Energy Conservation

The Alternative Energy Sources of Rajalakshmi Engineering College is made for proper implementation and efficient utilization of renewable energy sources in such a systematic way so as to minimize its impact on the environment. An alternative Energy source offers the opportunities for student’s community to engage in initiatives for contributing to environmental protection.

Solar Energy

Ours is an Energy shortfall solar PV system.

Solar PV system is designed for automatic operation with no need for user interaction. In the case of main grid supply failure, the inverter will be automatically and immediately disabled. This is known as anti-islanding. Once the power has been restored, the inverter will be automatically re-enabled.

Solar Panel Specifications:-
Solar PV System capacity-61.75 KW

Type of System-On-grid solar power generating system
Total number of modules-190 Nos
Single PV module capacity-325Wp
Total number of strings-10 Nos/Each string has connected 19 nos panels in series.
Total number of Inverter-1 No
Inverter capacity/make-50 KW/Delta

Bio Gas Plant

In REC, kitchen waste is used to generate thermal energy for cooking and heating.The bio-gas produced from food waste, decomposable organic material and kitchen waste, consisting of methane and a little amount of carbon dioxide is an alternative fuel for cooking gas (LPG). The bio gas plant is set up to operate for 50 KG waste.

Kitchen waste is processed and moistened to produce a suspension that subsequently undergoes a fermentation process. Fermentation produces biogas – a valuable energy source – that is desulphurised by biological means. Also, the waste materials can be disposed off efficiently without any odour or flies and the digested slurry from the bio-gas unit can be used as organic manure in the garden. The major components of the bio-gas plant are a digester tank, an inlet for feeding the kitchen waste, gas holder tank, an outlet for the digested slurry and the gas delivery system for taking out and utilizing the produced gas.

Sensor based Energy conservation

In REC Sensors are used to control lights and water flow which helps to do energy conservation. Sensor Based Solar Lights are installed in the college premises.

Water Flow Sensor
To monitor the amount of water being supplied and used, the rate of flow of water has to be measured. Water flow sensors are used for this purpose. Water flow sensors are installed at the water source or pipes in the library block, to measure the rate of flow of water and calculate the amount of water flowing through the pipe. Rate of flow of water is measured as litres per hour or cubic meters.

PV Sourced Street Focus Lighting Systems
A photovoltaic-sourced street lighting system is most commonly promoted nowadays for illuminating a street or an open area of rural and urban places. This system improves the efficient utilization of energy consumption with the addition of suitable sensing and control devices. The main components of the above system are the PV panel, Battery, Sensor, DC-DC converter, power electronics Inverter, and real-time Timer. Here we prose a day-light sensor that opens the circuit electrically during the sunlight's visible time period and closes the electrical circuit. The battery is used to store the energy obtained from the Pohotovaltic array during the high sunshine time period and a suitable DC to DC converter is used for charging the energy

Wheeling to the Grid
A grid-connected photovoltaic system is an electricity generating solar PV power system that is connected to the utility building load. A grid-connected PV system consists of solar panels, one inverter, DC/AC isolator switch, a power conditioning unit and grid connection equipment.

Operation of our system works:-
There are two grid connected system, one is solar PV system has connected Energy shortfall- internal demand is more than solar energy produced is drawn from the grid and another one is PV system is Energy surplus/excess power (solar energy produced is more than internal demand) is fed into the grid-Power exported to the grid.

Use of LED Bulb

Led Bulbs are used to save energy upto 90% of electrical power and highly illuminated and efficient when compared to radiant light bulbs. They are highly efficient. LED bulbs are used in various places in the college for achieving proper lightings. The CFL fittings with higher rating wattage are replaced with LED fittings with lower wattage with the same luminous level .They are used in large numbers in Admin office, reception, seminar halls and corridors. LED lights are fitted on the roof walls in all the places.