Fans are widely used in everyday life, their main task is the effective movement of air in rooms, as well as blowing various elements in heating equipment and air conditioning systems. These devices can be powered by the mains, but if the power source is unavailable for some reason, you can use a fan on solar battery. The advantage of such a device is that it is able to accumulate solar energy and does not require connection to the mains. It is not difficult to make a cooler with your own hands, and it is difficult to overestimate the benefits of using it.

This is the most common fan with metal blades. It differs from standard devices only in the source of energy, it is a solar battery. Most often, devices operating using alternative energy have a small power.

The sun's energy is converted into electricity inside the photocells that make up the battery. Photocells are two silicon plates, each of them is connected to electrodes. The surface of the photocell is coated with an anti-reflective compound.

The technical characteristics and design of the fan depends on the purpose for which it will be used. There are two battery connection options:

• installation inside the instrument case;
• connection in the form of a remote design.

The owner of a personal plot can use a solar-powered fan for a greenhouse in order to create the necessary microclimate inside it. The device will provide forced air circulation, which will favorably affect the growth of plants. There is no need to supply electricity to the site, since the device will work only due to sunlight. The owner of the site does not have to pay for such electricity.

As a solar fan, you can use devices of the TMS series (manufacturing country Taiwan). They are produced with a built-in solar module and have a capacity of 3-3.7 cubic meters. m per minute. They work only when there is enough light, they turn off at night.

If there is a need to circulate large volumes of air masses, devices with a remote battery should be used. They have higher power and can improve the performance of the device. The device will operate in daytime, and the standby mode will be activated at night.

In the hot season, the number of accidents on the roads increases significantly. This is due to the fact that it is difficult for drivers to control the situation on the road if they are languishing from the heat. It is good if the car is equipped with air conditioning, which creates a comfortable microclimate in the cabin. But if the car does not have air conditioning, you can use a solar-powered car fan instead. The principle of its operation is similar to standard household appliances.

The cooler functions completely autonomously, so it can be used to save fuel. It will be much more pleasant for the owner of the car to be in the car in the summer: the fan will help to survive the heat, relieve stuffiness.

The performance of the cooler directly depends on the place where it is located. The more rays of the sun hit the battery, the faster the blades will rotate. Therefore, the unit must be installed on the sunny side. cooler has small size, it does not take up much space in the car and is easy to carry in your hands. It is important that the solar-powered fan for the car is securely fixed. Then the risk of damage while driving will be minimized.

The use of a fan powered by solar energy has great prospects for the future. The device can be made independently.

Manufacturers are starting to produce an increasing number of household appliances with the ability to work offline, when alternative, renewable energy sources are used to power the devices.
One such device is solar powered fans.

Operating principle

The main elements included in the fan kit are no different from a conventional device, the only difference is in the energy source used by the solar battery and the fact that, as a rule, this is a low power device, which is determined by the ability of the solar battery to generate a certain amount of electrical energy.

The electric current used to power the device is obtained by converting solar energy inside the photocells, which are the basis of the solar battery.

The transformation takes place inside the plates, which are made of silicon. The composition of the photocell includes two plates (two layers), each of which is made with the addition of various components. So, phosphorus is added to the upper plate (layer P + in the diagram), boron is added to the lower plate (layer B- in the diagram). Electrodes are connected to each of the plates, an external electrode is connected to the upper one, an internal electrode is connected to the lower one, an anti-reflective coating is applied to the surface of the photocell.

Under the influence of sunlight, an excess of negatively charged particles is formed in the upper plate, and the so-called "holes" in the lower plate. At the same time, a potential difference is formed between the layers, under the influence of which, when a load is connected, an electric current flows in the circuit, due to the fact that differently charged particles move in opposite directions.

Negatively charged ones move up, positively charged ones move down.

Electronic circuits that are the main integral part any electronic devices, operate on the generated voltage and generated current, which makes it possible to provide power supply to the mechanisms of household appliances connected to them.

Structurally, depending on the purpose and specifications, solar powered fans can be very different.

The solar battery can be built into the housing or be made of a remote design. The design of the case and the material from which it is made are also chosen by the manufacturer, depending on the requirements for a particular model and its technical parameters.

For greenhouse

Every gardener knows that it is not enough just to open the doors of the greenhouse in order to create the necessary microclimate inside it. Fans are used to create forced air circulation inside such shelters, and solar-powered fans are one of the most convenient in terms of operation.

The main plus of a fan with solar panels, when using it on personal plot, is that there is no need to install additional electrical networks, in addition, there are no costs for consumed electrical energy, which is also important when growing your own vegetables and fruits.

As circulation fans, in greenhouses, the devices of the TMS series made in Taiwan, listed above, can be used. The solar battery, for these models, is built into the body of the device, which operates only in the daytime, in the presence of sunlight, at night - the device is turned off. The performance of the model is 0.32 m3 per minute. The cost, in retail chains - from 3500.00 rubles.

When it is necessary to move significant volumes of air masses, more powerful units are used, in which the solar panel is made of a remote design, which allows increasing its power, and, accordingly, the power and performance of the fan.

The operating mode of this device is similar to the above, in the presence of lighting - work, in the absence - standby mode. The performance of such models is higher, the cost is from 15,000.00 rubles.

For cars

For car owners, fans are also available that can run on solar power. These are low power fans that are placed under the windshield of the car and serve to create additional circulation inside the cabin air.

The appearance of such devices can vary from the classic type of a fan to the avant-garde forms inherent in the author's works of developers and designers.

The advantage of this type of fan is that it is possible to ventilate the car interior with the engine turned off, while the energy of the car battery will not be used, which will save its charge.

For a cap

An interesting invention was proposed by Chinese developers, they made a fan for a cap that runs on solar energy.

At first glance, it may seem that this development is not for permanent use, but due to the relatively low cost and the ability to create an individual microclimate and comfort for the owner, this invention is already widely used by tourists in different countries of the world.

The cap serves to protect from the sun, and the fan provides airflow in the presence of direct sunlight. The cost of such products is from 500.00 rubles.

How to DIY

In order to make a fan powered by a solar battery, it is enough to have any fan running on constant voltage 12.0 V (automobile or similar) and a low power solar panel.

By connecting the existing elements to the electrical network, you can get the desired result.

As an energy source, you can use solar panels from other devices with USB connectors, through which you can connect a fan. It can be: a camping lantern, a solar lamp or a searchlight, as well as an external battery.

Solar fan

The easiest way to cool your home is, of course, air conditioning. However, it is not cheap. It is much cheaper to use an inexpensive ventilation system, which in turn prevents overheating of the air in the room and an increase in humidity. Ventilation system must be installed in such a way as to remove air from the attic. Why from the attic? Because he is the source of all problems.

It all starts early in the morning, as soon as the sun begins to shine on the roof. I don't know if you know it or not, but roof tiles absorb solar radiation quite effectively. Roofs covered with bitumen are especially good at attracting and retaining solar heat.

The heat from the roof is then transferred to the air that fills the attic. As the day progresses, more and more heat enters the attic air space. Now another mechanism comes into play inside the attic. It is well known that warm air rises and cold air sinks. Since the air in the attic does not mix, a temperature distribution is created in the house, shown in Fig. 1. Layered temperature distribution causes heat accumulation. We have a huge reservoir of heat that needs to be used.

In many homes, it becomes too hot due to heat intrusion from the attic. When you turn on the air conditioner, you are trying to remove heat from living spaces to make the conditions more comfortable. However, at the same time, the attic continues to heat the house. Such confrontation is costly and does not lead to the desired results.

The only way to stop this influx of heat from the attic into the living space is to insulate the house from the attic. Thermal insulation with glass wool is very effective. A layer of glass wool with a thickness of not more than 15 cm, covering the ceiling, significantly affects the amount of heat penetrating down.

However, no amount of insulation can completely isolate the lower rooms from the penetration of heat from the attic. Heat will penetrate into living spaces through heat transfer and radiation.

To illustrate this, consider the following example. Suppose that the attic of your house has dimensions of 9X 12 m (area 108 m2). If the temperature in the attic averages 55°C, and you want the temperature in the living room not to exceed 27°C, then the best you can hope for is to achieve a heat transfer of no more than 2000 J / h. And this is in the case of a perfect isolation system. For a typical house with single-layer glass wool ceiling insulation, the heat penetration is about 4500 J/h.

It has been experimentally established that in order to neutralize 9000 J of heat, the air conditioner must pump 1 ton of air. Thus, to eliminate the effect of attic heating, we need to pump an extra 0.5 tons of air with an air conditioner!

Cooling mechanisms

However, the actual amount of heat penetrating down depends on the temperature difference between the attic and the house. A temperature difference of 5°C corresponds to thousands of joules. Therefore, the colder it is in the attic, the less the air conditioner works.

How can you cool your attic? You just need to ventilate it! There are very rare cases when the outside air temperature is higher than the air temperature in the attic, where it is usually hot, like in a stove; You can cool the attic by replacing the hot, stagnant air in it with colder outside air.

This is relatively easy to do by cutting a vent in the roof near its crest and installing an exhaust fan in it. A fan blows cold air through a projecting roof eaves and draws warm, stale air out of the attic through a vent.

Mixing hot and cold air and eliminates temperature differences (Fig. 2). It should be noted how it affected the temperature inside the attic. Now the temperature is more evenly distributed, and the average temperature has dropped.

I want to note that a very large fan is not required to ventilate the attic. The goal will be achieved if the air exchange in the attic is carried out approximately every 3 minutes.

The main elements of the fan

The size of the fan is determined by the size of the attic. Attic standard sizes(9x 12 m2) has a volume of approximately 135 m3. To exchange this volume of air every 4 minutes, a fan is required that will pump out 34 m3 / min.

If the attic is smaller, a smaller fan will be required. The ratio here is simple: the attic volume in m3 is divided by the desired air change time (in minutes) and the fan performance is obtained. For example 135m3/4min~34m3/min. The fan is driven by a small DC motor, which is usually linear: the more power supplied to it, the faster it rotates.

This circulation of air inside the attic causes overflow. Changing any of these values ​​will cause a change in power. For example, a motor with a voltage of 12 V at a current of 3A can rotate at a speed of 6000 rpm. If we reduce the electrical energy supplied to the motor by lowering the voltage to 6 V, then the rotation speed will decrease by 2 times and become equal to 3000 rpm.

On the other hand, if in the same motor at 12 V at 3 A, rotating at the same speed of 6000 rpm, we reduce the current by 2 times, keeping the voltage at the same level (12 V at 1.5 A), we get the same result: the motor speed will be 3000 rpm. Given the principle of operation of photovoltaic converters, understanding the reason for changing the speed of rotation of the motor with a change in the consumed current is especially important.

The volume of air that the fan blades will distill is directly proportional to the speed of rotation. This indicates that the air flow can be controlled by simply changing the speed of the motor.

Undoubtedly, photoelectric converters can be used to power the exhaust fan. This is the preferred choice. At the same time, it should be noted that when a photovoltaic source is connected to a fan electric motor, an interesting relationship arises.

Photovoltaic solar cells can usually be considered as current sources. In low light, the solar panel generates a small current, although the voltage remains normal. As a result, the fan (if it is rotating) rotates slowly and therefore only pumps a small amount of air.

This circumstance just meets the task of ventilating the attic. In the morning, the roof is practically not heated, and at this time of the day there is no need for ventilation or only a little ventilation is needed.

During the day, with increasing solar radiation, more and more power is supplied to the fan motor from photovoltaic converters, and the fan speed increases. With the increase in solar insolation, an increasing amount of heat enters the attic. It should be noted that an increase in the fan speed (air exchange) is observed exactly when it is needed.

Toward evening, the intensity of solar radiation decreases again, the roof absorbs less heat and the need for ventilation decreases. This is consistent with the change in output power of photovoltaic converters, which rotate the fan at a lower speed.

As a result, we have developed a self-regulating attic ventilation system that keeps the attic temperature at a relatively constant level. Usually, the fan control, depending on the heating of the attic, is carried out by a mechanical thermal switch.

For the purposes mentioned, two commercially available commercially available fans designed specifically for these applications have been selected. Let's place our photovoltaic sources near the fans. Remember, however, that you can use any combination of motor and fan that suits you.

The first fan is an exhaust fan from Solarex Corp. Addresses of companies producing both fans can be found in the parts list. (It should be noted that we did not try to compare one fan with another.)

Solar battery

Said fan is driven by a 12V DC motor. However, Solarex recommends running the motor at 6V for longevity. m3/min.

It will not be difficult to develop a 7 W battery that satisfies the mentioned requirements. First you need to imagine the required maximum current strength. As mentioned above, it corresponds to 1.2 A.

It is common knowledge that a 7.5 cm round solar cell delivers a current of 1.2 A. In fact, you can find fairly cheap substandard 7.5 cm cells that develop "only" 1 A. These cells are suitable for the purposes mentioned.

To achieve a power of 7 W at maximum solar radiation intensity, 12 elements are required. The elements can be soldered in series, placing them in 3 rows of 4 elements each. In the manufacture of batteries follow the recommendations set out in Sec. 1. If substandard elements of 1 A are selected for use in the design, then to compensate for their defectiveness, it is necessary to increase the number of elements in the battery by 2 and bring their number to 14.

The second fan we'll look at comes from Wm. Lamb. Its diameter is 35 cm; It is equipped with a linear electric motor with ball bearings. Pressed ball bearings extend motor life. The motor is powered by any voltage: 6-48 V. For our purposes, the manufacturer recommends using a voltage of 12V.

A 30 W solar generator will spin the fan at a speed sufficient to exchange air at about 30 m3/min, while a 7 W battery will provide enough energy to exchange air at a rate of 14 m3/min. On fig. 3 shows the dependence of the air exchange rate on the power of the photoelectric converter.

In accordance with one of the options for installing a ventilation device, it will be necessary to make holes in the roof. Since any work on the roof is associated with the risk of possible water leaks, accuracy is the key to a successful job.

First, a round hole in the roof is sawn with a hacksaw. Both fans are supplied fixed in metal casings and the opening in the roof must exactly match the diameter of the casing. Make sure that the location for the hole is chosen between the roof rafters!

Then a fan is installed in the hole. Now a metal reflector is placed around the device, and all possible gaps are abundantly filled with tar to prevent leaks. To prevent rain from entering through the hole made, the fan-1 is covered with a cone-shaped or U-shaped cap.

If there is no desire to make a hole in the roof, there is another option. The fan can be mounted above one of the vents located under the roof eaves. The best way for this - to strengthen the fan at an angle of 45 ° to the attic flooring. It is recommended to make a frame from a pair of frames with an aspect ratio of 2:1 (Fig. 4), and then attach the fan to one of them (Fig. 5). After that, you can place the frame over the vent. Make sure that the opening is large enough so that all exchanged air passes through it, otherwise the Fan will not work efficiently enough.

The solar panel is attached to the south-facing section of the roof and attached to the fan. It is better to run the wires down to the edge of the roof and pass them through the vent in the eaves than to drill a special hole for them in the roof: there is less chance of breaking the roof.

When connecting a solar battery to a fan, attention is drawn to the direction of rotation of the electric motor. In one direction of rotation, the air will be drawn out, in the other direction it will be drawn into the room. If the fan does not rotate in the correct direction, the supply wires must be reversed.

Parts list

20 cm fan supplied by Energy Sciences 832 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852 Contact: Larry Miller

A 30 cm fan is supplied by Wm. Lamb Co. 10615 Chandler Blvd. North Hollywood, CA 91601

Photovoltaic battery (see text)

The sun is an inexhaustible source of energy, which every year a person finds new uses. These are toys that run on the energy of this star, solar-powered chargers that allow you to charge mobile devices where there is no possibility of connecting to the mains, backpacks - an indispensable attribute of people who prefer outdoor activities, caps, straps, fountains, etc. All of them accumulating solar energy, designed to serve people. With them you feel comfortable everywhere.

The worst disaster is to go somewhere in the heat by car. But, a solution has been found - this is a solar-powered fan. He eliminated the need to connect bulky fans to the cigarette lighter, because he works autonomously using solar energy. By attaching a compact fan to the side window of the car, the interior will be filled with the long-awaited coolness, leaving the cigarette lighter for connecting a DVR or charging a mobile phone.

The technology of this gadget is absolutely harmless and environmentally friendly. The scheme of operation is simple to the point of banality: sunlight, hitting the photocells, generates energy, which makes the fan spin.

The most interesting thing is that the free energy source for these fans cannot be spoiled.

The solar panels are connected to a low-voltage fan that blows cool air through small intake holes, drawing hot air out of the car (through an open window).

You can attach it anywhere on the side window, adjusting it so that it blows on the rear or front seats.

From mechanical influences and weather surprises, it is reliably protected by automotive glass. Its dimensions and weight are small, and the price will not hit the family budget much.

You can install it on any car and drive on a hot day, enjoying the coolness, and even saving a car battery, because, unlike the same air conditioner, it does not need battery power. In addition to the fact that the fan will cool the interior, it will remove unpleasant odors from it.

It is clear that by installing such a gadget, one cannot count on the temperature provided by the air conditioner, which uses the coolant under the temperature to lower the temperature. high pressure, thanks to which cold air is supplied to the passenger compartment by a powerful fan, but you won’t have to ride with a fan in stuffy conditions. The disadvantage of fans powered by sunlight is that in cloudy weather they cannot perform their functions, as well as when they are installed on tinted windows. But, manufacturers are already working in this direction: solar fans have appeared with the ability to connect to a twelve-volt vehicle socket, i.e. if there is not enough solar energy, the fan can get a small amount of energy from the car battery to start working.

Specifications of Auto Cooler

For the Auto Cooler fan, the figures will respectively be as follows: 15x11x7cm, 380 grams and 110 UAH. The size of the solar panel is 5.5 x 5.5 cm, the length of the rubber tube is about 95 cm. The body is made of high quality black plastic.

Solar fans for a car, sometimes called solar fans, are able to reduce the air in the cabin to a temperature that is normally perceived by a person.

Advantages

In addition to the possibility of obtaining the desired coolness, the solar fan will keep the sun-exposed surfaces of the car, primarily the dashboard, from the appearance of cracks that inevitably appear if the car is under the scorching rays of the sun for a long time. As already mentioned, thanks to it, the car is cooled with clean energy from an environmental point of view. In addition, it reduces the load on the air conditioner, which discharges battery. Well, for whom, for now, air conditioning remains an unrealizable dream - such a fan is a godsend. After all, those who drive old-style cars know firsthand that on hot days the salon turns into a real sauna. Installing the fan is simple, it is safe for others, it is universal, it can work for a short time and for a long time when parking.

Scope of autonomous solar fans

Despite the fact that solar fans have not yet become widespread, the benefits of them can hardly be overestimated. But, fans can help not only motorists. With their help, for example, you can cool the whole house. After all, its roof begins to heat up with the first rays of the sun, the gradual air of the attic becomes more and more hot, since both tiles and bitumen perfectly attract heat and retain it. Due to the lack of circulation, warm air does not rise. So the house starts to heat up. And no thermal insulation saves from the heat. The air conditioner is also not very effective, which removes heat from the room, but is not able to cope with the huge amount of it that accumulates in the attic. In addition, it is quite expensive.

The only way to stop heat from escaping from the attic is to install an exhaust fan in the roof ridge vent to circulate the air. More efficient is a photocell fan that provides ventilation when needed. In the morning, for example, while the roof is not yet heated, there is no need for ventilation. As it warms up, the solar fan spins faster, slowing down again in the evening.

Solar-powered bilge fans are also produced, designed for ventilating galleys, holds, and latrines. They do not require an additional power source, they are easily mounted in the porthole, deckhouse and deck. Of the most common - fungus fan - models 30002 and 30003, which differ in the presence or absence of a protective screen. In model 30003, it is present, so the body of the device is slightly higher.

It is needed so that dampness does not accumulate in the cabin, air does not stagnate, and there is additional ventilation on a hot day.

The device is set up simply: the body is made of stainless steel, inside there is a solar panel that feeds a small fan. A completely autonomous fan works when there is light, and when it is not, it stops working.

Many people use a mini fan on hot days, which is attached to the cap with a special clip. This device is also solar-powered as it is self-contained. This wonderful accessory will be appreciated when the temperature rises above thirty degrees, and a pleasant coolness emanates from it. Its size is only 48x58 mm, the fan diameter is 73 mm, so it will be convenient when playing sports, fishing, traveling, and just for those who have to move around the city a lot every day.

solar car fan price

Usually the cost of fans for a car that run on solar energy does not go beyond twenty to forty dollars . You can buy this necessary device in any specialized store, or you can order its delivery in an online store.

In today's article I want to touch on the issue of energy saving. In general, the issue of energy saving at the moment is becoming very relevant for many, so moving in this direction is very tempting. And most importantly, interesting. And that is why our company is moving there (in the sense of direction). :) By the way, the issue of energy-saving technologies should equally be reduced to both the development of new sources and the reduction of current energy consumption. This is roughly how to increase income by reducing expenses. :)

As you know, the main sources of alternative energy are the sun, wind and water. Solar energy is used, in most cases, in solar panels, wind energy in windmills or wind turbines, and water, as a rule, in hydroelectric power plants. All alternative energy sources serve to generate electrical energy, and then we distribute the electrical energy to the consumers we need.

However, the intermediate stage of distribution to the consumers we need today can be excluded. So, get acquainted - SOLAR FAN.
A brilliant idea is to combine a solar panel with a roof fan. No wires needed, no electricity wasted easy installation, and most importantly - a working hood.

So, what is the main purpose of a solar fan? The answer is simple. To combat excess heat and to combat moisture.
The thing is that the roof (and with it the air of the attic space) is very hot from the sun. The attic acts like a big one heater, from which heat goes into the rooms. And by own experience I will say that in many attics there are also outdoor units of air conditioners. This, of course, is a way out of not coordinating the installation of the outdoor unit with the city architect, but in winter, for example, warm air in the attic, coupled with warm air from outdoor units, makes the snow on the roof melt and flow down, forming ice.

In many homes, the air exchange in the attic is insufficient. Many believe that you can make an open transom and everything will be fine. :) However, when excessive dampness and moisture are detected, everyone starts to think. Moisture moves through the ceiling to the roof, where, in contact with cold structures, it forms condensate, and then ice or frost. They, in turn, damage the roof structure. And dampness can saturate the insulation and it will lose its properties.

The Solar Star® solar fan is technologically advanced and completely safe for environment. The fan runs on solar panels and while the sun is shining, it will regularly remove excess heat and moisture from the attic space.
In addition, there various options fan mounting options.
You can also order an additional solar panel separately. For example, the fan is on one side of the roof and the panel is on the other side. This will keep the fan running until the sun finally sets. Or use a non-native fan, but another one that is suitable in terms of power.
Of course, by adding a small battery, you can drive the fan at night, but at night the air temperature drops and there is no solar energy.

I must say that the solar panel and the motor are covered by a 5-year warranty. Everything else is 10 years. The Solar Star® photovoltaic solar panel generates 10 W and is not afraid of hail, wind or other barbaric natural disasters. eight)

The fan motor is specially designed for long-term use, the voltage is 1-38 volts. Absolutely silent. Corrosion resistant polymer fan blades. Lightweight, not creating much resistance.

Seamless flashing ensures quick installation on roofs of all types and slopes. The block is made of galvanized steel. Easily installed in 30 minutes.

Progress does not stand still and I think that in a couple of years we will see many options for using alternative energy sources, but for now do not forget - you can’t trust anyone, you can trust us !!!

Andrew L.

ADDITION. We planned, planned, but did not plan to sell Solatube® products. Therefore, the information on this product is for informational purposes only. Everything we sell is reflected in our .