Hybrid Energy Generator Circuit. Advice?

Thread Starter

sadele89

Joined Feb 23, 2015
3
My capstone group is building a hybrid energy generator that will integrate a solar panel, wind turbine and wave energy generator (turbine). This is a pretty challenging project considering we're all mechanical engineering students and have little to no experience with circuits. Through some research and looking at a similar project done by another group, this is what I've come up with. I used 123D Circuits to construct this schematic (I couldn't make heads or tails of LabView). We are using an Arduino Mega as our controller. Any advice would be appreciated!


The AC source on the bottom is the wave turbine.
 

Sensacell

Joined Jun 19, 2012
3,432
Define the goals of the project more clearly?

What is the desired output?
What are the inputs?
Power levels?
Etc.

This is not an easy one- be ready to fight a steep uphill battle.
 

camerart

Joined Feb 25, 2013
3,724
Hi,

Do you intend to charge batteries? If so I would have a battery for each input, then when power is needed select the most charged battery, and use a circuit to switch between them.

Camerart.
 

blocco a spirale

Joined Jun 18, 2008
1,546
Hi,

Do you intend to charge batteries? If so I would have a battery for each input, then when power is needed select the most charged battery, and use a circuit to switch between them.

Camerart.
What possible advantage would this have?
Surely, it is better to feed all energy sources into one large battery?

Suppose that each system has its own battery and, therefore, 1/3 of the total battery capacity and for 6 months there is intense sunshine and no wind or tide activity. The solar battery will become fully charged and surplus energy will be discarded because there is no more solar battery capacity available. But, 2/3 of the total battery capacity (assigned to wind and tide) would be unused.
 
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camerart

Joined Feb 25, 2013
3,724
What possible advantage would this have?
Surely, it is better to feed all energy sources into one large battery?
Managing batteries can be tricky, as each type have different important charging requirements, but if you can make a circuit that monitors all of the 3x inputs while monitoring the battery voltage range, this would be good also.

Camerart.
 

camerart

Joined Feb 25, 2013
3,724
What possible advantage would this have?
Surely, it is better to feed all energy sources into one large battery?

Suppose that each system has its own battery and, therefore, 1/3 of the total battery capacity and for 6 months there is intense sunshine and no wind or tide activity. The solar battery will become fully charged and surplus energy will be discarded because there is no more solar battery capacity available. But, 2/3 of the total battery capacity (assigned to wind and tide) would be unused.
This is why I added, that managing batteries is tricky. If a battery is left at 1/3 capacity for 6 months, then it would need replacing, and this would not be a viable proposition anyway.
 

blocco a spirale

Joined Jun 18, 2008
1,546
This is why I added, that managing batteries is tricky. If a battery is left at 1/3 capacity for 6 months, then it would need replacing, and this would not be a viable proposition anyway.

The solar battery in my example is not charged to 1/3 capacity it is at 100%. If each system had its own (equal sized) battery i.e. 3 x batteries, and the other two were discharged that would equate to 1/3 of the TOTAL capacity.

You are correct, It is not a viable proposition, but I didn't propose it.
 

Navaneeth1285

Joined Mar 19, 2015
8
My capstone group is building a hybrid energy generator that will integrate a solar panel, wind turbine and wave energy generator (turbine). This is a pretty challenging project considering we're all mechanical engineering students and have little to no experience with circuits. Through some research and looking at a similar project done by another group, this is what I've come up with. I used 123D Circuits to construct this schematic (I couldn't make heads or tails of LabView). We are using an Arduino Mega as our controller. Any advice would be appreciated!


The AC source on the bottom is the wave turbine.
Hi,
Are u going to use it as DC source or AC source..?
either way to control the power fed from these sources u require a control strategy.
And also decide on what load you want to try this on.like resistance load or a light load or a motor etc.
 

camerart

Joined Feb 25, 2013
3,724
The solar battery in my example is not charged to 1/3 capacity it is at 100%. If each system had its own (equal sized) battery i.e. 3 x batteries, and the other two were discharged that would equate to 1/3 of the TOTAL capacity.

You are correct, It is not a viable proposition, but I didn't propose it.
Hi, I only meant that the system wasn't viable, if any battery could get as low as 1/3 capacity.
 

Thread Starter

sadele89

Joined Feb 23, 2015
3
Thank you all for your responses!
I believe I will start with a block diagram. And the sources are 1 DC and 2 AC. I believe the load will be several light bulbs.
 
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