Solar Water Pumping Systems - Research Proposal Example

Solar Water Pumping Systems Name Institution Solar Water Pumping Systems Abstract Many countries are experiencing problems associated with water pumping systems. The proposal involves solar powered pumping systems to improve the quality of lives especially for those in remote areas with limited supply of water and agricultural practices. Some of the proposal approaches involved in the project include involvement of the local communities in data collection and using simulation models to establish some of the findings. Various risks associated with the implementation of the project will be analyzed including the solutions to the identified risks. Introduction Motivation Globally, many people are greatly affected by inadequate drinking water. Contaminated water is the second greatest cause of infant mortality with an estimation of approximately 1.8 million children dying annually due to illness associated with consumption of polluted water. In most developing countries, the quality of water in the rural areas is limited to the extreme (Ramos & Ramos, 2009). Besides not having access to safe water, the majority of the people who lack access water also have inadequate water services including quality, quantity, and continuity. Inadequate access to clean water is the major cause of most health problems. The project, solar water pumping system, will offer an easy and affordable solution to solving problems associated with water shortages in most rural communities. The water pumping using solar energy has numerous advantages that the project intends to explore in a bid to assist reducing the health complications that often result from consuming contaminated water. Its investment is low cost and requires low maintenance cost which makes it affordable. The pumps use solar energy from the sun which is environmental friendly and readily available (Dankoff & Andrews, 2007). Therefore, it becomes easier to pump water to remote areas without electricity. By comparing the cost installation, fuel, and maintenance, it is clear that solar energy is economical and the most suitable solutions for the remote and isolated areas experiencing water shortages due to high installation cost of pumping systems that utilize electricity. A solar powered pumping systems offer the most reliable sources of energy. Objectives The major objectives of the project will be to assist in designing and supplying portable water to the isolated communities that are far from the city using the solar pump and identification of the water supply mechanism appropriate for the isolated areas using the solar energy. Moreover, the project will be aiming to reduce the percentage of the poor people who lack access to portable water and demonstrate that solar water pumping systems offer the best solution to improving the living standards of those living in the isolated areas. More importantly, the project will also be aiming to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of supplying water using solar pump and other sources of electricity. The scope of the project will majorly be in the remote areas that have no access to quality water due to inadequate pumping systems used to supply safe water. Moreover, the project assumes that by assuming affordable solar pumping systems, there will be improvement in the living standards owing to the availability of quality water. Besides, water supply will enable people to practice agricultural activities which will help increase the availability of food supply. Significance Currently, most people consuming unsafe drinking water succumb to various diseases that solar water pump system might assist to solve. Using solar energy for pumping irrigation farms in developing countries offers one of the greatest promises and excitement among the solar technologists, planners, and irrigation engineers. The application of the solar energy offers several attractions as it is available when most countries need to be pumped water. Even though the feasibility of the solar-pumped system has been demonstrated, the advancement in technology is becoming expensive but immature. Almost all the solar pumping machinery used presently are either prototype or in their first product run. Therefore, there is need for further development with an aim of producing systems and components that efficient, reliable, robust, and genuinely economical. Proposed Approach  Literature Review Within the last few years, several studies have been conducted to provide an insight on the solar powered water pumps systems. Some of these insights of related studies include; Solar water pumps provide simple and low labour options of watering the farms within remote areas’ Use of plastic and metal water storage facilities rather than the power storage in battery, Reduction of the cost which makes the system simple. Most of the solar pumps are made to pump water slowly that allows water to be pushed over considerable distance to areas experiencing deficit of such important natural resource (Chiras, 2006). The slow pumps might use the small diameter piping systems which helps to reduce the installation cost. PV modules are quite expensive thus reducing water consumption might assist with cost reduction (Short & Burton, 2003). The solar pumps are often competitive in the small system where the combustion engines are least economical. The major aspects of the literature review that the project will focus on the Solar Energy Basics including; Photovoltaic cells and modules: these modules use solar energy to complete the tasks that would otherwise require conventional energy. The PV technology often converts solar energy into electricity using semi conducting PV cells Balance of systems (BOS) components: The electrical power generated from the PV modules need control and sometimes modification. The modules are commercially available unregulated. Another crucial BOS component of the PV system is its energy storage capacity. Solar radiation modelling: solar radiation is a crucial variable to consider while estimating the potential PV electrical output together with temperatures, wind, and precipitation. The major challenge when modelling the solar powered water pump systems is the solar radiation prediction. Therefore, it is crucial to consider solar radiation when designing the PV systems ((Eker, 2005). It does not only affect the irrigation scheduling, but also directs the input to PV electrical output prediction models. Theoretical Approach Power supply Electric water pumps are usually plugged into an outlet system using an alternating current (AC). Therefore, they are not built to operate very efficiently since they have limitation to the available power. On the other hand, the solar powered water pumps utilize direct current (DC) provided by PV array even though some of the new versions use AC motor and a three-phase AC pump controller which allow them to pump directly through the solar modules. Since PV is expensive with variability in power production, it is important that solar pumps are efficient hat involves maximizing the gallons of the pumped water per watt of the electricity used. Moreover, they have to be able to pump water during the low light conditions. In order to meet these requirements, it is important that the pump manufacturers change the designs. Centrifugal impellers Most of the conventional AC pumps utilize centrifugal impellers that throw water into the motion. A multiple-centrifugal pump has numerous stacked impellers and chambers. While in low power, the amount of water pumped by the centrifugal pumps drops intensely this makes the somehow limited in solar applications even though there is efficient centrifugal pumps. Positive displacement pumping approach Most of the solar water pump designers use the approach of the positive displacement that brings water into the chamber the forcing it out using a piston or to some extent a helical screw. Such types generally pump water at a slower rate than other types, but have good performance under some low conditions, and can acquire high lift. Both the submersible which remains under the water and surface pumps that is mounted at water level either adjacent to the source of water are in the market. The surface pumps are cheaper than the submersible pumps; however, they do not suit well for suction and can only draw from approximately 20 vertical feet. The surface pumps are good for pushing water long distances. Solar powered water pumps also vary with types and sizes. An appropriate water pump system is determined after calculation of the requirements (Hartwell, McPartland, & McPartland, 2014). Modelling The project will use the economic model to describe the reality that yields the hypothesis concerning economic behaviors, which can be tested. It involves a set of mathematical equations that tend to explain the theory of economic behavior (Kabade, Rajoriya, & Chaubey, 2012). The model interacts the data generated from the market, cost, and engineering and performances of the solar pump sets while at the same time considering the state policies during the preparation of the Solar Pump Economic Analysis Model (SPEAM). In addition, such evaluation will help in the determination of the cost and effectiveness of the solar pump systems with regard to the alternative technologies like electricity and diesel engines, which are available in most places. Timeline The project will take a span of eight months beginning with feasibility study of the remote area considered to face problems associated with inadequate supply of water or utilize unreliable water pumping systems. Conducting and initial survey on the various pumping techniques and other systems having a positive correlation with the project is necessary and important as it ensure there is minimum confusing associated with the implementation of the project. Another important activity that requires time consideration is site visitation to study the existing some of the existing water pumping systems, pumping methods, and associated problems. The project will collect information relating to the problems faced by the site, as this will give an insight on the relevance of the objectives of the project and to establish whether the project will address their specific problems or not. In addition, data will be collected especially those that are relevant to the project through the market and literature survey. Review of the literature will take considerable time since it will involve analysis of printed, electronic, and internet electronic sources for conceptual framework. Market survey will be conducted through obtaining information on the instruments, performances, and alternatives. Table 1: Project Timeline Risk Assessment Effective and quality data collection depends on the level of corporation of those considering to living within the remote areas. Inadequate cooperation might prevent the project from achieving its objectives. The achievement and understanding the importance the benefits of using solar powered water pump systems depends on the level of corporation of the local communities. To enhance the level of the corporation, the project will ensure proper understanding of the importance of utilizing the solar powered water pump systems in reducing several challenges that they experience (Short & Oldach, 2003). Another is associated with the allocation of inadequate funds required to undertake the project owing to the rising level of inflation. With such limited resources, the project will reach fewer people who make it difficult to meet some of the objectives. To implement the planned project effectively, it is important as well to focus on campaigns for sustainability development that encourage the use of solar powered systems to pump water for consumption and use in agricultural fields (Natural Resources Conservation Services, 2010). Table 2: Risk Assessment Chart Risk Consequence Risk Level Mitigation Probability Inadequate resources to acquire the needed systems Incomplete project installation Low Accounting for all project activities 1 Lower power voltage Limitation of certain activities Low Installation of efficient panels 2 In adequate supply of water Exploitation of other water pumping mechanisms Low Identification of areas with potential aquifers 0 Limited supply of solar energy Limited performance of certain activities Low Devising power storage mechanism Progress to Date Currently, most of those living within the areas have limited access to clean water for both drinking and agricultural activities. Thus, most of them are willing to utilize the solar powered water pump systems, but the initial cost of acquiring these machinery is likely to prevent effective utilization of the project. Increased used of solar powered water pump systems will assist improve the living standard as it will enable the local communities to practice irrigational agriculture that will increase food supply. Conclusion Under the circumstances of inadequate supply of electricity, the solar water pump can play an important role. The solar photovoltaic pumping mechanisms offer an alternative way of meeting the electricity demand for irrigation and consumption in most developing countries and some remote areas of the developed countries. Although the upfront cost involved the solar powered water systems, potentially hinder the popularization of using the systems in most remote area. However, with the rising concern on environmental issues, development organizations, banks, and various state agencies are offering the loans for activities considered to have positive influence on the aesthetic value of the environment. The proposed project on the solar water pumping systems have long lifetime, and the maintenance cost is also low. These factors likely enhance the process of project implementation. Together with the declining PV costs of the modules and improving efficiency, PV is becoming more pervasive than ever. Since the increment in price per increase in unit power output of the PV systems is higher than that of the diesel systems, the PV power is highly cost competitive when the irrigation systems that it uses to have very low total dynamic head. For such reason, the PV power is becoming more effective especially when used in powering the micro-irrigation system. References Asefa Kabade, Abha Rajoriya, & U. C. Chaubey. (2012). Solar Pump Application in Rural Water Supply - A Case Study from Ethiopia. The World Academic Publishing Co., Limited. Chiras, D. D. (2006). The homeowner's guide to renewable energy: Achieving energy independence through solar, wind, biomass and hydropower. Gabriola, BC: New Society. Dankoff, W., & Andrews, S. (2007). An introduction to solar water pumping with Windy Dankoff. Sausalito, CA: Scott Andrews. Eker, B. (2005). Solar Powered Water Pumping Systems. Trakia Journal of Sciences, 3(1), 7-10. Hartwell, F. P., McPartland, J. F., & McPartland, B. J. (2014). McGraw-Hill's national electrical code handbook. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education LLC. Kinkaid, C. (2014). Solar PV water pumping: How to build solar PV powered water pumping systems for deep wells, ponds, creeks, lakes, and streams. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. Natural Resources Conservation Service. (2010). Design of Small Photovoltaic (PV) Solar-Powered Water Pump System. Department of Agriculture. Ramos, J., & Ramos, H. M. (2009). Solar powered pumps to supply water for rural or isolated zones: A case study. Energy for Sustainable Development, 13(3), 151-158. Short, T., & Burton, J. (2003). The benefits of induced flow solar powered water pumps. Solar Energy, 74(1), 77-84. Short, T. D., & Oldach, R. (2003). Solar Powered Water Pumps: The Past, the Present—and the Future? Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, 125(1), 76. Read More