DEVELOPMENT OF SOLAR POWER SYSTEM FOR SARAWAK

PEAT WATER CONTINUOUS ELECTROCOAGULATION

TREATMENT PROCESS

ADARSH PHILIP

Bachelor of Engineering (Hons)

Electrical and Electronic Engineering

2019

i

√

UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK

Grade: ____________

Please Tick ( √ )

Final Year Project

Report

Masters

PhD

DECLARATION OF ORIGINAL WORK

This declaration is made on the 12th day of June 2019.

Student’s Declaration:

I, ADARSH PHILIP (51047), DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING,

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING hereby declare that the work entitled, DEVELOPMENT OF

SOLAR POWER SYSTEM FOR SARAWAK PEAT WATER CONTINUOUS

ELECTROCOAGULATION TREATMENT PROCESS is my original work. I have not copied from

any other students’ work or from any other sources except where due reference or acknowledgement

is made explicitly in the text, nor has any part been written for me by another person.

12 JUNE 2019 ADARSH PHILIP (51047)

Date submitted Name of the student (Matric No.)

Final Year Project Supervisor’s Declaration:

I, DR. NAZERI ABDUL RAHMAN hereby certifies that the work entitled, DEVELOPMENT OF

SOLAR POWER SYSTEM FOR SARAWAK PEAT WATER CONTINUOUS

ELECTROCOAGULATION TREATMENT PROCESS was prepared by the above named student,

and was submitted to the “FACULTY” as a * partial KNC 4344 Final Year Project I course fulfilment

for the conferment of BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING WITH HONOURS (ELECTRICAL AND

ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING), and the aforementioned work, to the best of my knowledge, is the

said student’s work

Received for examination by: _____________________________ Date: 12 JUNE 2019

DR. NAZERI ABDUL RAHMAN

ii

I declare this Report is classified as (Please tick (√)):

CONFIDENTIAL (Contains confidential information under the Official Secret Act

1972)*

RESTRICTED (Contains restricted information as specified by the organisation

where research was done)*

√ OPEN ACCESS

Validation of Report

I therefore duly affirmed with free consent and willingness declared that this said Report shall be

placed officially in Department of Chemical Engineering and Energy Sustainability with the abide

interest and rights as follows:

• This Project/Thesis is the sole legal property of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak

(UNIMAS).

• The Centre for Academic Information Services has the lawful right to make copies for

the purpose of academic and research only and not for other purpose.

• The Centre for Academic Information Services has the lawful right to digitise the content

to for the Local Content Database.

• The Centre for Academic Information Services has the lawful right to make copies of

the Project/Thesis for academic exchange between Higher Learning Institute.

• No dispute or any claim shall arise from the student itself neither third party on this

Project/Thesis once it becomes sole property of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak

(UNIMAS).

• This Project/Thesis or any material, data and information related to it shall not be

distributed, published or disclosed to any party by the student except with Universiti

Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) permission.

Student’s signature: ____________________ Supervisor’s signature: ____________________

(12 JUNE 2019) (12 JUNE 2019)

Current Address:

Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering,

Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak.

Notes: * If the Report is CONFIDENTIAL or RESTRICTED, please attach together as annexure

a letter from the organisation with the period and reasons of confidentiality and restriction.

iii

APPROVAL SHEET

This final year report which entitled “DEVELOPMENT OF SOLAR POWER SYSTEM

FOR SARAWAK PEAT WATER CONTINUOUS ELECTROCOAGULATION

TREATMENT PROCESS” was prepared by Adarsh Philip (51047) as a partial fulfilment

for the Degree of Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering is hereby read and

approved by:

_______________________________

DR. NAZERI ABDUL RAHMAN

(Supervisor)

12 June 2019

Date

iv

DEVELOPMENT OF SOLAR POWER SYSTEM FOR SARAWAK PEAT

WATER CONTINUOUS ELECTROCOAGULATION PROCESS

ADARSH PHILIP

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment

of the requirement for the degree of

Bachelor of Engineering (Hons)

Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Faculty of Engineering,

University Malaysia Sarawak

2019

v

Pala amai dahawa enai kui aleng ek nyalam lan aleng paen pehitok maei dahok tengayet

dahin petangen akui tek alem urip kui

vi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The author would like to express his gratitude to the Department of Electrical and

Electronic Engineering and Department of Chemical Engineering and Energy Sustainability,

Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak for giving the opportunity to the author

to conduct this study. Special thanks and deepest appreciation to Dr. Nazeri Abdul Rahman

for his professional guidance on the study, knowledge, and experience sharing as well as

advice and recommendations to improve the project. In addition, the author would like to

extend his sincere appreciation toward his family and friends for their valuable services and

time to help him in completing this study. Last but not least, the author would also like to

express his greatest appreciation to God for His mercy and grace to bring hope even the

toughest of times, strengthening him for this final year project.

vii

ABSTRAK

Sarawak ialah negeri terbesar di Malaysia yang terdiri daripada penduduk yang

bertumpu di kawasan bandar tetapi bertaburan di kawasan luar bandar . Air bersih penting

tetapi di beberapa kawasan bekalan sumber air bersih tidak mencukupi di kawasan

pedalaman. Bekalan air luar bandar alternatif (Sawas) Sarawak adalah program alternatif

dari kerajaan negeri dengan tujuan menyediakan air yang selamat dan bersih ke kawasan

luar bandar. Kajian ini terbahagi kepada tiga peringkat. Pada peringkat pertama, kajian ini

akan mengkaji kebolehan menggunakan kuasa solar untuk proses elektrokoagulasi untuk

rawatan air. Ini termasuk penyiasatan mengenai proses asas elektrokoagulasi serta pelbagai

sumber tenaga yang mungkin untuk proses tersebut. Tahap kedua kajian ini akan merancang

sistem tenaga suria untuk menyokong proses rawatan air gambut untuk sistem

elektrokoagulasi yang sudah dikenalpasti. Ini merangkumi reka bentuk dan fabrikasi sistem

kuasa suria berskala kecil untuk sistem yang disebutkan sedemikian. Untuk peringkat ketiga

kajian ini, beberapa simulasi dan kajian eksperimen dijalankan pada sistem yang direka

untuk menentukan parameter yang optimum untuk sistem. Akhir sekali, projek ini dijangka

dapat membangunkan sistem tenaga solar yang sesuai dan boleh ditambah dengan sistem

elektrokoagulasi air gambut yang dikenal pasti untuk sistem rawatan air mandiri.

Kata Kunci: Elektrokoagulasi, Sistem Kuasa Solar, Air Gambut, Sistem Rawatan Air

viii

ABSTRACT

Sarawak is the biggest state in Malaysia of which comprising population

concentrated in urban area but very scattered in rural area. Clean water is essential but in

some area the water supply is inadequate in rural area. Sarawak alternative rural water supply

(Sawas) is an alternative programme from the state government to purpose of provide safe

and clean water to rural areas. The main aim of this study is to design a solar power

system to support Sarawak peat water continuous electrocoagulation treatment

process. The study is divided into three stages. In the first stage, the study investigates

the viability of utilizing solar power to power the electrocoagulation process for water

treatment. This includes investigation on the electrocoagulation fundamental process

as well as various possible sources of energy for the process. The second stage of the

study is to design a solar power system to support the treatment process of peat water

for an identified electrocoagulation system. This includes designing and fabrication of

a small-scale solar power system for such mentioned system. For the third stage of this

study, some simulation and experimental studies are conducted on the designed system

in order to determine the optimum parameters for systems. Lastly, this project is

expected to develop a suitable solar power system with can be coupled with an identified

peat water electrocoagulation system for a standalone water treatment system.

Keywords: Electrocoagulation, Solar Power System, Peat Water, Water Treatment

ix

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Pages

DECLARATION OF ORIGINAL WORK i

APPROVAL SHEET iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT vi

ABSTRAK vii

ABSTRACT viii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ix

LIST OF TABLES xiii

LIST OF FIGURES xv

ABBREVIATIONS xvii

NOMENCLATURE xix

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Domestic Water 1

1.2 Peat Water 1

1.3 Water Treatment System 2

1.4 Electrocoagulation Fundamental Process 4

1.5 Solar Power System 4

1.6 Research Problem 5

1.7 Aim and Objectives 6

1.8 Methodology 7

1.9 Expected Outcomes 9

1.10 Summary 9

x

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction 11

2.2 Electrocoagulation used in Water Treatment 11

2.3 Solar Power System 16

2.3.1 PV Panel 16

2.3.2 Charge Controller 17

2.3.3 Battery 18

2.3.4 Inverter 18

2.4 Fundamental of Pumping System 19

2.5 Planning an Off-Grid Rural Electrification 21

2.5.1 Grid Connected Systems 21

2.5.2

PV-Wind-Diesel-Battery System

Model simulated using improved

Hybrid Optimization by Genetic

Algorithm (iHOGA)

22

2.5.3

PV-Wind-Battery System simulated

using iHOGA

23

2.6 Advantages and Disadvantages of Hybrid Solar

Power System

23

2.7 Summary 25

CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction 26

3.2 Literature Review 27

3.3 Study Visit 28

3.4 Design and Fabrication of Electrocoagulation 28

3.5 Electrocoagulation Experimental Setup 29

3.6 Design and Fabrication of Solar Power System 30

3.7 Solar Power Experimental Setup 34

3.8 Operating Cost Analysis 35

3.9 Data Analysis 37

3.10 Summary 37

xi

CHAPTER 4 DESIGN AND FABRICATION

4.1 Introduction 38

4.2 Sensors 38

i. Water Level Sensor 38

ii. Motor Stirrer 40

iii. Flow Rate Sensor 41

iv. Turbidity Sensor 43

4.3 Design of Continuous Electrocoagulation 44

4.4 Solar Power System 44

4.4.1 Load Management 46

4.4.2 Components Survey and Purchasing 46

4.4.3 Hardware Model Design and Construction 48

4.4.4 Testing Experimental Setup

4.4.5 Initial Hardware Laboratory System Test 52

4.5 Summary 53

CHAPTER 5 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

5.1 Introduction 54

5.2 Data for Hardware Configuration 54

5.3 The Effect of Angle of Solar Panel 55

5.4 Data for the best parameter of Batch and

Continuous Electrocoagulation System using DC

Converter

60

5.5 Data for the best parameter of Batch and

Continuous Electrocoagulation System using

Solar Power System

61

5.6 Comparison of Batch and Continuous System

between using DC Converter and using Solar

Power System

63

5.7 Summary 66

CHAPTER 6 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

6.1 Introduction 67

xii

6.2 Conclusions 67

6.3 Recommendations 68

6.4 Summary 69

REFERENCES 71

APPENDIX A GANTT CHART FYP 1 77

APPENDIX B GANTT CHART FYP 2 78

APPENDIX C CODING OF TURBIDITY SENSOR 79

APPENDIX D CODING OF FLOW RATE SENSOR 83

xiii

LIST OF TABLES

Table Page

1.1 Typical Household Water Usage 1

1.2 Distribution of Peat in Sarawak 3

1.3 Types of Water Treatment Technologies 4

2.1 Advantages and Disadvantages of each Types of PV Panel 18

2.2 Advantages and Disadvantages of each Types of Charge

Controller

19

2.3 Advantages and Disadvantages of each Types of Battery 20

2.4 Advantages and Disadvantages of each Types of Output Inverter 20

2.5 Major Obstacles and Possible Solutions for Grid-Connected

Systems

26

2.6 Major Obstacles and Possible Solutions for Stand-Alone System 27

3.1 Control Variables 33

3.2 Properties of PV Panel 35

4.1 Price for complete setup of Water Level Sensor 40

4.2 Price for complete setup of Motor Stirrer 41

4.3 Price for complete setup of Flow Rate Sensor 43

4.4 Price for complete setup of Turbidity Sensor 44

4.5 Daily Load Assessment 46

4.6 Source of components and their locations 47

4.7 Type of Hardware, Qualities, Costs 48

4.8 Price for complete setup of All Sensors and Solar Power System 48

5.1 (a) Data for 20 ° solar panel 55

xiv

5.1 (b) Data for 25 ° solar panel 55

5.1 (c) Data for 30 ° solar panel 55

5.2 (a) Batch Electrocoagulation System with DC Converter 61

5.2 (b) Continuous Electrocoagulation System with DC Converter 62

5.3 (a) Batch Electrocoagulation System Couple with Solar Power System 62

5.4 (a) Treated using DC Converter 64

5.4 (b) Treated using Solar Power System 64

xv

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Page

1.1 The distribution of peat in Sarawak 2

1.2 Peat Water 3

1.3 Annual average solar radiation (Mj per sq. m per day) across

Sarawak

5

1.4 Rural Electrification Coverage in Sarawak 6

1.5 Methodology 8

2.1 Type of electrode connection configurations 14

2.2 Different pH for COD removal efficiency 15

2.3 Effect of applied current density and treatment time 16

2.4 Configuration of a PV-battery Off-Grid PV (OGPV) system with

AC load

18

2.5 COD Degradation and Color Intensity Variation at Different Flow

Rates

22

2.6 Hybrid system with Grid-Connected at Common DC Bus 24

2.7 Hybrid system with Grid-Connected at Common AC Bus 24

2.8 PV-Wind- Diesel-Battery System Model simulated using iHOGA 25

2.9 PV-Wind-Battery System simulated using iHOGA 25

3.1 Flow Chart for Methodology 30

3.2 Study Visit Location 31

3.3 Process Flow of the Electrocoagulation Treatment System 32

3.4 Stand-Alone PV Systems 34

4.1 Conceptual Design of Water Level Sensor 39

xvi

4.2 Conceptual Design of Motor Stirrer 41

4.3 Conceptual Design of Flow Rate Sensor 42

4.4 Schematic Diagram of Flow Rate Sensor 42

4.5 Conceptual Design of Turbidity Sensor 43

4.6 Schematic Diagram of Turbidity Sensor 44

4.7 Design of Continuous Electrocoagulation 45

4.8 Project Conducted in UNIMAS, Sarawak, Malaysia 45

4.9 Faculty of Engineering (Yellow Circle) in UNIMAS 45

4.10 Schematic Diagram of Solar Power System 47

4.11 Hardware Model Design 48

4.12 Arrangement of Hardware Experiment 49

4.13 Extech-42500 Infrared Thermometer 50

4.14 TM-206 Solar Power Meter 50

4.15 Adjusting Angle of Solar Panel 51

4.16 Solar Irradiance Measurement 51

4.17 Temperature strikes onto Solar Panel 52

5.1 (a) Temperature of Solar Panel 56

5.1 (b) Irradiance received at Solar Panel 56

5.2 (a) Power Generated by Solar Panel 56

5.2 (b) Voltage Output from the Solar Panel 57

5.2 (c) Current Output from the Solar Panel 58

5.3 (a) Power Output from the Battery 58

5.3 (b) Power Input to the Inverter 59

5.4 Power from the solar panel to the loads 59

xvii

ABBREVIATIONS

AC Alternating Current

BP-S Bipolar-Series

CEO Chief Executive Officer

COD Chemical Oxygen Demand

DC Direct Current

EC Electrical Energy Consumption

EEC Electrical Energy Consumption

EDI Electrochemical Degradation Index

EMC Electrode Material Consumption

HRES Hybrid Renewable Energy Consumption

iHOGA Improved Hybrid Optimization by Genetic Algorithm

ICE Instantaneous Current Efficiency

MBIPV Market Development Malaysia Building Integrated Photovoltaic

MP-P Monopolar-Parallel

MPPT Maximum Power Point Tracking

MP-S Monopolar-Series

NC Normally Closed

OGPV Off-Grid Photovoltaic

PTM Malaysia Energy Centre

PV Photovoltaic

PWM Pulse Width Modulation

RE Renewable Energy

SARES Sarawak Alternative Rural Electrification

SAWAS Sarawak Alternative Rural Water Supply

SEB Sarawak Energy Berhad

SEC Specific Energy Consumption

SEEC Specific Electrical Energy Consumption

TDH Total Dynamic Head

TOC Total of Organic Carbon

TS Total Solid

xviii

WHO World Health Organisation

WT Wind Turbine

xix

NOMENCLATURE

A Ampere

𝑑𝑚3 Cubic Decimetre

𝑑𝑚3ℎ−1 Cubic Decimetre Per Hour

F Faraday’s Constant (96485 C/mol)

g Gram

𝑔/𝑐𝑚3 Gram per Cubic Metre

g/mol Molecular Weight of Metal

ha Hectare

j Joules

𝑘𝑔/𝑚3 Kilo Gram per Cubic Metre

km Kilometre

kWh Kilowatt hour

𝑘𝑊ℎ/𝑚3 Kilowatt hour per Cubic Metre

L Litre

Mj Mega Joule

OC Operating Cost (RM/𝑚3)

P.M. Post Meridien (after noon)

Q Volume

S Second

sq.m square.metre

T Time

𝜏 Residence Time

% Percentage

1

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Domestic Water

Domestic water is the supply of clean water for activities in household activities. In

Malaysia, only 3% of the domestic water supply sources is derived from groundwater while

97% is from the surface water [1]. Indoor usage and outdoor usage are two of the classified

main usages of domestic water. For indoor usage, water is used for drinking, showering,

cooking and washing dishes as well as clothes. While for outside purposes, water is utilized

for watering plants, cleaning drain and washing car. The percentage of consumption of water

can be arranged into eight primary classes [2]. Table 1.1 depicts the typical household water

used in the residential area.

Table 1.1 Typical Household Water Usage [2]

Type of Water Usage Percentage (%)

Toilets 27

Shower 17

Faucet 16

Clothes Washer 22

Other domestics 2

Dishwasher 1

Baths 2

Leaks 13

Total 100

All social and economic endeavors need water as an important element in

maintaining life. Abdullah [1] reported in Malaysia Kini that the consumption of water by

Malaysians per day in 2013 was 210 liters L, and in 2014, the average water consumption

raised to 212 L. This shows that malaysian water consumption exceed the recommendation

of water consumption by World Health Organisation (WHO) which is 165 L daily.

1.2 Peat Water

Peat is the heterogeneous mixture of partially decomposed plant remains mostly in

organic soil. sand, silt, and clay under damp and anaerobic condition. 13% of the Sarawak

State’s total land area is covered with peat which is approximately 1.7 million hectares, ha

[3]. Some community in Sarawak is using peat water as their domestic water supply. In

2

Sarawak, Sibu division has the largest area covered with peat water in Sarawak [4]. Figure

1.1 shows the distribution of peatland in Sarawak while Table 1.2 shows the area covered

by peatland in the division of Sarawak.

Figure 1.1 The distribution of peat in Sarawak [4]

The complex aromatic compound organic matter known as humic substances which

constituent of at least 30% of total matter is a typical peat characteristic in Sarawak [5]. The

peat water found in Sarawak is slightly acidic and colored because of the existent of these

humic substances [6]. The peat water has a slight yellowish-brown color shading as depicted

in Figure 1.2.

Table 1.2: Distribution of peat in Sarawak [3]

Division Area (ha.)

Kuching 23, 059

Kota Samarahan 192, 775

Sri Aman 283, 076

Sibu 540, 800

Sarikei 169, 900

Bintulu 146, 121

Miri 276, 579

Limbang 25, 300

Total 1, 657, 600

1.3 Water Treatment System

Water treatment can be divided into a few classes which are chemical, biological and

physical treatment. Each of these classes has its own purpose in removing various elements

3

for water treatment [7]. Chemical treatment is a process to treat water with the additions of

chemicals. The production of chemical sludge contributes to environmental problems in

which making the chemical process less preferable than the other processes [8]. A wide range

of microorganism and bacteria are utilized in biological treatment in treating water making

it different with chemical processes. One of the common biological treatments is activated

sludge process [8].

Figure 1.2 Peat Water

The availability of dissolved oxygen in wastewater influences the type of biological

processes as in the case of aerobic, anaerobic or facultative. Filtration, membrane and

electrocoagulation are the common physical treatment. Electrocoagulation is a process to

remove suspended solids, colloidal material, and metals as well as other dissolved solids

from water and wastewaters by mean of introducing electricity process [9].

Electrocoagulation is an electrochemistry process for the removal of pollutants in water

treatment. The description of different types of water treatment technologies is stated in

Table 1.3.

Table 1.3: Types of Water Treatment Technologies [7]

Types Description Processes

Chemical In order to purify the water, additional of chemicals

are required to react with the targeted pollutants

Ion exchange,

coagulation

Biological By utilizing the microorganisms for contaminants

degradation, the biological treatment processes

mainly remove the organic contents and nutrients in

wastewater.

Activated sludge,

trickling filters

Physical Additional chemicals are not used. Screening and

filtering are the physical technique being relied

solely on

Membrane

filtration,

electrocoagulation

4

1.4 Electrocoagulation Fundamental Process

Electrocoagulation is one of the well-known wastewater treatment technique which

coagulates the sediments particles and ions by using electric current. The operating concept

for electrocoagulation is based on coagulation, flotation and electrochemistry. By comparing

to chemical coagulation, electrocoagulation is a more eco-friendly as this method does not

require the adding of chemicals into the water. However, the capital and electricity cost of

the operation is found to be impractically high for electrocoagulation system [7]

High absorption ability in electrocoagulation is an environmental-friendly process for

treating wastewater with heavy metal (m) ions and toxic organics which is characterized by

the in-situ generation of hydroxide flocs and coagulant [10]. The basic requirement for

electrocoagulation process is dissolution of metal cations from the anode reactor with the

simultaneous formation of hydroxyl ions and hydrogen gas at the cathode as shown in

Equation (1.1) and Equation (1.2) [11].

Anode : M M ne+ −→ + (1.1)

Cathode : 2

22 ( ) ( )H O l OH H g−→ + (1.2)

1.5 Solar Power System

The location of Sarawak is on the north of the Equator which lies between 0° 50’

and 5°N latitude and longitude of 109° 36' and 115° 40' E. The state approximate total length

is 800 km with an area covering 124,449.51 square kilometers along the northwest coast of

Borneo [12]. Sarawak location of being near to the equator where the sun’s ray intensity is

at its peak giving much more solar radiation than poles make its the strategic place for

instalment of solar power system. According to Malaysia Energy Centre’s (PTM) technical

adviser Tan Sri Vincent Tan, there was a lot of potential to develop solar power system in

Sarawak where the sky is clearer in Southern Sarawak as it is nearer to the equator while the

best time for solar harvesting is between 1 pm and 2 pm when the sun is at its peak [13, 14].

The measurement of solar power harvesting on a specified location is called solar irradiance.

There are several factors to be considered on this solar irradiance as it varies throughout the

year on different seasons depending on the position of the sun in the sky and the weather

[15]. Figure 1.3 shows an annual average solar radiation (Mj per sq. m) across Sarawak [16].