Modeling Energy Flows in Floating In-Pond Raceways Utilizing Solar Power Back-Up
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University of Kentucky UKnowledge Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering 2021 MODELING ENERGY FLOWS IN FLOATING IN-POND RACEWAYS UTILIZING SOLAR POWER BACK-UP Bo Smith University of Kentucky, [email protected] Author ORCID Identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1142-1823 Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2021.129 Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Smith, Bo, "MODELING ENERGY FLOWS IN FLOATING IN-POND RACEWAYS UTILIZING SOLAR POWER BACK-UP" (2021). Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering. 78. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/bae_etds/78 This Master's Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering at UKnowledge. 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Bo Smith, Student Dr. Joseph Dvorak, Major Professor Dr. Donald Colliver, Director of Graduate Studies MODELING ENERGY FLOWS IN FLOATING IN-POND RACEWAYS UTILIZING SOLAR POWER BACK-UP ________________________________________ THESIS ________________________________________ A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering in the Colleges of Agriculture and Engineering at the University of Kentucky By Bo H. Smith Lexington, Kentucky Director: Dr. Joseph Dvorak, Professor of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Lexington, Kentucky 2021 Copyright © Bo H. Smith 2021 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1142-1823 ABSTRACT OF THESIS MODELING ENERGY FLOWS IN FLOATING IN-POND RACEWAYS UTILIZING SOLAR POWER BACK-UP The In-pond Raceway (IPR) is a novel option for production aquaculture, depending on water moving devices to provide constant flow. Device failure may result in catastrophic fish loss, requiring power backup systems to mitigate risk in case of power outages. Because these systems must be dependable and many suitable locations are remote, off-grid solar photovoltaic (PV) systems with battery storage have been considered since they eliminate need for utility power. Such systems can be hard to size and expensive. This study modeled system requirements using an energy balance to determine whether systems could withstand varying loads based on climatological conditions. Sizing was iterative, with battery storage and panel size increasing until the model predicted continuous power was provided year-round. This study found failure events were clustered over multiple days in winter. Therefore, it determined undersized systems were suitable if there was no stocking in these months. Further work found an integrated generator backup system would decrease necessary system size. Likewise, substitution of continuous motor loadings with variable speed motors operated based on need may further decrease system demand. The presented modelling approach has broad implications for feasibility of IPR systems, providing reduced startup costs and possibilities for greater implementation of this novel technology. KEYWORDS: Aquaculture; Distributed Power Generation; Energy Modeling; Photovoltaics; Renewable Energy Technologies; Solar Power Bo H. Smith 04/20/2021 Date MODELING ENERGY FLOWS IN FLOATING IN-POND RACEWAYS UTILIZING SOLAR POWER BACK-UP By Bo H. Smith Dr. Joseph Dvorak Director of Thesis Dr. Donald Colliver Director of Graduate Studies 04/20/2021 Date DEDICATION To the people of Hopkins County and to the rural people of Kentucky and the United States at large, who shape my worldview and bring inspiration to my life daily. I had the good fortune to come of age as a rural person, and have seen first-hand that, though we may be but little, we are fierce. In all that I do, I remember my roots. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The following thesis, while an individual work, benefited from the insights and direction of several people. First, my Thesis Chair, Dr. Joseph Dvorak, exemplifies the high-quality scholarship to which I aspire. Starting as an undergraduate and moving into my graduate school career, he trusted in me and my abilities as a researcher and granted me the opportunity to thrive in my learning. To say that I am grateful would be an understatement. Next, I wish to thank the complete Thesis Committee: Dr. Tiffany Messer, Dr. Donald Colliver, and Dr. Kenneth Semmens. Each individual provided insights that guided and challenged my thinking, substantially improving the finished product. In addition to the technical and instrumental assistance above, I received equally important assistance from family and friends. My partner, Harper Oglesby, provided on- going support throughout the thesis process, as well as technical assistance critical for completing the project in a timely manner. I also thank my parents, Gary and Melissa Smith, for providing significant support and motivation to me throughout my studies, without which, this would not have been possible. Finally, I wish to thank the many friends I brought into my inner circle along the way toward the completion of this degree. From my tight circle of former roommates to the executive teams of Alpha Epsilon and the BAE Graduate League of Students, I have accrued a large support network, which I have leaned on heavily in my time at UK. In addition, I would like to thank all of those from both the University of Kentucky and Kentucky State University who pitched in where they were needed to assist me in the completion of this project. Namely, I thank Cynthia Arnold, James Brown, John Kelso, and Dawson Armstrong for providing their timely and instructive comments and iii evaluation at every stage of the thesis process, allowing me to complete this project on schedule. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ........................................................................................................................... iii LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................... ix LIST OF ADDITIONAL FILES .................................................................................................................... xi CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Literature Review .............................................................................................................................. 2 1.2.1 Floating IPR Systems ................................................................................................................ 2 1.2.2 Determining Device Performance ........................................................................................... 5 1.2.3 Decision Support Tools ............................................................................................................ 7 1.2.4 Off‐Grid Solar PV Modeling ..................................................................................................... 8 1.2.5 Backup Generator Systems.................................................................................................... 10 1.3 Objectives ........................................................................................................................................ 11 1.4 Thesis Outline .................................................................................................................................. 11 CHAPTER 2. METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................ 13 2.1 Site Description ..............................................................................................................................