3/20/2017 PowerHighway:SolarSystem,UnbreakableSolarPanel,SolarTubewell,SolarPumps,HybridInverters,Batteries

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SolarBasicsInfo WaterPumpingBasics

BuildingaSystem HowItWorks
Photovoltaic(PV)panelsproduceelectricityfromsunlightusingsiliconcells,withnomovingparts.Theyhavebeenmassproducedsince1979.Theyareso
SystemCare
mostmanufacturersgivea10yearwarranty,andalifeexpectancybeyond20years.Theyworkwellincoldorhotweather.
SolarTools
FinancialSavings SolarwaterpumpsarespeciallydesignedtoutilizeDCelectricpowerfromphotovoltaicpanels.Theymustworkduringlowlightconditionsatreducedpow
stallingoroverheating.Lowvolumepumpsusepositivedisplacement(volumetric)mechanismswhichsealwaterincavitiesandforceitupward.Liftcapacityis
HomeInstallations
evenwhilepumpingslowly.Thesemechanismsincludediaphragm,vaneandpistonpumps.Thesedifferfromaconventionalcentrifugalpumpthatneedsto
WaterPumping workefficiently.Centrifugalpumpsareusedwherehighervolumesarerequired.

A surface pump is one that is mounted at ground level. A submersible pump is one that is lowered into the water. Most deep wells use submersible pum
controller(currentbooster)isanelectronicdeviceusedwithmostsolarpumps.Itactslikeanautomatictransmission,helpingthepumptostartandnottos
sunlight.

AsolartrackermaybeusedtotiltthePVarrayasthesunmovesaccrossthesky.Thisincreasesdailyenergygainbyasmuchas55%.Withmorehoursof
smallerpumpandpowersystemmaybeused,thusreducingoverallcost.Trackingworksbestinclearsunnyweather.Itislesseffectiveincloudyclimatesa
winterdays.

Storage is important. Three to ten days' storage may be required, depending on climate and water usage. Most systems use water storage rather than b
simplicityandeconomy.Afloatswitchcanturnthepumpoffwhenthewatertankfills,topreventoverflow.

Comparedwithwindmills,solarpumpsarelessexpensive,andmucheasiertoinstallandmaintain.Theyprovideamoreconsistentsupplyofwater.Theycanbe
valleysandwoodedareaswherewindexposureispoor.APVarraymaybeplacedsomedistanceawayfromthepumpitself,evenseveralhundredfeet(100m)

Whatisitusedfor:
Livestock Watering: Cattle ranchers in the Americas, Australia and Southern Africa are enthusiastic solar pump users. Their water sources are scattere
rangelandwherepowerlinesarefew,andcostsoftransportandmaintenancearehigh.Someranchersusesolarpumpstodistributewaterthroughseveralm
km)ofpipelines.Othersuseportablesystems,movingthemfromonewatersourcetoanother.

Irrigation:Solarpumpsareusedonsmallfarms,orchards,vineyardsandgardens.ItismosteconomicaltopumpPVarraydirect(withoutbattery),storewat
anddistributeitbygravityflow.Wherepressurizingisrequired,storagebatteriesstabilizethevoltageforconsistentflowanddistribution,andmayeliminatet
astoragetank.

DomesticWater: Solar pumps are used for private homes, villages, medical clinics, etc. A water pump can be powered by its own PV array, or by a main
powerslightsandappliances.Anelevatedstoragetankmaybeused,orasecondpumpcalledaboosterpumpcanprovidewaterpressure.Or,themainbat
canprovidestorageinsteadofatank.Raincatchmentcansupplementsolarpumpingwhensunshineisscarce.Todesignasystem,ithelpstoviewthewhole
consideralltheresources.

ThinkingSmall
Therearenolimitstohowlargesolarpumpscanbebuilt.But,theytendtobemostcompetitiveinsmallinstallationswherecombustionenginesareleastecon
smallestsolarpumpsrequirelessthan150watts,andcanliftwaterfromdepthsexceeding200Feet(65m)at1.5gallons(5.7liters)perminute.Youmaybe
theperformanceofsuchasmallsystem.Ina10hoursunnydayitcanlift900gallons(3400liters).That'senoughtosupplyseveralfamilies,or30headofcattl
trees!

Slowsolarpumpingletsusutilizelowyieldwatersources.Italsoreducesthecostoflongpipelines,sincesmallsizedpipemaybeused.Thelengthofpipi
bearingontheenergyrequiredtopump,sowatercanbepushedovergreatdistancesaslowcost.Smallsolarpumpsmaybeinstalledwithoutheavyequipme
skills.

Themosteffectivewaytominimizethecostofsolarpumpingistominimizewaterdemandthroughconservation.Dripirrigation,forexample,mayreducecon
lessthanhalfthatoftraditionalmethods.Inhomes,lowwatertoiletscanreducetotaldomesticusebyhalf.Waterefficiencyisaprimaryconsiderationinso
economics.

ACarefulDesignApproach

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3/20/2017 PowerHighway:SolarSystem,UnbreakableSolarPanel,SolarTubewell,SolarPumps,HybridInverters,Batteries
Whenageneratororutilitymainsarepresent,weusearelativelylargepumpandturnitononlyasneeded.Withsolarpumping,wedon'thavethisluxury.P
panelsareexpensive,sowemustsizeoursystemscarefully.Itislikefittingasuitofclothes;youneedallthemeasurements.

Hereisaguidetothedatathatyouwillneedtodeterminefeasibility,todesignasystem,ortorequestaquotefromasupplier.

Next,wewilldeterminewhetherasubmersiblepumporasurfacepumpisbest.Thisisbasedonthenatureofthewatersource.Submersiblepumpsaresu
deepwellandtosurfacewatersources.Surfacepumpscanonlydrawwaterfromabout20feet(6m)belowgroundlevel,buttheycanpushitfaruphill.Whe
pumpisfeasible,itislessexpensivethanasubmersible,andagreatervarietyisavailable.

Now,weneedtodeterminetheflowraterequired.Hereistheequation,inthesimplestterms:

Gallons(CubicMeters)perHour=Gallons(CubicMeters)PerDay/AvailablePeakSunHoursperDay

PeakSunHoursreferstotheaverageequivalenthoursoffullsunenergyreceivedperday.Itvarieswiththelocationandtheseason.Forexample,thearidcen
USAaverages7peakhoursinsummer,anddipsto4.5peakhoursinmidwinter.

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