Uoft CAPSTONE PROJECTS MX 2025
CAPSTONE PROJECT
Thanks University Of Toronto | Winds Of Change
Solar Water Heater - México CNF
Poster Presentation April 3rd.2025
Last step in evaluation
Team RJI 1
Reto Juvenil Internacional, has tasked Uoft team RJI-1 with designing a solar water heating solution for Hogar CNF, an orphanage located in Texcoco, Mexico. The orphanage requires 140,000L of water monthly but can only afford 70,000L due to the current costs of heating and pumping water.
Each child currently uses 1.5L of hot water for their daily shower. The orphanage is looking for a way to efficiently heat water to reduce current gas heating costs. Additionally, the orphanage is looking to power its groundwater pump and overall electric needs through PV power to reduce electricity costs in order to free funding for increased water supply.
At the final stage of the design process, team have thoroughly evaluated three alternative design solutions and arrived at a final solution that meets all requirements, based on the objectives and constraints, also including each designs energy requirements:
The first alternative design solution consists of a full PV panel system to power all electrical needs including all water heating through the current electric heater.
The second design solution uses a solar water collector for water heating and PV system for the remaining electrical needs. Additionally, an on-demand gas heater is included for backup heating.
The third design is identical to the second but uses a solar air collector for water heating instead. After analyzing and evaluating all designs, the final recommendation is to proceed with the second design, the solar water collector in combination with a PV system to power the pump, lights and cameras.
This design best meets the set objectives and constraints of the project. A CAD model and rooftop schematic were created to outline component placements to optimize space and reduce heat losses to the environment. These were shared with the suppliers to ensure smooth installation.
The design capacity is 300L of hot water and has integrated mixing to supply 600L of warm water for a 10L/min showerhead for 60 children.
Conclusion In summary, the client, RJI, runs an orphanage in Texcoco, Mexico that cannot afford enough water to provide for 60 children. The water scarcity causes hygiene issues, negatively impacting the health and wellbeing of the children. In response, the team has come up with integrated solar water heating and PV system designed to save money on gas and electricity in the building. This project outlines the entire design process from the problem statement to the final vendor selections and specifications. Information on the prototype experiment has also been included; the team will be giving a poster presentation on April 3rd 2025 at the University of Toronto’s design showcase as the last step in evaluation.
