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Michigan Tech's IEEE Students Research Local Home to Plan and Design
High-Efficiency Renewable Energy System. |
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Michigan Tech IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) members Trever Hassell and Yassine Khaldi perform research in renewable energy. The photo at left pictures them checking the values of input from a three-stage generation system of Solar (17%), Impoundment Hydropower (66%), and Wind energy (7%); the meters for all three are on the right. The two meters on the left show how much is being produced through the inverter in the basement and how much is being fed back into the power grid. The owners, Terry Kinzel and Sue Ellen Kingsley, actively trade electricity with the power utility. While connected to the power grid, this house could feasibly be a purely off-grid home. (At the time of testing (September 14, 2005 at 5:45 p.m.), 18.1 Amps were being put back on the grid). This comfortable home uses less than 100 kW*hrs each month. |
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Yassine Khaldi studies
the battery-storage circuitry above, left, and the circuitry, above,
right |
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At left, the TRACE® Power Conversion Center (upgraded in 2000) is a true Sine Wave inverter worth approximately $2000.00 (today’s cost). Directly below is the DC overload protection, much like the voltage regulator in an automobile that prevents the batteries from overcharging. The system was showing that the batteries were all in excellent condition after 13 years of service. |
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| Shown in photos above, the AIR X wind turbine generator starts producing power at 6 knots and will produce over 400 watts (28 amps) in a 24-knot wind. This aspect of the system is more “playing around with wind energy”, than a serious piece of generating power, mentioned Kinzel. | |
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The Photovoltaic array uses, at times, a photo sensor to switch guide motors mounted on the back of the array to angle it toward the sun. This PV section generates an average of 6 to 7 kW*hrs a day, taking into account the entire year at a low on December 21st to a high on June 21st. |
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By far one of the most impressive parts of the day, we see Trever and Terry discussing the addition of his impoundment system on the downside of the county culvert while Yassine eyes the spot where the 4” diversion system picks up the water through a strain cage. This system starts at his property line and not only diverts water in 1 ½” PVC “poly tube” to an “always on” fountain in his pond (purely aesthetic value), it also diverts it through a 4” PVC underground falling water system for the turbine generator. As seen in the photo on the right, the system branches into a “Y” to drive the turbine from both directions (it runs all year, covered and insulated). This, coupled with a 10’ fall from the top of the hill to a reduction in pipe diameter provide the energy to turn what becomes 2/3’s of his total renewable energy resource. |
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IEEE
Student Branch, Michigan Technological University |
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