Telecom Base Station

Team 4Anthony Grkman, Gregory Hartmann, Chris

Rodriguez, Chloe Koubek, Damilola Okanlawon

Abstract

• People in Northern Nigeria do not have access to a reliable energy grid. Team 4’s objective is to create a telecom base station powered by a hybrid solar and wind system. It will provide a constant 1.2-kW load.

Introduction and Definition of Problem

• In Northern Nigeria, there is no reliable energy grid to power telecom base stations

• Solution: use stainable energy sources including solar panels and wind turbines to provide efficient power to operate a telecom base station

• These "green" energy sources would minimize the effects to the environment

• According to the Nigerian Energy Policy report from 2003, it is estimated that the population connected to the grid system is short of power supply over 60% of the time

• Additionally, less than 40% of the population is even connected to the grid.

• There will also be a diesel generator system in case the sustainable energy sources fail and for emergency situations.

Problem Statement

• There is no reliable energy gird in Northern Nigeria. Therefore there is no way to power base stations that provide cell phone service. The population is short of power sixty percent of the time and less than forty percent of the population is even connected to the grid.

Mission Statement

• To provide a reliable source of energy using sustainable energy sources

• This energy will be used to power a telecom cell phone base station system

• The base station will be able to be in many different areas as it uses minimal resources

Customer Needs Assessment

• The people of Northern Nigeria need a reliable system that will provide them with energy to power their phones

• The people of Nigeria need their cell phones to always be powered so that in case of emergency

• The creation of the telecom base station in Nigeria will raise revenue because the maintenance of the hut will provide jobs

• Improving the telecom infrastructure will spread out and decrease the cost of telecom communications in general. This will overall improve the economy.

Table 1: Design Matrix

Selection Criteria

Concepts Wind Solar Hydropump

(Reference) Geothermal Fuelwood Biomass

“Green” + + 0 + - - Cost + + 0 - + + Profitability 0 + 0 0 0 0 Efficiency 0 + 0 0 - - Maintenance + + 0 0 - - Reliability (constant 1.2 kW load)

- + 0 + - -

Safety + + 0 - - - Sustainability + - 0 + + +

Adaptability + + 0 - + +

Sum +’s 6 8 0 3 3 3 Sum 0’s 2 0 8 3 1 1 Sum -’s 1 1 0 3 5 5 Net Score 5 7 0 0 -2 -2 Rank

2 1 3 3 5 5

Continue? Combine Combine Combine Combine No No

Table 2:Design Matrix #2

Selection Criteria

Weight Concepts Wind/Solar Hydropump/Solar

(Reference) Geothermal/Solar Wind/Hydropump

Rating Weighted Score

Rating Weighted Score

Rating Weighted Score

Rating Weighted Score

“Green” 10% 3 .3 3 .3 4 .4 3 .3 Cost 5 5 .25 3 .15 2 .1 2 .1 Profitability 10 4 .4 3 .3 3 .3 1 .1 Efficiency 15 5 .75 3 .45 2 .3 4 .6 Maintenance 10 2 .2 3 .3 2 .2 3 .3

Reliability (constant 1.2 kW load)

15 3 .45 3 .45 3 .45 3 .45

Safety 10 3 .3 3 .3 3 .3 3 .3 Sustainability 15 4 .6 3 .45 2 .3 1 .15

Adaptability 10 5 .5 3 .3 2 .2 3 .3 Total Score 3.75

1 yes

3 2

no

2.55 4

no

2.6 3

no Rank Continue?

Cost AnalysisParts Total Cost (including

installation) Maintenance

Air conditioner $800.00 may replace every 10 years

30 ft. vertical wind turbine $6000.00 Replace every 25 years

200W Solar panels (8) $10,543.00 Replace every 25 years, cleaning maintenance every two weeks

Telecom station $650.00 Negligible

Wooden fence $300.00 Negligible

Diesel generator $900.00 Negligible

Total cost $19,175.00

Table 3: Cost Analysis

Solid Model

Design Specifications

• Hut: 7 feet high, 10 feet wide, 10 feet long, angle of roof is 40 degrees, 8.4 feet higher on one wall

• Turbine: first panel starts 10 feet off the ground, 30 feet high total from the ground, 4 inch diameter of panels

• Solar panels: 5 feet long, 3.25 feet wide

Design Specifications Cont.

• 8 GE solar panels needed• Will be used from 10am-5pm daily• Energy produced is 1.28 kW/hour, panels are

200W each and 80% efficient• Vertical wind turbine produces 5 kW/hour,

energy produced is .94 kW/hour because it is 20% efficient

• Power=density*area*(v^3)/2

Summary and Conclusion

• A telecom base station was designed for Sokoto, Nigeria.

• Power is made by using solar panels and a vertical wind turbine in order to produce 1.2 kW.

• A sodium halide battery is used to store energy and a diesel generator is used for backup power.

• Because of this base station, people in Sokoto are able to power their cell phones.

Acknowledgements

• Team 4 would like to thank Professor Xinli Wu, P.E. for providing us with the techniques and skills to build a working prototype and website to showcase our prototype. We would also like to thank William S. Land II for his guidance in this project. We would like to thank GE for this opportunity to work on a real-life issue.

References

• Okoye, J.K. (2007) “Background study on water and energy issues in Nigeria to informthe national consultative conference on dams and development.”