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Week 18 : Project Development, Applications & Implications

Please refer to the final project tab for further details.

What will it do?

A portable, pay-to-use solar pv system for street vendors.

  • Prototype (now):

    • A single-axis (east–west) solar tracker to keep orientation toward the sun during the day.
    • Energy is stored in a battery
    • Users can charge phones via USB when their subscription/payment is active.
    • Activation is done remotely
    • The panel is housed in a compact, bag-like foldable frame (not a tall “solar tower”), with a simple spring-assisted deploy/stow mechanism

  • Future vision (document, not built in prototype):

    • More loads (e.g. lamps, etc)
    • Real payment system

Who has done it beforehand

Generally, product features such as solar tracking and pay-as-you-go (PAYG) functionality are developed as separate modules targeting different market needs. This prototype, however, integrates selected features from these systems into a unified solution and catered for the street vendors.

What sources will you use?

What will you design?

  • Mechanical (2D+3D) :

    • 2D
      • Back panel for the PV module (image)
    • East-west rotation joint
    • Enclosure for battery and electronics

  • Electronics :

    • Custom PCB for power path, payment/lock logic, USB enable

  • Software/embedded

    • Remote payment system
    • USB output enable/disable

What materials and components will be used?

BOM

What processes will be used?

  • Other suppliers

How much will they cost?

Planned

Actual

What questions need to be answered?

  • Product/users :
  • Technical

How will it be evaluated?

Tracking Panel follows sun east–west over several hours; parks at night/stow Energy Panel charges battery in sun; battery can deliver USB power Payment lock USB off when “unpaid”; on when “paid” (reproducible test) Portable form Folds/stows like a bag; deploys with spring assist without tower