Photovoltaic powered 20-hp DC/AC irrigation system and a 3-kW nitrogen generator

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:5558119

Hopkinson, R. F.

A 25-kWp photovoltaic power system has been providing power for irrigation and crop drying since July 1977 at an agricultural field station of the University of Nebraska, located at Mead, Nebraska. The system was designed and built by Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Lincoln Laboratory under US Department of Energy sponsorship and is being operated jointly by the university and MIT Lincoln Laboratory. The system consists of a 25-kWp PV array, a battery subsystem, a power dump, an inverter, a controller and a data acquisition system. This photovoltaic power system has been used as a test facility in order to test and evaluate a variety of PV-related agricultural applications, including irrigation, crop drying and fertilizer manufacturing. Two interesting applications presently under evaluation are a 20-hp DC/AC-powered irrigation system and an on-site nitrogen fertilizer production unit.

• Research Organization: Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Lexington (USA). Lincoln Lab.
• Sponsoring Organization: US Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-02-4094
• OSTI ID: 5558119
• Report Number(s): COO--4094-68; CONF-800106--22
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140600* -- Solar Energy-- Photovoltaic Power Systems
CHALCOGENIDES
CROPS
CURRENTS
DRYING
ELECTRIC ARCS
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS
EQUIPMENT
EVALUATION
FERTILIZERS
IRRIGATION
MIDWEST REGION
NEBRASKA
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SUPPLIES
POWER RANGE 10-100 KW
POWER SUPPLIES
PRODUCTION
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
TEST FACILITIES
TESTING
USA
USES