to achieve a higher water collection rate. In this paper, a new method and materials are introduced to create the hybrid surfaces. The method includes additive manufacturing- to make sheets with holes-, mixing and casting polymeric matrix composite, and a controlled spray coating mechanism. The materials comprised of hydrophobic coating on top of the acrylic printed sheet and hydrophilic composite. The ratios of the pitches to diameters of the hydrophilic regions varied during the experiments to obtain the best water generation. The water collection rate for the sample with diameters of 583 um and a pitch of 1600 um has achieved 57% more than the untreated hydrophilic sample. The contrast in wettability accomplished by this novel method has the potential to be implemented on a large scale for atmospheric water harvesting.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.