TAMILNADU STATE COUNCIL FOR SCIENCE

AND TECHNOLOGY
DOTE Campus, Chennai - 600025

STUDENT PROJECTS SCHEME 2016-2017

1. Name of the Student (s) : R.Prabu. S.Shamir Basha, M.Shangar, S.Vigneshwaran

one valid e-mail id : sekarest@gmail.com

2. Name of the Guide : Mr.N.Rajasekaran,
Designation : Assistant Professor / Department of EEE

Institutional Address : Kongunadu College of Engineering and Technology,

Namakkal-Trichy Main Road,

Tholurpatti Post, Thottiyam Taluk,

Trichy Dt, Tamil Nadu. India - 621215.

Fax:04326-277572

E-Mail : principalkncet@gmail.com

Phone No. & Mobile No. : Phone : 04326-277571, Mobile No: 8012505051

3. Project Title : Liters of Light and solar panel for full time domestic lighting
system.

4. Sector in which your : Engineering & Technology

Project proposal is to be
Considered
5. Project Details

1. INTRODUCTION

Modifications were designed for a standard soda bottle solar light constructed with a 2 liter soda
bottle, water, and bleach. When inserted through the roof of a structure, the device generated
approximately 50-60 watts of unidirectional light. A total of 8 different prototypes were designed
and tested using a 100 watt full spectrum bulb to simulate the light of the Sun. A Vernier light
sensor was used to determine the amount of lux that each of the prototypes transmitted. Design
C, the combination of 4 smaller plastic bottles that had the same volume as 1 large plastic bottle,
and Design H, the combination of 4 smaller plastic bottles with a surrounding hood covered in
aluminum foil, further reflected the light than the design recently developed. Similarly inside the
bottle water proved LED lights and supporting leg placed and the solar panel is fixed in top of
the support, similarly multiple numbers of same set upped systems are placed in the roof top.
Standard soda bottle solar lights are currently being used in India, Malaysia and other countries.
The modified designs that were engineered can be used to improve the amount of indoor lighting
for households in these developing countries, fulfilling the social and economical needs.

A growing problem with access and affordability of indoor lighting in developing countries
has led to the renewed interest in studies of solar lights. The access to electricity for indoor
lighting in developing countries is very important for growth, both socially and economically.
From 1971 to 2005, the percentage of houses connected to the grid electricity in Bangladesh only
increased from 3% to 33%. In 2002, only 50% of the rural communities in South Africa had
access to electricity while 80% of urban communities had access (Alam et al., 2011). Over 3
million households surrounding Manila, in the Philippines, are currently without generated
power. Many urban areas have access to electricity, while rural areas do not. Also, the accessed
electricity must be affordable, or it is of no use. With solar lights, the cost is not important since
there are no expenses for electricity. Regression in the area of electricity for rural communities
has created a surge in solar lights (Agarwal, Barnes, & Cabraal, 2005). The availability of light
enhances the opportunities for a better education, a healthier life-style, and an extended amount
of leisure time.

Members of My Shelter Foundation and students of the Massachusetts Institute of

Technology have designed a device to aid in the need for easily accessed and affordable indoor
lighting. They produced a soda bottle solar light that reflects light to as much as 50 or 60 watts
made from a 2 liter, clear, plastic soda bottle filled with water and bleach. When inserted through
the roof of a house, with approximately 1/3 of the soda bottle outside and 2/3 of the soda bottle
inside, the device manipulates the ultraviolet rays of the sun, resulting in an unidirectional light
source. Throughout the Philippines, soda bottle solar lights are being used by people who are not
able to access or afford electricity for indoor lighting. There are national development programs
that have been working on increasing the accessibility of electricity to other areas. Although this
may seem promising, the use of soda bottle solar lights will dramatically affect the lives of
families who live each day without lighting and who are struggling to provide for their families
(Alam et al., 2011). Knowledge of unidirectional light has become essential to the construction
of solar lights created by the students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The primary
properties of visible light are intensity, propagation of light (or the direction of the light), the
frequency or wavelength spectrum, and polarization (the property of certain types of waves that
describes the orientation of their oscillators, or the repetitive variation of a measure about a
central value).

Light is emitted and absorbed in photons and can be measured in lux. There are many
different sources of light, but the most common source is thermal light. Maxwell’s equations
state that light exerts pressure on objects that are in its path. Ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun
have shorter wavelengths than those of visible light. This type of light can be both harmful and
beneficial. Used to attain vitamin D and utilized when treating certain skin conditions, UV light
is beneficial, but when exposed to this light for too long, skin poisoning and inflammation or a
common sun burn are harmful effects. Time has progressed; new discoveries and interests have
been made in the study of ultraviolet rays, electromagnetic radiation and their effects. It is
difficult to perform photochemical tests because of the numerous variables that can affect a
photochemical reaction. Because of this, researchers and scientists believe that there are several
different ways to interpret data (Noyes, 1941).
 2. OBJECTIVES

 To provide low-income households with light - while traditional windows can easily crack or
leak during typhoon season or other severe weather, the Solar Bottle Bulb brings even more
light in and helps save money and energy.

 Not only do the bulbs improve the lives of families, but they also improve the future and
health of the environment by significantly reducing plastic waste.

 To provide day and night free light energy without any maintenance of 5 years from the
installation.
 3. METHODOLOGY

Nine soda bottles (clear, plastic, four 2 L bottles, one 1 L bottle, four 0.5 L bottles) were
cleaned with cold water. The outsides of the bottles were wiped and dried with a paper towel.
Each soda bottle was sterilized with approximately 15 grams of bleach (Ultra Bleach Fresh
Rain, Market Basket brand). They were set aside. A large cardboard box was obtained. The
diameter of each of the bottles was measured with a standard tape measure. The
measurement in centimeters for each soda bottle was recorded. Circles were drawn with a
standard pen with the diameters of each of the bottles on a piece of cardboard from the
cardboard box, approximately 38 centimeters apart. The circles were cut out from the piece
of cardboard with a standard pair of scissors. A rectangle, approximately 42 centimeters by
15 centimeters, was then cut out around the previously cut out circle with a standard pair of
scissors. Design C requires the drawing and cutting out of a square instead of a circle because
4 smaller bottles (0.5 liters each) are combined to create a square.

The length of each side of the figure was measured with a standard tape measure and a
square was drawn with the lengths instead of a circle. The square was cut out with a standard
pair of scissors, then a rectangle was cut out, approximately 42 centimeters by 15
centimeters, around the previously cut out square with a standard pair of scissors. The bottles
were inserted into their cardboard holders so that approximately 1/3 of the bottles were seen
above the holder and then secured with hot glue (All Purpose Stik, Mini Glue Sticks,
Surebonder brand) where the bottle met the cardboard. Smaller pieces of cardboard were
attached over the small holes of the square structure of Design C with hot glue (All Purpose
Stik, Mini Glue Sticks, Surebonder brand). They were then set aside.

Another large cardboard box was obtained; approximately 48 centimeters by 97

centimeters by 81 centimeters. A square was cut in the middle of the top of the cardboard box
with the same measurements of the square cut-out from the cardboard holder with a standard
pair of scissors. All of the bottles secured in their holders should fit into this hole. Using tape
(clear, Tape It), the cardboard box was strengthened by taping all of the sides and possible
holes or scratches. It was not necessary to secure the bottom flaps of the cardboard box.
A small hole, approximately 3 centimeters in diameter, was cut out with a standard pair of
scissors in the middle of the bottom of one side of the box, approximately 15 centimeters
from the bottom of the box. The middle of the bottom of the box should coincide with the
middle of the square cut-out on the top of the box. The light sensor (Vernier Software &
Technology, range: 0-6,000, 0-600, and 0-150,000) was inserted through the hole so that only
the tip of the light sensor was inside of the box. The light sensor outside of the cardboard box
and the box itself made an angle of approximately 6 degrees. The light sensor was secured to
the box with tape and small pieces of cardboard, approximately 18 centimeters by 3
centimeters.

The bottles of Design A, B, C, and F were filled with water to about the top of the bottle.
The bottle of Design E was filled with water, but with a smaller amount of water than
previously mentioned. A standard tablespoon measuring device was sterilized with 15 grams
of bleach (Ultra Bleach Fresh Rain, Market Basket brand). The bottles of Design A, E, and F
were filled with 15 grams of bleach (Ultra Bleach Fresh Rain, Market Basket brand). The
bottle of Design B with 7.5 was filled grams of bleach (Ultra Bleach Fresh Rain, Market
Basket brand). The bottles of Design C were filled with 3.75 grams of bleach (Ultra Bleach
Fresh Rain, Market Basket brand). All of the bottles were capped tightly. One standard
cooking pot and 1 standard metallic spoon were sterilized with approximately 30 grams of
bleach (Ultra Bleach Fresh Rain, Market Basket brand). The bottle of Design B was filled
with water to about the top of the bottle. The water was poured into the sterilized pot.
Approximately 150 grams of cornstarch (100% Corn Starch, Market Basket brand) was
added to the water in the pot. The contents in the pot were mixed with the sterilized metallic
spoon. The pot was put on a standard stove on medium heat. The mixture was brought to a
boil and continued to cook until the mixture became a thick, gel-like, clear, white, opaque
colored substance. The pot was removed from the stove to cool.

A standard pair of laboratory goggles was obtained. The goggles were applied to the
face. A balance scale (Cent-O-Gram Balance, Ohaus) was used to measure 10 grams of
aluminum powder (Aluminum Powder, Flinn Scientific Inc.). The aluminum powder was
mixed into the water-cornstarch mixture. A standard funnel was sterilized with
approximately 15 grams of bleach (Ultra Bleach Fresh Rain, Market Basket brand). The
funnel was positioned into the bottle. Once cooled, the water-cornstarch-aluminum powder
mixture was poured through the funnel and into the bottle. The bottle was capped tightly.

A large cardboard box was obtained. A rectangle, approximately 48 centimeters by 60

centimeters, was cut with a standard pair of scissors. A circle was drawn with a standard pen
with the diameter of the bottle of Design F in the middle of the cardboard rectangle. The
circle was cut out from the piece of cardboard with a standard pair of scissors. Four lines
were then cut from each corner of the rectangle to approximately 2.5 centimeters from the
center circle. Each piece was then folded up towards the center circle at an approximate 45
degree angle. The 4 pieces were secured together with hot glue (All Purpose Stik, Mini Glue
Sticks, Surebonder brand). The entire inside surface area was covered with the more metallic
side of aluminum foil (Aluminum Foil, Reynolds Wrap). Hot glue (All Purpose Stik, Mini
Glue Sticks, Surebonder brand) was used to secure in place.
A weighted object was obtained to be inserted into the bottle of Design E. This object was
covered in aluminum foil (Aluminum Foil, Reynolds Wrap) with the more metallic side on
the outside. A piece of strong, non-degradable kitchen twine (Kitchen Twine, Hannaford
brand) was cut into a piece, approximately 20 centimeters, with a standard pair of scissors. A
standard nail and hammer was used to make a small hole through the cap of the bottle of
Design E. One end of the piece of kitchen twine was threaded through the hole. The end of
the kitchen twine inside of the bottle cap was secured to the aluminum foil structure. The cap
with the attached aluminum structure was attached to the bottle. The other end of the kitchen
twine was threaded around the neck of the bottle and secured with a tie. Hot glue (All
Purpose Stik, Mini Glue Sticks, Surebonder brand) was used to cover the small hole in the
cap.

The large cardboard box with the attached light sensor was moved to a secluded, dark
area. The light sensor was connected to a go link (Go! Link, Vernier, FCC Standards). The
go link was then connected into a USB port of a computer or lap top. The program Logger
Pro was acessed. The light sensor (Vernier Software & Technology, range: 0-6,000, 0-600,
and 0-150,000) was turned to the range 0-600.
 A 100 watt full spectrum light bulb (100 W Standard Bulb, Full Spectrum, Earthmate)
was inserted into a standard flood lamp fixture. The fixture was suspended approximately 91
centimeters directly above the cut out square in the middle of the top of the box. The light
bulb structure was plugged into the nearest outlet.

All of the lights in the area or in surrounding areas were turned off. The light bulb fixture
was turned on. The amount of lux indicated on the Logger Pro program was recorded. Each
design was inserted into the hole in the large cardboard box. The aforementioned instructions
were performed for each design. Set aside all designs and record observations that changed
periodically.

Several more tests were performed for the comparison of data and the improvement of
the designs. The improved designs required additional amounts of certain materials. The
combination of designs required additional amounts of certain materials as well. The
preparation, construction, and testing of each new design prototype was performed in the
same manner as the previously mentioned designs.
 4. WORK PLAN

In the research and design of the liter of light and solar panel for domestic fulltime lighting is a
simple workflow was applied, as shown in below Figure.

Problem
Step: 1 Identification

Step: 2 Material Collection

Step: 3 Design and Testing

Assembly and
Step: 4 Testing

The initial design included defining the system context and requirements. Problem identification,
material collection and refinement of the design were performed in several iterations, where the
design focused on optimizing the electricity consumption in a real home setting.
 5. BUDGET

Sl.No Amount in
Particulars
. Rupees
1. Material Collection (Electronics Rs.5,500
Components and other Hardware)
2. Equipments Rs.3,500
3. Travel Expenses Rs.2,200
4. Preparation of Reports Rs.1,000
Total Rs.12,000
Batch Members Contribution (Students) Rs.4,000
Grant Requested from TNSCST Rs.8,200

6. Any other details : -

7. Has a similar project been carried out in your college / : No

elsewhere? If so furnish details of the previous project
and highlight the improvements suggested in the present
one

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Mr. R.Prabu, Mr.S.Shamir Basha, Mr.M.Shangar, Mr.S.Vigneshwaran, are
a bonafide final year students of U.G. Electrical and Electronics Engineering of our college and
it is also certified that two copies of utilization certificate and final report along with seminar
paper will be sent to the Council after completion of the project by the end of April 2016.

Signature of the Guide Signature of the HOD Signature of the Principal/

Head of the Institution