DILLA UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF MECHANICAL AND AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
THESIS PROPOSAL

Project Title: Design of Solar-Powered Water Pump for Rural Area in

Ethiopia

S.№ Student’s Name ID.№

1 NAHOM KASAHUN RTCH-1423/18
2 TESFAYE SEMAGN DEMILLE RTCH-4562/18
3 Molu Salesa Duba RTCH-5124/18
Group Member’s Name
Advisor: Mr.Hiwot Berhanu (MSc.)

April 6, 2023
 Dilla University College of Science and Technology

School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering

Mechanical Program

THESIS PROPOSAL
Student:
_________________________________________________________________________
Name Signature Date

We hereby declare that this research proposal: “Design of solar powered water pump for rural area in
Ethiopia “is our work and this work has not been submitted elsewhere for the award of any other degree or
diploma. It is being submitted for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and all
sources of material used for this research proposal have been dully acknowledged.

Approved:

Advisor:
________________________________________________________________________
Printed Name Signature Date

Chair Holder:
________________________________________________________________________
Printed Name Signature Date

School Dean:
________________________________________________________________________
Printed Name Signature Date

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Ethiopia is proximate to the equator and receives adequate sunshine throughout the year but the
effective use of solar energy for large scale application is not yet adapted. This paper investigates
the possible use of solar energy for large scale solar powered water pump system on the selected
potential sites in the country for irrigation purpose. A solar-powered pump is a pump running on
electricity generated by photovoltaic panels or the radiated thermal energy available from collected
sunlight as opposed to diesel run water pumps. The operation of solar powered pumps is more
economical mainly due to the lower operation and maintenance costs and has less environmental
impact than pumps powered by an internal combustion engine (ICE). The back bone of our country
economy is agricultural industry and the land escape of Ethiopia is not available for irrigation from
the revers directly. Therefore, we would like to solve such problems by designing this solar water
pump to gate water or to pump water from lower-level water sources and from water burrow.

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Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................. iii

CHAPTER ONE ........................................................................................................................................... 1

INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................ 1

1.1 Background of the Study ............................................................................................................... 1

1.2 Statement of the Problem ............................................................................................................ 2

1.3 Objectives...................................................................................................................................... 2

1.3.1 General objective .................................................................................................................. 2

1.3.2 Specific objective .................................................................................................................. 2

1.4 Scope of the Project ...................................................................................................................... 3

1.5 Significance of the Project ............................................................................................................ 3

CHAPTER TWO .............................................................................................................................................. 4

LITERATURE REVIEW ..................................................................................................................................... 4

2.1 Water Pumping System................................................................................................................. 4

2.2 Diesel-Powered Water Pumping System ...................................................................................... 4

2.2.1 Characteristics of Diesel-Powered Water Pump ................................................................... 5

2.3 Solar-powered water pumping system ......................................................................................... 6

2.3.1 PV cell water pumping system .............................................................................................. 7

2.3.2 Panel-based water pumping system ..................................................................................... 8

2.4 Related working areas on solar-powered water pumping system ............................................... 9

CHAPTER THREE .......................................................................................................................................... 14

METHODOLOGY .......................................................................................................................................... 14

3.1 Primary data ................................................................................................................................ 14

3.2 Secondary data ........................................................................................................................... 14

3.3 Data analysis method.................................................................................................................. 15

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3.4 Interpretation of data ................................................................................................................. 15

3.5 Methodological flow chart .......................................................................................................... 16

3.6 Working Prinicple of Solar Water Pump ..................................................................................... 17

Work Plan Table ...................................................................................................................................... 18

Reference ................................................................................................................................................ 19

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 CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Solar energy is the most abundant source of energy in the world. Solar power is not only an answer
to today’s energy crisis but also an environmentally friendly form of energy. Photovoltaic
generation is an efficient approach for using solar energy. Solar panels (an array of photovoltaic
cells) are nowadays extensively used for running street lights, powering water heaters, and meeting
domestic loads. The cost of solar panels has been constantly decreasing which encourages their
usage in various sectors. One of the applications of this technology is used in irrigation systems
for farming. Solar-powered irrigation systems can be a suitable alternative for farmers in the
present state of energy crisis in Ethiopia. This is a green way for energy production which provides
free energy once an initial investment is made. In this paper, we propose an irrigation system using
solar power which drives water pumps to pump water from the bore well to a tank, and the outlet
valve of the tank is manually regulated using a controller to control the flow rate of water from the
tank to the irrigation field which optimizes the use of water.
A solar-powered pump is a pump running on electricity generated by photovoltaic panels or the
radiated thermal energy available from collected sunlight as opposed to grid electricity or diesel
run water pumps.
Pumping water for irrigation from water supply sources such as boreholes requires a huge amount
of energy. In rural and off-grid villages of Ethiopia, a diesel generator is widely used as a source
of energy for pumping water from a borehole or other sources of water supply in the rural part of
the country. As the price of fuel oil is increasing globally from time to time, using renewable
energy like solar energy and wind energy as alternative sources of energy for pumping water for
irrigation systems gives the following purpose
1) using the naturally available resources and
2) Saving the foreign exchange cost spent to import fuel oil.
Developing a grid system is often too expensive because settlements of rural villages are located
too far from existing grid lines, also dependence on an imported fuel supply is difficult and risky,
foreign exchange rates fluctuate and the economy of many developing countries can then plummet.

1
Ethiopia has favorable solar energy resources to use for off-grid photovoltaic (PV) systems for the
rural population.
The study also indicates that due to the high prices of fuel oil, even larger photovoltaic systems
are very competitive with diesel generators and village power supply. PV water pumping systems
may be the most cost-effective water pumping option in locations where there is no existing power
line. When properly sized and installed, PV water pumps are very reliable and require little
maintenance.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Ethiopia’s economy is dependent on agriculture, which accounts for 40 percent of the GDP, 80
percent of exports, and an estimated 75 percent of the country's workforce [USAID
2022]. However, just five percent of the land is irrigated and crop yields from small farms are
below regional averages [USAID 2022]. This is because the country's irrigation system uses flood
irrigation and rain irrigation systems. Moreover, such irrigation methods are not productive and
do not meet the needs of those who do the irrigation. In general, this method of growing product
is a traditional system. And this cultivation method cannot produce more products. Agricultural
products are used for direct use by people, and these industries are used as raw materials. In
addition, population is growing gradually and the need for adequate food supply is increasing. Fuel
oil energy pump system irrigation, which is a diesel pump, is another type used for pumping for a
variety of applications. However, as the background suggests, fuel prices are rising rapidly. This
will affect the country's economy as Ethiopia imports fuel from other countries. Although one can
spend the money used to import fuel for other services. Therefore, this project will provide a
solution for those limitations mentioned.

1.3 Objectives
1.3.1 General objective
The general objective of this project is designing of a solar-powered water pump for irrigation in
rural areas.
1.3.2 Specific objective
The specific objectives of this project are
 Designing and sizing the solar water pump components
 Select the machine components to appropriate standard dimensions

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  Draw part and assembly drawing for the machine
 Analysis cost of the component

1.4 Scope of the Project

The scope of this project is to design a solar-powered water pump for irrigation that solves the
stated problem by observing the difficulties from different perspectives. This project starts with
the introduction and literature review on product specifications to satisfy the project objectives.
After obtaining the product specification the overall working principles on which the machine
working order to full fill the objective of the design including material selection, mechanism
design, power requirement, component selection, and design and 3D model are presented. The
major output of this project is to design the machine and mathematical analysis of the machine
components.

1.5 Significance of the Project

The significance of this project to minimize the investment cost and increase the productivity of
the farmers Which is used to produce more efficient and sufficient products to full fill the demand
of the people’s needs and also, to address the machine throughout the country with minimum cost
and good quality. The machine is easy to operate and simple to handle and maintain. It is a product
that is used to avoid fuel usage, reduce the wastage of manpower, and time, and increase mass
production.

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 CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
In this chapter, literatures related to water pumping, different type of energy sources and solar-
powered water pump with their advantage and disadvantage were reviewed.

2.1 Water Pumping System

The water pumping system is the most crucial in the world. This system is applicable in different
sectors such as domestic use, and large-scale irrigation systems. There are different pumping
systems according to the deriving mechanism.

Figure 1: Schematic diagram of water pumping system

2.2 Diesel-Powered Water Pumping System

Since the start of water pumping a variety of power sources have been utilized, but the mostly used
and classical way of powering the modern water pumping system era is diesel fuel. Historically
pumping from boreholes in Ethiopian off-grid areas has been predominantly achieved with Diesel
generators. Diesel water pumping systems became more attractive during the second half of the
twentieth century with the development of the fuel supply infrastructure and the technology to
allow Diesel driven engines to pump water from boreholes.
As it is a stand-alone system which uses an off-the-grid electricity power source its best suits for
locations that are not fitted with an electricity distribution. Basically, the diesel water pump
consists of a diesel engine and a pump which is manufactured as a single unit and delivered to
users.

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 Figure 2: Schematic diagram Diesel water pumping system

2.2.1 Characteristics of Diesel-Powered Water Pump

In order to choose the best suited water pumping system for the predetermined purpose, the best
trend is to put different characteristics of that specified pump in to consideration. Diesel powered
water pumps have their own advancements and drawbacks in terms of these characteristics.
I. Economy-from economical vantage point diesel powered water pumping system has two main
sides: initial/investment cost and operational cost. The initial cost for diesel powered water pump
is low compared to other types of pumps. On the other hand, its operational and maintenance costs
make it difficult to afford. Diesel’s fluctuating supply availability and ever-increasing cost, which
depends on so many global factors, and complex maintenance procedures are the reasons behind
what makes operational conditions of diesel-powered pumping systems very costly. Apart from
the expected operating cost, diesel generator requires minor service, major service and overhauls
in regular intervals. Generally, the total life cycle cost which includes both operational and initial
cost for diesel powered pump is as much high as threefold of solar powered pumps.
II. Efficiency and reliability- Diesel powered pump efficiency is a measure of how well a pump
converts diesel fuel to useful work moving water. The aim of careful pump selection and regular
maintenance is to have the pump performing as efficiently as possible and achieve the lowest
running cost. Diesel powered pumps can work continuously at certain efficiency, if the diesel fuel
supply is ensured. In most circumstances an efficiency of 70% to 80% can be achievable for diesel
pumps, although it depends on pump speed and impeller size. The expected value of efficiency
may not be achieved if good maintenance is not provided. To prevent under performance of the
pump due to rust and wear a regular monitor on energy usage is required to check the necessity of

5
any maintenance. The maintenance requirements of the Diesel engines are standard which means
a minor service every 250 hours and a major service every 500 to 1,000 hours. The life expectancy
of the engines differs, based on the quality of the unit and whether the maintenance has been
conducted as per requirements, but mostly in the range of 8,000 to 35,000 hours.
III. Environment- Diesel powered water pumps have significant negative impact on natural
resources depletion, human health, climate change and ecosystem quality. Hazardous emissions
connected to Diesel generator include exhausting air quality and noise. Air quality can be defined
by ambient air concentrations of specific pollutants of concern with respect to the health and
welfare of the general public. Air quality and climate can be affected by air pollutants and
greenhouse gases produced by Diesel generator. Noise can have negative effects on physical and
psychological health, affect workplace productivity, and degrade quality of life.

2.3 Solar-powered water pumping system

The shortage of electric power and high diesel cost has influenced the desires of water pumping
systems. Instead of the other types of pumping systems, the solar-powered water pump is
respectable in socioeconomic and environmental points of view. Currently most countries use
solar-powered water pumping system for different applications. Since the energy source is
renewable resource, it is the most crucial and effective. Countries which have averagely high daily
sun light uses water pumping system for irrigation and drinking, pumping water for room and
soured cleaning, and pumping water for animals, etc.
Generally, solar water pumping system is more effective and important in agricultural sectors
specially for high scale irrigation system. There are different approaches in solar pumping
mechanism, which is according to the power generated. Basically, there are two different
mechanisms. Those are;
1. PV cell water pumping system
2. Panel-based water pumping system

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 Figure: 3 Schematic diagram for solar water pumping system
2.3.1 PV cell water pumping system
Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) water pumping system is one of the best technologies that utilize the
solar energy to pump water from deep well underground water sources and to provide water for
irrigation, drinking, and for other different application areas. The availability of abundant solar
radiation and enough underground water sources in Ethiopia can be combined together to provide
water for irrigation, drinking, and for other different application areas available to rural
communities. The PV cell water pumping system is the most important.
The PV cell generates an electric current to derive the water pump. This type of pumping system
is more appropriate for countries which have abundant solar radiation and enough underground
water. Using renewable resources like solar energy is more economical and environmental
friendly.

Figure 4: Simple design of solar photovoltaic powered dc water pump

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 2.3.2 Panel-based water pumping system
According to different literature, solar heater was used for water pumping system. The solar
radiation collected on the panel converts the water into the steam and the steam generates the
engine. The panel covers with the aluminum paper helps to collect the solar radiation at a focal
point. Most of the solar engine water pumping system contains ammonia for the recycling of the
used steam to liquid water.
Types of solar water pump
Submersible solar pump –have the ability to lift up to 650ft of water and can install in large well.
Surface pump –The surface solar pumps are used in streams ,storage tanks ,shallow wells or ponds.when
the well water supply depth is 20ft or less from the ground ,you should use a surface solar water pump
DC solar pump-this pump has an electric motor that uses DC power .Therefore ,these pumps do not need a
battery or inverter
AC solar pump- The electric motor used in this type of pump works with alternating currents.it requires an
inverter which is used to transform the Dc voltage produced by the panels into AC voltage to run the
pump.This conversion can lead to power outages during production and use

Components of solar pump system

The solar system has the following major parts:
 water pump
 solar panels
 batteries
 pump controller
 inverter
 water tank

1. Water pump
A water pump is another part of the solar water system that is extremely important.The
pump is the piece of equipment that draws water from the source to be used for different
application.There are four types of water pump :
2. Solar panels
The solar panels are one of the major parts of the solar pumping system. A group of solar
panels is called array. Solar panels generate electrical energy by separating electrons from
atoms by permitting photons and light arrays, which create electricity.
3. Batteries
The battery of the solar pump is used to store power produced by the solar panel. In the
presence of sunlight, the energy produced by the solar panel is supplied to the load and a
battery.

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 4. Pump controller
The controller can adjust the pump system parameters to meet user needs and shield the
pump system.it regulates the power flow from the panel to the pump
5. Inverter
The inverter converts the DC power of the battery into AC power .The transformation of
direct current is required for a wide variety of electrical equipment involving AC solar
water pump.
6. The water pumping system will often include a water that may be used when sunshine is
not available

2.4 Related working areas on solar-powered water pumping system

The use of solar energy for pumping water is not a new idea. Several efforts are made in the past
to convert solar heat into mechanical power. And also, With the limitless potential available from
solar energy, and the continuous decrease in PV module/system prices due to the improvement in
their operation & manufacturing efficiencies. The research into building and improving PV
systems for different applications has bloomed over the last decade, especially in countries that
have a high solar potential, such as Indonesia, Kuwait, Algeria, and so on.
The first historical attempt for pumping water using solar energy was made by a French Engineer,
Salomon de Caux (1576-1626) who developed an engine and pumped water using solar-heated
air. Another Frenchman, August Mouchot, with the backing of Napoleon III, developed and
demonstrated several solar water pumps (1860-1878). Mouchot developed his first solar engine in
1866 and demonstrated the same at the Paris World fair in which he used several truncated cone
reflectors (450 cones) to focus solar radiation on a copper tube converting water into steam and
then a steam engine was used for pumping water. The second engine was built by SOLAR
POWERED WATER PUMP 173 Mouchot in 1875 with French government support in which a
reflector of 4.0 m2 and an axial boiler of 0.8 m long was used which produced steam at 50.7 x 10
4 n/m 2 at 426 K and used for operating a rotary engine driving a water pump. This pump had
produced a power of about 370 watts. The third solar engine was built by Mouchot in 1878 in
which a reflector area of 5.2 m2 was used. In France, Abel Pifre in 1878 used a parabolic reflector
of 9 m2 along with a rotary pump and was able to pump 99 liters of water in 14 min. from a depth
of 3 m. A Frenchman Charles Albert Tellier 1885 used flat-plate panels of 19.5 m2 for vaporizing
ammonia from ammonia solution and the vapors pushed through a diaphragm the water out from
a submerged iron cylinder. The ammonia was condensed and recycled and was physically

9
separated from the water using a flexible rubber diaphragm. This solar pump was able to pump
about 1 m3 of water per hour from a depth of 19.8 m in Auteuil, France.
Solar photovoltaic water pumps are in operation in many parts of the world since 1968. It is
impossible to know the number of pumps installed and the list of manufacturers. The largest solar
photovoltaic water pump was made first time in the USA which was 25 KW in Nebraska and now
pumps of this capacity are available in many countries. A few French firms have put up solar
photovoltaic pumps in Senegal, Mali, Nigeria, Upper volta, Rwanda, Cameroon, Saudi Arabia,
and Corsica. A large number of photovoltaic pumps are in operation in India also. The interest in
solar water pumps is renewed with the shortage of food, electricity, and diesel oil.
A National Workshop on Solar Irrigation was arranged in 1977 at Albuquerque, New Mexico,
USA by ERDA and the United States Department of Agriculture under the chairmanship of
Wether-SOLAR POWERED WATER PUMP 177 Holt. Recently several review articles on Solar
Water Pumping are written by Garg, Bahadori, Hofmann, et al and Derrick et al. A techno-
economic analysis for the transfer of technology with a special case of solar pump is carried out
by Parikh. Analysis of photovoltaic solar pumps is carried out by Braunstein and Kornfeld, Matlin
and Katzman, Evans et al, and Matlin.
A. A. Ghoneim, 2006 mentioned that one of the best applications of photovoltaic systems is their
use as a power source for pumping water. The advantages of utilizing water pumps powered by
PV systems are low maintenance, ease of installation, reliability, the matching between the powers
generated, and water usage. Also, the system can use water tanks instead of batteries in this system.
The researcher used TRNSYS (Transient System Simulation Tool) to simulate the performance of
the PV pumping system with a maximum power point tracker.
The model confirmed its success after it was compared with the manufacturer’s PVCAD program.
The costs of PV equipment and water pumps are expected to decrease more and the years. Also,
the PV array's life cycle materials are 20–25 age, whereas those of the engine and pump are eight
years.
Prasetyaningsari et al (2013) designed an optimum solar powered aeration system for fish ponds
in Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta. HOMER (Hybrid Optimization Model for Multiple Energy
Resources) proposes a 1 kW Photovoltaic, eight batteries of 200 Ah, a 0.2 kW Inverter, and COE
of about US$0.769 /kWh for the given requirements of these ponds.

10
Ajao et al (2011) explained the cost analysis of a wind turbine solar hybrid system in comparison
with utility power supply costs. The results indicated that the hybrid system is not economically
cheap. Also, the system payback time was thirty-three years. If the investment cost per kilowatt is
reduced due to the installation of many instances of this hybrid system on a farm, a wind-solar cell
hybrid energy system would be cost-effective. Its availability, sustainability, and environmental
friendliness make it a desirable source of energy supply.
M. Salam et al (2013) designed and analyzed a PV system that provides lighting to a renewable
energy lab. Using HOMER, the optimal results of the system were found using 12V, 140W PV
modules which are connected in series to get 24 V as well as four batteries of 6 V, 360 Ah
capacities. The results obtained from the optimization give the initial capital cost as US$ 13,500,
while the operating cost is US$817/year. The total NPC of the system is US$23,939, and the COE
is 1.354 US$/kWh.
Z. A. M. Elhassan et al (2012) discussed the use of HOMER for designing an efficient and
economically viable hybrid PV/Wind electrical power supply system for residential areas in
Khartoum, Sudan. This plan was to take advantage of the vast expanses of desert in Sudan as well
as their extremely prevalent sunshine and to design an economically viable way of building large-
scale solar power plants. The researchers depended on the NASA global average radiation data,
and the monthly averaged measure data for wind factors from SEI were used. HOMER was utilized
in the design process and simulation. HOMER's optimizations and simulations demonstrated that
the NPC of the grid/renewable energy source (RES) hybrid configuration is comparable to that of
a grid-only supply. The resulted payback time was 14 years (at 2004 prices) and a 65% reduction
in greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved.
H. A. Kazem et al (2012) designed a stand-alone PV system to be used for the electrification of
Omani rural areas at optimal efficiency. It specifically dealt with critical aspects such as the PV
array’s orientation & cell temperatures. The requisite simulations were performed by HOMER
software, resulting in a system that satisfies a 33 kWh/day load at a COE of US$0.044/kWh.
Similarly, R. Kumar et al (2011) proposed a system based on photovoltaic technology to satisfy
some of Caledonian College of Engineering’s electrical needs (15 kWh of energy daily,
specifically for lights within one of the campus’s buildings). The resulting configuration had a
capital cost of US$23,400 & an expected LCC of about US$40,500, leading to a COE of
US$0.3946/kWh, assuming a 12-year lifespan. While it was under-utilized throughout the testing

11
period, the system was proved to be able of satisfying higher loads at high efficiencies, considering
improvements and optimizations were introduced.
H. A. Kazem et al (2013) designed a 9kW solar system to power an Omani health clinic which
demanded 42.307 kWh/day. The authors used the highly accurate numerical method (via the
program HOMER) to design the system and detail the costs involved in the resulting COE. The
optimal system resulted in an affordable COE of US$0.418/kWh, as opposed to the simulated COE
of a diesel generator powering the same load, which is US$0.5581/kWh. When the two systems
were compared, it is found that despite the PV system’s higher NPC, it’s still a more feasible
solution than its diesel-based counterpart in the long term due to the latter’s high volume of harmful
gas emissions and maintenance costs. Lastly, M. T. Chaichan et al (2016) proposed powering road
lights using a hybrid PV/Wind/Battery system, while comparing this to a similarly capable diesel
generator-based design. The authors utilized the numerical analysis software HOMER to find the
optimum system design. The resulting system COE was US$ 0.400/kWh. As for the diesel
generator system, HOMER’s simulations resulted in a design with a 7000kW generator having a
COE of US$ 3.164/kWh.
According to Parker (1991), Solar pumps have been used in agriculture since the late 1970s but
PV-powered water pumps are increasingly seen as the “harbinger of a new era in water provision
for rural and developing communities” (Short and Thompson 2003).
Odeh et al. (2006) Solar-powered pumps exist in three main categories: concentrated solar, solar
thermal, and PV. Solar PV systems are more commonly available than concentrated solar and solar
thermal pumps, which account for only a small share of the global solar-powered pump 3 markets.
Complete PV systems are complex, consisting of a PV array, inverter, motor, pump, and a water
storage tank or a battery to store energy.
Hare and Ancygier, (2016) SSA account for only 9% of the world’s PV systems, although most
countries in SSA receive, on average, between 4 and 6 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in most months
of the year. This would allow a square meter of solar panel to generate 4 to 6 kW of electricity.
Given the above conditions and the increase in the adoption of pumps by individual farmers, more
solar pump manufacturers and suppliers are seeking to expand markets in African countries.
Development partners, researchers, and policymakers proposed PV solar energy-based pumps as
a ‘cost-effective’ and ‘clean’ approach to irrigation in developing countries (FAO and GIZ 2015).
They hold that solar energy-based pumps offer an inexpensive alternative to electric or fuel-based

12
irrigation pumps (IRENA 2015). At the same time, the potential for irrigation development to
reduce poverty and enable economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) (Woodhouse et al. 2017)
has been emphasized by policy bodies ranging from the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture
Development Programmed (CAADP) (NEPAD 2003) to national and sub-
national programs. In the past, the major focus was on investment in large-scale irrigation schemes
(World Bank 2008), but this is changing. Research now suggests that there is significant potential
for expanding small-scale irrigation to contribute to local and national food security, improved
nutrition (Domenech 2015), and income generation (Namara et al. 2010; Dillon 2011; Burney and
Naylor 2012). One study proposed the scope for expanding small-scale irrigation in Africa to be
7.3 million hectares (Mha), with internal rates of return much larger for small-scale than for large-
scale, dam-based irrigation (You et al. 2010), an argument supported by Fujiie et al. (2011).

13
 CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
This chapter consists of methods for completing the product (solar-powered water pump). The
applied methods, primary and secondary sources which are well-structured; provide a step-by-
step approach to complete the task of this project. The primary source is direct observation and
secondary sources are mechanical and agricultural sites from the farmers, and internet websites.
The method we follow to achieve the complete design of the machine consists of background
and literature review of the machine, problem statement, the objective of the project and finally
to bring conceptual design. This project will do through
1. Clarifying concepts and defining the problem
2. Formulating problems for more precise investigation
3. Increasing the researcher’s familiarity with the problem
4. Developing hypotheses
5. Establishing priorities for further investigation

3.1 Primary data

Primary data collection methods can be grouped into two groups such as quantitative and
qualitative. Quantitative data collection methods are based on mathematical calculations in various
formats. Methods of quantitative data collection and analysis we used include questionnaires with
closed-ended questions, methods of correlation, and regression. Qualitative studies in our research
design aim to ensure a greater level of depth of understanding and those qualitative data collection
methods include interviews, focus groups, and observation.

3.2 Secondary data

Secondary data is a type of data that has already been published in books, newspapers, magazines,
journals, online portals, etc. There is more data available in these sources about our research area
in business studies, almost regardless of the nature of the research area. Therefore, the application
of an appropriate set of criteria to select secondary data to be used in the study plays an important
role in terms of increasing the levels of research validity and reliability.

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3.3 Data analysis method

Data analysis involves collecting, modeling, and analyzing data to extract insights that support
decision-making. There are several methods and techniques to perform analysis depending on the
industry and the aim of the analysis. In this section of the study, we are going to design and model
of the project to analyze the data.

3.4 Interpretation of data

It is known that data interpretation as it is a fundamental part of our data analysis process. It gives
meaning to the analytical information and aims to drive a concise conclusion from the analysis
results. Since most of the time companies are dealing with data from many different sources, the
interpretation stage needs to be done carefully and properly to avoid misinterpretations.

15
3.5 Methodological flow chart

Identify the  Defining the statement of the problem

problem

Select the best  By brainstorming using group discussion

 By referring papers and project work
alternative  By surfing website and reading books

 Critical analysis of relevant existing

Review different knowledge on the project.
literatures  It includes the limitations and gaps of previous
studies

Material selection  Design and analysis different parts of the machine

mathematical analysis.
and design

 Proper manufacturing process, cost analysis and

Cost analysis and documentation of the project work.

documentation

Figure 5: Methodological flow chart

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3.6 Working Prinicple of Solar Water Pump
A solar-powered pump works on the base of the photovoltaic principle .During the working of a
solar pump , solar panels absorb solar energy and transform it into DC voltage .There is a controller
between the pump and solar panels .This controller takes power by the solar panels and transfer
this power to the pump according to its requirements.

Figure 6: Working principle of solar pump

17
Work Plan Table
Time schedule

No Activity Months March April May June

weeks 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
1 Literature review
2 Data
Assessment
3 Mathematical
and numerical
analysis
4 Modeling and
analysis
5 Draft report
presentation
6 Report compiling
and binding
7 Final report
submission
8 Presentation

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Reference

1. M. A. Hossain, M. S. Islam, M. S. Hassan and M. A. Mottalib, 2012, “Techno-economic

study of small-scale solar pump for irrigation’, Proceedings National Seminar on
Renewable Energy, Institute of Renewable Energy, Dhaka University, Bangladesh Solar
Energy Society, Dhaka.
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