Methodology

Define Problem
Based on the theme Enviromental issue, our team has decide to solve problem regarding the
population growth and land using for development that affect the size of farming area. The
decreasing of the size of farming area has been a major problem because food is our priority.
Brainstorming idea
Each of the group members has contributed ideas for our project. After that, all of us agree
to make aquaponic system which for us is the best solution for our problem. The purpose of
choosing aquaponic system is because aquaponic can save up a large area of soil and land
used for farming. This method also effcient because we can used water for both plantation
and aquarium.
Prototype design
For the design, our team has decide to search on the internet and books to come up with the
simplest, ecological,cheap, and economical. Our project size is about 40 cm height x 40 cm
width which can be located both indoor and outdoor. Our mechanical engineering member
design the prototype using CATIA.
In the prototype, we try to make our project use green techonology and stand alone system.
Our project wil havea solar circuit that light up the LED and run the pump. Our electrical
engineering member design the circuit using Proteus.
Testing circuit
In our project, there are two solar circuits, which are the LED part and the pump part. Our
solar panels work as energy haverster for our battery. The battery used as power source in
our circuit. The switch for the circuit is using LDR, light dependant resistor and the transistor.
When the sun goes down, the circuit will automatically turn on the LED.
For the pump part, the battery also act as the power source. The difference between the LED
circuit and pump circuit is pump circuit is much more simpler because we do not need any
switch for the pump circuitry. This is because we need to pump the water continuously to
make sure our plantation receive enough water.

Prototype Fabrication
After the circuit working, our team move on to fabricate the prototype. We start by list out all
the items need to buy. After that, we going to the lab to finish our prototype. The prototype
takes about 2 weeks to finishe. Lead by our mechanical engineering member, we working
together by refering to our prototype design .
All the cutting woods , perspect, and iron has been done under the supervising of lab
instructor. This is to make sure the safety of the members of the team and the lab itself. We
build our prototype by using woods, small pipes, perspects, and 2 meduim sized container.
Our finished prototype is same as the design that we proposed

Testing the prototype

We test our prototype as soon as we finish build. The first thing that we test is our solar
panel. The solar panel is tested by measuring the charging voltage that goes into the battery.
The result of the charging voltage can be found in the result and discussion. The problem
only occur when we have stormy day as it produces small amout of charging voltage.
The second thing that we test is our prototype itself. There is small leakage of water on our
plantation part. This is because the hole is a bit bigger that the pipes than flow the water out
from the container. We solve the problem by using hot glue gun and glued the hole. With
that, no more leakage and the water flow inside the pipes
Presentation and exhibition
The presentation of our project is based on the slide prepared by our chemical engineering
member. She prepare and divide the tasks to other group members. We also have our
practice section within the member to make sure our presentation smooth during the PreSEDEX.
For the poster presentation, our civil engineering member prepare the poster. He collect all
the important information and make a creative poster that will catch the eyes of the judges.
For the SEDEX exhibition, we are sadly to announce that our group did not get the invitation.

Engineering analysis
Solar panel
Solar panels, also known as modules, contain photovoltaic cells made from silicon that
transform incoming sunlight into electricity rather than heat. (Photovoltaic means electricity
from light photo = light, voltaic = electricity.)
Solar photovoltaic cells consist of a positive and a negative film of silicon placed under a thin
slice of glass. As the photons of the sunlight beat down upon these cells, they knock
the electrons off the silicon. The negatively-charged free electrons are preferentially attracted
to one side of the silicon cell, which creates an electric voltage that can be collected and
channeled. This current is gathered by wiring the individual solar panels together in series to
form a solar photovoltaic array. Depending on the size of the installation, multiple strings of
solar photovoltaic array cables terminate in one electrical box, called a fused array combiner.
Contained within the combiner box are fuses designed to protect the individual module
cables, as well as the connections that deliver power to the inverter. The electricity produced
at this stage is DC (direct current) and must be converted to AC (alternating current) suitable
for use in your home or business.
Solar garden
On the Flintstones, a small bird sits inside the light and turns it on every night before he goes
to bed. In a modern streetlight, a small circuit replaces the bird and turns the light on when
the amount of light falls below a certain threshold.
A common light-sensing component is the cadmium sulfide photo-resistor, also known as a
CdS cell. A photo-resistor changes its resistance based on the amount of light that hits it.
When a lot of light hits it, it has almost zero resistance -- it conducts electricity very well.
When no light hits it, it has high resistance -- it conducts electricity poorly. In an extremely
simple circuit, you would wire a CdS cell directly to a relay so that a lot of light would
energize the electromagnet and a small amount of light would not. Usually, however, a CdS
cell cannot draw enough current to activate the relay when light hits it. Therefore you need to
add a transistor to amplify the current that flows through the CdS cell. A typical circuit might
look like this:

->Base
->Emitter
->Collector
If a small amount of current flows from emitter to base, then a large amount of current can
flow from emitter to collector. In other words, if the base is grounded, it turns the "switch" (the
path from emitter to collector). So when light shines on the photocell, it turns the transistor
on, which energizes the relay's electromagnet, which turns the light off. When it is dark, the
photocell has high resistance, so no current flows through the base and the relay is not
activated -- the light is on.
In a real street light the circuit might be a bit more advanced, but not a lot. It has the CdS
cell, the transistor and the relay, but might need more than one transistor depending on the
size of the relay. It really is a very simple circuit!
The pump
General explanation: Like most pumps, a centrifugal pump converts rotational
energy, often from a motor, to energy in a moving fluid. A portion of the energy
goes into kinetic energy of the fluid. Fluid enters axially through eye of the
casing, is caught up in the impeller blades, and is whirled tangentially and
radially outward until it leaves through all circumferential parts of the impeller
into the diffuser part of the casing. The fluid gains both velocity and pressure
while passing through the impeller. The doughnut-shaped diffuser, or scroll,
section of the casing decelerates the flow and further increases the pressure.