Design and Fabrication of A 100 Wp Solar-Powered Point Indicator Signal for Railway Depot Maintenance Areas
Downloads
Conventional signalling in railway depots often relies on grid power, which contributes to resource depletion and operational costs. This study presents the design and fabrication of an autonomous, solar-powered point indicator signal to enhance safety and efficiency in nocturnal depot operations. The methodology encompassed electrical load calculation, mechanical design using AutoCAD, and prototype construction employing a 100 Wp monocrystalline panel, a 12V 200Ah battery, a charge controller, and LED arrays. Field testing at the Malang Locomotive Depot validated the system's performance. Results confirmed the prototype successfully illuminated 6-watt LED signals for 7 nightly hours. The battery depth of discharge (DoD) was maintained at 10.5%, promoting longevity. Peak solar irradiance of 851.3 W/m² ensured consistent energy harvesting. The total unit cost was estimated at IDR 8,156,500. This research demonstrates the technical and economic feasibility of a sustainable, off-grid signalling solution for railway maintenance areas, offering a replicable model for reducing carbon footprint and operational dependency.
Almaktar, M., Rahman, H. A., & Hasanuzzaman, M. (2022). Comprehensive review of maximum power point tracking (MPPT) techniques for photovoltaic systems. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 155, 111869.
Asrori, A., Susilo, S. H., Hidayat, M. N., Eryk, I. H. Y., & Maskur, M. (2022). Installation of solar panels for filtration systems on koi fish cultivation in Sumberingin Kidul Village, Tulungagung Regency. Abdi Dosen: Jurnal Pengabdian Pada Masyarakat, 6(3), 856–864. https://doi.org/10.32832/abdidos.v6i3.1357
Asrori, A., Winoko, Y. A., Subagiyo, S., Udianto, P., & Eryk, I. H. (2023). Design and development of hybrid solar e-bike for sustainable green transportation. Journal of Applied Engineering Science, 21(4), 1139–1147. https://doi.org/10.5937/jaes0-45297
Ballaji, A., & Dash, R. (2023). A comprehensive review on latest state of the art practices in MPPT algorithm. Distributed Generation & Alternative Energy Journal, 38(3), 875–906. https://doi.org/10.13052/dgaej2156-3306.3837
Bhattacharyya, S., Ransing, D., Krishnan, S. G., & Pradhan, P. (2021). A review on battery management system for renewable energy storage. Journal of Energy Storage, 40, 102758.
Ferrari, M. L., Pascenti, M., & Sorce, A. (2018). Solar-based auxiliary power systems for railway applications: Design and optimization. Applied Energy, 228, 1940-1951.
Gumono, Susilo, S. H., Setiawan, A., & Asrori. (2021). The assembly and installation of solar powered public street lights (PJU) at Panti Asuhan Putri Aisyiah Dau Malang. International Journal of Community Engagement Payungi, 1(2), 65–70.
https://doi.org/10.58879/ijcep.v1i2.13
International Energy Agency. (2023, July 11). Rail. https://www.iea.org/energy-system/transport/rail
IEEE. (2018). IEEE Standard for the Testing, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Power Systems for Electric Light and Power for Buildings. IEEE Std 3001.5-2018.
https://doi.org/10.1109/IEEESTD.2018.8575690
Kumar, N., & Sharma, P. (2020). Energy management in railway systems: A review. Energy Reports, 6, 1456-1473.
Masters, G. M. (2013). Renewable and Efficient Electric Power Systems (2nd ed.). Wiley-IEEE Press. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118670753
Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) of Indonesia. (2022). Handbook of Energy and Economic Statistics of Indonesia 2022. MEMR.
Nelson, V. (2020). Introduction to Renewable Energy (2nd ed.). CRC Press.
https://doi.org/10.1201/9780429290107
Petersen, E. R., Taylor, A. J., & Barkan, C. P. L. (2019). Railroad engineering. John Wiley & Sons.
Poompavai, T., & Kowsalya, M. (2019). Design and control of autonomous railway gate using renewable energy. Measurement and Control, 52(7-8), 1124-1133.
Reddy, T. B. (Ed.). (2011). Linden's handbook of batteries (4th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Samsonkin, V., Sotnyk, V., Yurchenko, O., Soloviova, O., Zmii, S., & Myronenko, V. (2022). Devising a methodology to manage the performance of technical tools of rail transport signaling systems based on the risks of their functioning. Eastern-European Journal of Enterprise Technologies, 6(3 (120)), 32–43. https://doi.org/10.15587/1729-4061.2022.268715
Sarker, M. R., Molla, M. A., & Islam, M. R. (2020). Feasibility study of standalone solar PV system for a rural railway station in Bangladesh. International Journal of Renewable Energy Research, 10(1), 1-12.
Susilo, S. H., Asrori, A., & Gumono, G. (2022). Analysis of the efficiency of using the polycrystalline and amorphous PV module in the territory of Indonesia. Journal of Applied Engineering Science, 20(1), 239–245. https://doi.org/10.5937/jaes0-31607
Vukovic, M., Miskic, M., Kastelan, I., Lale, S., Forcan, M., Vukovic, G., & Ikic, M. (2023). Renewable energy-powered traffic signalization as a step to carbon-neutral cities (the case of Western Balkans). Sustainability, 15(7), Article 6164.
https://doi.org/10.3390/su15076164
Vukovic, M., Kastelan, I., Miskic, M., Ikic, M., Lale, S., & Forcan, M. (2023). An IoT-based automated solar-powered traffic signalization. Robotics, 12(10), Article 391. https://doi.org/10.3390/robotics12100391
Wenham, S. R., Green, M. A., Watt, M. E., Corkish, R., & Sproul, A. (2013). Applied photovoltaics (3rd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781849776981
Wijaya Sunu, P., Simon Anakottapary, D., Dewa Made Susila, I., Dewa Gede Agus Triputra, I., Nyoman Edi Indrayana, I., Asrori, Andoko, Suarsana, K., & Bambang Dwi Kuncoro, C. (2021). Preliminary study of solar PV characteristics cooled by water spray. In Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Applied Science and Technology on Engineering Science - Volume 1: iCAST-ES (pp. 429–433). SciTePress. https://doi.org/10.5220/0010947000003260
Witono, K., Asrori, A., & Harijono, A. (2021). The comparison of performance polycrystalline and amorphous solar panels under Malang city weather conditions. Bulletin of Science Education, 1(2), 124–135. https://doi.org/10.51278/bse.v1i2.107
Yogi, T., & Birla, D. (2025). Real-time fault detection and diagnosis of solar photovoltaic systems for railway microgrid using IoT and machine learning. International Journal of Applied Mathematics, 38(11s). https://doi.org/10.12732/ijam.v38i11s.1240
