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Based on the data that is to be found on potential energy savings for a building outfitted with these smart shades, we can extrapolate that to find the savings for a small town or city block if all buildings utilize them.
Based on the data that is to be found on potential energy savings for a building outfitted with these smart shades, we can extrapolate that to find the savings for a small town or city block if all buildings utilize them.


==reference==
==References==
1. Tzempelikos, Athanassios; Andreas K. Athienitis (2007). "The impact of shading design and control on building cooling and lighting demand". Solar Energy 81 (3): 369 – 382. doi:10.1016/j.solener.2006.06.015. ISSN 0038-092X<br />
1. Tzempelikos, Athanassios; Andreas K. Athienitis (2007). "The impact of shading design and control on building cooling and lighting demand". Solar Energy 81 (3): 369 – 382. doi:10.1016/j.solener.2006.06.015. ISSN 0038-092X<br />
2. M., Zaheer-Uddin (1987). "The influence of automated window shutters on the design and performance of a passive solar house". Building and Environment 22 (1): 67-75. doi:10.1016/0360-1323(87)90043-6. ISSN 0360-1323
2. M., Zaheer-Uddin (1987). "The influence of automated window shutters on the design and performance of a passive solar house". Building and Environment 22 (1): 67-75. doi:10.1016/0360-1323(87)90043-6. ISSN 0360-1323

Revision as of 20:58, 25 February 2014

Smart Shade Literature Review

Please refer smart shade literature Review.

Methods

Introduction about the Project:

During night, when window shades are left open, a lot of heat from the inside is lost. This project aims to implement photovoltaic cells in the shades such that they cause the shades to open and generate electricity during the day, and automatically close the shades at night. The key feature is the dual implementation of PV cells as power sources and as light sensors. Due to this, the heat lost during the night through windows can be conserved, which in-turn reduces the heating energy costs for buildings and improves their energy efficiency.[1-2]

General review of method

The logic is to compare the desired temperature to room temperature and opens or closes the blinds based on temperature difference. Rather than sensing temperature, this could also be done in another way, by sensing the amount of voltage produced by the PV cell, thereby gauging the amount of ambient light and controlling the shades based on that.

Schematic for a "smart" solar shades concept. This schematic was developed using the components listed in the hardware list below. For this project, a battery will replace the ultracapacitor.

Schematic for driving motor This is a basic diagram for dual direction motor control. The circuit schematics

Hardware Components

PV Panel

A small C-Si PV panel is used to act as a light-controlled switch for the window shade, and also charge the battery. It was tested under bright light conditions and found to generate a no-load voltage upto 6V DC.

DC-DC Converter

The Arduino Uno micro-controller requires 5V DC for power, so a DC-DC Boost converter is used to maintain a constant 5V voltage across the battery terminals. As the converter has to deal with low input voltages, The LT1073-5 was selected due to the few number of external components needed, as well as its low required input voltage (1V).

Electric Motor

Due to its cheap cost, a small geared hobby motor was selected, utilizing a potentiometer for position feedback. The GM3 geared hobby motor provides up to .34 Nm of torque at rated voltage.

Battery

For energy storage, a Li-ion battery will be used to provide 5V output to the micro-controller circuit and the motor. It's specifications are yet to be determined.

Hardware List

Description Function Model/Part # Supplier Unit Price Quantity URL Comments
DC Motor Blind actuation GM3 Solarbotics.com 5.75 Blind_Number http://www.solarbotics.com/products/gm3/ Price for buying 2-20 units
Trimpot Blind position feedback RT10k Solarbotics.com 1.1 Blind_Number http://www.solarbotics.com/products/rt10k/
SPDT Relay Switching motor/cutting charging 3.5 2*Blind_Number +1
PV panel Power source 1
Battery Power storage TBD TBD 1 TBD TBD
Temp sensor Room temperature sensing TMP36 Digikey 1 In hand
Controller Arduino Uno Arduino
Perf board PCB
Project Box Enclosure for components
Misc electronics For DC-DC converter In hand
Power resistor For discharging ultracapacitor Digikey
DC-DC Converter Boost from UC to +5V LT1073-5 Digikey 1 http://search.digikey.com/us/en/products/LT1073CN8%23PBF/LT1073CN8%23PBF-ND/889104
Fuse holder Holds fuse Digikey 1.21 1 http://search.digikey.com/us/en/products/02540101Z/F1471-ND/553102
Fuse To fuse power from battery Digikey 0.71 3 http://search.digikey.com/us/en/products/0229003.HXP/F2470-ND/777186
Misc hardware For mounting components in project box
Wire For wiring components
Diode Circuit protection 1N5817 Digikey 0.42 2 http://search.digikey.com/us/en/products/1N5817-TP/1N5817-TPCT-ND/950586

Future Works

This project's design aims to be safer due to the lack of an ultra-capacitor, more compact and cheaper. If more time was available, it is possible to have developed future iterations of this project to extend its functionality beyond just window shade control, such as utilizing the window shade position to change the indoor electrical lighting intensity. More complex models may be used to operate the blinds at many different angles to allow varying amounts of sunlight depending on the time of the day, rather than just open/close positions. An additional PV cell could be placed indoors too, close to a light source, so that it can generate electricity to charge the battery using the indoor electrical lighting at night. Based on the data that is to be found on potential energy savings for a building outfitted with these smart shades, we can extrapolate that to find the savings for a small town or city block if all buildings utilize them.

References

1. Tzempelikos, Athanassios; Andreas K. Athienitis (2007). "The impact of shading design and control on building cooling and lighting demand". Solar Energy 81 (3): 369 – 382. doi:10.1016/j.solener.2006.06.015. ISSN 0038-092X
2. M., Zaheer-Uddin (1987). "The influence of automated window shutters on the design and performance of a passive solar house". Building and Environment 22 (1): 67-75. doi:10.1016/0360-1323(87)90043-6. ISSN 0360-1323

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