Pvsyst Simulated Design Of Grid Connected Photovoltaic System For Category I Health Clinic In Orlu, Imo State.

ABSTRACT

In this project, Grid Connected Photo Voltaic (GCPV) system was designed and simulated with PVSyst for Category I Health Clinic in Orlu, Imo state. The USAID categorisation of the health clinics is used in the project and accordingly, the selected Category I Health Clinic has daily energy demand of 10.24 KWh/day. The PVSyst industrial PV system planning software solution was selected to model and simulate the entire PV system. The meteorological data used in the study are compiled from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) worldwide meteorological database. The meteorological data include 22-year monthly and annual averaged insolation incident on a horizontal surface (KWh/m²/day) and 22-year monthly averaged air temperature. From the simulation result, the GCPV system at Orlu has yearly energy output of the system is 2545.3KWh/year while the performance ratio is 80.4% and unit cost of energy of 66.0 Naira per KWh.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

Energy plays a pivotal role in our daily activities. The degree of development and civilization of a country is measured by the amount of utilization of energy by human beings. Energy demand is increasing day by day due to increase in population, urbanization and industrialization. The world’s fossil fuel supply viz; coal, petroleum and natural gas will thus be depleted in a few hundred years. The rate of energy consumption increasing, supply is depleting resulting in inflation and energy shortage. This is called energy crisis. Hence alternative or renewable sources of energy have to be developed to meet future energy requirement.

Remarkably, electricity is an increasingly essential resource in health care facilities. Recent improvements in the distribution of vaccines and other cold chain dependant supplies, as well as the global push to deliver antiretroviral drugs and services to HIV-positive patients worldwide, introduce new demands for electricity in sites with little or no access to reliable electrical power [1]. Refrigerators and electronic diagnostic tools are part of the standard of care in many rural clinics throughout the world. In rural health clinics, electric lighting provides public security, allows facilities to remain open in the evenings and supports limited surgical procedures (e.g. suturing). If a clinic is without lights, patients arriving at night must wait until morning to receive care. Beyond lighting, electricity is used to power an array of appliances (such as vaccine refrigerators and other medical supplies), and other specialized equipment (centrifuge, hematology mixer, microscope, incubator, and hand powered aspirator). Access to electricity is vital to community service facilities in rural areas. Health service facilities without a connection to the national or local electricity grid must rely on alternative energy sources (e.g, independent diesel generators, solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or kerosene), or do without.

In many developing countries, such as Nigeria, rural electrification rates are low, and most community health facilities lack access to electricity. Many rural areas in Nigeria where more than 80 percent of the country’s 167 million people live, most health facilities lack electricity [1].   Selecting appropriate sources of reliable, sustainable energy can help mitigate the challenges of operating health facilities in Nigeria. However, despite the advantages of solar energy, stand-alone solar photovoltaic system alone cannot effectively provide a continuous supply of energy due to seasonal and periodic variations. Therefore, in order to satisfy the load demand, grid connected energy systems are now being implemented that combine solar and conventional conversion units. Accordingly, in this project, the focus is on the simulated design and techno-economic analysis of grid connected PV power system for Category I Health Clinic in Orlu, Imo state. The popular PVSyst software will be used for the simulation and solar insolation data from NASA website will be used to estimate the solar energy available at the location of the health clinic.

1.2 Statement of research problem

In Nigeria, the national grid power is grossly inadequate for the national load demand. As such, the power outage is excessive and detrimental to socio-economic activities in the country. However, despite the high level of solar energy available in remote locations in Imo state, the installed PV systems are still very small and many individuals and organisations are still depending on diesel generator sets as alternative power supply. Diesel generators emit gasses that are not good for the environment. Also, diesel is not renewable, it depletes with use. Also, with proper design, at the long run, the solar power system can serve as better alternative electric energy supply instead of diesel generators.  However, experts have noted that despite the advantages of solar energy, standalone solar photovoltaic system cannot effectively provide a continuous supply of energy due to seasonal and periodic variations. Therefore, in order to satisfy the load demand, grid connected energy systems are more preferable to the standalone PV system.

Finally, with regards to the case study, Category I Health Clinics in Orlu are having server power outages which lead to poor health care service delivery. Again, grid connected PV power supply will provide clean electric power that can meet the electric energy need of those health facilities without emitting poisonous gasses that are associated with diesel generators. In any case, sample design with techno-economic analysis will provide the requisite information that will facilitate the adoption of the PV power system for health clinics in Orlu. Such design information is not yet available for the selected health facilities in Orlu.

1.3 Justification and significance of study

The grid connected PV power will address the challenges of poor power supply to the Category I Health Clinic in Orlu. Besides, the implementation of grid connected PV systems which purely operate on solar energy as backup power. It will greatly reduce the emission of poisonous gasses and hence is preferable for health facilities. Hence, health-wise, the grid connected PV power system is the preferred alternative power supply for health facilities instead of diesel generator. It also eliminates noise unlike the diesel generators that can be very noisy depending on their capacity. Also, researches have shown through economic analysis of the PV systems that after some years, the cost of running the PV system will be far better than the case of diesel generators.

1.4 Research objectives

MAIN OBJECTIVE

The main objective of this study is to carry out simulated design and analysis of grid connected photovoltaic system for Category I Health Clinic in Orlu.

Specific objectives;

• To determine the load demand of the Category I Health Clinic in Orlu.
• To collect and study solar irradiation and power profiles at the location of Category I Health Clinic in Orlu.
• To conduct simulated sizing of the components of the grid connected PV (GCPV) power system for the Category I Health Clinic in Orlu.
• To conduct simulated performance analysis of the GCPV power system for the Category I Health Clinic in Orlu.
• To conduct simulated economic analysis of the GCPV power system for the health clinic in Orlu.

1.5 Scope of the study

The study is limited to simulated design and techno-economic analysis.  Hence, detailed analytical formulations are not followed in the design and analysis process. Only PVSyst software will be used for the simulation. Also, only a sample category I health facility located in Orlu will be considered. The solar insolation data used is obtained from NASA website which gives the solar insolation for any location across the globe. Local data set are usually more accurate for such design. However, such local data are not available for the selected location of the study.

1.6 Arrangement of the report

Chapter one of the thesis contains the background of the study, problem statements, objectives and scope of the study. Literature review is presented in chapter two whereas the method and materials used in the study are presented in chapter three. Chapter four contains the results and discussion while chapter five contains the conclusion and recommendation for further studies. Afterwards, references are presented.

Pages:  81

Category: Project

Format:  Word & PDF

Chapters: 1-5

Material contains Table of Content, Abstract and References