Leitner-Poma Wind Turbine Water Project
Team: Colton Anderson, Levi Hinrichs, Erika Munk, Jesse Ross, Pheonix Sestak and Kyle Turley
Project Description
Customer(s): Leitner Poma (Leitwind) and AMPAC
Initial Scope: Design a proof of concept for an energy system connecting one of Leitwind's wind turbines to a high gallon-per-day (GPD) water filtration system from AMPAC
- Preferred off grid
- Due to feasibility and budget constraints, scope decreased significantly
Current (final) scope: Detailed test plan for a battery system to power the AMPAC 3k GPD water filtration system.
- Primarily focused on AMPAC system
- Selection of battery, inverter, and additional hardware needed
- Deliverables: test plan, bill of materials (BOM), and predicted performance.
Simplified AMPAC Power System Schematic
Systems A & B are disjointed. Connections are stimulated via the eletric power grid.
System A:
Turbine → Power Grid
System B:
Power Grid → Battery Array → DC/AC Inverter → AMPAC Water Filtration Device
Finalized Design
Selected battery system: Rich Solar Alpha 5 Battery
- Includes a server rack with purchase
- Selected due to modularity and lower costs
| Battery Pack | 15S1P |
| Energy | 5kwh |
| Rated Capacity | 100Ah@25°C 0.3C |
| Minimal Capacity | 95Ah@25°C 0.3C |
| Rated Voltage | 48V |
| Charge Voltage | 52.5V |
| Discharge Cut Off Voltage | 39V |
| Rated Charge Current | ≤30A @25°C |
| Max Charge Current | 100A @25°C |
| Max.discharge Current | 100A @25°C |
| Self Discharge Rate | <3% Per Month |
| Internal Resistance | ≤30mΩ @ 50% SOC 1KHz |
| Working Temperature | Charge: 32° F to 113° F |
| Discharge: -4° F to 122° F | |
| Storage: -4° F to 122° F | |
| Cycle Life | ≥4000 cycles @ 25°C 0.2C/0.2C 80% DOD |
| Protection Class | IP21 |
| Safety Certificate | UN38.3/MSDS |
| Dimensions (L X W X H) | 483*450*133 mm/19.0*17.7*5.2in |
| Weight | 42Kg/92.6lb |
| Case Material | Sheet Metal Shell |
| Communication Mode | RS485/RS232/CAN |
| Display Function | LCD Display |
| Circuit Breaker | YES/With DC Circuit Breaker |
| Start Switch | YES |
| Inverter Compatible | Support Multiple Protocol Options |
Selected inverter: Solis S6 EH1P10K-L-PLUS Inverter
- Selected because of high performance and IP66 rating
AC Output (Grid)
| Rated Output Power | 10 kW |
| Max apparent output power | 10 kVA |
| Rated output current | 41.7 A |
| max output current | 41.7 A |
AC Input (grid)
| Grid pass through power | 41.7 A |
| Max. Input Current | 62.6 A |
Performance Analysis
Since the project's deliverables were a proof of concept, drawing package and BOM, and evaluation reports, no performance data was collected on a prototype. The target data and predicted performance were calculated from specs of the AMPAC water purification system and the battery array.
| Requirement / Goal | Target | Threshold (minimum) | Predicted Performance | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy Capacity | 42.24 kWh (6 hrs) | 15 kWh | 15.36 kWh (4.1 hrs) | Target Met |
| System Size | < 26.67 ft^3 | 100 ft^3 | 37.5 ft^3 | Target Met |
| System Weight | < 1000 kg | 1000 kg | ~ 454 kg | Target Met |
| Operating Voltage | 220 V (AC) | 220 V +- 11V | 220 V +- 11 V | Target Met |
The main constraint with deciding the battery and inverter was the total cost. For this project, a self-imposed $50,000 budget was decided.
Bill of Materials
| # | Item | Description | Qty | Est. Unit Price | Est. Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rich Solar Alpha 5 Battery | 48V, 100Ah LiFePO4 | 4 | $1,800 | $7,200 |
| 2 | Rich Solar Alpha 5 Server Rack | 600A busbar-rated rack for Alpha 5 | 1 | ~$300 | ~$300 |
| 3 | Solis S6-EH1P10K-L-PLUS Inverter | 10kW single-phase hybrid inverter | 1 | ~Inquiry Made | ~Inquiry Made |
| 4 | 2/0 AWG Battery Cable (Red & Black) | DC interconnect, battery to inverter | ~10 ft | $292.96 | $292.96 |
| 5 | Inter-battery parallel cables (included) | Supplied with Alpha 5 rack | — | Included | — |
| 6 | CAN Bus communication cable | BMS communication, battery to inverter | 10 ft | ~$1.87/ft | ~$18.70 |
| 7 | 200A DC Fuse + Fuse Holder | Overcurrent protection, DC side | 1 | ~$40 | ~$40 |
| 8 | 60A AC Breaker (2-pole) | AC output protection | 1 | ~$25 | ~$25 |
| 9 | AC Wiring — 6 AWG (Black, White, Green) | Inverter AC output to AMPAC | ~10 ft each | ~$3/ft | ~$90 |
| 10 | AC Terminal Block / Junction Box | AC connection point to load | 1 | ~$30 | ~$30 |
| 11 | Wall-mount hardware (lag bolts, anchors) | Inverter wall mounting | 1 set | ~$15 | ~$15 |
| 12 | Cable clamps and conduit fittings | Cable management and safety | 1 lot | ~$30 | ~$30 |
| 13 | Electrical tape & heat shrink | Connection insulation | 1 lot | ~$15 | ~$15 |
Conclusions
Requirements, constraints, and goals
- Theoretical requirement and goal thresholds met
- Cost constraint met (~$8055.70 not including the inverter)
- Similar inverter prices typically range from ~$2500 - $4000 (under budget)
Lessons Learned
- Despite sounding simple, a project's feasibility is difficult to ascertain from initial concepts
- If the project were done again with current knowledge, prioritizing clear expectations and a defined scope of work would be most important
Recommended Future Work
- Use selection to run complete testing for the system and scale the design to a full operational capacity