SOLAR-POWERED PHONE CHARGER

A Research Proposal Presented to the Faculty of Sandoval National High School

Sandoval, Narra, Palawan

In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements in Applied Inquires,

Investigation and Immersion

OPAO, JOSEPH JR. G

Accountancy Business and Management

January 2020
 1

CHAPTER I

The Problem and Its Setting

Introduction

Mobile phones are currently the most popular form of wireless communication in

almost all the countries throughout the world. According to the estimation of the

International telecommunication Union, there are over 6.8 billion cell phone user around

the world and the number is growing fast as technology gets better and cost of production

lower.

However, the average lifetime of a mobile phone battery according to G.Chiang

& S.Bajaj (2011) is only around 8-12 hours with moderate usage. This becomes very

inconvenient for people especially on the road or occupied with work. Solar powered

phone charger is a device that used light rays of a minimum amount as the energy source

to charge a phone. Cell phone are then charged without plugging into a power sour

Most of the consumers having problem on losing power of their portable gadgets

device especially mobile phone during the peak occasion, mostly on travels. To solved

this problem the researcher make an invention on how to ease on that certain situation

with the study of having a solar powered phone charger. It is not only a normal charger

that we usually plug on electricity socket but it used a solar panel to gain solar energy

from the sunlight and also to store energy as power for further and later usage.
 2

Theoretical Framework

The principle used to generate electricity from the solar panels is the same as that

used to generate electricity from the chemical reaction using a standard battery. The basic

working of solar panels depends on the semi-conductor property of silicon. The silicon is

a unique substance that has revolutionized the way electronic appliances work. This

property is used to generate electricity from the solar panels. In order to understand how

solar panels work we need to understand how silicon works at an atomic level. Silicon in

its pure form for instance, when all the impurities have been removed a silicon atom is

bonded with another silicon atom. Since the valence of silicon atom is 8 which means

that there are 8 electrons in its outermost orbit. However, in its natural state there are only

4 electrons bounded in the outermost orbit. Hence these 4 electrons are able to bond with

another 4 electrons with 4 silicon atoms around it. The 4 free electrons can move around

throughout the substance. During the absence of electric potential these free electrons

tend to remain close to their parent atoms so that they are at minimum energy level.

However, when the electric potential is applied across the substance these free electrons

receive energy and move direction of the potential difference applied thus producing

electric current. However, the current produced in a pure semiconductor is quite less

because these free electrons wants to remain at minimum energy level possible.
 3

Conceptual Framework

The solar charger employs solar energy to supply electricity to device or charge

batteries. Generally, this solar charger is portable, to supply power to device wherever

there’s a sunlight.

Conceptual Paradigm

Sunlight

Solar Panel
Mobile Phone Charge

Module Charger Mobile Phone

Boost

Built-in
Battery

Figure 1. In this study shown the process on how the sunlight ray converts into electricity

to charge the mobile phone.

 4

Statement of the problem

This research deals to invent a solar-powered phone charger. Specifically, this

study should be able to answer the following question:

1 What are the materials to be used in making solar powered phone charger?

2 What is the maximum number of hour to fully charge the battery of mobile

phone using solar-powered phone charger?

3 Is there a significance difference on the charging time of different brand

using solar-powered phone charger and conventional charger?

Hypothesis of the Study

There is a significant difference on charging time using solar-powered phone

charger and conventional charger. The researcher wants to prove that using sunlight we

can gain electricity that can be used to charge mobile phone

 5

Significance of the study

This study focuses only on making a solar-powered phone charger for the portable

gadgets specially the mobile phone. And also this study can help to the following

individual;

To Palawan Electric Cooperative, this study will give them awareness that they

have a solar powered phone charger can exist.

To Consumer, this study can help them to the consumer to less the amount of their

electricity bill.

To Travellers, this invention will help them to charge their mobile phone without

plugging to electricity socket.

To Future researcher, this study would help to them if their study is related to use

sunlight as alternative source of energy and it serves as baseline of information to their

study.

Scope and Limitations of the study

This study aims to invent solar-powered phone charger for the portable gadgets

especially for mobile phone.

This study will be conducted in Sandoval National High School on January to

February 2020.
 6

Definition of Terms

Consumer - it refers to the individual who consume electricity.

Electricity - a source of energy that came from sunlight.

Lithium Battery - it refers to the battery used to solar power phone charger.

Mobile Phone - it is a device that usually used by individual to communicate.

Module boost – it is a material serves as controller or converter to maximize the

electricity power.

Solar Panel - it also known as photovoltaic, flat surface in which the sunlight rays

reflects.

Travellers the persons or individuals who want to explore.

Volts- the measure of electricity power.

 7

CHAPTER II

Review of Related Literature

Harnessing Solar Energy into Phone Chargers

Solar power is a relatively new concept, and just recently we started to discover

its potentials. Utilizing this type of energy for electricity is only one small example of its

uses. For instance converting solar power to charge a phone is where things start to really

get interesting. Imagine not having to charge your phone using an electric outlet but rather

being able to harness the sun's power to boost your phone's charge. This idea is

marvellous! You would save money by not using electricity, using energy efficiently, and

rely on finding the sun rather than finding an outlet. This concept is possible and has

already begun to manifest itself in the world of phone chargers today. Let's take a look at

the materials needed to create this device. Pretty much all you need is the right connectors,

the right amperage and voltage of the device, and a battery to store the energy that the

solar panels collect (Arndt, 2015).

In the conversion process, photons knock electrons loose from atoms, and this is

the subatomic energy packet that forms the basis for light. Next, photons from the sunlight

carry enough energy to jar electrons from their orbit in the element silicon, which is the

material used in most solar cells. Finally, this solar power recharges a battery by reversing

the flow of the electrons, replenishing the battery's electrical potential (Arndt, 2015).

Although some of these chargers may be a little bit pricey, others provide a deal

that ultimately saves consumers lots of money. With charge time around ten hours, you
 8

can leave these chargers on a windowsill, and some chargers are even coming built into

phone cases now.

How Solar Energy Works

Plain and simple, solar energy comes from the sun. Whenever the sun is shining,

it is radiating heat down to the Earth and any object exposed to the sun contains heat

energy. The solar energy is not giving off any of those harmful discharges and there's an

unlimited amount of it. One of the problems associated with solar energy, though, the

heat energy radiated towards the planet is not attracted to one specific spot; the heat is

spread over the Earth's surface (Locke, 2008).

To use this energy efficiently, the heat must be drawn to one precise area instead

so that it can be harnessed from direct sunlight into energy. One way to do this is using a

solar cell that takes this sunlight and converts it into electricity. In a solar cell, the light

gets absorbed and an electron that is in one of the bonds gets excited to a higher energy

level which makes it move more freely than when it was previously bonded (Tiwari &

Ghosal, 2006).

In solar panels, each solar cell (also known as photovoltaic cell) is made up of

silicon and the sunlight knocks an electron free, pushing that electron out of the silicon

junction (Tiwari & Ghosal, 2006).

 9

Potential of solar energy

A famous online magazine Live Science (2012) stated that the sun is the power of

the future 21st century. In the past, harnessing solar energy was an expensive option for

many to invest in and bank on solar energy for the provision of their energy needs.

However, advancement of technology made solar energy available with much lower cost.

Now with further study and understanding, solar energy becomes the main source of

energy for all. Think solar energy, an online database stated that the solar energy is the

future source of energy and continuous improvement is a must. The market share of solar

energy is still low. Current electricity generation from PVs is only of the order of 2.6GW

compared to 36.3GW for all renewable energies. Developed countries are steadily

increasing their investment in solar power plants, and IEA projection for 2030 give an

enhancement of solar electricity generation up to 13.6GW (80% of which will be from

Photovoltaic cells, and the rest (2.4GW) from solar thermal plants). However, this amount

will not exceed 6% of the total electricity production from non-hydro renewable energies.

It is worth nothing that passive solar technologies for water heating. Not included in those

statistics, represent a fairly large amount of power. IEA estimate a power production of

5.3GW in 2002 and an increase up to 46GW by 2030.

Solar Panel

According to Woodford, (2016) a solar cell is an electronic device that catches

sunlight and turns it directly into electricity. Solar cells are often bundled together to make

larger units called solar modules, coupled themselves into even bigger units known as

solar panels. Just like the cells in a battery, the cells in a solar panel are designed to
 10

generate electricity; but where a battery's cells make electricity from chemicals, a solar

panel's cells generate power by capturing sunlight instead.

Based from (Ecomii a Better Way, 2016), solar panels are photovoltaic cells

typically contained corrosive chemicals, do not pollute, require little maintenance and

operate silently from the roof of a building. During daylight hours, photovoltaic panels

produce energy that is fed back into electrical grid, sometimes causing the electronic

meter to run backward. At night, the building uses energy off the power lines as usual,

but the building saves money in its utility bill from the energy produced during the day.

Boost Converter

According to De Stasi, (2015), the boost converter is used to "step-up" an input

voltage to some higher level, required by a load. This unique capability is achieved by

storing energy in an inductor and releasing it to the load at a higher voltage.

Coates, (2016) stated that switched mode supplies can be used for many purposes

including DC to DC converters. Often, although a DC supply, such as a battery may be

available, its available voltage is not suitable for the system being supplied. For example,

the motors used in driving electric automobiles require much higher voltages, in the

region of 500V, than could be supplied by a battery alone. Even if banks of batteries were

used, the extra weight and space taken up would be too great to be practical. The answer

to this problem is to use fewer batteries and to boost the available DC voltage to the

required level by using a boost converter. Another problem with batteries, large or small,

is that their output voltage varies as the available charge is used up, and at some point the

battery voltage becomes too low to power the circuit being supplied. However, if this low
 11

output level can be boosted back up to a useful level again, by using a boost converter,

the life of the battery can be extended.

Based from Daycounter, Inc. (2015), the boost converter is a high efficiency step-

up DC/DC switching converter. The converter uses a transistor switch, typically a

MOSFET, to pulse width modulate the voltage into an inductor.

Rechargeable Battery

Byoungwoo Kang Gerbrand Ceder, (2009) stated in his study “Battery Materials

for Ultrafast Charging and Discharging”, The storage of electrical energy at high charge

and discharge rate is an important technology in today's society, and can enable hybrid

and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and provide back-up for wind and solar energy. It is

typically believed that in electrochemical systems very high power rates can only be

achieved with super capacitors, which trade high power for low energy density as they

only store energy by surface adsorption reactions of charged species on an electrode

material. Here we show that batteries which obtain high energy density by storing charge

in the bulk of a material can also achieve ultrahigh discharge rates, comparable to those

of super capacitors.
 12

The conversion of energy from light into electricity

Sunlight Solar Panel

Charger circuitry Battery

Figure 2. The Conversion of light into electrical energy flowchart

Just a Law of conservation of energy state that “Energy cannot be created nor

destroyed but can only be transformed from one to another”. This is where the idea of

solar energy came from, to transform the sun’s raging light into lifelong, unharmed, and

sustainable energy source for the human being. An online journal. How Stuff Works,

explained the process on how sunlight is converted into electrical energy. Light basically

from the sun is absorbed by the Photovoltaic (PV) cells (made of semiconductor material

like silicon) or commonly known as solar cells, and directly converts into electricity.

When light strike the semiconductor material, a certain amount is absorbed which means

energy from the source is transferred into the magnetic field because electrons to flow in

a certain direction that now produce the current. The power generated by the PV cell flow

through a circuit design to charge the battery.

 13

CHAPTER III

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Research design

In this study the researcher utilized an experimental study which the researcher

aims to invent solar-powered phone charger and to determine if it is a significance

difference on charging time to full charged between invention and conventional charger.

This study would be conducted on January to February on Sandoval National High School

Materials/Methods

To be able made this invention the researcher used the following materials, 5 volts

solar panel, module boost/ 2 USB port, 3.7 volts lithium battery, wire, USB cable,

electrical tape, and cardboard. To test the volts that can produce this invention the

researcher used voltmeter and ammeter.

Procedure

First, take the solar panel. On its back side we can see two slot that has a

connecting wire, the color red and black which is the red wire represent the positive

terminal while the black is represent to negative terminal. Next, is soldering the all

components on a printed circuit board (PCB).

Soldier the positive wire and negative wire of 3.7 volts lithium battery on PCB.

Similarly, to the solar panel, solder the positive and negative terminal on PCB. The USB

port is built-in on the PCB. Once everything is connected, measure the output in open
 14

sunlight. It should be around 5 volts. Now connect mobile phone and test the invented

solar-powered phone charger.

Output
Mobile Mobile
phone phone

Solar boost
with 2 USB
ports Positive terminal
Solar
Negative terminal
panel 5
Input volts
3.7 volts
Lithium Input
battery

Figure 3. Diagram of solar boost

charger

The all gathered data of researcher will be presented throughout tabular form and

the results of each trial were then reviewed for any error.

Statistical treatment

In this study the researcher would be used analysis of variance to test if it is a

significance difference on charging time to fully charge the battery using invented solar-

powered phone charger and conventional charger.

Number of hours to Number of hours to fully
fully charged using charged using
Trial Mobile phone battery
solar-powered conventional charger
phone charger
1

4
 15

Reference

Coates, E. (2016). “Buck and Boost Converter”,

[Online].http//www.learnaboutelectronics.org. /PSU/psu 31php.

De Stasi, F. (2015).” Working with Boost Converter”.

Daycounter Inc. (2015). SDI-12 Bus Interface. Retrieved August 19, 2015, from Daycounter Inc

Engineering Services: http://www.daycounter.com

Kabir, Ehsanul & Kumar, Pawan & Kumar, Sandeep & Adelodun, Adedeji & Kim, Ki-Hyun.

(2017). Solar energy: Potential and future prospects. Renewable and Sustainable Energy

Reviews. 82. 10.1016/j.rser.2017.09.094.

Kang, Byoungwoo & Ceder, Gerbrand. (2009). Battery materials for ultrafast charging an

discharging. Nature. 458. 190-3. 10.1038/nature07853.

R. Z. Arndt, "The Solar-Powered Phone Charger That Actually Works" Popular

Mechanics, 29 Oct 15.

S. Locke, "How Does Solar Energy Work?" Scientific American, 20 Oct 08.

Tiwari, G.N. and Ghosal, M.K. (2006). “Renewable energy Resources: Basic Principle

and Application (Alpha Science International)

Woodford, Chris. “Solar Cells.” Explain That Stuff!, March 27, 2016.

http://www.explainthatstuff.com/solarcells.html.