Conference Session

Using Real-World Examples

Collection

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Radian G. Belu, Southern University; Richard Chiou, Drexel University; Lucian Ionel Cioca, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

and compare small scale energy projects using major economicmeasures of pay-back period, simple rate of return, net present value, and internal rate of return;4. Evaluate manufacturing energy consumption and methods to increase energy efficiency; and5. Relate properly their hands-on laboratory experiences to solving real world clean energy andenergy efficiency engineering problems.In order to provide an enhanced hands-on laboratory experience, the students work with realworld industrial case studies associated with green energy11,16. Table 3 provides an overview oflecture and laboratory series in INDE t280 Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency. Teaching thiscourse presents challenges of teaching applications rather than a discipline. In that

Conference Session

Using Real-World Examples

Collection

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Felipe Euyoqui Mojica, University of California, Merced; Po-Ya Abel Chuang, University of California, Merced; Uriel Ruiz

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

cell is a power conversion device that converts hydrogen directly to electricity athigh efficiency. The operating principle is to combine hydrogen and oxygen in anelectrochemical reaction, which creates electricity, water, and waste heat.[6] The wholesystem produces zero emissions and therefore is considered a renewable energysolution.Many researchers have studied systems that integrate wind and photovoltaic powerwith fuel cells for a variety of applications and configurations. Most research hadmodel simulations for power generation greater than 100W. In a study by Wang andNehir, they simulated the sizing and power management of an 18 kW fuel cell hybridsystem to provide power to five American homes in the Pacific Northwest.[7] Hosseiniet al

Conference Session

Using Real-World Examples

Collection

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Saeed D. Foroudastan, Middle Tennessee State University; Cary Richard Woodson, Middle Tennessee State University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

, it is my long- term goal to continue doing work and research within this field. c American Society for Engineering Education, 2017 How Solar Boating Teaches the Lessons of Energy Conversion and ConservationAbstractStudents gain a tremendous amount of theoretical knowledge during their time in the classroom,but a practical application of that knowledge is required in order for the student to turn what islearned into a skill. This is especially true for students majoring in applied science, and evenmore so for those with a concentration in engineering. Students who participate in hands-onprojects that allow them to apply what has been learned in the classroom in a real

Conference Session

Using Real-World Examples

Collection

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michael G Mauk P.E., Drexel University; Richard Chiou, Drexel University; Ieva Narkeviciute, Stanford University; Gabriel K. Head, University of Pennsylvania

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

, and optimization. The main purpose of this workis introduce a wider audience of engineering students to aquaculture as a renewable energytechnology, and to demonstrate that such projects are feasible and instructive in mechanical andelectrical engineering programs. We provide some descriptive details to show that these andsimilar projects are well within the means and expertise of most science, engineering andtechnology programs, and represent a useful exercise as an initial engineering scale-up andfeasibility study of basic biological research for commercial applications. With the advent of genetic engineering, microbes can be readily harnessed for industrialapplications. Moreover, new sensors and image capture and processing can

Conference Session

Design Based Energy Education

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Oxana S Pantchenko, University of California at Santa Cruz; Tiffany Wise-West P.E., University of California Santa Cruz; Michael S. Isaacson, University of California, Santa Cruz; Ali Shakouri Shakouri, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

Paper ID #5673Enhancing Student Learning Through a Real-World Project in a RenewableEnergy Courses CourseDr. Oxana S Pantchenko, University of California at Santa CruzMs. Tiffany Wise-West P.E., University of California Santa Cruz My civil engineering background is in utility infrastructure planning, design and project management, specializing in urban water and energy systems. Broadly, I am interested in the sociocultural and political economic dimensions of community-based natural resource management. My current research work is focused on sustainable municipal infrastructure projects, ranging from renewable energy to

Conference Session

ECCD Applications

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gabriela De Mattos Veroneze, North Carolina A&T SU; Zhichao Li, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University; Pedro Augusto Pinto Caldeira

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

Geothermal energy is the heat that comes from the center of the earth in the form of hotwater or vapor, it is a clean, renewable free resource that can be used around the world formultiple application; in the United States the largest reservoirs are located in west coastincluding Alaska and Hawaii. Almost everywhere, the shallow ground or upper 10 feet of the Earth's surface maintains anearly constant temperature between 50° and 60°F (10° and 16°C). Geothermal heat pumps cantap into this resource to heat and cool buildings. A geothermal heat pump system consists of aheat pump, an air delivery system (ductwork), and a heat exchanger-a system of pipes buried inthe shallow ground near the building. In the winter, the heat pump removes heat from

Conference Session

ECCD Applications

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Esther T. Ososanya, University of the District of Columbia; Sasan Haghani, University of the District of Columbia; Wagdy H Mahmoud, University of the District of Columbia; Samuel Lakeou, University of the District of Columbia; Samuel Daouda Diarra, University of the District of Columbia

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

the solenoid valve for therequired amount of water needed for the crops, based on the average soil moisture reading, or theagronomist remotely use the cloud data to trigger a channel by writing a specific value. The linklocated below the channel is assigned to turn on and off a solenoid valve. Sensor data arecollected using wireless communication to avoid loose running signal wires and cables in thefield.This is a one semester senior capstone project, involving four electrical engineering students.Senior Capstone Projects represent the culmination of the educational experience, integrating theclassroom with real world problems. The students handle open ended engineering problemswhose solutions require a synthesis of engineering knowledge

Conference Session

ECCD Applications

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James V. Masi, University of Southern Maine; Daniel M Martinez, University of Southern Maine; James A Wilson, United States Navy Civil Engineer Corps; Benjamin Richard Male, United States Navy Civil Engineer Corps

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

Page 26.869.12Observing the reactants and products listed in Table 2 demonstrated the need for the students toproperly balance chemical equations and to be more steadfast in literature review. Specifically,the students proposed that acetylene was a product of the reaction between sodium borohydride,water and acetic acid. However, sodium borohydride is not known to reduce acetic acid and theacid’s presence is there only to reduce the pH of the system and facilitate faster hydrogenrelease. It became clear that more time spent on chemical principles would improve this aspect ofthe design experience. However, the use of infrared thermography to observe reactionprogression in real time is an interesting application that could gain traction as an

Conference Session

Miscellaneous Topics in Energy Education

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ryan L. Falkenstein-Smith, Syracuse University; Jeongmin Ahn, Syracuse University; Kang Wang

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

application to a diverse knowledge base. Engineering students benefit from practice, using their newly found skills to address real-world problems.4) Typical engineering problems are not solved with one area of knowledge; using teamwork is essential in engineering problem-solving.These listed principles presented a clear course objective of broadening participation andimproving student retention in engineering education through an integrated program of scientificresearch and education.Course Program The course was designed to enable students to understand and evaluate fuel cell systems andtechnologies and their environmental consequences. Many of the fifteen enrolled students variedin disciplines outside of Mechanical Engineering including

Conference Session

Sustainable Energy Issues in Education

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Cindy Orndoff, Florida Gulf Coast University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

teaching sustainability in an engineering curriculum is to foster civicresponsibility and develop informed citizens who are responsible to their professions,communities, posterity and to the world. This paper involves a guided student study ofsustainability in engineering. Essentially students began to investigate how we as engineersutilize and implement existing research and products into delivery to the customer particularly interms of green engineering. Due to rising costs in energy, engineering services delivered need tobe self sustaining whether new or reconstructed.The course provided the students the ability to investigate and document green constructionpractices and its impact on sustainability in real world applications. This papers

Conference Session

ECCD Innovative Teaching Applications

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ilya Y. Grinberg, Buffalo State College; Matin Meskin, University at Buffalo; Mohammed Safiuddin, University at Buffalo, SUNY

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) has opened up new horizons forautomated, dependable, secure, and safe energy applications, which has createdunprecedented avenues for communication, monitoring and control at the utility level.Cyber-Physical Systems can be described as smart systems that encompass computationaland physical components, which are seamlessly integrated and closely interact, to senseand monitor the changing state of the real world. These systems involve a high degree ofcomplexity at numerous spatial and temporal scales and involve highly networkedcommunications with robustly coordinated software and hardware components1, 2.eXtansible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP)XMPP offers a common transport protocol that can be sent to mobile

Conference Session

Computer Applications in Energy Courses

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Frank Li, Youngstown State University; Theodore Burke, Ajax Tocco; Jalal Jalali, Youngstown State University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

approximatelymodeled as a series inductor and resistor. To simplify the circuit, the resistance of the capacitorband and series inductor will be ignored. The impedance of the load can be calculated as, Z load = jωLSE + (R1 + jωL1) / ( jωC1) (2) 1 / jωC1 + jωL1 + R1From the above equation, the load impedance depends on the power supply frequency, at aresonant frequency the impedance is a real number. In the real world applications, the capacitor

Conference Session

Novel Energy Applications in Education

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michael Swedish, Milwaukee School of Engineering

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

extent that it accurately reflects,or predicts, the real world. We search, therefore, for a model that will stand up when applied tothe widest possible variety of tests. While some parts of this approach to the Second Law have been incorporated previouslyby the author, the pedagogy described below was presented in full for the first time to a class inthe second course of the thermodynamics sequence in 2008. The students were asked to considerthe universe as they experience it. They were presented with the hypothesis that the universe isinfused with a characteristic that is called “usefulness”, and that it is usefulness that is valued.This hypothesis was illustrated for them through a student exercise.Student Exercise: Identifying

Conference Session

ECCD Innovative Teaching Applications

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mustafa Farhadi, Florida International University; Osama A. Mohammed, Florida International University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

Implementation of Laboratory-Based Smart Power System,” in American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference, ASEE, 2011. Page 26.452.17[4] M. E. Baran and N. R. Mahajan, “DC Distribution for industrial systems: opportunities and challenges,” IEEE Trans. on industrial applications, vol. 39, no. 6, pp. 1596-1601, November/December 2003.[5] M. Farhadi, O. Mohammed, “Adaptive energy management in redundant hybrid DC microgrid for pulse load mitigation” IEEE Trans. Smart Grid, vol.6, no.1, pp.54,62, Jan. 2015.[6] M. Farhadi, O. Mohammed, “Real-time operation and harmonic analysis of isolated and non-isolated hybrid DC

Conference Session

Computer Applications in Energy Conversion

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Liping Guo, Northern Illinois University; Paul Curtis, Northern Illinois University; Andrew Barendregt, Northern Illinois University; Anthony Surillo, Northern Illinois University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

on total cost vs. reliability. Some of thecomments from the team members are “Working on the Solar Tracking System providedour group with a real world experience. Our system started from just an idea which gaveus the chance to work through all the challenges that come along with a group project.The best experience that I personally gained from this project was working in a group,managing a budget and utilizing skills gained from NIU and internships.”, “The skillsthat I had gained from this project are programming in basic language, understanding theuse of a solar panel to charge a battery, and the understanding of the workings of ourtracking system. All in all this project has given me a nice reference for working in teams,solving problems

Conference Session

Novel Energy Applications in Education

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Christopher Schroeder, University of Toledo; Mohammad Elahinia, University of Toledo; Walter Olson, University of Toledo; Mark Schumack, University of Detroit Mercy

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

betterwhen the instructor serves as more of a guide rather than a figure that simply presents facts to beremembered for an exam. This learning approach encourages problem-solving brainstormingand two-way communication between small groups of students in order to come to anunderstanding about a given problem. The authors have further observed that the ability ofstudents to apply knowledge in the classroom towards the solution of a real world problem is abetter index of understanding of the subject matter than a simple examination that is based oninvented problems. The ability to demonstrate an idea or principle requires a mastery of thatmaterial; therefore, the student that demonstrates the ability to use knowledge is a better index ofunderstanding

Conference Session

ECCD Innovative Teaching Applications

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Wiaam Yasser Elkhatib, Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) IUPUI Chapter; Peter J. Schubert, Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis; Steven Anthony Zusack, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis; Emily Carol Rosales, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis; Austin C. Stanforth MS, IUPUI

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

the datacorrelation. The fact these margins of error existed in the experiment does not necessarily imply thatthe acquired data is invalid or speaks against the methodology. It simply speaks to the nature ofthe solar panels used, which fluctuated greatly within the parameters of this experiment. This isevident in the real-world challenge of transmitting solar energy from panels into electrical grids,as without certain measures taken; they often create large spikes and dips in energy that wouldotherwise be unsafe or unreliable. Evidence between the relationship experimentally derivedbetween the PV current output of the solar panels and available ambient light support the

Conference Session

ECCD Applications in Energy and Thermodynamics

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Patrick A. Tebbe, Minnesota State University, Mankato; Aviv Chetrit, Minnesota State University, Mankato; Luke Aleckson

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

standards were first used to determine the 95%winter design temperature as -12°F and estimate the total heat loss from the Shack to be 1741Btu/h (1434 Btu/h from conduction/convection and 307 Btu/h from infiltration). This value doesnot include any potential heat gain from occupants. Students of the original team were taking the HVAC technical elective course at the same time as this project. The project gave them a real world application for them to apply what they were learning to.A variety of solar thermal collector designs were evaluated and compared using a design matrix.A forced convection air design that uses recycled aluminum cans as the tubing was selected. 22012-ounce cans and 20 8.4-ounce cans were collected for the

Conference Session

ECCD Applications in Energy and Thermodynamics

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ryan L Falkenstein-Smith, Syracuse University; Jeongmin Ahn, Syracuse University; Kang Wang, Syracuse University; Ryan James Milcarek, Syracuse University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

knowledge gained from the classroom. 2. Engineering education is not only about quantitative analysis and technical skills, but also about synthesis, innovation, and gaining a holistic understanding of the impact of engineering activities on society. 3. The teaching of engineering should include useful problem solving tools and their application to a diverse knowledge base. Engineering students benefit from practice, using their newly found skills to address real-world problems. 4. Typical engineering problems are not solved with one area of knowledge; using teamwork is essential in engineering problem-solving.Course Program This course was intended to assist students in understanding and evaluating

Conference Session

ECCD Applications in Energy and Thermodynamics

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Farshid Zabihian, West Virginia University Inst. of Tech.

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

results of the exergy analysis? The objective of this paper is to present a conceptual approach to teach the exergy analysis sostudents can answer above questions as well as being able to solve numerical problems. The concept of availability and exergy is one of the most abstract ideas in thermodynamicsbecause it is difficult to find any physical parameters that represent exergy in the real world. As aresult, undergraduate mechanical engineering students have a difficult time to understand theexergy analysis.New approach for teaching exergy This paper presents the approach that the author has developed to teach the concept of theexergy analysis (not just mathematical formulations). In order to start the discussion on theexergy analysis and how

Conference Session

Teaching Emerging Energy Technologies

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Radian Belu, Wayne State University; Alexandru Catalin Belu, Wayne State University; Lucian Cioca, University Lucian Blaga, Sibiu Romania

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

availability all over the world and the scarcity of oil and coalresources. The exploitation of renewable resources is also increasingly in demand by thepublic in order to expand the durability of fossil energy reserves and resources and todecrease harmful energy-related gas emissions. These facts make energy resourcesattractive for many applications. Of the many alternatives, the “Hybrid Power Systems”,where two or more power generation devices are combined to create a synergy withattributes that exceed the sum of the individual components has been considered apromising option toward meeting the continually increasing energy demands and theenvironmental concerns. “Hybrid Power Systems” are power generation systems inwhich a heat engine such as gas

Conference Session

Projects in Alternative Energy: Wind and Solar

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Reg Recayi Pecen, University of Northern Iowa; Faruk Yildiz, Sam Houston State University; Bekir Z. Yuksek, University of Northern Iowa; Ulan Dakeev, University of Northern Iowa; Kenan Baltaci, University of Northern Iowa

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

computer that provides data acquisition and monitoring through wireless sensors, LabView software and NI FPGA data acquisition module. • To be intimately related to real-world power issues such as power quality and ac/dc power interactions. Fluke power quality analyzer for handy use is available for AC voltage and current monitoring. • To show a complex, interrelated system that is closer to the “real world” than the usual simple systems covered in educational labs. • To motivate learning by introducing such elements as energy, environmental and economic concerns of practical interest to the students and workshop attendants on wind power systems. • To

Conference Session

Sustainable Education and the Environment

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Elaine Scott, Seattle Pacific University; John Lindberg, Seattle Pacific University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

material, text books and other referencematerials, with the focus being the upcoming project. It also makes the homework very openended – much like real-world applications – with no single correct answer but many possibleincorrect answers.Detailed Project ExamplesThe above concepts are illustrated with some examples from the hydroelectric power generationsection of the class. The project for this section involves analyzing an existing, small scale,hydroelectric plant owned by our university located on a remote biology field station. Theproperty consists of several hundred acres of forested land on a private, undeveloped island,including two small fresh water lakes connected by a stream, some laboratory and dormbuildings and a small (35 KVA) hydro

Conference Session

Energy Conversion and Conservation Division Technical Session 3

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Victoria A. Scala, United States Military Academy; James Ledlie Klosky P.E., United States Military Academy

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

, often to non-engineers, toensure funding and application. Building this communication piece into this assignment, coupledwith real-world facts the students gathered and a personal commitment to change, workssynergistically to build career skills and inspire intrinsic motivation that will carry them pasttheir undergraduate education and into a satisfying and productive career.Data & AnalysisIn the course Green Facilities Management, the intent was to provide a broad understanding ofenergy and its use within buildings. Specifically, students learned about energy consumptionprocesses and how to perform energy audits of buildings as well as gaining knowledge of theeffectiveness of energy management through economic life cycle analysis of

Conference Session

Trends in Energy Conversion and Conservation

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Giri Venkataramanan, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Annette Muetze, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

s experimentalstudy s problem solution and application’ cycle, which is common in real-world engineeringprocesses. The power engineering summer course described further extends through these Page 11.101.3cycles as described further. Real world inspiration Just-in-time analytical

Conference Session

Energy Education and Industrial Partnership Needs

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Patrick A. Tebbe, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

Page 22.523.3require real world experience and/or continued training.Engineers in the HVAC generally pursue certifications in addition to the PE. Currently the mostpopular is the aforementioned LEED certification. With the release of version 3.0 applicants canreceive certification in several different areas, depending on their work function and experience.The most relevant for many engineers is the LEED-NC certification, where NC signifies newconstruction. However, with 3.0 a new first step in the certification process was added; theGreen Associate (GA). While an applicant does not have to have on-the-job experience tosatisfy the LEED-GA requirements they do have to pass a certification exam which covers anumber of topics relevant to the LEED

Conference Session

Energy Conversion and Conservation Division Technical Session on Energy Efficiency and Power Grid Security

Collection

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James Dylan Kollmer; Saroj K Biswas, Temple University; Li Bai, Temple University; Arif I. Sarwat, Florida International University; Walid Saad, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

AuroraGenerator Test at the INL in 2007 is probably the earliest experimental demonstration that showedthe effects of a possible cyberattacks on the power grid.In recent years, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) experiments [16]-[26] have drawn considerableinterest as a way of testing physical hardware in a real world environment. In HIL experiments,physical elements under test interact in real time with a simulated model of a large scale systemand/or a controller and data acquisition system through appropriate analog and digital interfaces,and provides a better insight of performance of both the physical system as well as the controller.Examples of HIL experiments include interaction of a voltage source converter with an electricship power grid [16], control of

Conference Session

Training and Workforce Needs in the Energy Sector

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sungwon S. Kim, Minnesota State University, Mankato; Patrick A. Tebbe, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

that the students had an overall positive experience, including an increased interest inthe energy efficiency field. As a pilot program this project demonstrates how such a buildingenergy efficiency training program could be continued in the future on a periodic basis, andprovides directions for further expansion of this type of training program so that engineeringstudents who are interested in continuing their careers as energy specialists have the opportunityto expand on their classroom instruction to real world applications. Lessons learned during theorganization and delivery of the Energy Specialist Training Program, in addition to the lessonslearned about student needs and interests in such a program and the impact to the students

Conference Session

Sustainable Education and the Environment

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Omer Onar, Illinois Institute of Technology; Alireza Khaligh, Illinois Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

yes no Fig.8. Operation mode controller for the proposed system. Page 14.184.9Fig.9. Simulation results showing load, converter, and grid current of the residential photovoltaic system.The course covers many real world examples. The other fields include power electronic interfacesand utilization topologies for the solar, wind, ocean tidal, ocean thermal, piezoelectric andelectromagnetic energy harvesting. Furthermore, the course focuses on modeling and simulationof many topologies and power electronic

Conference Session

Energy Conversion and Conservation Division Technical Session on Solar

Collection

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kenneth A. Walz, Madison Area Technical College; Joel B. Shoemaker, Madison Area Technical College; Ashley Jordan Scholes, Madison Area Technical College; Hao Jiang, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Jessica M.S. Silva, Azelis; Jennifer Sanfilippo M.S., L.A.T., University of Wisconsin, Madison; Walter A. Zeltner, Microporous Oxides Science and Technology, L.L.C.; Marc Arlen Anderson, Imdea Energía, Madrid

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

limited in the field when panels becomesoiled over time, reducing their electric output. In this student initiated experiment, solar panelswere treated with a nanoporous silica/titania metal oxide thin film coating to impart self-cleaningproperties. Panels from an operational 1.6 kW solar array were coated in the field to model areal-world application process. The system incorporated module level micro-inverters tomonitor the power output of individual panels. The system was installed in June, and coatingsapplied in October 2017. Data collection and analysis is ongoing. Through this research project,students learned the fundamentals of solar photovoltaic technology, aspects of solar systemdesign, safe installation procedures, and principles of