New Method to Simulate Dust Effect on Solar Panels in Simulation Software

Cost reduction on system tests with hardware in the loop during qualification phase of the onboard attitude control software imply in increasingly simulation realism. Attitude simulation software not only has to mimic the dynamical behavior of the spacecraft, but also shall be easily configurable, to adapt to different orbit, attitude pointing requirements, environment disturbances, sensors, actuators, and to run in real-time among other minor requirements. As the requirements for accuracy and stability for attitude pointing has increased in many modern missions, so do the complexity of the simulation algorithms and necessity for dynamical realism. Rigid body dynamics can be considered excessively simple to model a satellite with several reaction wheels, non-rigid structures, unbalanced solar arrays, fuel and liquid sloshing, not to mention crew motion and vehicle docking. This work presents the efforts being carried out to fulfill the requirements of the Brazilian space missions, nominally Multi Mission Platform, with a simulation environment capable to accomplish from early definition and mission analysis phase up to acceptance tests of the attitude control software. Development is being conducted in order to achieve a high degree of realism and range of applicability of the simulation software, compatible with the expected cost reduction of the simulation hardware (ordinary PCs). The kinematics and dynamic models to support AOCS (Attitude and Orbit Control Subsystem) simulation and testing with or without hardware-in-the-loop for Brazilian space missions are presented. Normally the dynamic equations are expressed in angular momentum components, due to the high complexity of these equations when derived in terms of the angular velocity. This, of course, is particularly important in satellites composed by several articulated rigid bodies as solar panels, robotic arms, space booms, deployable antennas, etc. Nevertheless, the inverse of the inertia matrix shall be calculated on the run, since it varies in time. This can be somewhat slow, mainly considering the high degree of freedom in dynamics of satellites with articulated panels and reaction wheels. In this case a more complex but fast set of equations in terms of the angular velocity is the best choice. This work describes the attitude dynamic equations expressed in angular velocities for satellites with appendages (solar panels, telescopes, directional antennas, etc.) and reaction wheels. They can be easily extended, however, to include nutation dampers and robotic arms. As usual, this formulation requires the knowledge of the acting torque in the connection joint, which is not always understood, modeled or known. So the dynamic model presented in this work uses the angular acceleration instead of the torque at the joint, which simplifies and reduces the order of the differential equations. Simulation results are presented, emphasizing the difference between the behavior of rigid body and articulated rigid bodies.

This paper presents a novel simulation framework for estimating the dynamic response of a full-scale ground-mounted solar panel array under stationary wind loads that are spatially correlated across the length of the solar panel array. Specifically, the framework uses mean pressure coefficient distributions along the length of a 1:10 prototype scale of the solar panel array from smooth inflow derived using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation software The Wind Engineering with Uncertainty Quantification (WE-UQ). Note that for the CFD simulation, the input wind field across the length of the solar panel array is uniform along the horizontal direction, and the wind field is smooth inflow. Next, the simulated stochastic wind loads are generated from the spatially varying and correlated stationary wind velocities along the full-scale solar panel array using a stochastic wave approach from the spectral representation method (SRM), as well as the mean pressure coefficients derived from the CFD simulation. Further, the simulated stochastic wind loads are applied to a solar panel array finite element model using the Open System for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (OpenSees) to simulate dynamic responses. Displacements of solar panel modules and torque strains on the torque tube are estimated to observe the performance of the solar panel array. The mode shapes and the corresponding frequencies can be identified from the results, and the accuracy can be validated by comparing the frequencies obtained from the solar panel model. Further, strong mean wind velocities are applied in the proposed simulation framework to assess the torsional strain of the torque tube. Consequently, the proposed simulation framework provides a valuable, novel tool for solar panel array analysis that is much more computationally efficient than existing methods.

In this paper two axis sun tracking method is used to absorb maximum power from the sun's rays on the solar panel via calculating the sun’s altitude and azimuth angles, which describe the solar position on the Iraqi capital Baghdad for the hours 6:00, 7:00, 8:00, 9:00, 12:00, 15:00 and 17:00 per day. The angles were calculated in an average approach within one month, so certain values were determined for each month. The daily energy achieved was calculated for the solar tracking method compared with the fixed tracking method. Designed, modeled and simulated a control circuit consisting of reference position truth table, PI Controller and two servomotors that tracked the sun position to adjust the PV panel perpendicular on the rays of the sun. The results obtained by a simulation software MATLAB/Simulink.

The performance of a solar photovoltaic (PV) system mainly depends upon the solar radiation level and temperature. The total power generated by the PV array is affected by partial shading conditions and it gets decreased upon shading. In order to extract maximum power under partial shading condition this paper proposes a two-step, maxima of all peak power points (MPPP) algorithm for global maximum power point tracking (GMPPT) using LabVIEW FPGA module. In the proposed algorithm the first step is to determine the value of solar PV array voltage at the global maxima of the P-V characteristics. The second step is a duty cycle control using perturb & observe (P&O) method. The proposed algorithm is executed to track the GMPP using boost DC-DC converter. The partial shading condition is detected by power threshold logic. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated through Power Simulation Computer Aided Design (PSCAD) simulation software. For real time implementation a solar array simulator (SAS) E4260A, is used for laboratory generation of solar power. The GMPPT algorithm for SAS and duty ratio control for boost DC-DC converter is implemented on FPGA controller using LabVIEW platform.

Development of a model to simulate the performance characteristics of crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules/strings/arrays

As the most common energy source of spacecraft, photovoltaic (PV) power generation has become one of the hottest research fields. During the on-orbit operation of spacecraft, the influence of various uncertain factors and the unbalanced inertial force will make the solar PV wing vibrate and degrade its performance. In this study, we investigated the influence of mechanical vibration on the output characteristics of PV array systems. Specifically, we focused on a three-segment solar panel commonly found on satellites, analyzing both its dynamic response and electrical output characteristics under mechanical vibration using numerical simulation software. The correctness of the simulation model was partly confirmed by experiments. The results showed that the maximum output power of the selected solar panel was reduced by 5.53% and its fill factor exhibited a decline from the original value of 0.8031 to 0.7587, provided that the external load applied on the panel increased to 10 N/m2, i.e., the vibration frequency and the maximal deflection angle were 0.3754 Hz and 74.9871°, respectively. These findings highlight a significant decrease in the overall energy conversion efficiency of the solar panel when operating under vibration conditions.

One of the key components in photovoltaic (PV) electrical systems is the inverter. It is the unit that converters the DC power generated from the solar panels or the batteries to an AC power that can supply the electrical home appliances. The issues associated with the inverter are power quality and harmonics. This paper introduces a controller design for a single phase full bridge inverter for an off-grid PV electrical system which supplies a typical home or an office. For a pure sinewave inverter, a sinewave pulse-width modulation (SPWM) scheme is used. This puts the switching harmonics far away from the fundamental 50Hz component, which eases the filtering process by a simple low pass filter (LPF). As a result, a sinusoidal AC voltage waveform is obtained. Then, a step up voltage transformer is used to step up the voltage to 220V. As the AC load increases, the drop voltage on the LPF and the transformer primary increases significantly. This causes the secondary voltage of the transformer to drop drastically bellow 220V. To solve this issue, a cascaded voltage and current control loops are designed to control the transformer primary voltage at exactly 12V so that the secondary voltage is held always at 220V. The inverter circuit with the closed-loop control is simulated fully using Power Simulation (PSIM) software. Then, the inverter circuit is built and tested experimentally in the laboratory using only the open-loop control, and this is due to the lake of LEM voltage and current sensors in the laboratory.

TRNSYS simulation software was used to modify a validated Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) model in an Archetype Sustainable House (ASH) in Toronto. In this model, a Building Integrated Photovoltaic-Thermal Collector (BIPV/T) was coupled with ASHP. The PV/T system arrangement was considered as a part of the south-oriented roof of the house. The warm air generated in the BIPV/T collector was considered the source of the heat pump for heat production. The coupling of BIPV/T and ASHP enables a highly efficient heating system in harsh winter conditions. The developed TRNSYS model of the house along with integrated PV/T system with ASHP was simulated for the whole year to predict the hourly outlet air temperature, thermal energy and electricity obtained from the PV/T array. The results from the simulation were used to estimate the saving in energy and cost as well as to predict the electricity related GHG emission reduction potential from the PV panels. Monthly greenhouse gas (GHG) emission credit from PV production based on hourly GHG emission factor was obtained; the results showed that annual GHG emission due to electricity demand by the ASHP was reduced by 225 kg CO2 (19.3%) when the heat pump was integrated with the PV/T array. Also, in this study, the annual electricity cost credit from PV production based on Time-of-Use (TOU) and the reduction in electricity cost of the heat pump when connected with PV/T systems was calculated and compared with the cost of working the heat pump alone. The results show that there is a saving of $500 in annual electricity bills and GHG emission credit of 862.6 kg CO2 from renewable electricity generation.

Abstract: This research investigates the economic optimization and performance enhancement of rooftop solar power systems through the integration of concentrated solar technology and advanced materials. The aim is to assess the viability and effectiveness of these innovations in both residential and commercial settings. By focusing on improving energy efficiency and reducing costs, the study provides a comprehensive economic perspective on the adoption of these advanced solar technologies. Key aspects of the research include the evaluation of lifecycle costs, energy yield, and payback periods, offering insights into the long-term financial benefits and feasibility of implementing such systems. The integration of concentrated solar technology enhances the intensity of solar energy captured, thereby significantly boosting the efficiency of rooftop solar panels. Advanced materials, such as perovskites, multi-junction cells, and nanomaterials, are examined for their potential to improve energy absorption, durability, and overall performance of solar panels. The research employs simulation software to model the performance of these optimized systems under various environmental conditions, providing a detailed analysis of their energy output and efficiency.

Rapid urbanization and industrialization have had a substantial impact on the global growth in energy consumption over the last two decades. Solar energy is seen as an essential energy source capable of meeting this demand in a cost-effective and ecologically normal manner. Improving solar cell efficiency is seen as a requirement for sustaining the expansion of silicon solar cells in the energy industry. The influence parameters of both n-p regions thickness and doping concentrations on solar cell efficiency was investigated in this study using PC1D simulation software. The problem for solar panels is the efficiency and the output power of the solar panel. The objectives are to create thorough and realistic models for optimizing the thickness and doping concentration for solar cells using PC1D simulation. The most effective solar cell, which can be used to make a very efficient model, have an emitter thickness and base thickness of 0.1 µm (doping = ) and 100 µm (doping =) with an efficiency of 24.02% and 24.77%.

Due to the advancements in the smart grid technologies, smart mechanisms are required within the Energy Management System (EMS) environments for microgrids. One of the functionalities of EMS is to ensure grid stability. In order to test and validate new mechanisms, appropriate simulation tools exist. Most of the existing validation strategies include modeling the target system in simulation environment and then deploying the mechanism in the real environment. When the validated mechanisms are implemented in real environment, they often do not work as intended and require modification due to the implementation difference within the EMS controller. An EMS should be able to communicate with the simulated model, inject faults in the simulated model and able to perform various control actions. In this paper, we propose a software-in-loop approach, where the grid stability mechanisms are implemented in the EMS, which is deployed in the real environment. EMS must operate exactly the way it does in the simulation environment. For such a capability, the simulation platform should be able to communicate with the EMS. In this work, we consider a 13-node radial distribution grid with one solar panel as a generation unit. The 13-node distribution grid has been modeled using Apros simulation software. SMG2.0, a software application for microgrid is used to monitor, inject electrical faults and trigger recovery mechanisms in the Apros model. A communication architecture called ICT gateway has been developed between Apros and the EMS (SMG2.0). Two fault scenarios (line-breakage and under-voltage) are considered as the fault injection scenarios to evaluate the performance of the communication architecture. When the SMG2.0 detects a line fault, it triggers network reconfiguration as the recovery strategy for the line-breakage scenario in the simulation environment. This approach not only helps in designing fault handling strategies in the electrical network but also helps in designing an effective software application targeted to control the physical entities.

A single comprehensive software package was developed for architects and building designers to optimize suitable location on various fac¸ades of urban buildings, where when photovoltaic modules were placed, would generate maximum energy. AutoCAD, the most widely used software by building architects, along with the ECOTECT, a building analysis tool, were used as primary tools in this software package. The process of solar analysis was automated with the help of customizing tools such as LISP, Visual Basic for Application and LUA scripts, creating a single plug-in for AutoCAD. The objective of this software package is to perform solar radiation analysis and obtain performance characteristics of the Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) system, taking into account shading and reflection from neighboring buildings, all within AutoCAD environment. In this project, we developed an urban building model in AutoCAD and performed the solar radiation analysis with the developed software tool. The performance characteristics were obtained and compared with the results from MATLAB model, previously presented [1]. The software package also incorporates provision to calculate energy from various commercially available solar modules.

This contribution analyzes the energy provided by a solar kit dedicated to autonomous usage and installed in Central Europa (Longitude 6.10°; Latitude 49.21° and Altitude 160 m) by using the simulation software PVSYST. We focused the analysis on the effect of temperature and solar irradiation on the I-V characteristic of a commercial PV panel. We also consider in this study the influence of charging and discharging the battery on the generator efficiency. Meteorological data are integrated into the simulation software. As expected, the solar kit provides an energy varying all along the year with a minimum in December. In the proposed approach, we consider this minimum as the lowest acceptable energy level to satisfy the use. Thus for the other months, a lost in the available renewable energy exists if no storage system is associated.

Simulation optimization and energy consumption evaluation on the wood solar drying kiln with heat storage and dehumidification system

Economic evaluation of hybrid energy systems for rural electrification in six geo-political zones of Nigeria