Solar Converter|1

A Comparative Study Between Commercially-Bought Solar Power Cells and

TEEC (Thermal Empyrean Energy Converter): A Self-Sustaining Solar Converter Device

A Science Investigatory Project Plan Submitted as Partial

Fulfillment the Requirements in Research II-A

G9 DELGADO, Kiara Venice (PASCAL)

B3 CONCEPCION, Carl Joshua (NEWTON)

B7 MOTITA, Selwyn Lucky (DARWIN)

G5 BERNARDO, Rizza Marie (EINSTEIN)

G17 RODRIGUEZ, Erin Joy (MENDELEEV)

G21, TICZON, Byiellja Althaea (PASCAL)

Quezon City Science High School

LINNAEUS; GROUP 1

AUGUST 2016
 Solar Converter|2

PART I

Introduction

The world is now preparing for an age without fossil fuels. The reality of this crisis is that

society cannot have growing demands on limited resources without eventually running out of

resource. There are a number of possible solutions for this issue, but these have not widely

adapted. According to Rinkesh (2015), the best possible solution is to reduce the worlds

dependence on non-renewable resources and let renewable resources play a larger part in the

supply of energy. Now, technologies have become available to combine the use of heat and

power, providing energy more efficiently than fossil fuels but the major reason for not adapting

this is the cost.

Being part of a generation wherein reactors and solar panels are widely used, fossil fuels

are in high demand. It is what these devices( reactors, solar panels, etc.) use to generate energy.

As technology is a necessity to the society, so are these devices. Fossil fuels is a requirement to

power these devices but supply is very limited. Without any increase for our growing

population or aspirations, our known oil deposites will be gone by 2052. (Al Gore, 2008) The

rate which the world continuously consumes fossil fuels increases as the population also

increases and if it already had consumed very little energy, fossil fuels will run out later. This

will spread global issues both economically and ecologically. Although nuclear reactors have

been created they cause certain disadvantages, Beidler, Harmeyer, Herrnegger, Kissingler,

Igitkhanov, and Wobig (2001) conducted a study about fussion reactors, in terms of the reactor

designs, which concluded some problems on high cost on coil and low system power density.

Theses disadvantages bring complications to the interaction between the coils and windings.
 Solar Converter|3

Solar panels is the one of the renewable resources being utilized nowadays. However, one

of the major issues that the environment faces is the consistent production of solar panels, People

believed that using solar panels is considered green but according to the article by Philip Bump

(2013), constant creating of slar panels by the industry leads to leaving millions of pulluted

sludge [waste materials] and contaminated water. 46.5 million pounds of sludge and

contaminated water are created through the first half of 2001 to 2007. Due to peoples

wastefulness and stubbornness, the industry still keeps on producing pounds of wastes [584

trillion] a year.

There are a number of ways to solve the waste problem but, although with these

solutions, the solar panels inefficiency to harvest the energy coming from the sun still remains.

Not all the light coming from the sun is absorbed by solar panels. Corresponding to this, Rinkesh

(2015) said that 60% of sunlight is wasted because most solar panels only have 40% efficiency

rate. But lately, as new technology emerges, solar panels have increased their efficiency from

40% to 80% increasing the cost of solar panels.

The demand for greater battery life in low-power consumer electronics, other electronic

devices used in the society presents a need for improved energy efficiency with the control of

small rechargeable cells. The coming of long-lasting rechargeable battery cells and power-

efficient charging circuits has been a great help to engineers, scientists, and industry to excel in

self-sufficient products. Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery cells are presently the most self-

sustained battery on the market. If environmental pressure is high, if the temperature is 5 C or

less, and if conditions are unsuitable for many chemical reactions, electrical storage can be an

extremely difficult task. The Li-ion battery is chosen due to its high energy density and

versatility.
 Solar Converter|4

This study aims to construct TEEC (or Thermal Empyrean Energy Converter), a device

that can be more efficient than solar panels in terms of, sunlight efficiency gathered by the PV

cell, surpassing the 80% efficiency, and compare it with the comercially-bought PV cells. Solar

panels use solar cell to convert energy, which will be used with the TEEC device as well.

Because of the photovoltaic effect, a solar cell or photovoltaic cell can be a device that can bring

instant electrical energy to the battery for the reason that it automatically converts light energy to

electrical energy. This happens because it is a type of a photoelectric cell whose electrical

characteristics are current, voltage or resistance, alter when unsheltered to sunlight. PV Cells and

the TEEC device should be compared to see the differences between the two. To see which one

works the best and has the least disadvantages.

Example:

Similarities Differences
TEEC
Comercially bought PV Cells

One of the parts of TEEC is a converter made up of graphite and silicon. Graphite is a

good conductor of heat and electricity while silicon is greatly used in making glass and chips and

has heat-resistant, rubber like properties, which makes a good material for the study. To support

this idea, Nancy S. Giges and Massachusetts Institute of Technology researcher team (2004)

discovered a device that improves the effectiveness of solar panels. In this new device, the sun

heats up a two layer absorber (a cluster of muli-walled carbon nanotubes)- emitter (layer of

silicon photonic crystals) constructions and is placed over the PV cells. Thus, allowing more

energy in the sun to be turned into electricity.

The main objective of this study is to compare the commercially-bought PV cells and the

self-sustaining solar-thermal converter, that uses of graphite and silicon ( as a converter), with
 Solar Converter|5

the abiliyy to power a battery to its maximum capacity and understanding how the device be able

to sustain the energy. Specifically, the TEEC device and the normal PV cell will be both tested,

under an open field, to power 2 small devices (light bulbs), and then compare its measurments in

time needed to convert the light to heat [ and heat to light] energy from the sun, in the capacity of

battery to reach its maximum power (TEEC) and lastly their sunlight efficiency gathered by the

PV cell. The formula below will tell how much percent of sunlight effieciency is gathered by the

PV cell:

ESW S ,Y ( indicated radiation flux ) A c ( area of collector)

P (maximum power output)
max ( maximum efficiency )= max

Expected results of this study includes the battery will be able to sustain the energy

gathered by the device to produce electricity for the light bulb. This study also aims to show the

effectiveness of using graphite and silicon, as a converter, in harvesting the energy from the sun.

The ones who will greatly benefit from the self-sustaining solar converter are infrastructures,

communities, and places which eperience power and electricity shortage in places which are far

from the cities. Not only will it aid the government save money to lessen the power usage in their

community but it will also support reduced power consumption of businesses, malls, and

factories. This will also help future researchers develop a new ways to help change the way to

get energy.
 Solar Converter|6

Flowchart

Connecting the Testing &

Constructing the Connecting the
charge Linking the Comparing
"Carbon-Silcion PV cell to the li-
controller to the three devices data Results
dioxide" Converter ion battery
battery

PART II.

Materials

The 8nm 10nm of graphite that collects light from sun and converted into heat will be

bought at Well Engineered Prods. Co, Inc. located at Caloocan City, Metro Manila.

The tungsten screws will be used to connect the Graphite and Silicon Dioxide and will be

bought at a hard ware store such as: Ace Hardware Store.

The silicon dioxide, measuring from 50-70 ml, which converts the heat emitted from the

graphite material back into light energy such that the PV cell can capture it can be bought at

Oreshoot Mining Company Incorporated located at Caloocan City, Metro Manila.

The PV cell which collects the light that is converted by the silicon dioxide from heat

light will be ordered online at OLX.com due to the unavailability at any stores, suppliers, or

company. The price of the PV cell is ranging from P3, 000 P9, 000.
 Solar Converter|7

The lithium-ion battery will be bought at JG Reliant Industrial Distributor and Services

at Binan City, Laguna.

The copper wire needed will be connecting the Photovoltaic cell [PV cell] to the

electricity converter, electricity converter to the lithium-ion battery, and the battery to the light

bulb. It will be bought at a hardware store such as; the Ace hardware store, measuring 40-50

meters long.

The charger controller that controls the charging of the li-ion battery such that the battery

will not over charge will also be ordered at OLX.com or Alibaba.com due to the seller at Cavite

that it can be bought online. The price of the controller is ranging from P900 P3, 000.

Procedures:

Constructing the Carbon-SO2 converter

The construction of the Carbon-SO2 converter shall need graphite that contains carbon

and silicon dioxide and together with the said materials will form the device. The graphite is the

screwed with tungsten screw on top of the silicon dioxide, the graphite will function as the

collector of light and heat it back up to the light bulb so that the PV cell can acquire.

Connecting the PV cell the Lithium Ion battery

The PV cells will be connected by placing it on top of the lithium ion battery. By placing

metal connectors on the top and the bottom of the PV cell, it will be able to draw out the current

to power the lithium ion battery.

Connecting the charger controller to the battery

 Solar Converter|8

The charger controller will be connected to the lithium ion battery with the help of copper

wires, so that the controller can sustain and control the charging the battery such that the life

span of the will not be lessen, by the sustainable energy gathered from the graphite.

Linking the three devices together (Carbon-Silicon Converter, PV cell Battery, Battery

charger controller)

The copper wires will connect the two devices together. This will help the energy

gathered by the first device (GraphiteSO2 converter)to the second device (PV cell-battery) to

the final device (Charger controller-lithium ion battery). The light energy gathered by the

(Graphite SO2 converter) will be captured by the PV cell that will be converted into the

electricity then transferred to the battery to charge it.

Testing

When the TEEC device is charged and containing the converted energy, it is going to be

connected to the LED light bulb (5watts) using the copper wires that are connected to the lithium

ion battery that provides the electricity to illuminate the LED light bulb.

Comparing
Compare the TEEC device to a commercialized solar cell. Compare the sunlight efficiency
of the two models using this formula:
ESW S ,Y ( indicated radiation flux ) A c ( area of collector)
P (maximum power output)
max ( maximum efficiency )= max

After solving for the models sunlight efficiency, compare the energy production of the two

models. The output of a solar panel is usually stated in watts, and the wattage is determined by

multiplying the rated voltage by the rated amperage.

 Solar Converter|9

SET UP:

Carbon
Tungsten Screw

PV Cell
Silicon Dioxide
Light Bulb
Battery

Metal
Contacts

Copper Wires

Charger Controller
 S o l a r C o n v e r t e r | 10

BIBILIOGRAPHY:

Bump, P. (2013, February 11). Are solar panels the worst thing for the environment ever? Um,
no. Grist Editor's Pick.
Giges, N. S. (2014, April). Making Solar Panels More Efficient. Retrieved from ASME:
https://www.asme.org/engineering-topics/articles/renewable-energy/making-solar-panels-
more-efficient
HARMEYER, E., BEIDLER, C., HERRNEGGER, F., KISSLINGER, J., IGITKHANOV, Y., &
WOBIG, H. (2001, December). STELLARATOR FUSION REACTORS AN
OVERVIEW. EURATOM Association, 1-6.
Kukreja, R. (2009, August). Disadvantages of Solar Energy. Retrieved from Conserve Energy
Future: http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/Disadvantages_SolarEnergy.php
Lombardo, C. (2015, June 15). The Next Galaxy. Retrieved from Disadvantages and Advantages
of Nuclear Fusion: http://thenextgalaxy.com/disadvantages-and-advantages-of-nuclear-
fusion-list/
Measuring PV Efficiency. (2013, January 3). Retrieved from Pv Power:
http://www.pvpower.com/assets/Measuring-PV-Efficiency-Solar-Panels.pdf