Energy Efficient Technologies in Solar Water Pumping
Dr. A.G.Thosar
Head, Department of Electrical Engineering
aprevankar@gmail.com
Government College of Engineering, Aurangabad, Maharashtra
Abstract
As a promising renewable alternative to
conventional water pumping system for large, medium
and small applications, solar water pumping systems
has a potential to contribute significantly. The
traditional solar water pumping systems like bushed
DC motor (small applications) and Induction Motors
(medium and large applications) are getting alternative
of the energy efficient motors like Permanent Magnet
Brush-less DC Motors (PMBLDC). This replacement
with energy efficient one is proving to be conducive for
the growing need of energy conservation. This work
deals with the basics of solar power water pumping and
a brief comparison of conventional and energy efficient
technologies.
Index Terms- MPPT, PMBLDC, Solar Water Pumping.
1. Introduction
The sun is the natural source of energy for an
independent water supply. Solar pumps operate
anywhere that the sun shines, and the longer it shines,
the more water they pump. Photovoltaic modules, the
power source for solar pumping, have no moving parts,
require no maintenance and last for decades. A properly
designed solar pumping system will be efficient, simple
and reliable. The output of the solar power system
varies throughout the day and with changes in weather
conditions. A solar water pumping system is essentially
an electrically driven pumping system. Electricity, in
this instance, is produced by the sunlight energizing
photovoltaic (solar) modules. The nature of variable
electricity in the form of direct current (DC) is quite
different from conventional, steady alternating (AC)
current from the utility grid or a generator. To use solar
energy economically, the pumping system must utilize
the long solar day, drawing a minimum of power.
Because solar energy varies from one location to
another, and over the course of a day, system design is
important. Adequate water storage ensures that water is
available whenever needed, and balances daily
variations in water supply and demand. Thus a small
pump only running when the sun shines, plus water
storage, can provide the average requirement for water
supply.
K.A.Joshi
Senior Undergraduate
kamlesh_joshi@live.com
The consumption of fossil fuels also has an
environmental impact, in particular the release of
carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. CO2
emissions can be greatly reduced through the
application of renewable energy technologies, which
are already cost competitive with fossil fuels in many
situations. Good examples include large-scale grid-
connected wind turbines, solar water heating, and off-
grid stand-alone PV systems. The use of renewable
energy for water pumping systems is, therefore, a very
attractive proposition.
Windmills are a long-established method of using
renewable energy; however they are quickly phasing
out from the scene despite success of large-scale grid-
tied wind turbines. The key to PV’s success is the low
labor and maintenance costs relative to the other
options. The long-term economics make PV pumps
superior to most other remote watering options, except
where gravity feed is available. One study completed by
the Bureau of Land Management (USA) compared solar
water pumping systems to generator systems. For one
3.8 gpm system with a 275 foot design head, the PV
system cost only 64% as much over 20 years as the
generator system did over only 10 years. This remote
solar site also used only 14% as many labor hours.
Inexpensive diesel or gas generators have low initial
costs but require consistent maintenance and have a
design life of approximately 1500 hours. Small to
medium sized solar pumping systems often cost less
initially than a durable slow speed engine driven
generator [1].
Figure 1: Typical solar water pumping for irrigation system
 A brief comparison of different stand-alone type sun shines. At night, or in heavy cloud conditions,
water pumping system is delineated below: electrical production and pumping ceases.

Table 1 : Comparison of various water pumping system

System Advantages Disadvantages
Type
PV Powered 1.Low maintenance 1.Relatively high
System 2.Unattended initial cost
operation 2.Low output in
3.Reliable long life cloudy weather
4.No fuel and no
fumes
5.Easy to install
6.Low recurrent
costs
7.System is modular Figure 2: Basics of solar water pumping
and closely matched
to need Because solar energy varies from one location to
Diesel (or 1.Moderate capital 1.Needs another, and over the course of a day, system design is
Gas) costs maintenance and important. Adequate water storage ensures that water is
Powered 2.Easy to install replacement available whenever needed, and balances daily
System 3.Can be portable 2.Site visits variations in water supply and demand. Thus a small
4.Extensive necessary pump only running when the sun shines, plus water
experience 3.Noise, fume, storage, can provide the average requirement for water
available dirt problems supply. For the best electrical and mechanical
4.Fuel often performance, all components of the solar pumping
expensive and system must be carefully matched. Correct sizing of the
supply pump, motor and controlling devices, will allow the
intermittent system to operate at the highest efficiency to ensure
Windmill 1.No fuel and no 1.High economical water pumping[2].
fumes maintenance
2.Potentially long- 2.Seasonal
lasting disadvantages
3. PV pumping system elements
3.Works well in 3.Difficult find
windy sites parts thus Solar water pumping systems consist of three basic
costly repair components:
4.Installation is
labor
intensive and
needs special
tools

2. Basics of solar power water pumping

The photovoltaic effect produces a flow of

electrons. Electrons are excited by particles of light and
find the attached electrical circuit the easiest path to
travel from one side of the solar cell to the other.
Envision a piece of metal such as the side panel of a
car. As it sits in the sun, the metal warms. This warming
is caused by the exciting of electrons, bouncing back
and forth, creating friction, and therefore, heat. The
solar cell merely takes a percentage of these electrons
and directs them to flow in a path. This flow of
electrons is, by definition, electricity. Photovoltaics or
solar electric cells convert sunlight directly into
electricity. This electricity is collected by the wiring in
the module, then supplied to the DC pump controller
and motor, which, in turn, pumps water whenever the
Figure 3: PV pumping system components
• Power source (photovoltaic solar modules)
Solar or photovoltaic (PV) cells are made of
semiconducting materials that can convert sunlight
directly into electricity. When sunlight strikes the cells,
it dislodges and liberates electrons within the material
which then move to produce a direct electrical current
(DC). This is done without any moving parts. PV cells
are combined to make modules that are encased in glass
or clear plastic. Modules can be aggregated together to
make an array that is sized to the specific application.
Most commercial PV cells are made from silicon, and
come in three general types: monocrystalline,
multicrystalline, and amorphous.
Figure 4: Mechanical solar tracking structure
Single crystal or monocrystalline cells are made
using silicon wafers cut from a single, cylindrical
crystal of silicon. This type of PV cell is the most
efficient, with approximately 15% efficiency (defined
as the fraction of the sun’s energy that is converted to
electrical power), but is also one of the most expensive
to produce. They are identifiable as having individual
cells shaped like circles or rectangles.
Multicrystalline or polycrystalline silicon cells are
made by casting molten silicon into ingots, which
crystallize into a solid block of intergrown crystals. The
size of the crystals is determined mostly by the rate at
which the ingot is cooled, with larger grains made by
slower cooling. Cells are then cut from the ingot.
Multicrystalline cells are less expensive to produce than
monocrystalline ones, due to the simpler manufacturing
process and lower purity requirements for the starting
material. However, they are slightly less efficient, with
average efficiencies of around 12%.
Figure 5: Solar assembly
Amorphous silicon PV cells are made from a thin
layer of noncrystalline silicon placed on a rigid or
flexible substrate. They are relatively easy to
manufacture and are less expensive than
monocrystalline and polycrystalline PV, but are less
efficient with efficiencies of around 6%. Their low cost
makes them the best choice where high efficiency and
space are not important.
• Motor/pump (or motor/compressor)
assembly
Off–the–shelf, mass produced motors and pumps
can be used for solar water pumping. Special pumps
and motor have also been developed for solar systems.
Figure 6: Typical variation of pump flow rate with time of
day (average day based on four years solar data)
The power from a solar system and the volume of
water pumped varies with the amount of solar radiation.
This means that the system must be designed to work
efficiently over a range of voltage and current levels.
• Electrical Motors
Solar water pumps that are currently available use
the following types of motors:
 AC synchronous motors
 AC asynchronous induction motors
 DC series motors
 DC permanent magnet motors
 DC permanent magnet brushless motors
• Pumps
1. Centrifugal pumps are designed for a fixed head
and their water output increases with rotational
speed. Centrifugal pumps are not self–priming and
are seldom used for suction lifts greater than 4–5m.
Solar powered floating pumps are often of this
type. At low heads, centrifugal pumps are usually
more efficient than positive displacement pumps.
2. Positive displacement pumps have a water output
which is directly proportional to speed. Helical
shaped rotor pumps have very few moving parts,
operate at low speeds and are able to handle dirty
water. The flow is non pulsating and ideal for long
distance pumping. The efficiency of the pump
increases with head and consequently at higher
heads, positive displacement pumps can be more
efficient than centrifugal pumps.
3. Air lift pumps A specialized application of this
principle is used to keep the water in reservoirs in
good condition. Compressed air bubbling from the
bottom of the reservoir eliminates the thermal
 stratification that can contribute to the A boost converter is a commonly used circuit to
contamination of the water supply. step up the voltage from a dc source, while a buck
converter is often used to step down voltage. The circuit
Table 2: Brief comparison of centrifugal and positive underneath is a combination of these two circuits and is
displacement pump called a buck-boost converter. A buck-boost converter
Centrifugal Pump Positive Displacement is capable of rising or lowering a dc voltage from its
Pump source to whatever dc voltage is needed by the load.
High-speed impellers Volumetric movement The source in this case is shown as being a PV module
Large flow rates Lower flow rates and the load is shown as a dc motor, but the basic
Loss of flow with higher Flow rate less affected by concept is used for a wide variety of electric power
heads head applications. The transistor switch flips on and off at a
Low irradiance reduces Low irradiance has little rapid rate (on the order of 20 kHz) under control of
ability to achieve head effect on head some sensing and logic circuitry that isn’t shown. Also
Potential grit abrasion Unaffected by grit not shown is a capacitor across the PVs that helps
smooth the voltage supplied by the PVs [3].
• Power controllers for matching the
changing electrical output of the array to
suit the motor/pump

There are several types of power controllers available:

• Impedance matching devices (such as power
maximizes)
• DC to AC inverters (used with AC pumps only)
• Switches and protective controllers.
Impedance matching devices such as power
maximizes, sometimes called maximum power point Figure 8: A Buck-Boost converter for MPPT system
trackers (MPPT’s), control the output of the array so it
will operate close to its maximum efficiency (power) 4. Water storage – efficient and effective
over a range of sunlight levels.
Storing water in a good sized cistern or stock tank
• Maximum Power Point Trackers has many advantages. It is less expensive and more
efficient than storing energy in batteries, giving your
system a flywheel effect over cloudy days and letting
The maximum power point (MPP) corresponds to
the pump work at a slower continuous pace over the
the biggest rectangle that can fit beneath the I –V curve.
day. As a rule of thumb, the tank should be able to store
Clearly, significant efficiency gains could be realized if
3 or 5 days worth of water. Generally speaking,
the operating points for pumping loads could somehow
animals, plants and humans use less water on cloudy
be kept near the knee of the PV I –V curves throughout
days. Conversely, the sunniest days are when we
the ever-changing daily conditions. Devices to do just
consume the most water and when the solar modules
that, called maximum power trackers (MPPTs), are
are providing the pump with the most power.
available and are a standard part of many PV systems.
There are some very clever, quite simple circuits that
are at the heart of not only MPPTs but also linear
current boosters (LCBs) as well as a number of other
important power devices. The key is to be able to
convert dc voltages from one level to another.

Figure 9: Water storage system

While batteries may seem like a good idea, they

have a number of disadvantages in pumping systems.
They reduce the efficiency of the overall system. The
solar modules operating voltage is dictated by the
battery bank and is reduced substantially from levels
which are achieved by operating the pump directly.
Figure 7: Basic MPPT system
Batteries also require additional maintenance and under
and over-charge protection circuitry which adds to the The electrical parameters of Conventional 3-φ
cost and complexity of a given system. For these Induction motor are stated below:
reasons, only about five percent of solar pumping
systems employ a battery bank [4]. Table 4: Electrical parameters for Conventional 3-φ
Induction motor
5. Economics of solar water pumping Electrical Parameters Value
Rated Power 1 hp
The economy and reliability of solar electric power Voltage 230Volts
make it an excellent choice for remote water pumping. Full Load Current 3.9A
A solar pump minimizes future costs and uncertainties. Power Factor 0.71
The fuel is free. Moving parts are reduced to as few as Per phase Resistance 2.71Ω
one. A few spare parts can assure you many years of Per phase Inductance 12mH
reliable water supply at near-zero operating costs[4]. Efficiency 71%

Table 3: Economic comparison of two solar water pumps • Permanent Magnet Brush-less DC motor
Motor Output @ Head Solar System (PMBLDC)
pump 5kWhm/m3/ (m) Array Price
day insolation (Wp) US$ There is a growing trend among the pump
Submerge 40 20 1200 7000- manufacturers to use them with brushless DC motors
borehole 8000 (BLDC) for higher efficiency and low maintenance.
positive 6 100 1200 7500- However, the cost and complexity of these systems will
displace- 9000 be significantly higher. Later pumps are driven by
ment various types of rotors. AC induction motors are
cheaper and widely available worldwide. The system,
however, needs an inverter to convert DC output power
6. Various solar power pumping from PV to AC power, which is usually expensive, and
technologies it is also less efficient than BLDC motor-pump systems
[6].
Solar water pumping technologies exists from a
long period of time. Most conventional solar water Table 5: Electrical parameters for Permanent Magnet Brush-
pumping includes a brushed DC motor for small and less DC motor (PMBLDC)
medium applications while for large applications of lift Electrical Parameters Value
head of more than 30 meters, a conventional 3-phase Rated Power 1 hp
induction motor are widely used. With the advent of Voltage 230Volts
new technologies like Permanent Magnet Brushless DC Full Load Current 3A
Motor (PMBLDC), Shaft- less PMBLDC motors are Power Factor 0
proving to very energy efficient and cost effective as Per phase Resistance 1Ω
well. Hence it becomes a mandatory effort to study the Per phase Inductance 5mH
electrical characteristics of these technologies. Efficiency 90%

• Conventional 3-φ Induction motor 7. A brief comparison of two technologies

An AC submersible pump with a specially
designed inverter is used in the SPV Deep Well Water
Pumping System. The inverter converts the DC Voltage
supplied by the SPV array into a three phase AC
voltage with variable frequency. The frequency and
thus the speed of submersible motor vary with intensity
of the solar irradiation. The inverter unit incorporates
the main switch and has LEDs for indicating the
operating conditions. The submersible pump is installed
below the water level in a bore well or opens well.
Delivery is obtained through a riser pipe of sufficient
length. The pump is energized through a drop cable,
which has a tough sheath. The pump has corrosion
proof parts and water lubricated bearing and requires
minimal maintenance. These systems can pump water
from a depth up to 125 meters, which can be stored, if
needed, in tanks of suitable capacity[5].
with there electrical and hydraulic
specifications
The solar water pumping differ with respect to the
type of motor (AC motor / BDC motor) and the type of
pump (centrifugal pump / displacement pump). The
pumping system costs make up for a small part of the
total PVP costs but its influence on the overall
efficiency is considerable. For this reason intensive
investigations of these system concepts are still an
important issue.
Following table delineates the comparison of both
the electrical and hydraulic parameters of two types of
technologies:
 implies that 7 % of the DC power cannot be
Table 6: Characteristics of two technologies transformed into hydraulic power (threshold). An
Parameters Conventional Permanent eccentric screw pump needs a high starting torque
3-φ Induction Magnet Brush- which may be overcome by the motor with the help of
motor less DC motor modern electronic power conditioning units at a very
low electric input power. Therefore the threshold in
PV Generator PMBLDC results in losses of only 1 %. The inverter
Generator area: 15.36m2 3.41m2 losses in Conventional 3-φ Induction motor are in the
Pnominal 1.91kWp 0.43kWp range of 8 % of the inverter input. The power
Power PWM 3- φ MPPT conditioning of PMBLDC is included in the motor.
Conditioning inverter The main motor losses (core and copper) act in the
asynchronous motor in both rotor and stator while they
Pdc,max 4.8kW 0.8kW occur in BLDC motors in the stator only. Conventional
Pac,max 3.5kVA 3-φ Induction motor losses amount to 33 %, in
Motor Unit Submersible Submersible PMBLDC they are only 10 %.
Pnominal 1100W 600W Hydrodynamic losses are the main losses in the
Pump Centrifugal Eccentric screw centrifugal pump and they increase with the second
Head 18m (Nominal) 25-90m (range) power of velocity. The main losses of an eccentric
Flow Rate 7m3/h 2.5 m3/h screw pump are due to friction between rotor and stator.
(Nominal) (Nominal) These losses are almost linear to the rotational speed of
Hydraulic System the rotor. Therefore the pump of PMBLDC has an
annual efficiency of 69 % that of Conventional 3-φ
Geodetic Head 15m 30m Induction motor reaches 49 % when pumping [5, 6].

To compare the two systems the performance ratio
(PR) serves as a measure of system performance. It is
defined as the net energy to overcome the geodetic head
divided by the energy expected from the PV generator,
when performing at STC efficiency. (Standard Test
Conditions: 1000 W/m² , 25 °C. The performance ratio
of Conventional 3-φ Induction motor is 21 % that of
PMBLDC is 48 %.
A brief comparison of component efficiency of
both the conventional 3-φ Induction motor and
Permanent Magnet Brush-less DC motor is depicted
below:
Table 7: Comparison of component efficiency
Component Conventional 3- Permanent
φ Induction Magnet Brush-
motor less DC motor
8. Conclusion
Solar water pumps can provide simple and low
labor watering options for farms that require water in
remote areas. The paper has presented basics of solar
water pumping which includes a study of working of
solar water pumping to the MPPT system and water
storage technology. Optimal operation of the PV
generator was insured by MPPT. To reduce the cost of a
system, water conservation must be practiced. PV
modules are expensive, and reducing water use in any
manner will save on the installed cost.
A brief comparison of conventional 3-φ Induction
motor and PMBLDC is also taken into consideration.
The comparison reveals that PVP systems consisting of
BDC motor and eccentric screw pump are superior to
conventional asynchronous motor and multistage
centrifugal pump systems.

PV Generator Voltage Tracked MPPT 9. Acknowledgment

79% 80%
Threshold 93% 99% Authors are gratefully acknowledged to the
Inverter 92% - Department of Electrical Engineering (Government
Motor 67% 90% College of Engineering, Aurangabad) for the invaluable
Pump Multi-stage Eccentric support. Authors acknowledge the kind permission
Centrifugal Screw advices and contributions of Dr. W.Z. Gandhare
49% 69% (Principal, Government College of Engineering,
Piping System 97% 97% Aurangabad).
Authors acknowledge the immense support given
The analysis of losses is as follows: by Pranav Kulkarni and Bhushan Pathak (Senior
The losses when operating at conditions different Undergraduate, Department of Electrical Engineering,
from STC are 13 % for temperature and irradiation Government College of Engineering, Aurangabad).
effects. 7% are due to spectral, reflection and mismatch
losses. In centrifugal pumps a minimum rotational
speed of the impeller is required to generate head. This
10. References
[1]H.J. Helikson, D.Z. Haman and C.D. Baird,
“Pumping Water for Irrigation Using Solar Energy”, Florida
Cooperative Extensive Services, University of Florida,
November 1991, pp. 1-4.
[2] C.W. Sinton, R. Butler and R.Winnett,” Guide to Solar
Powered Water Pumping Systems in New-York State”, New
York State Energy Research and Development Authority,
Albany, New York,2003, pp. 1-16.
[3]Masters, G.M., Renewable and Efficient Renewable Power
Systems, Wiley Interscience, USA, 2004.
[4] Kyocera Solar Inc., “Solar Water Pumping Applications
Guide”, Scottsdale, USA, September 2001, pp. 4-35.
[5] A. Moussi, A. Torki, “An Improved Efficiency Permanent
Magnet Brushless DC Motor PV Pumping System”,
LARHYSS Journal, N0.01, May 2002, pp. 140-156.
[6]H. Bloos, M. Genthner, D. Heinemann, A. Janssen and R.
Moraes, “Photovoltaic Pumping System- A Comparison of
Two Concepts”, Euro 96, Carl von Ossietzky Universität
Oldenburg, 1996, pp. 583-588.