ECO ENERGY Gateway

Problem: Gateway Garden is trying to find a solution to minimize energy expenditures. Objective: Create a durable, cost efficient solar panel array that will supply the power needed for Gateway Gardens.• Proposed dual axis solar panel for maximum power generation• Implement design in a small scale prototype to demonstrate

effectiveness• Provide plan for full-scale implementation

Problem Overview

Team 15

Constraints:• Uneven flooring: Dome shaped roof section, Few AC units and air

vents• Roof dimensions: Red sections of roof combined that have 21.5ft

(length), 31ft (width) and 17ft (width of one section), 14ft (width of other section)

• Total area dimensions to place solar panel array:• Red sections of roof combined: 21.5ft x 31ft = 666.5 ft2 For

another 17ft x 21.5ft = 365.5 ft2 and 14ft x 21.5ft = 301 ft2

Requirements:• Solar panels need to generate sufficient energy to be able to power

the ballroom.• Cost should break even within the life span of a solar panel to

maintain a low cost in electricity usage.

Constraints & Requirements

Gateway Gardens is a restaurant built in the 1860’s, and is currently located in Downtown Merced. They provide venue space for special occasions such as weddings, birthdays and special events. The total floor space within the facility consists of 10,176 sq. ft., which includes all the halls in gateway garden. The facility accommodates a maximum of 1,260 guests.

Background

The figures above represents the CAD design of the prototype, showing the dimensions as well as the configuration, and how it would be positioned to follow the light source. The figure on the right is the actual prototype that shows the foundation of how the full scale model can be implemented on the Gateway Garden’s Roof.

Prototype Development

Jonathan Ramirez (Team Lead) Arturo Luna (Chief Financial Advisor) Nikhil Kiron (Safety Officer) Citlalli Pina (Project Engineer)

• The pie chart on the left emphasizes the components needed for the full scale model,

which is an extension of the prototype• The table on the right represents the break down cost of each material that will be

implemented into the full scale. The total cost that the client will be investing per unit of each solar panel component.

Cost Analysis

Recommendations • Client: Jason Vogel of Gateway Gardens• Sponsor: Stergios (Steve) Russos of the Blum Center• TA: Sean Johnson our Capstone Advisor

Acknowledgements

Experimental Analysis

The figures above represent the actual scaled model that would be implemented onto the Gateway Gardens roof. This design is an extension of the prototype, but these solar panels will be conducted by motors. Majority of the full scale model is composed of Aluminum 6061 and its estimated weight is about 60 pounds. In order to achieve the goal of high efficiency we need to implement 28 solar panels.

Full Scale Implementation

Full Scale Solar Panel Components Cost Solar Panel $310

Base connected to floor $200 Micro Processor w/ LDR $110.00

Battery $100 Inverter $100

Hollow Tube for dc motor $86 Brushless DC Motor $34.00

Wiring $20 Aluminum Solar Panel Frame $34 Aluminum Solar Panel Frame

TOTAL COST: $994

• The figure placed to the left demonstrates the main components for both the prototype and the full scale model. In order to successfully construct the full scale model the prototype components must be substituted to the full scale components, accordingly.

• Quantity needed to build a full scale solar panel:• 1 Control System• 1 Solar Panel• 4 Solar Sensor• 2 Brushless DC Motors• Hollow Aluminum

• In order to demonstrate efficiency of our design an experiment was conduced using the solar panel provided by the by the Science and Engineering department.

• The light intensity and power output obtained from the experiment were plotted for stationary versus dual axis panels.

• Results show that the dual axis solar panel collects more energy than a stationary solar panel in a given time period.

• Throughout the experimental analysis it also proves the solar panels efficiency was estimated of being 15%, which is the minimum efficiency for the monocrystalline solar panel.

• Throughout the calculations the result of using 28 solar panels is sufficient to power the facility.

• Proposal to implement the above structure to house a maximum amount of solar panels

• This structure would bypass the dome-shaped roof.

• Estimate to build the “Table Structure”: $20,000.00

Dome Shaped

Roof