Question

I am currently in Indonesia with fellow students working on a project to experiment and build an alternative energy source to propel boat with optimal efficiency and also to minimize the use of diesel and petrol to combat pollution and limit the use of natural resources.

My team intend to develop a solar powered battery for a single deck river boat commonly used as inter-island and river transport.

I hope you all are able to provide some insight and advise on how I can proceed with this project. The only problem I had is the math to calculate how much watts is needed to optimize the boat movement. In theory is it possible for a simple solar panel set up to power the motor system of the propellor.

THANKS!!

Answer 1

To calculate the amount of watts needed to optimize the movement of the boat, you need to determine the power required by the motor system of the propeller and calculate the total power needed. To optimize the boat's movement using solar power, ensure that the solar panel setup can generate enough power to meet the total power requirement of the motor system. However, it's important to have a margin of safety by using a solar panel setup that can generate more power than the motor system requires.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the amount of watts needed to optimize the movement of the boat, you will need to consider several factors. First, you need to determine the power required by the motor system of the propeller. This can be done by consulting the specifications or data sheet of the motor. Once you have the power requirement in watts, you can then calculate the total power needed by summing up the power requirements of all the motor systems you plan to use on the boat.

Now, let's consider the solar panel setup. Solar panels generate power in watts, and their output is affected by factors such as sunlight intensity, angle of incidence, and shading. To optimize the boat's movement using solar power, you need to ensure that the solar panel setup can generate enough power to meet the total power requirement of the motor system.

One way to determine this is to calculate the average power generation of the solar panel setup. This can be done by considering factors such as the solar panel's efficiency, the average sunlight intensity in your location, and the average daily sunlight hours. By multiplying the average power generation of the solar panel setup by the number of sunlight hours in a day, you can estimate the total power generated by the solar panel setup in a day.

If the total power generated by the solar panel setup is greater than or equal to the total power requirement of the motor system, then it is theoretically possible for a simple solar panel setup to power the motor system of the propeller. However, it is important to note that the actual power generation may vary depending on real-world conditions, so it's always a good idea to have some margin of safety by using a solar panel setup that can generate more power than the motor system requires.