Events

This project focuses on the use of direct current (DC) power for residential basic needs in areas not served by local power grids. This includes people living in developing countries, homeless camps, or disaster relief shelters. Power generation in these communities has traditionally used gas powered generators, but photovoltaic (PV) / battery systems are becoming more common in the developed world as prices for renewable sources fall, concerns over climate change rise, and instability in fuel markets continue. These PV systems generate DC electricity to charge their batteries and those batteries also output DC, but will convert it to alternating current (AC) for convenient access via standard wall outlet. However, many of the electronic appliances that plug into AC outlets actually use DC power internally, and conversion between power types involves losses. This design project was to create a purely DC power delivery system that would accommodate the most basic energy needs in a manner that could be mass produced. The final design is a modular system that can accommodate the most basic needs of lighting and communication as well as cooking and refrigeration. It is durable, weatherproof, and mobile so it can be used in a wide variety of settings. This product was then tested against the AC standard to understand how much power could be saved by avoiding the unnecessary conversion. Initial results show that it can have significant power savings. The design and testing of this product can hopefully play a role in establishing more of a standard for DC power in these systems.

Attachment	Size
Project Poster	1.47 MB
Project Final Report	45.59 MB