DEVELOPMENT OF SOLAR-POWERED DRIED LEAVES COLLECTOR
A Thesis Proposal
Presented to
The Faculty of Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology
ISABELA STATE UNIVERSITY
Angadanan Campus
Angadanan, Isabela
In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY
Major in Electrical Technology
By:
ANDRES, ANGELO C.
CACANINDIN, ARCHIE A.
CALAUNAN, JOKENNETH A.
ESPLANADA, REYMARK A
EXAMEN, LEVYMER A.
VIERNES, RODMAN B.
February 2025
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND
INTRODUCTION
A dried leaves collector is a specialized piece of machinery used to collect leaves and other
garbage from outdoor spaces in an efficient manner. This novel gadget combines the best features
of automated and human collection techniques to provide a number of significant advantages (Nai,
2021).
Their adaptability to different terrains, such as sidewalks, gravel paths, and lawns, offers
versatility in leaf gathering. Environmental friendliness: These collectors help reduce carbon
emissions and noise pollution by eliminating the need for gas-powered blowers and hand raking,
which helps maintain a cleaner atmosphere. Property owners or landscapers may see cost savings
over time as a consequence of the decreased labor expenses and maintenance needs.
Most existing collectors still require significant human intervention, such as manual
operation or frequent maintenance. There is inadequate research on the performance of dried leaves
collectors in varying terrains, such as wet or uneven surfaces, where clogging and inefficiency may
arise. While solar-powered models exist, studies analyzing their long-term efficiency, battery
storage optimization, and potential hybrid energy sources are limited.
Reduce reliance on manual labor through automated controls and self-adjusting
mechanisms. Enhance usability across various environmental and weather conditions to improve
effectiveness year-round. Develop a more sustainable approach by optimizing energy consumption
and hybrid power integration. Improve the well-being of workers through ergonomic designs that
lessen physical strain. By tackling these issues, the research will contribute to the advancement of
smart, eco-friendly, and highly efficient dried leaves collection technologies, making outdoor waste
management more effective and sustainable.
Statement of the Problem
In educational institutions, the accumulation of dried leaves poses both environmental ang
operational challenge. Traditional leaf-gathering methods, which rely heavily on manual labor, are
time-consuming, labor-intensive, and often inefficient. These outdated approaches not only limit
productivity but also contribute to higher expenses and unnecessary environmental strain due to
waste mismangement.
The integration of solar-powered teachnology presents an innovation solution to these
challenges by offeribg a fater, more efficient, and eco-friendly alternatibe. A solar-powered dried
leaf collector can significantly enhance work efficency, reduce manual labor, an support
sustainable waste management practices. However, it is essential to assess rhe feasibility,
performance, and acceptance of this innovation to ensure its effectiveness in real-world
applications.
1. How to innovate a solar-powered dried leaves collector?
2. What is the performance of the solar-powered dried leaves collector in terms of:
2.1. Rate of collecting dried leaves to include the weight of dried leaves, and area being
cleaned; and
2.2. Required power consumption?
3. What is the level of acceptability of the respondents to the solar-powered dried leaves
collector in terms of:
3.1. Design;
3.2. Functionality; and
3.3. Safety?
Objective of the Study
The purpose of this study is to develop a solar-powered dried leaves collector and assess its
sustainability and efficacy. To reduce environmental effects while optimizing efficiency in leaf
collecting and disposal, the system combines manual work with an electric-powered leaf collector.
1. To innovate a solar-powered dried leaves collector.
2. To assess the performance of the solar-powered dried leaf collector in terms of:
2.1. Rate of collecting dried leaves to include the weight of dried leaves, and area being
cleaned in an hour; and
2.2. Required power consumption.
3. To determine the level of acceptability of the respondents to the solar-powered dried leaves
collector in terms of;
3.1. Design;
3.2. Functionality; and
3.3. Safety.
Significance of the Study
The research on desiccated leaf collectors is important because it may help enhance leaf
collection techniques and solve problems with classical methods. The results of the study might
have the following important ramifications:
1. SDG 8: Affordable and Clean Energy Conventional leaf collection techniques, such as
physical labor or equipment run by fossil fuels, may have detrimental effects on the
environment. By employing electric-powered technology and minimizing the need for
physical work, the solar-powered dried leaves collector seeks to minimize these effects and
promote more environmentally friendly waste management techniques.
2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth Manually gathering leaves might take a lot of
time and effort. Reducing the requirement for human work might result in time and resource
savings for the dried leaf collector. Workforce management and resource allocation may be
affected by an understanding of the advantages and labor needs of the system.
3. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure The research helps to create and progress
novel waste management solutions. The solar-powered dried leaves collector offers a fresh
method of leaf gathering by fusing human labor with electric-powered machinery. The
results of the study may encourage the use of such systems in other waste management
procedures, resulting in more effective and environmentally friendly solutions.
4. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities Policy makers and decision-makers in waste
management can benefit much from the assessment of the solar-powered dried leaves
collector. The results can help shape laws and policies that encourage the adoption of
economical and environmentally friendly leaf collection techniques, which will eventually
lead to a more hygienic and sustainable environment.
Scope and Limitation of the Study
The main goal of this study is to assess how well dry leaves collectors work in terms of
gathering dried leaves. The project will develop leaf-gathering techniques in various settings. The
study admits certain limitations that might affect the generalizability of the results and the research
conclusions. These restrictions might consist of:
The solar-powered dried leaves collector is used only on concrete roads. Rough roads are
beyond the capabilities of solar-powered dried leaf collectors.
Definition of Terms
For better understanding of the study, the researcher gave several terms that were defined
conceptually and operationally.
Asynchronous Motor - the asynchronous motor will be used to rotate the brushes to collect
the dried leaves. This will help the prototype to collect the dried leaves on the surface.
Battery - the battery will power the asynchronous motor in addition to serving as a source of
energy storage. This tool is one of the major component of the prototype that the researcher
will be making.
Effective – to know the extent to which an activity fulfils its intended purpose or function.
Innovation- inclusion of alternative equipment that is something new, or a new idea, methods
or a product.
Inverter - when converting a DC power source to an AC power source is necessary, inverters
are utilized. This will generate the energy through electricity.
Motor Speed Regulator – it may control the voltage of the supply power using a
potentiometer. This will lessen the power coming from the battery to prevent hazard.
Solar Power- this power is reproducing by the solar panel coming from the sun that creates
electrical charges that moves in response to an internal electrical field in the cell, causing
electricity to flow. This power will become the main source of the solar-power dried leaves
collector to make it possible.
Solar Panel – a panel designed use to replaced fossilfuel-based engines with solar energy, the
system minimizes greenhouse gas emissions and promotes eco-friendly waste collection.
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter presents the summaries and cited literature and studies that is related to the
current study with the help of gathered information that comes from different sources to better
understand the importance of the current study.
Related Literature
Energy is considered a prime agent in the generation of wealth and a significant factor in
economic development. Energy is also essential for improving the quality of life. Development of
conventional forms of energy for meeting the growing energy needs of society at a reasonable cost
is the responsibility of the Government. Limited fossil resources and environmental problems
associated with them have emphasized the need for new sustainable energy supply options that use
renewable energies. Development and promotion of non-conventional/alternate/new and renewable
sources of energy such as solar, wind and bio-energy, etc., are also getting sustained attention.
Alternative energy news source has long asserted that there are fortunes to be made from smart
investments in renewable energy. Solar power is one of the hottest areas in energy investment right
now, but there is much debate about the future of solar technology and solar energy markets. This
report examines various ways in which solar power is precisely such an opportunity (Kilic 2006).
Renewable energy has gained attention as an alternative to conventional energy sources in
waste management. According to Gupta and Sharma (2020), the adoption of solar-powered systems
in urban waste collection has shown a 30% reduction in carbon emissions, making it a viable
alternative to diesel-powered waste management techniques. Similarly, Nguyen et al. (2019)
highlighted that renewable energy-based waste collection improves environmental sustainability
while reducing long-term operational costs.
Sun is an inexhaustible source of energy capable of fulfilling all the energy needs of
humankind. The energy from the sun can be converted into electricity or used directly. Electricity
can be generated from solar energy either directly using photovoltaic (PV) cells or indirectly using
concentrated solar power (CSP) technology. Progress has been made to raise the efficiency of the
PV solar cells that can now reach up to approximately 34.1% in multi-junction PV cells. Electricity
generation from concentrated solar technologies has a promising future as well, especially the CSP,
because of its high capacity, efficiency, and energy storage capability. Solar energy also has direct
application in agriculture primarily for water treatment and irrigation. Solar energy is being used to
power the vehicles and for domestic purposes such as space heating and cooking. The most
exciting possibility for solar energy is satellite power station that will be transmitting electrical
energy from the solar panels in space to Earth via microwave beams. Solar energy has a bright
future because of the technological advancement in this field and its environment-friendly nature.
The biggest challenge however facing the solar energy future is its unavailability all-round the year,
coupled with its high capital cost and scarcity of the materials for PV cells. These challenges can be
met by developing an efficient energy storage system and developing cheap, efficient, and
abundant PV solar cells (Achok, 2024).
A study by Alvarez et al. (2021) examined how concentrated solar power (CSP) technology
can be integrated into smart waste management solutions, showing that CSP-powered waste
collection reduced fossil fuel dependency by 45% in metropolitan areas. Their research emphasizes
the potential of
combining CSP with photovoltaic (PV) systems to enhance waste collection efficiency.
According to the study of (Bodabe et al, 2021) entitled Solar operated waste leaf collector
and shredder machine. A small unit of leaf collecting machine was developed. The machines tested
to evaluate the performance of leaved collecting and shoulder machine by using different types of
techniques. The effect of collecting the leaf and making the useful application without any harm to
environment is studied. Based on the researcher application they come up with the conclusion; 1)
the movement of the brush is totally depending upon the surface area on which the machine is
moving. 2). The collected leaved moves through the conveyor with in a specific time. 3). The
shedder shreds the leaf I the minute’s particles as per the expected assumption and last 4). The
battery is charged successfully by the solar panel which supplies power for moving the conveyor
and shredder.
Sustainable urban waste management is a growing concern for policymakers. Johnson and
Patel (2021) emphasized that integrating solar energy into waste collection can contribute to
cleaner cities and a reduced dependence on fossil fuels. Their research suggests that governments
should invest in renewable energy-based waste management to align with global sustainability
goals.
According to Martinez et al. (2018), advancements in photovoltaic (PV) cell technology
have significantly improved the efficiency of solar-powered waste collection. Their study found
that PV cells can now achieve an efficiency level of up to 34.1%, making them suitable for
sustainable waste management applications.
Furthermore, Santos et al. (2023) explored the role of smart grids in waste management,
demonstrating that linking solar-powered waste collection with smart energy grids can enhance
energy efficiency and reduce costs by up to 25%. Their study suggests that integrating renewable
energy with smart urban infrastructure can significantly improve waste collection processes.
The major operating parameters as well as the dryer design the effect solar dryer
performance in producing high quality dried product. The performance of solar drying technologies
was examined taking into account the ,ass flow rate of the hot air entering the dryer chamber and its
temperature, and the moisture content of the product. Due to continuous growth in population and
sharp increase in energy and food demand, research on alternative energy sources independent of
fossil fuels has increased over the last decade. Moreover, limitations of greenhouse gas emissions
by developing counties are imposing much pressure on the energy sector worldwide to use
renewable energy sources such as solar, wind biomass, hydro, and geothermal (Ahmadi et a, 2021).
According to the research of (Fudholi et al, 2023) among the most important components of
solar energy systems, solar collectors are devices that receive solar energy and convert it into
thermal energy, as most essential components of dollar dryer. This review presents description and
previous work performed on performance of solar air collector for agricultural produce. In addition,
various solar collectors are classified and described. Solar air collections for drying application of
agricultural produce are presented and summarize. The energy and exergy efficiency of the solar air
collector ranges from 28% to 62% and fro 30% to 57% respectively.
According to the study of Daghigh (2020), the solar dryer was investigated and tested in
two modes; solar dryer coupled with a PVT collector and solar dryer coupled with a ET collector.
The analysis of the above modes showed the ET collector has a better performance than the PVT
collector because both the outlet temperature of the ET collector and efficiency of the ET solar
dryer were higher. Given the different between the dried material in this study and those studies by
other researcher. The mode new models 1 and 2 were found to be the best models for describing
the drying process of Tarkhineh at set point temperatures 55 degree C and 45 degree C, supplied by
auxiliary heater, respectively.
The use of solar-powered waste collection technology has been studied extensively. Smith
et al. (2020) found that solar-powered leaf collectors reduced energy consumption by 40%
compared to conventional fossil-fuel-based systems. The study demonstrated that integrating
photovoltaic cells into waste management systems enhances operational efficiency and
sustainability.
A study by Tanaka and Kobayashi (2022) analyzed the role of automation in waste
management. Their research found that autonomous solar-powered waste collectors equipped with
sensors and machine learning algorithms could identify and collect waste 35% more efficiently
than traditional human-operated collection methods. These findings suggest that automation plays a
significant role in improving the effectiveness of solar-powered waste collection systems.
According to Kason (2022), decreasing carbon emission is possible with the usage of
renewable sources. Therefore, he usage of renewable energy has increased in the last decade. Due
to the fact that the drying process of agricultural products consumes a significant amount of energy,
fossil fuel consumption can be reduced by using the solar dryer. In this study, two novel solar
drying systems were designed and tested for alfalfa drying. Experiments were carried out in two
different drying systems double-pass solar air collector (DPSAC) and photovoltaic thermal solar air
collector (PVT). In order to increase the heat transfer surface area, unlike the literature, a drying
chamber consisting of two intertwined cylinders was designed and manufactured. The outcomes of
the present study demonstrate that the use of DPSAC dryer is sustainable when only heat energy is
required for the drying system and the use of PVT when both heat and electrical energy are
required. It is recommended that these systems can be used together in off-grid agriculture areas.
Recent advancements have demonstrated the potential of solar energy in waste collection. A
study by Smith et al. (2020) explored the efficiency of solar-powered waste collection devices in
urban settings. Their findings indicated that these systems significantly reduced operational costs
and carbon emissions compared to traditional fossil-fuel-powered waste collection methods.
Similarly, Johnson and Patel (2021) examined the role of solar energy in creating
sustainable urban environments. They found that integrating solar-powered systems into public
infrastructure, such as waste collection, contributes to cleaner cities and reduced dependence on
non-renewable energy sources. Their research supports the notion that transitioning to renewable
energy in waste management can have long-term economic and environmental benefits.
INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT
Designing
Related Constructing
literature and Testing
studies Data Analysis
& Solar-powered dried
Tools and leaves collector
Interpretation
FEEDBACK
METHODOLOGY
In this part of the study, the research design, the respondent, the instruments to be used and
the statistics used are presented.
RESEARCH DESIGN
The study will use descriptive – developmental research design using the weighted
arithmetic mean with five point likert scale, where in the researcher will create an innovation. This
is to find out the efficiency of using solar-power dried leaves collector as environmental equipment.
Another quantitative method employs the gathering of data using questionnaire to assess the
design, functionality including safety of the prototype.
Survey questionnaire will be used to assess the performance of the solar-dried leaves
collector and its functions.
RESPONDENT OF THE STUDY
The respondent in this study are 10 selected faculties and 5 utility worker from Isabela State
University-Angadanan Campus.
RESEARCH INSTRUMENT/EQUIPMENT/MATERIALS
The questionnaires is another the major instrument used in this study. It will be designed to
obtain the information of Solar-Powered Dried Leaves Collector. The questionnaire to be use is a
researcher-made to gather the needed data. The draft of the questionnaires was drawn out based on
the researcher’s readings, previous studies, and professional literature, published and unpublished
study that is relevant
Measuring instrument
Voltmeter, ammeter, energy meter and tachometer this measuring instrument will be used in
obtaining technical data of the prototype.
Materials and Cost
Particulars P
Solar panel P
Battery P
Asynchronous Motor P
Inverter P
Wheel P
Switches P
Steel pipe P
Angle bar P
Total:
DATA GATHERING PROCEDURE
Researchers identified the need for an efficient and eco-friendly method to collect dry
leaves, particularly in large outdoor spaces. The objective was to create a sustainable, solar-
powered solution that could operate efficiently while minimizing energy consumption and
environmental impact. The design included key components such as a solar panel, asynchronous
motor, battery, inverter, and frame. The selected materials were assembled following the design
blueprint. This included installing the solar panel, wiring the electrical components, and integrating
the motor with the collection mechanism. After assembly, the prototype underwent preliminary
testing to check for functionality, such as power generation, motor operation, and structural
stability. The prototype was presented to electrical experts for technical validation. They evaluated
the following: Efficiency of solar energy conversion and storage, reliability and performance of the
asynchronous motor, safety and durability of the design. A questionnaire was created to gather user
feedback on the prototype’s practicality, ease of use, and efficiency was analyzed and interpret .
Feedback and suggestions from experts were incorporated to revise and improve the design,
enhancing the innovative features of the prototype. The collected feedback was analyzed to identify
areas for improvement.
STATISTICAL TREATMENT OF THE DATA
The researcher will use Weighted Arithmetic Mean for experimental part to determine the
efficiency of the equipment solar –power dried leaves collector made by the researcher.
For the descriptive part, a 5-point Likert Scale will be used, with median to determine the
central tendency.
Weight Numerical Range Descriptive Equivalent
5 4.5-5.00 Highly Acceptable
4 3.5-4.49 Acceptable
3 2.5-3.49 Moderate Acceptable
2 1.5-2.49 Slightly Acceptable
1 1.0-1.49 Not Acceptable at All
DIAGRAM OF THE PROTOTYPE
Electronic
PV Motor /Regulator
Charge Controller
Asynchronous
Motor
Battery Inverter /Regulator
Speed Control
Unit
PROTOTYPE DRAWING
REFERENCES
Ahmadi, A., Das, B., Ehyaei, M., Esmaeilion, F., Assad, H., Jamila, D. (2021) Energy, exergy, and
techno-economic performave analyses of solar dryers for agro products: A comprehensive review
Bhagat, P., Kushwah, A., Yadav, R., Harsha Nag, R., Chowdhury, M., Carpenter, G., Anand, R.
(2023) Innovation Empowering Traditional Solar Falt Plate Collector with Autonomous Sun
Trucking for Tea leaf Drying
Daghigh, R. (2020) A Multistate Investigation of a Solar Dryer Coupled with Photovoltaic Thermal
Collector and Evacuated Tube Collector
Fudholi, a., Sopian, K. (2018) Solar Collector for Agricultural Procedure
Kason, M. (2022) Design and Analysis of New Solarpowered Sustainable Dryers Alfalfa Crop
Lande, M., Shete, S., Shaikh, A., Pawar, T., Tale, S. (2023) Industrial and Social Application of
Solar Driyer for Drying the Agricultural Product
Santos, M., Quiroz, R., Borges, F. (2020) Solar Collector for Agricultural Procedure
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approach to urban sanitation. Renewable Energy Solutions.
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waste management. Journal of Urban Sustainability.
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A case study in urban waste management. Environmental Science & Technology.
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