DEVELOPMENT OF A SOLAR ENERGY BASED CHARGER FOR LAPTOP COMPUTERS

Abstract

The study considers the general problem of inconsistency in power supply to Nigerian academic environments and the consequent repressive effect on the rate of academic work done, which are generally carried out using Laptops Computers. The values of primary empirical parameters applicable to a proposed design of solar based laptop charger were measured in the academic environment of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), south western part of Nigeria. Solar irradiation in the environment was measured and analyzed to produce heuristic model (profile) of daily solar availability variation, during a typical dry season day. This data (Solar Irradiation) was useful and applied as Sun simulation data and modelled together with other designed system units (as solar panel and converter) in MATLAB Simulink, to evaluate the virtual performance of the system. A fabricated variant of the charging system was implemented on Vero-board and its performance evaluated. The solar availability profiles shows, a uniform rate of increase from 6:00am to 12noon and a uniform rate of reduction from 15:00pm to 18:00pm, but a decrease rate of reduction from 15:00pm to 18:00pm. The obtained maximum required number of panels to provide adequate power for the laptop computers within the proposed use period of 9:00am to 4:00pm was obtained as 2×1m2 panels. The design simulation on proteus display on LCD a duty cycle of 54% (0.54) at maximum boost conversion. From cost benefit analysis, a Payback cost of 2.25yrs was obtained, and the utility of the PV system for 2.25yrs will be equivalent to the utility of the generator for a year in term of cost. Also signifies that for a payback cost of 2.25yrs, the PV system utility ensure a saving of approximately 1.25yrs (15months) of the cost of utilizing the generator, and the levelized cost of energy from the PV system and the generator of 161.3 (₦/kW) and 347.7 (₦/kW) respectively. From this result, utilizing the PV system will save a cost of approximately ₦186 for every kW utilized. The designed and constructed charging system cost per unit is approximately ₦10,000 with an efficiency of approximately 84%.Conclusively, a cost effective (When compare with diesel/petrol engine generator) and locally fabricated solar based laptop computer was developed, which serves as alternative source of energy for personal computer charging.