ideas for projects

[style-93]

Hello

I study electronics engineering and I'm searching for ideas for my final year project. There are some ideas in my mind like " Solar energy based projects " something like a discovery vehicle powered by solar energy or designing solar energy charging circuit. But I think that is done and nothing can be added. So I want new ideas related to solar energy or any ideas?

Thanks

[Frank_22]

How about solar-powered lawn mowers? 

[Mihemine]

I built a solar powered hydrogen generator a while back, and there are a bunch of interesting things you can do with that
or maybe a solar powered device ( laptop or phone ? ) where you use flex panels to coat for example the laptop lid ?

[LeonV]

A device that can log, in real time, what a solar array would produce.
Effectively a solar array simulator.
I started building one to use over a year to count the power that I use, and the power a solar array would produce so I can check how large of a solar array I would need for maximum savings with a grid tie system.

I have no idea if a system like this exists already, I didn't have a good look.
And the one I was trying to make would measure the power of a single cell so it would be very accurate for the specific technology in the cell. And possibly multiple technologies.

[jeroen79]

You mention that solarpowered vehicles have been done already.
But maybe there is some aspect of it that has always been done wrongish or halfbaked that you can focus on?

For example, instead of a fixed solarpanel you could make it track the sun for better performance.

[CM800]

Solar powered lawnmower sounds quite cool actually, build it to be kept outside all the time, maybe it follows the sun, then when it has enough charge to do a run of your guarden (taught) it then sends you a text for permission to mow! 

[android]

How about solar-powered lawn mowers? 

I've been thinking for a while about a solar-powered lawn mower - with a twist: instead of driving an energy-burning set of high speed blades, you get it to slooowly snip a blade of grass at a time. You leave it outdoors all the time and it moves randomly (or maybe to a pre-programmed pattern) and snips away continuously -  like a sheep. It should use minimal energy and you may even be able to use the grass clippings as an auxiliary power source.

I haven't got any further with that idea though. Just putting it out there

[Seekonk]

I get hot water at my camp from PV solar.  Pretty simple, PWM the heater element at MPPT.  At home I have an electric water heater.  From monitoring it, it uses about 3KWH a day just to overcome heat loss.  I actually use an external heat pump so actual costs are half that.  Electric is still quite popular in US and not likely to go away.  200-400W of panels is quite small and could be considered a homeowner project to install.  If every home had these it would be a large reduction in power.  When you use this small amount of power you insure 100% of possible solar energy is used.  Lets face it grid tie is being killed by the utilities.  Your challenge is to integrate grid power on one heater with solar, insuring 100% of solar is used and partial grid power is blended with it when there is demand.  It is a million dollar idea.  Something Home Depot could sell.

[Alex Eisenhut]

Solar powered lawnmower sounds quite cool actually, build it to be kept outside all the time, maybe it follows the sun, then when it has enough charge to do a run of your guarden (taught) it then sends you a text for permission to mow! 

Isn't that called a goat?

[savril]

How about solar-powered lawn mowers? 

I've been thinking for a while about a solar-powered lawn mower - with a twist: instead of driving an energy-burning set of high speed blades, you get it to slooowly snip a blade of grass at a time. You leave it outdoors all the time and it moves randomly (or maybe to a pre-programmed pattern) and snips away continuously -  like a sheep. It should use minimal energy and you may even be able to use the grass clippings as an auxiliary power source.

I haven't got any further with that idea though. Just putting it out there

Cuting the grass slowly would, I think, require a sharp blade, which mean resharpening often. While keeping the fast moving blade, you could down size it. The cut area of the lawnmower is large to avoid the user a thousand pass, but a robot can do it without any concern.

The size of the robot would however still need to be large because of the necessary solar panels.

[Kilrah]

I get hot water at my camp from PV solar.  Pretty simple, PWM the heater element at MPPT.

I will never understand people who use 15% efficiency PV to generate heat, when you could use a ~100% efficient thermal panel instead (or just recover the excess heat behind the PV panel). Such a nonsense...

[bitseeker]

Solar powered lawnmower sounds quite cool actually, build it to be kept outside all the time, maybe it follows the sun, then when it has enough charge to do a run of your guarden (taught) it then sends you a text for permission to mow! 

Isn't that called a goat?

Yes, but one with zero emissions.

[Seekonk]

I get hot water at my camp from PV solar.  Pretty simple, PWM the heater element at MPPT.

I will never understand people who use 15% efficiency PV to generate heat, when you could use a ~100% efficient thermal panel instead (or just recover the excess heat behind the PV panel). Such a nonsense...

Just one question, do you have one?  A PV system is far cheaper, easier to install, doesn't freeze and is more site friendly. I see those other systems abandoned after they fail.  In my case the panels aren't even on my land. You can not see any of my buildings from Google Earth.  Easier to move heat with a wire.  PV winds hands down.  100%, just shows you have no idea what you are talking about.

[ZeTeX]

A bomb

[KMoffett]

Google: FYP "final year project" solar

Ken

[promacjoe]

A bomb

you got to be kidding, or at least I hope you are. But in today's day and age, even suggesting that can get you in trouble. Don't even suggest taking such a device on campus unless you want to be Put in jail, or worse. In today's environment, it's no joke. And it is definitely not funny. Years ago, I had one employee at RadioShack suggest, In front of other customers, that I was making that kind of device. He not only lost the sale, he lost his job because I complained to RadioShack headquarters about Him. That was just after the Oklahoma Bombing. It wasn't funny then and It is not funny now. and this board does not need people making such suggestions.

and if you really want to know how not funny it is, talk to someone, who's lost someone in a terrorist act.

 

[Psi]

The math says it's possible to build a quadcopter that can hover indefinitely in full sun (solar powered).

It would need to be ~ 1.5meters x 1.5meters to have enough solar cells to lift its own weight + a little extra.
There's problems to overcome like stability, since it will need to be light but also have large surface area exposed to wind. (Or just say outdoor use is outside scope)
Would need some testing to find a good combination of large props (17-22inch) and motor to give best efficiency.
Need some sort of frame made from carbon fiber rods for low weight

Would be a fun project.

You would need to use arrays of the 22% efficient 125x125mm sunpower cells.
Their weight is ~8 grams and produce ~ 5A at 0.6V in full sun. They are however VERY easy to crack (being raw silicon wafers).
So you will need to find a way to keep them flat and protected.

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/10pcs-x-Sunpower-Maxeon-Flexible-Solar-Cell-21-8-High-Efficiency-3-34W-125-x-125/32559086051.html?ws_ab_test=searchweb201556_0,searchweb201602_3_10057_10056_10055_10037_10049_10059_10032_10058_10017_10060_10061_10062_10064,searchweb201603_7&btsid=69ea1874-701d-4dfb-beff-163ba108fac8

[bitseeker]

I like the robo-mower concept. For practical purposes, I'd probably make it run on batteries that are recharged via solar cells mounted on top of a small garage/charging station that the mower returns to.

[mpicker21]

+1 for the grass cutting Roomba.

If you can make it give you perfect straight lines and alternate each mowing so you get a checkerboard pattern you'd be on to something.  Also you could put some sort of weed eater rig on the side that activates when it's going along fences or obstacles.  Find another guy who's willing to create a bot that cleans up after Fido first.

[zapta]

Here is an interesting project that involved solar power https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/balloon-got-to-romania-this-time/  balloons that circumvent the world and send back telemetry.

This will be the coolest project in your class.

[han]

I had this in my mind...If Simple Solar panel project needed, You can make simple PV analyzer (IV Characteristic).
Just with Arduino, Mosfet as variable load, and few other component.(and maybe Lux meter or sun simulator for stable measurement).

[Kilrah]

in full sun (solar powered)
[...]
(Or just say outdoor use is outside scope)

[Molenaar]

If you want something that certainly looks cool but is not terribly useful, make a solar powered tesla coil!

[alexanderbrevig]

You might attract more audience with a title that includes the key term solar 
I would make a solar powered game where win condition is decided when power is gone. Green strategy hehe

[ZeTeX]

A bomb

you got to be kidding, or at least I hope you are. But in today's day and age, even suggesting that can get you in trouble. Don't even suggest taking such a device on campus unless you want to be Put in jail, or worse. In today's environment, it's no joke. And it is definitely not funny. Years ago, I had one employee at RadioShack suggest, In front of other customers, that I was making that kind of device. He not only lost the sale, he lost his job because I complained to RadioShack headquarters about Him. That was just after the Oklahoma Bombing. It wasn't funny then and It is not funny now. and this board does not need people making such suggestions.

and if you really want to know how not funny it is, talk to someone, who's lost someone in a terrorist act.

 

You made someone lost his job because he joked about that you where making a a bomb?

[promacjoe]

A bomb

you got to be kidding, or at least I hope you are. But in today's day and age, even suggesting that can get you in trouble. Don't even suggest taking such a device on campus unless you want to be Put in jail, or worse. In today's environment, it's no joke. And it is definitely not funny. Years ago, I had one employee at RadioShack suggest, In front of other customers, that I was making that kind of device. He not only lost the sale, he lost his job because I complained to RadioShack headquarters about Him. That was just after the Oklahoma Bombing. It wasn't funny then and It is not funny now. and this board does not need people making such suggestions.

and if you really want to know how not funny it is, talk to someone, who's lost someone in a terrorist act.

 

You made someone lost his job because he joked about that you where making a a bomb?

although that was not my intent, from what I understand that was the result, (a corporate decision). Or at least he no longer worked at that store or any other store that I visited. as I said, it was right after the Oklahoma bombing. And people were still very nervous about it. and I do not need unfounded rumors floating around about what I might be doing. if I remember correctly, I was working on a automotive AC charging/recovery machine. And there was nothing illegal about it.

in my opinion, with all the news about terrorist bombings, it is at least inappropriate to suggest that anyone make any device, that could cause mass destruction, to be taken to a school or university as a school project. it is not helpful. and it is definitely not funny. At least I do not think it is funny. Who knows what terrorist would think.

Joe.

[Psi]

in full sun (solar powered)
[...]
(Or just say outdoor use is outside scope)

Doh!, Yeah i should have expanded on what i meant.
I was thinking about testing in an open top stadium.
Where you would get sun but no wind.

[Trigger]

Get outside of your comfort zone.  Build a vacuum tube lab power supply.  They're actually very stable and just fun.  Now here's something for those with an interest in tubes and don't want to mess with high voltages.  You don't have to.  In the 50s they came up with a 12v tube to use in car radios.  So you can play with vacuum tubes and learn some old analog design with safe voltages.

Here are a few.
6GM8 -- Twin Triode with 6.3V on filaments and plates
12AC6 -- Remote Cutoff Pentode
12AD6 -- Pentagrid Converter
12AE6 -- Dual Diode & Medium-Mu Triode
12AE7 -- Medium-Mu Triode & Lo-Mu Triode
12AF6 -- Remote-Cutoff Pentode
12AG6 -- Pentagrid Converter
12AJ6 -- Dual Diode & Hi-Mu Triode
12AL8 -- Medium-Mu Triode & Power Tetrode
12BL6 -- Remote-Cutoff Pentode
12CN5 -- Remote-Cutoff Pentode
12CX6 -- Remote-Cutoff Pentode
12CY6 -- Remote-Cutoff Pentode
12DE8 -- Diode & Remote-Cutoff Pentode
12DK5 -- RF Pentode
12DK7 -- Dual Diode & Power Tetrode
12DL8 -- Dual Diode & Power Tetrode (sep. cathodes)
12DS7 -- Dual Diode & Power Tetrode
12DU7 -- Dual Diode & Power Tetrode
12DV7 -- Dual Diode & Power Tetrode
12DV8 -- Dual Diode & Power Tetrode (sep. cathodes)
12DW8 -- Diode & Dissimilar Dual Triode
12DY8 -- Medium-Mu Triode/Remote-Cutoff Tetrode
12DZ6 -- Remote-Cutoff Pentode (With Curves)
12EA6 -- Remote-Cutoff Pentode
12EC8 -- Med.-Mu Triode/Semiremote Cutoff Pentode (9 pin)
12EG6 -- Dual-Control Heptode (Pentagrid Amplifier)
12EK6 -- Remote-Cutoff Pentode
12EL6 -- Dual Diode & Hi-Mu Triode
12EM6 -- Diode & Power Tetrode
12EZ6 -- RF Pentode
12F8 -- Dual Diode & Remote-Cutoff Pentode
12FA6 -- Pentagrid Converter
12FK6 -- Dual Diode & Lo-Mu Triode (With Char. Curves)
12FM6 -- Dual Diode & Medium-Mu Triode
12FR8 -- Pentode & Triode & Diode
12FT6 -- Dual Diode & Triode
12FX8 -- Medium-Mu Triode & Pentagrid Converter
12GA6 -- Pentagrid Converter
12F8 -- Dual Diode & Remote-Cutoff Pentode
12G8 -- Dual Triode
12J8 -- Dual Diode & Power Tetrode
12K5 -- Power Tetrode
12U7 -- Dual Medium-Mu Triode (9 pin)
8056 -- High-Frequency Triode (Nuvistor)
list from: http://www.junkbox.com/electronics/lowvoltagetubes.shtml

My current project I'm gathering the materials for is building a vacuum tube geiger counter to monitor background levels.  I'm use to working on and with them so the 400-950v needed doesn't bother me.  The space is clear around it and it's switched off before anything goes near it until it's in an enclosure.  What's nice is there's lots of USSR vintage 400v regulator tubes matched to the Russian geiger tubes I'm using.

You'll learn a lot getting stuff working with tubes that will carry over to your future projects.