Electric Power Generation for Low-Cost Housing in Jamaica   Team Name: Cool Running Team Members: Daniel Ryan, Shawn Keller, Bang Duong, Chad Dudonis, Karina Camacho Sponsor: Engineers Without Frontiers - Thomas Colledge Faculty Coach: Timothy Wheeler Date: Fall 2002

SUMMARY:

The goal of the Cool Running team is to research and design a power generation system.  The system will be used for low cost housing in Mandeville, Jamaica.  The system will be used by Food for the Poor in conjunction with our sponsor, Engineers Without Frontiers.  In order to make the final design decision we had to take into account many different factors, which include a decision matrix of power generation methods, analysis of the available resources, an average user profile, and a cost analysis.  After considering all factors, we determined that a hybrid system of solar and wind would be the best option to accomplish our goal.

OBJECTIVES:

• Deliver a feasibility report and a design of the electric power generation system using the design criteria (listed below).

• Research existing technology and products for providing alternative energy to low-income homes.

• Fully Document the design

DESIGN CRITERIA:

FINAL DESIGN:

We chose a wind-solar hybrid system for our power generation solution capable of producing about 5 kWh/day. Our group researched alternative methods  of power generation. According to the design criteria, we constructed a design selection matrix. Taken from the design matrix, the three most feasible designs were geothermal power, biomass power and wind power. Daniel Ryan traveled to Jamaica. His observations influenced us to make a wind power, a solar power or a hybrid system. For the biomass power generation method, the low income families would have to grow crops that would be time consuming and they wouldn't have the land to sustain or the money to periodically purchase the crops. Geothermal power would not be efficient  except in the Blue Mountains (located in eastern Jamaica). This left us with wind power as our generation method. Discussion with students and professors from the University of Technology, they recommended also using photovoltaic cells. We also wanted the house to have a constant source of power because of possible rainy seasons and/or low wind scenarios. Therefore, a decision was made that the most feasible system would be a hybrid of a photovoltaic cell  and wind turbine to produce the power. We researched different wind turbines and photovoltaic cells and the products we chose were:

•    Bergey XL.1 Wind Turbine - Rated at 1 kWh                       

•    BP Solar 2150 Photovoltaic Module - Rated at 150 Wh       

•    Trojan 6V T-105 Batteries ( 4 )

•    Studer AJ802 Inverter

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