DCU Expo 2024 - Final Year Projects

53 69. Assessing The Feasibility of Community-Centered PV Systems for Residential Areas: ContrastingOn-Site Centralised andDistributed Photovoltaic Setups The project’s goal is to assess the feasibility of community-centred photovoltaic (PV) systems for residential areas. This project entails modelling various PV systems utilising the HOMER Pro software, delving into load estimations, and analysing performance levels of different PV panels. Additionally, it investigates economic viability and environmental impacts, providing comprehensive insights into the feasibility of PV systems. By comparing distributed and centralised PV setups, this project aims to determine the most efficient and sustainable approach for a residential building. This study provides valuable insights to enhance PV systems in community settings through simulations and analysis. Student Programme Mechatronic Engineering (Year 5) Project Area Renewable Energy Technology Project Technology HOMER Pro Student Name(s) Eliz Sarki Email eliz.sarki2@mail.dcu.ie Supervisor Dr Reihaneh Aghamolaei 70. Study and Implementation of Gravity Battery in Ireland Gravity batteries seek to address the intermittency issues of renewable energy sources by storing surplus energy as potential energy. Various types of gravity batteries exist, each employing different methods of energy storage. This method concentrates on repurposing abandonedmineshafts, giving a second life to otherwise idle and potentially hazardous mineshafts. Energy storage is achieved by utilising excess energy to elevate amass vertically within amineshaft for potential energy storage. During periods of low wind or solar activity, the mass descends, operating the motor in reverse to function as a generator. In this project, a laboratory-scale gravity battery was devised and produced to verify the viability of this energy storage solution. Student Programme Mechanical andManufacturing Engineering (Year 5) Project Area 3-DModelling, AdditiveManufacturing, Arduino, Control Systems, Electric Generation, Energy Conservation, Mechanical Design andManufacture Project Technology C/C++, Excel/VB, Solidworks Student Name(s) Aaron Griffin Email aaron.griffinkelly37@mail.dcu.ie Supervisor Dr Lorna Fitzsimons 71. 3D-Printed Atmospheric Chamber This project aims to design, fabricate and test a portable controlled atmosphere chamber, with the application of 3D-Printing to test the functionality of optoelectronic devices and sensors in different atmospheric conditions. This project consists of CAD designing, 3D printing, MCU programming and testing of electrical components. Student Programme Mechatronic Engineering (Year 5) Project Area 3-DModelling, AdditiveManufacturing, Arduino, Sensor Technology Project Technology C/C++, Solidworks Student Name(s) Martin Clayton  Email martin.clayton6@mail.dcu.ie Supervisor Dr Rajani K Vijayaraghavan