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RESEARCH/PROJECTS
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ZEM Vehicle The ZEM (Zero EMissions) Car, also known as the Human Hybrid Powered Vehicle (HHPV) is a multidisciplinary project. It is the first of its kind to be powered by human, solar, and electric energy. The target audience is people living in urban areas and developing countries. This project won the National I2P (Idea-to-Product) Competition for EPICS and Social Entrepreneurship at Princeton University on March 24, 2007, and was featured on CBS news on 4/2/07. This project is currently exploring the addition of wind power in the academic year 2007-2008. |
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Cogenerating Solar Collector The efficiency of modern photovoltaic cells converting sunlight to electricity is typically 7% to 40%; the remainder of the energy is lost as heat. Furthermore, photovoltaic cells must be kept cool to achieve rated efficiencies. This project explores the design and construction of a solar collector that captures waste heat from photovoltaics with a thermal management fluid, and optimizes the electricity-heat output ratios for various target applications. |
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Solar Ice Maker An intermittent absorption refrigeration cycle can be powered entirely by heat – in this case, solar energy. The design uses no electricity whatsoever, and could be of use in non-industrialized areas without access to central power. A prototype is under construction at SJSU designed to produce up to 14 lbs of ice per day. This effort will be a first step into understanding the optimization and manufacturing issues involved. Check out an article on this project in NBC Universal's DVICE tech blog! |
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Solar Water Heating Solar water heating is in widespread use in sunny climates, and typically has a shorter payback period than the installation of photovoltaic panels. In this project, our students are applying their talents to community service by designing and overseeing the installation of a solar water heating system for the Portuguese Community Center (POSSO) in San Jose, CA. Close collaboration with POSSO, EPICS at SJSU, and the Neighborhood Housing Services organization in San Jose is an integral part of this project. |
