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Acceptance Testing of a Satellite SCADA Photovoltaic-Diesel Hybrid SystemSavannah State University (SSU) and the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) have been participating in the NASA Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) program for the last five years. This program was designed by NASA to help maintain U.S. leadership in commercial space communications by funding high-risk research, and to flight-test next-generation digital satellite components. Launched in 1993, ACTS is an U.S. government funded technology test-bed that incorporates high power Ka-band transponders, small spot beams, and on-board digital storage and switching technology. Associated with the spacecraft, is a prototype satellite control center that supports various application experiments. The SSU/FSEC application experiment is to developing a Photovoltaic-Diesel Hybrid Power system complete with satellite Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA). The hybrid system was design to demonstrate the feasibility of using SCADA to maintain and operate remote village power systems. This configuration would enable experts at a central location to provide technical assistance to local technicians while they acquire a measure of proficiency with the hybrid system operation and maintenance. Upon full mastery of the technology, similar SCADA arrangement are planned to remotely monitor and control constellation of hybrid systems scattered overlarge rural areas. Two Orion Energy APEX-1000 hybrid systems were delivered in 1998, one was installed at SSU in eastern Georgia and the other was installed at FSEC in Central Florida. The project was designed to: (1) evaluate the performance of ACTS in a SCADA arrangement, (2) monitor the health and performance of all major hybrid subsystems, (3) investigate load control and battery charging strategies to maximize battery capacity and lifetime, and (4) develop satellite communication protocol. Preliminary results indicate that the hybrid design is suitable for satellite Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition. A modification to the controller software has produced a robust communication link capable of real time control and long term data collection.
Document ID
19990111474
Acquisition Source
Glenn Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Kalu, Alex
(Savannah State Coll. GA United States)
Acosta, R.
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
Durand, S.
(Florida Solar Energy Center Cape Canaveral, FL United States)
Emrich, Carol
(Florida Solar Energy Center Cape Canaveral, FL United States)
Ventre, G.
(Florida Solar Energy Center Cape Canaveral, FL United States)
Wilson, W.
(Florida Solar Energy Center Cape Canaveral, FL United States)
Date Acquired
August 19, 2013
Publication Date
August 1, 1999
Publication Information
Publication: HBCUs/OMUs Research Conference Agenda and Abstracts
Subject Category
Communications And Radar
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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