IOP Conf. Ser. Earth Environ. Sci. 927 012021

IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science
PAPER • OPEN ACCESS You may also like

- Irregular LIPSS produced on metals by
Design and Analysis of Solar Water Pumping for single linearly polarized femtosecond laser
Dongshi Zhang, Ruijie Liu and Zhuguo Li
Salt Production in Indonesia - Experimental study on performance
evaluation of fracturing fluid system with
enhanced oil recovery
To cite this article: Kunaifi et al 2021 IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci. 927 012021 Bing Xu, Yikun Liu, Qiannan Yu et al.
- Wire position system to consistently

measure and record the location change
of girders following ground changes
H J Choi, S B Lee, H G Lee et al.
View the article online for updates and enhancements.
This content was downloaded from IP address 125.165.110.156 on 24/01/2022 at 10:32

6th International Energy Conference (Astechnova 2021) IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 927 (2021) 012021 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/927/1/012021
Design and Analysis of Solar Water Pumping for Salt

Production in Indonesia
Kunaifi1*, Liliana1, Harris Simaremare 1, Mulyono1, Wahyu Anjarjati2

1
Department of Electrical Engineering, State Islamic University of Sultan Syarif
Kasim Riau, Jl. H.R. Soebrantas, Pekanbaru, Indonesia.
2
Meteorological Station Class II Yogyakarta International Airport of the Meteorology,
Climatology, and Geophysical Agency of the Republic of Indonesia, Jalan Nasional
Temon, Kulon Progo, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
*
E-mail:[email protected]
Abstract. Salt production farmers in Patutrejo Village, Purworejo Regency, spend nearly Rp.
10 million per year for diesel water pump operational costs. The cost of fuel is the heaviest
financial burden for the farmers. Not only is it expensive, but fuel scarcity is also a serious
issue causing the salt production capacity target cannot be assured, and the increasing demand
for salt cannot be met. This study proposes using a solar water pump system (SWPS) as an
alternative solution for the farmers to ensure and increase salt production. For a group of
farmers in Patutrejo who require pumping around 35 m3 of seawater each day, a photovoltaic
(PV) panel of 900 Wp and a DC pump of 700 Watt can perform the task sufficiently. The total
capital cost of the SWPS is Rp. 90 million, with a simple payback period (SPP) of 9.5 years.
The SPP would be shorter if future fuel price increases were taken into account. With a lifetime
of up to 25 years, SWPS promises a long-term, practical, reliable, and sustainable solution for
salt farmers in Patutrejo.
1. Introduction
1.1 Background
Energy prices, especially fuel oil and electricity, are increasingly expensive. In rural areas, the
availability of fuel and electricity is not always guaranteed. This negatively affects the economic
activities of local people who use energy as input to the production processes. One example of an
economic activity that requires large amounts of energy is salt production. Salt production involves the
transfer of large volumes of salty seawater to the production sites usually located within a certain
distance and above sea level. Therefore, energy is needed to pump seawater to the land.
Traditionally, a fuel-powered engine drives a water pump to draw seawater for the salt production
process. Despite a technically simple pump system, the diesel pump is arguably unsustainable due to
several unintended impacts. From the economic aspect, the operational and maintenance (O&M) costs
of diesel pumps are very high. So, O&M costs become the main obstacle for salt farmers to continue
their business or increase production capacity. From the social aspect, large diesel generators (gensets),
those with a capacity of above 1 kVA, generate noise 24 hours a day, seven days a week. From the
environmental aspect, diesel generators burn fossil fuels that produce greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions. The use of diesel generators can also pollute soil and water due to oil and lubricant spills.
Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution
of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd 1
As an alternative solution, harnessing solar energy to pump seawater is promising compared to

fuel-based pumps for salt production. In this paper, a solar water pumping system (SWPS) is proposed.
An SWPS works based on the photovoltaic (PV) effect, where solar modules convert sunlight into
electrical energy that is used to drive a direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC) water pump.
According to [1], the first SWPS was installed in the late 1970s. Since then, SWPS has shown
significant progress. The early generation of SWPS used centrifugal pumps. They were spun either by
DC motors or variable frequency AC motors. Over the long term, proven hydraulic efficiency and
reliability varied between 25% and 35%. The subsequent generation of SWPS introduced positive
displacement pumps, progressive cavity pumps, and diaphragm pumps for smaller water volumes,
which generally had lower PV power requirements, lower capital costs, and higher hydraulic
efficiency. SWPS technology currently uses an electronic system that suits the available pump with the
power from the solar module. If needed, the electronic system can also be made to perform real-time
monitoring of various parameters, such as water level in the drilled wells and water level in the storage
tanks, pump speed, among others. The latest generation of SWPS can also be equipped with intelligent
software to help to increase the output power, performance, and overall efficiency of SWPS.
Technically, SWPS offers various advantages over diesel water pumps. First, the cost of investment
in SWPS is getting lower, mainly due to the dramatic fall of solar modules price in the past decade. In
the past, the PV modules cost around $ 5/Wp (watt-peak), but recently less than $75 cents/Wp [2]. In
addition, many subsidy schemes and funding for SWPS projects have been launched, especially in
developing countries. These financial models encourage SWPS to become financially more viable.
Second, the operational cost of SWPS is low because it does not require electricity from the grid nor
fuel to drive the pumps. SWPS uses free energy from the sun. Third, a good SWPS design requires
only minimal maintenance, namely cleaning the panels about once a week depending on the level of
dust at the site. Fourth, SWPS is a green, environmentally friendly technology without emissions and
pollution, and does not generate noise.
However, SWPS still requires relatively high investment costs, thus requiring innovative financial
models (or subsidies) to overcome the cost barriers, especially for small-scale farmers.
A schematic diagram of an SWPS is shown in Figure 1(a). A solar generator mounted on a strong
structure converts photon energy in the sunlight that strikes the surface of PV modules into DC
electricity. The level of voltage and current produced by a solar generator depends on the number,
capacity (in Wp), the way the solar modules are connected, solar radiation, module operating temperature,
and other natural factors. The output of the solar panels is connected to a motor that pumps water and
pours it out to where it is needed or into a water reservoir. Two types of pumps include submersible and
surface pumps.
(a) (b)
Figure 1. (a) The main components of an SWPS: (1) Solar generator, (2) panel mount, (3) protection
box, (4) control box, (5) grounding, (6) Low-level water sensor, (7) Pump [3]. (b) An example of
pump motor characteristics [4].
2
The SWPS is equipped with protection devices assembled in a protection box with a fuse, main
contactor, and a surge protection device (lightning protection). The SWPS system also requires a pump
controller or solar pump inverter incorporated in a control box. The SWPS system must also be
equipped with grounding components which is a ground wire connected to the ground circuit,
including panels, stands, boxes, controllers, and pumps. In the SWPS system with a borehole, a low-
level water sensor is also installed, which stops the pump when it is dry. Low-level water sensors are
not commonly used if the water is taken from a river or lake that never dries up.
For selecting the correct type of pump, motor characteristics are used. Figure 1(b) shows an
example of the characteristics of a pump motor. The graph shows the required pump power for the
available head (m) and the desired water flow rate (m3/h). For example, to pump a 25 m3/hour of water
over a total head of 30 meters, a 2.8 kW pump is required.
1.2 Situation Analysis

Patutrejo Village is located in Grabag District, Purworejo Regency, Central Java Province. The
location of the village is right on the South Coast of Java Island. The position of Patutrejo is about 20
km Southwest of Purworejo city and about 50 km West of Yogyakarta (Figure 2). The coordinate
location of Patutrejo is 7.85 South and 109.90 East.
Indonesia Patutrejo
West Java
Figure 2. Location of Patutrejo Village in Purworejo Regency, Central Java Province, Indonesia.
One of the variety of community products in Patutrejo is organic salt (Figure 3). A set of laboratory
tests have confirmed that the salt content (NaCl) of the southern coast of Java Island, including salt in
Patutrejo, is 97% to 98%. According to the Agriculture, Food, Marine, and Fishery Office of
Purworejo, salt in Purworejo is classified as industrial salt. The demand for industrial salt is high,
especially from chemical industries such as infusion makers, the manufacturing industry, and others.
Providing the high quality of the salt and their production capabilities, farmers in Patutrejo are making
cosmetics and therapeutic salts [5].
Farmers in Patutrejo have set up a salt production group (KUGAR) named KUGAR Pendowo Lima,
with a total number of 10 members. It has been planned to expand the salt pond area about 10 times
the existing area for the next few years. Some 10 new KUGARs will be established. This development
is driven by higher demand for salt and relatively stable salt prices. The new KUGARs members will
3
come from the previous shrimp pond farmers who wish to convert their breeding ponds into salt
production ponds.
Figure 3. Example of the final salt products from KUGAR Pendowo Limo in Patutrejo Village (Photo:
Wahyu Anjarjati 2021).
The production capacity of KUGAR Pendowo Limo is 1 ton per one harvest. Salt is usually
harvested twice a month. In a condition with high salinity, especially during the dry season, salt
harvest can reach 3 times in a month.
The salt production by KUGAR Pendowo Limo takes place in several production tunnels (Figure 4)
and a collection pond (Figure 5). The dimension of each tunnel is 3.5 m x 40 m. The water level in the
first stage production tunnels is maintained at 20 -25 cm depth. The total water requirement per day is
about 35 m3.
Figure 4. Salt production tunnels of KUGAR Pendowo Limo in Patutrejo (Photo: Wahyu Anjarjati
2021).
The production tunnels are filled with seawater for 3 hours from the collection pond using
gravitational force. The collection pond is filled every 4 days at the minimum. The distance between
the collection pond and the seawater intake point is about 75 m (high tide) to 125 m (low tide).
4
Seashore Salt production

panels
Collection
pond
Figure 5. The position of the sea and the collection pond at KUGAR Pendowo Limo salt production
site in Patutrejo Village. The photo at the right was taken from [5].
The seawater in the first production tunnels is evaporated, leaving concentrated brine sold as raw
material for producing medicine. When the evaporation process runs optimally in the first production
tunnel, the remaining saltwater is transferred by gravitation to the following tunnels - crystallization
tunnels - where the salt crystal is produced (Figure 6).
Figure 6. One of the salt production tunnels operated by KUGAR Pendowo Limo in Patutrejo Village
(Photo: Wahyu Anjarjati 2021).
The current practice to pump seawater into the collection pond is using a 3 horsepower (HP) diesel
engine (Figure 7). The engine consumes about 40 liters of diesel per month. In line with the increase in
production capacity, the demand for seawater is increasing, so operational costs, especially fuel costs,
are getting higher. Furthermore, fuels scarcity is a serious issue that requires hours of queues in the
petrol station every few days. The fuel price is Rp. 10 thousand per liter. Each year, the fuel cost is
around Rp. 5 million, while the maintenance and other expenses are around Rp. 4.5 million. The total
operational cost is around Rp. 9.5 million each year.
5
Figure 7. A 3 HP diesel-fuelled engine is used by salt farmers in Patutrejo Village to draw water from
the sea to fill in the collection pond for salt production (Photo: Wahyu Anjarjati 2021).
2. Method
The critical components of an SWPS configuration are shown in Figure 1(a) above. The DC motor,
one of the main components, is suitable for SWPS applications because the PV panel generates DC
electricity to be directly connected to the motor with little power conditioning. DC pumps are a
least-cost choice for SWPS when a small amount of water is required and the distance between the
PV panel and the motor is short. However, low-voltage DC motors are not suitable for long-distance
cabling because significant power may cause losses across the cables. DC motors are available only
at a capacity below 5 kW. For larger SWPS systems, it is recommended to use an AC motor,
although it requires a DC to AC inverter.
The design of the SWPS in Patutrejo is carried out through several steps shown in Figure 8. The
design process can be done manually or using a tool. In this study, we use Lorentz Compass.
INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT
 Daily water demand

 Solar radiation data
 Water usage data  Water resource data
 Location information Conduct location survey  Location of water
needed
 Location of SWPS
 Solar radiation data Determine the solar panel  Expected solar radiation
 Daily water demand direction and tilt angles level
6
Figure 8. (cont.)
 Expected solar radiation

 Required water flow
level
rate
 Daily water demand Calculate water flow
 Required water flow rate

 Water resource data  Total dynamic head
 Location of water needed Calculate ‘head’
 Required water flow rate

 Total dynamic head  SWPS complete design
 Water resource data
Select a pump and solar
modules
Figure 8. Steps in designing an SWPS (reproduced from [6]).
3. Results and Discussion
3.1 Input Information

Figure 9 shows the schematic diagram of the SWPS, while Table 1 contains information used in
designing the SWPS in Patutrejo Village. The farmers provided all the required information. The water
requirement is 35 m3 per day which is assumed similar throughout the year. The vertical height
between the submersible pump position and the point where the water is spilled out in the collection
pond is 15 m. The length of the pipe from the pump outlet to the collection pump is 200 m. The cable
length from the pump to the PV panel is 205 m. For this SWPS, a centrifugal submersible pump will
be used, which is driven by DC electric current.
PV panel
Collection
Max. Salt production
pond
200 m panels
Pipe
Max.
15 m Water distribution
Pump network
Figure 9. Schematic diagram of SWPS in Patutrejo.
7
Tabel 1. Design information

Parameter Value
Location 7.85° South, 109.9° East
Daily water requirement (m3/day) 35
Static (delivery) head (m) 15
Delivery pipe (m) 200
Motor cable (m) 205
Pump location Submerged in a borehole
PV array location Next to the storage pond
3.2 Technical Design

The results of the technical design of the SWPS for salt production in Patutrejo Village are shown in
Figure 10. The required total capacity of the PV panel is 900 Wp, which can be composed of 18
modules of 50 Wp each in 3 parallel strings with 6 series modules in each string. The PV panel is
installed at a tilt angle of 15° towards the North. The size of the DC pump is 700 Watts. In addition, a
205 m motor cable with a cross-sectional area of 35 mm² is also required, of which a 3-phase cable is
used as a power cable and a 1-phase cable is for grounding. A plastic pipe of 200 m long with an inner
diameter of 50 mm is used to deliver water from the pump to the collection pond. The control and
safety systems consist of a set of PV disconnects and a surge protector.
PV panel PV Controller 700 W

900 Wp disconnect
Grounding rod Surge protector

Safety rope
Submersible pump 700 W
Splicing kit
Figure 10. The technical design of an SWPS for salt production in Patutrejo Village.
3.3 Performance Analysis

As shown in Figure 11(a), the SWPS pumps water throughout the year with a small seasonal variation,
ranging from 31 m3 per day in January (when the radiation is around 4 peak sun hour/PSH) to 38 m3
per day in August and September (when the radiation is around 5,3 PSH). The annual average volume
of water pumped is 35 m3 per day, or about 12,650 m3 annually. The higher water production during
the dry season matches the salt production target, which is also higher.
Figure 11(b) shows the pump performance. It is shown that when the radiation is 800 Watt (an
average level for Patutrejo), the PV panel has 586 W of power. This power level can rotate the pump
as fast as 2480 rpm (maximum value is 2640 rpm) and produces 5.1 m3 of water per hour (maximum
value is 5, 6 m3 per hour). Thus the pump efficiency is 39% (from a maximum value of 47%). It can be
concluded that, with the day-to-day radiation, the SWPS system in Patutrejo would work well.
8
Flow rate (m3/hour)

Power (kW)
(a) (b)
Figure 11. Performance analysis of SWPS in Patutrejo Village: (a) radiation and water output,
(b) pump.
3.4 Economic Analysis

The total capital cost required to construct an SWPS to provide sufficient water demand for the salt
production site in Patutrejo Village is around Rp. 90 million (including 10% Value Added Tax). The
costs do not cover piping and fencing. Since the existing operational cost is around Rp. 9.5 million per
annum, the simple payback period (SPP) can be calculated as 9.5 years. The SPP period is quite long,
mainly because the size of the system is small and it comprises only a single project. Capital costs (per
system) could be lower if several systems are installed simultaneously, which is also a principle of the
economics of scale. Also, the SPP would be shorter if the increase in fuel prices in the future is taken
into account. Although oil price fluctuates over time, data from 1986 to 2021 show a clear increase in
oil price [7]. The average price of oil in 1986 was $ 15/barrel. In August 2021, Brent crude oil prices
averaged $ 71/barrel [8]. The U.S. Energy Information Administration [9] predicted that, by 2030,
Brent crude oil nominal price will rise to $ 89/barrel, $ 132/barrel by 2040, and $ 185/barrel by 2050.
The capital cost could be provided through several approaches. Given the situation in Indonesia, a
grant would be a source of funding because small farmers usually run the business to meet essential
life needs. Grants could come from the government, non-government, and international agencies.
Another approach would be a soft loan from financial institutions. We suggest that a grant would be an
ideal financial model for an SWPS in Indonesia. However, to ensure sustainability, farmers should
contribute to providing operational costs and costs for component replacement.
4. Conclusions and Suggestions

The costs of constructing an SWPS for salt production in Patutrejo Village are quite expensive
compared to the current operational costs incurred by the farmers. The capital cost could be provided
through a grant or soft loan. However, an SWPS can be an attractive option if the shortage of fuel
often experienced by the farmers was considered, and the cost (money and time) of long hours queuing
for getting the fuel was calculated. An SWPS is practical without needing fuel. The fuel price that will
be more expensive in the future, if considered, will make the SWPS system financially more attractive.
The strong point of an SWPS is that PV modules can operate for 20 to 25 years using free solar energy.
This can be achieved by good O&M practice, whereas the farmed should be given sufficient training
of the O&M of an SWPS. SWPS promises a long-term, practical, reliable, and sustainable solution for
salt farmers in Patutrejo.
All metals, except for gold, can corrode due to exposure to salt. To install an SWPS near the sea,
within fewer than 200 meters from the coast, it is necessary to observe salt resistance standards for
solar panels. Most Tier 1 solar modules are salt-resistant. As part of the guidance, IEC 61701 regulates
the installation of solar power systems near the sea. Corrosion from salt vapors could also be
prevented by painting all metal surfaces.
9
Further research should discuss more detail about the cost comparison between salt production
using the existing (diesel) method compared to an SWPS as a source of energy as well as the effect of
a different method in energy production on the price of salt in the market.
References
[1] Hartung H and Pluschke L 2018 The benefits and risks of solar-powered irrigation - a global
overview (Genewa)
[2] Welsien K, Purcell C, Kogi R and Batarda C 2018 Solar Pumping: The Basic Report
[3] Action Against Hunger International 2020 Electrical Design and Installation of solar pumps:
Guidelines (Paris)
[4] Sass J and Hahn A 2020 Solar Powered Irrigation Systems (SPIS) (Bonn: GIZ)
[5] DINPPKP Purworejo 2020 Alih fungsi lahan tambak udang menjadi tambak garam dilakukan
oleh petani garam
[6] Sallam M, Kumar A, Ali F, Jung H and Gitonga S 2019 Solar Energy Programming
Operational Guideline (Sana’a: UNDP Yemen)
[7] US Energy Information Administration 2021 Petroleum & Other Liquids: Spot Prices of Crude
Oil in Dollars per Barrel, Products in Dollars per Gallon.
[8] Amadeo K 2021 Oil Price Forecast 2021-2050 Balanc.
[9] U.S. Energy Information Administration 2021 Annual Energy Outlook 2021
10

IOP Conf. Ser. Earth Environ. Sci. 927 012021

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

IOP Conf. Ser. Earth Environ. Sci. 927 012021

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

IOP Conf. Ser. Earth Environ. Sci. 927 012021

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science

PAPER • OPEN ACCESS You may also like

- Wire position system to consistently

This content was downloaded from IP address 125.165.110.156 on 24/01/2022 at 10:32

Design and Analysis of Solar Water Pumping for Salt

Kunaifi1*, Liliana1, Harris Simaremare 1, Mulyono1, Wahyu Anjarjati2

As an alternative solution, harnessing solar energy to pump seawater is promising compared to

1.2 Situation Analysis

Seashore Salt production

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

 Daily water demand

 Expected solar radiation

 Required water flow rate

 Required water flow rate

3. Results and Discussion

3.1 Input Information

Figure 9. Schematic diagram of SWPS in Patutrejo.

Tabel 1. Design information

3.2 Technical Design

PV panel PV Controller 700 W

Grounding rod Surge protector

3.3 Performance Analysis

Flow rate (m3/hour)

3.4 Economic Analysis

4. Conclusions and Suggestions

You might also like