PORTABLE SOLAR POWERED BACKPACK

A Project Study

Presented to the faculty of the

Mechanical Engineering Departmet

NUEVA ECIJA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Cabanatuan city

In Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for the subject

Mechanical Engineering Project (ME 461)

BY:

John Harvey Garcia

Aljon Libres

Mark lexter San Jose

April 2016

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The researchers wish to extend their deepest gratitude to

the following persons who in one way or another served as their

guide and inspiration to make the study impossible.

First of all things, the researchers expressed

thankfulness to Our Most High God who is the greatest provider of

the entire provider, the source of their wisdom and knowledge and

their motivator for them to continue the study until the end.

With this research, they glorify and exalt His Name and His

intelligence;

Secondly, to their parents who supported them both

financially and morally in all the efforts they had made;

Thirdly, to their professor and consultant, Engr.

Nathaniel S. Oliveros, in his untiring guidance in conducting

this study and his patience for correcting their mistakes;

Lastly, to their friends, be it on the same

department or another, who brought forth encouragement and happy

thought whenever the researchers felt exhausted.

With all their hearts and souls, they thank you.

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 INTRODUCTION

Statement of the Problem

This research was conducted to innovate a handy, green

source of energy that you can use wherever you’re on the go.

Specifically, this research attempted to answer the

following questions:

a. How can the researchers make this energy source as handy as

it can?
b. How long thus the solar backpack can power a certain device
such as laptop?
c. How can this help the people who travel a lot?

Hypotheses

a. The researchers should minimize the space that the

solar panels cover.
b. It can power laptops for two hours or less.
c. The solar backpack will help the travelers to charge
their phones whenever the batteries run out. They can
also use this to power light bulbs or emergency lights.

Importance of the Study

Are you an adventurer that always likes to be connected

while travelling to different places? Finding a plug in the
middle of a forest is about as likely as spotting a penguin, but
you can still easily keep your favorite gadgets fully charged
with this portable solar backpack. With a simple and convenient
design that’s also durable, this handy backpack is the perfect

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companion for all travel excursions. Portable Solar Backpack
features a powerful solar panel that charges the battery that can
charge just about any device.

Social media made many of us wants to stay connected on

their love ones so that they have a clue on what’s happening on
each other and some stays online so they won’t be left out on
what’s new, what’s the new trend etc. In order for us to stay
online, we have to sacrifice the energies of our batteries and
it’s not a problem if you are home because you can plug your
charger anytime But, how about the ones who travels a lot because
of their work? The solar backpack is the answer to this question
because it can supply the energy their cellular phone needs
whenever they want, for as long as they want.

Definition of Terms

Solar Backpack

A solar backpack is a cloth sack carried on one's back and

secured with two straps that go over the shoulders, equipped
with solar cells and batteries. The solar panels convert sunlight
into electricity, which is stored in the batteries and can be
used to power portable electronic appliances like mobile
phones andmp3 players.

Solar Panel
Solar panel refers to a panel designed to absorb the sun's
rays as a source of energy for generating electricity or heating.

Car Charger

A power adapter that generates the 5-volt DC standard

required by USB. The charger plugs into the car cigarette outlet,
and a USB cable plugs into the charger.

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Power Inverter

Power inverters allow you to run low power AC electrical

devices like computers, video cams and even TVs in your car. We
tell you your options and how they work.

Rechargeable Battery

A rechargeable battery/ storage battery is a type

of electrical battery which can be charged, discharged into a
load, and recharged many times

Scope and Delimitations

This research is all about the solar panel that will charge
the battery. The battery will charge the mobile phones or laptop.
It also covers the temperature, weather and any other variable
that affects the efficiency of the solar panel.

Conceptual Framework

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u
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t Review of Related Literature and Studies

Local Literature / Study

CD-R KING have carried a range of solar products for quite some
time, from small keychain solar torches to larger backpack USB
chargers. It’s only recently (early 2012) that they started
carrying full kits that include the panel, a solar charger and
battery. This means that you can collect the power of the sun
during the day, store it in the battery and then use it at any
time, day or night.

I chose the p1990 solar energy kit which features a 4W 9V poly-

crystalline solar panel, a charge controller with built in
3500mah battery and three 0.8W LED lights. The charge controller
also features a 5V DC output for charging phones, mp3 players and
other small gadgets. I chose this kit over the more expensive

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ones because it includes the 5V DC output which the larger ones
(at the time of writing) do not.

After using the kit for a week, I can confirm that it does
exactly what it says on the box. To get the best performance from
the solar panel, it needs to have direct sunlight; mounting it on
your roof would provide the best results. However, it does manage
to charge the battery even in indirect sunlight.

Copyright © cdrking.com/index.php?
mod=products&type=view&sid=12200&main=1#.Vvnhs_l97IU

International Literature/ Study

"The Solar Power Pack is a personal solar power utility

designed to be operated and transported by a single person," said
Toby Kinkaid, founder and CEO of Solardyne Corporation, a
developer and on-line retailer of renewable energy technology and
high efficiency appliances.

An international traveler, Kinkaid came up with the idea for

the solar backpack when he ran out of camera batteries while
exploring Malaysia and the Maldives.

People in the Maldives, an island nation in the Indian

Ocean, use noisy diesel generators for power, said Kinkaid.
Getting fuel there is difficult, as it is in all remote areas.

Kinkaid studied physics in university and has been running a

solar laboratory for 18 years. To reduce the cost of expensive

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solar electric cells, he developed a process that intensifies
sunlight before it is converted into electricity.

His Mariposa solar module uses reflectors to concentrate

twice the amount of solar energy onto half the number of the
solar cells. "Reflectors cost $1 per square foot, he says. Solar
cells cost $30 per square foot.

The result is a solar pack that sells for $549. The solar
panel is designed to last 20 years. The battery lasts for 600
charge cycles, which equals about two years if the system is used
daily. Once spent, the battery can be replaced and recycled.

Kinkaid discovered that he could rely on his invention when

the battery in his old BMW car ran out of juice. "The solar pack
unit was not even fully charged," he said, "but I put on the
cable and jump-started my car."

Greenpeace ordered units for use in India. Solardyne has

added a converter for Indian power that runs at a higher voltage
than power in the United States. The package includes a water
sterilizer powered by the solar pack that decontaminates tap
water using ultraviolet rays.

"We are particularly excited about the prospect of

humanitarian organizations using the Solar Power Pack for their
relief efforts," Kinkaid said. "Imagine the difference these
groups can make in people's lives by taking a portable source of
ready power to Third World nations."

Copyright © 2004 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Originally appearing in ExtremeTech.

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 MATERIALS and METHODOLOGY

This research is an experimental research. The materials and

methods we use was stated as follows.

Materials:
Materials Needed Description Functions
Solar Panel 10W Serves as the power
generator
Battery 12V, 4Ah Serves as the energy
storage. Used to
charge the laptop/
phones
Bag DIY Bag Serves as the housing
for the battery and
the panel
Diodes 3A Serves as a one-way
flow control valve
Power Inverter 75W Used as an outlet for
the USB cable and for
the laptop charger
USB Phone Cords Octopus type Connects the phone to
the power inverter
Car Cigarette 12V Use as port that

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Lighter Port connects the power
inverter to the
battery
Electric wires No.10 Conductors that
transmit electricity
from a source

Methods:

Bag

We ask a tailor to make a specific bag, built only for this

project, so that the panel will be fixed on the bag.

Battery Box

Get the dimensions of the battery. Use the cardboards and make a
rectangular shaped box. Connect it using a glue stick.

Fixing the power inverter and the switch to the bag

Cut the side of the bag with appropriate size of the switch and
power inverter then fixed it. Make sure that the USB port and the
outlet can be easily sighted and also the on/off button of the
switch.

Connections

Connect the car charger direct to the battery (positive to

positive, negative to negative) with rectifier diodes so that the
voltage does not reverse in the battery, then connect also the
line of solar panel direct to the battery (positive to positive,
negative to negative) the solar panel charge the battery and the
battery will the supply to charge any gadgets.

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 RESULTS and DISCUSSION

Trial Solar Panel Under Charging Time Battery

the Sun (at direct Percentage
sunlight) Added
1 30 mins 25mins 15%
2 1 hour 50 mins 29%
3 2 hours 1 hour and 45 48%
mins

Table 1.1 Charging Time of Cellphone

Trial Solar Panel Under Charging Time Battery

the Sun (at direct Percentage
sunlight) Added
1 1 hour 25mins 15%
2 2 hours 1 hour and 55%
10mins
3 3 hours 2 hours and 78%
25mis

Table 1.1 Charging Time of Laptop

Our major concern was that the solar cells might have to
spend a day or more in the sun to charge a cell phone. Much to
our surprise, the Inverter managed to charge most accessories in
less than six hours. The Inverter managed to charge my Acer phone
from a completely dead battery to a complete charge in about five
and a half hours.

Approximate Charging Times

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 Hours in
Direct
Item Sunlight
Battery 8 - 16 hours
Cell Phone 4 – 6 hours
Digital Camera 4 – 8 hours
Laptop 7 – 10 hours

Charge times may be increased in cloudy weather, high

temperatures, or where panels are not angled towards the sun, so
these figures are only rough estimates. Of course, in low light
situations you can always charge the battery by using a 12V power
supply/charger… but that sort of defeats the purpose of a solar-
powered backpack.

It’s a must for people who travels a lot, for people whose
always on the go, for the adventurer type, for people who likes
to camp, for people who likes mountain hiking because they can’t
find an outlet or an energy source on mountains or on fields
that’s where the portable solar backpack becomes useful. Aside
from charging, you can also put your notebooks in the excess
pocket of the bag and for more comfortability we install a phone
holder on the shoulder strap of the bag. We also ensure that it
will stay lightweight. For an approximately 4kg (without laptop/
any other excess weight) you can take it wherever you go.

CONCLUSION and RECOMMENDATION

Overall, the Portable Solar Backpack functions well. It is a

backpack with good build quality, innovative features, and a few
minor disappointments.Bottom line, the Portable Solar Backpack is
a technological marvel. The inverter is the perfect solution for

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travelers who often find themselves away from power outlets but
still need to charge a cell phone, camera, or a laptop.
Since the backpack is solar powered, the capacity of the
backpack to store electric charge is reduced inlow sunlight
condition and a very small amount during no sunlight condition
that is not enough to sustain a continuous usage of the
battery.The net capacity of the backpack is approximated at 5
kilograms, enough to carry most gadgets that requires the usage
of the portable battery pack.

BILLS and MATERIALS

QTY UNIT ARTICLES AND UNIT TOTAL COST

DESCRIPTION COST (Peso)
(Peso)
1 pc Solar Panel 650.00 650.00
1 pc Battery 350.00 350.00
2 pcs Diode 10.00 10.00

1 pc Power Inverter 480.00 480.00

1 pc Octopus Phone Adapter 195.00 195.00

Misc. 200.00

Labor 200.00
cost
Total 2085.00
cost

RESEARCHER’S PROFILE

PERSONAL INFORMATION

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Name : John Harvey P. Garcia

Birthday : April 30, 1996

Gender : Male

Height : 5’8” Weight: 58kgs

Home Address : #27 Blk. 9 Camp Tinio Cabanatuan City

E-mail Address : [email protected]

Contact Number : 09061696145

Parents : Mrs. Jocelyn P. Garcia

Tsg. Jesus P. Garcia

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Elementary : Camp Tinio Elementary School

Secondary : Camp Tinio National High School

Tertiary : Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology

ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERSHIP
Organization Position
1. Philippine Society of Mechanical Member
Engineers-Student Unit Chapter

(2014 – Present)

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Name : Aljon R. Libres

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Birthday : February 28, 1996

Gender : Male

Height : 5’2” Weight

: 52 kgs.

Home Address : Brgy. Macatbong, Cabanatuan City

E-mail Address : [email protected]

Contact Number : 0926 862 9163

Parents : Domingo C. Libres

Corazon R. Libres

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Elementary : Macatbong Elementary School

Secondary : Eastern Cabu National High School

Tertiary : Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology

ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERSHIP
Organization Position
1. Philippine Society of Mechanical Member
Engineers-Student Unit Chapter

(2014 – Present)

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PERSONAL INFORMATION

Name : Mark Lexter Cullado San Jose

Birthday : February 16, 1996

Gender : Male

Height : 5’11” Weight:

70kgs

Home Address : Brgy. ManacnacPalayan City, Nueva Ecija

E-mail Address : [email protected]

Contact Number : 09265250022

Parents : Alexander M. San Jose

Trinidad C. San Jose

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Elementary : Pedro Valenzuela Elementary School

Secondary : Palayan City National High School

Tertiary : Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology

ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERSHIP
Organization Position
1. Philippine Society of Mechanical
4th year Representative
Engineers-Student Unit Chapter

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(2014 – Present)

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