Design And Construction Of A Solar Mobile Charger

ABSTRACT

This project is titled the design and construction of a solar mobile charger. It is designed to meet up with the higher demand of power supply needed to keep our cell phone battery charged.

A solar cell phone battery charger is an electrical device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect. It does this by the use of solar panel which is a form of photoelectric cell (in that its electrical characteristics– e.g. current, voltage, or resistance– vary when light is incident upon it) which, when exposed to light, can generate and support an electric current without being attached to any external voltage source.

This work is aimed at constructing a solar cell phone battery charger system which receives 12V dc from the solar panel and convert it to the level that can be safe to the cell phone battery.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Title Page

Approval Page

Dedication

Acknowledgement

Abstract

Table of Content

CHAPTER ONE

1.0      Introduction

1.1      background of the project

1.2      problem statement

1.3      objective of the study

1.4      significance of the study

1.5      scope of the project

1.6      limitation of the project

1.7      methodology

1.8      project organization

CHAPTER TWO

2.0      literature review of solar chargers

2.1      histories of solar cells

2.2      efficiencies of solar panel

2.3      benefits of using solar chargers

2.4      theory of solar cell

CHAPTER THREE

3.0      constructions methodology

3.1      circuit diagram of cell phone charger

3.2      circuit operation

3.3      components description

3.4     circuits’ description

3.5   description of major components used

3.6   solar panel mounting system

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0      Result analysis

4.1      construction procedure and testing

4.2      casing and packaging

4.3      assembling of section

CHAPTER FIVE

5.1      testing of system operation

5.2      problems encountered

5.3      cost analysis

CHAPTER FIVE

6.1      Conclusion

6.2      Recommendation

6.3      Bibliography

CHAPTER ONE

1.0                                           INTRODUCTION

1.1                                           BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Given the current energy crisis and increasing need for sustainable energy, we endeavored to create a cost-effective, small-scale electrical generator which could be used to power consumer electronics. Solar energy has proven its worth as an alternative energy source because it is low-impact and emission-free. It has been implemented with much success for power grids with hundreds of acres of enormous solar concentrators. In the small-scale, solar energy has been harvested through the use of photovoltaic (PV) panels and have been used to power anything from an iPod to a residential home. Although PV systems are considered part of the green energy revolution, materials utilized for its construction (like silicon) are extremely dangerous to the environment and much care must be taken to ensure that they are recycled properly. PV cells also only utilize the energy stored in specific wavelengths of light and therefore have an approximate efficiency between 14-19%. Sunlight, however, produces immense amounts of heat which only serves to heat up the surface of the solar cell. Although there are some PV cells that have reached efficiency levels over 40% (world record is 41.6%), they are enormously complex and expensive. Concentrated solar power (CSP) works differently because it focuses solar energy in its entirety rather than absorb it. Ultimately, our group will be designing and producing a Solar Powered Battery [Sam Baldwin, 2011].

Solar cell phone battery charger is an electrical device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect. Solar cell phone chargers use solar panels to charge cell phone batteries. They are an alternative to conventional electrical cell phone chargers and in some cases can be plugged into an electrical outlet [Sam Baldwin, 2011].

There are also public solar chargers for mobile phones which can be installed permanently in public places such as streets, park and squares. Some models of cell phones have a built in solar charger and are commercially available for GSM cell phone models. Solar cell phone chargers come in different shapes and configurations including folding and rotating types.

They also come in the form of straps, with solar cells on the outer surface and a nickel metal hydride battery within. They are capable to charge a mobile device fully within six hours of exposure to the Sun resulting in 40 minutes of talk time.

Solar chargers are also available for other cell phone accessories, such as Bluetooth headsets and speaker phones [Sam Baldwin, 2011].

1.2                                             PROBLEM STATEMENT

Sometimes there is nothing worse than losing all the charges on your cell phone especially when you are in the middle of something very important. Usually this happens at the most inconvenient time probably when you are using your cell phone to surf the web, in the middle of a browsing or when you are desperate to send an important email or text message. Nonetheless, in this dispensation of global village, there is never a good time! If you are always on the move and you never know whether there is power supply in the place you are moving to, the very last thing you would imagine is to have your cell phone low or even empty on battery. For those who depend largely on their mobile devices, not having enough power for the battery can be a major catastrophe. How else will people reach you or how will you call/text people for business or personal reasons when your cell phone is basically useless as it has gone off on you? All these are problem to our present time, to bring this problem to an end, solar mobile charger was introduced which is a portable device that can supply power using energy from the sun.

1.3                             OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT

Objective of this work is to design a device that will help keep mobile phone service by providing the mobile user with a portable personal charging system. To provide constant electricity supply or those on the go with portable solar power charging systems (with or without battery) to power their mobile phones to enable them make & receive calls

1.4                                  SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

The idea of a solar cell phone charger is an excellent one in that it’s meant to allow you an option for charging your phone when you’re in a remote area or just don’t have access to an electrical outlet or car charger.

There are a few on the market today that will do what they say they will do, whereas others are not living up to high expectations

Cell phones can be a real lifesaver in emergency situations. People have come to depend on this technology greatly over the last few years. Technologies such as iPods, MP3 players, and hand-held games have also become quite popular. All of these require fully charged batteries to function at their optimal level. Solar chargers are great for those times you are not close to a power source.

Another benefit of these chargers is that they’re free to use since they use the sun’s energy. The backup battery stores energy even when it’s not actively charging, so you can enjoy more time in between having to charge your cell phone battery via electric.

1.5                                                      SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT

There are several advantages you enjoy when you use a solar charger instead of a conventional phone charge – the energy savings. Unlike conventional energy resources that produce and consume a lot of waste energy from a solar cell phone charger draws energy from renewable sources and produces no waste. You can phone solar charger to use, you can go anywhere, provided you have access to solar energy.

The main advantage behind the invention of these solar powered cell phone charges is to save large amount of electrical energy. The solar panels of which will help in converting the solar energy from the sun into electrical energy through various reactions.

Other advantages of solar powered cell phone charges reside in the fact that they allow you to access power outside the national grid. You can charge yours phones even while traveling without depending on electricity. This property has made it possible to make use of these cell phone chargers at any possible place.
The last one is these solar powered cell phone charges are eco/environment-friendly. They don’t produce harmful waste, and can be used anytime and anywhere that there is daylight.

1.6                            LIMITATION OF THE PROJECT

There are some disadvantages to cell phone chargers powered by the sun. The most obvious of course is that if it’s a cloudy or overcast day, your solar powered charger isn’t going to be able to garner the energy it needs from the sun in order to function. Usually, it needs direct sun in order to store enough in the battery to work efficiently.

Another disadvantage to the current solar phone chargers is that the amount of power they are capable of generating isn’t always enough to keep up with the amount of power required by today’s highly functional cell phones.

Some analysts say that in order to meet and exceed the power needs of most cell phones, the solar cell phone charger will have to be larger in order to capture more of the sun’s energy more quickly. However, this poses a problem when it comes to the transport and convenience of the charger.

Another drawback is that solar mobile phone chargers are not typically able to generate enough power for a full charge.

1.7                               BUILDING BLOCK OF A SOLAR PANEL

Assemblies of photovoltaic cells are used to make solar modules which generate electrical power from sunlight. Multiple cells in an integrated group, all oriented in one plane, constitute a solar photovoltaic panel or “solar photovoltaic module,” as distinguished from a “solar thermal module” or “solar hot water panel.” The electrical energy generated from solar modules, referred to as solar power, is an example of solar energy. A group of connected solar modules (such as prior to installation on a pole-mounted tracker system) is called an “array.”

1.8                                         METHODOLOGY

To achieve the aim and objectives of this work, the following are the steps involved:

1. Study of the previous work on the project so as to improve it efficiency.
2. Draw a block diagram.

• Test for continuity of components and devices,

1. Design of the system was carried out.
2. Studying of various component used in circuit.
3. Construct of the system circuit.

• Finally, the whole device was cased and final test was carried out.

1.9                                                         PROJECT ORGANISATION

The work is organized as follows: chapter one discuses the introductory part of the work, chapter two presents the literature review of the study, chapter three describes the methods applied, chapter four discusses the results of the work, chapter five summarizes the research outcomes and the recommendations.