Solar electric system design, operation and installation. Application note electrical characterization of es iesr. This cell when exposed to light can generate and support an electric current without being attached to any external voltage source. As shown in the given diagram the solar cell is like an ordinary diode. A solar cell or the photovoltaic cell is an electrical device that converts light energy directly into electricity. This maximal efficiency is considered achievable using a semiconductor within a restricted bandgap range of 1. Altermatt 2,3,c, and klaus ramspeck 3,d 1 max planck institute of microstructure physics, weingerg 2, 06120 halle, germany 2 leibniz university hannover, dep.
As a result, the demand for solar cells, which convert sunlight directly into electricity, is growing. The term solar panel is used colloquially for a photovoltaic pv module. Modeling electrical characteristics of a pnjunction silicon solar cell using pspice 5. The photovoltaic pv effect is the basis of the conver sion of lightto electricityin photovoltaic, or solar, cells. When light reaches the pn junction, the light photons can easily enter in the junction, through very thin ptype layer. Many different solar cell technologies are being developed, for various applications rooftops, solar power plants, satellites, backpacks or clothing, etc. A solar cell has a maximumpower point where the product of vi is maximum. For the purpose of the electrical characteristics of a solar cell, the inside of that black box can be described by an electric cicuit with only 4components. The cell can be considered as a two terminal device which conducts like a diode in the dark and generates a photovoltage when charged by the sun. The overwhelming majority of solar cells are fabricated from silicon with increasing efficiency and lowering cost as the materials range from amorphous noncrystalline to polycrystalline to. Shading one cell will essentially turn off all the cells in its group.
Solar cells are also called photovoltaic pv cells, photo meaning light and voltaic meaning electricity, which generate electricity directly from visible light by means of the photovoltaic effect. Schematic diagram of the band structure of an organic solar cell having only one material in the active layer and di. However, more than 90 % of the solar cells currently made worldwide consist of waferbased silicon cells. Fundamental research funds for the central universities. Solar simulators and solar cell iv measurements products. Switch on the lamp to expose the light on solar cell. The highest lab efficiency in thin film technology is 23. Nov 08, 2011 solar cell efficiency the efficiency of a solar cell sometimes known as the power conversion efficiency, or pce, and also often abbreviated. Note down the observation of voltage and current in table 1.
Second generation solar cells comprise of thin lms of materials like amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride and copper indium gallium diselenide. Pv characterization lab purpose in this lab you will measure the current versus voltage for several photovoltaic cells using computer probeware. Lecture 3 types of solar cells experiment 3 generations. Pdf modelling of solar cell characteristics considering the. This process requires firstly, a material in which the absorption of light raises an electron to a higher energy state, and secondly, the movement of this higher energy electron from the solar cell into an external circuit. Modeling electrical characteristics of a pnjunction. A solar cell is a semiconductor pn junction diode, normally without an external bias, that provides electrical power to a load when illuminated figure 1.
A solar cell also known as a photovoltaic cell or pv cell is defined as an electrical device that converts light energy into electrical energy through the photovoltaic effect. The fill factor, more commonly known by its abbreviation ff, is a parameter which, in conjunction with v oc and i sc, determines the. C60 solar cell mono crystalline silicon c60 solar cell sunpowers high efficiency advantage benefits maximum light capture sunpowers allback contact cell design moves gridlines to the back of the cell, leaving the entire front surface exposed to sunlight, enabling up to 10% more sunlight capture than conventional cells. In addition to reflecting the performance of the solar cell itself, the efficiency depends on the spectrum and intensity of the incident sunlight and the temperature of the solar cell. Mathematical model derivation of solar cell by using. The systems computer gathers data, calculates solar cell parameters, generates printable test reports, and saves test data in text files. Illuminate the solar module well with a lamp the distance between the lamp and the solar module should be about 30 cm, the shortcircuit current should be approx. Solar cell fill factor ff graph of cell output current red line and power blu e line as function of voltage. Now, when this two type of silicon interact, an electric field forms at the junction which prevents more electrons to move to pside. They are either cut from a single crystal rod or from a block composed of many crystals and are correspondingly called monocrystalline or multicrystalline silicon solar cells. Two characteristics of the defects would help the researchers answer those questions. The currentvoltage characteristics of solar cells annual report north carolina state niv. Landis, high temperature solar cell development, nasa report 2005. The iv characteristics of module with a shaded cell.
Introduction analysis of diode parameters extracted from the iv curve of solar cell diodes is a wellknown technique for determining device behavior. Under standard test conditions with solar irradiance wm2, t25 o c and air mass ratio of 1. Characteristics of photovoltaic solar cells analog devices. Two meters mounted on the front panel to measure the solar cell voltage and current. While indium tin oxide ito is the most widely used, alternatives include widerspectrum transparent conductive oxides tcos, conductive. Pnjunction diode when the junction is illuminated, a net current flow takes place in an external lead connecting the ptype and ntype. Solar or photovoltaic pv cells are made up of semiconductor materials that absorb photons from sunlight and then release electrons, causing an. The solar cell characteristics affect the operation of the inverter and design of control system 8. Currentvoltage characteristics of the solar battery a with blower cooling. It is shown in the vi characteristics of solar cell by p m. Ee462l, power electronics, solar power, iv characteristics version january 31, 2012 page 1 of 29 report details choose any of the solar stations, but take your measurements only when the short circuit current is at least 3. Light shining on the solar cell produces both a current and a voltage to generate electric power. Solar panels characteristics current, voltage and power curves of a solar pv panel.
On the basis of the cost problem, we have developed new solar cells based on organic and organicinorganic hybrid materials. They are an important component in a number of electronic devices including liquidcrystal displays, oleds, touchscreens and photovoltaics. The other part of a solar cell is doped with the element boron with 3 electrons in its outer shellto become ptype silicon. The iv characteristics are measured using one of the model 4200scss source measure units smus, which can source and measure both current and voltage. First is the energy level of the defect where it falls between the valence and conduction bands. These iv characteristics are determined by parameters such as diode saturation current, diode ideal ity photo generated current and the presence of parasitic resistances series and shunt resistance. The working principle of a solar cell tu delft ocw. Electrical characteristics iv curve of the solar cell. There are two main types of crystalline silicon panels. Esa publications division co estec, po box 299, 2200 ag noordwijk, the netherlands tel. Two main factors that influence the performance of a solar cell include temperature and solar radiation. The first use of the pv cell was to power a satellite in 1958 and they are still used to power some spacecraft and satellites. Another defining term in the overall behaviour of a solar cell is the fill factor, ff. A solar cell or photovoltaic cell is a device which generates electricity directly from visible light.
A maximum power point tracker tracks instantaneous power and uses this information to dynamically adjust the load so the maximum power is always. The curve shows the turnon and the buildup of the forward bias current in the diode. Issi scientific report sr003 the solar system and beyond. Second is the capture cross section, that is, the area over which a defect at a particular location can capture electrons and holes. In 7, a 180 w zed fabric monocrystalline pv solar panel is tested, and the effects of. Table1 below provides a short summary about the development of the pv cells chaar et. Theoretical efficiency of solar cells at very high. However, the first solar cell has been developed with an efficiency of 6% at the late 1940s. Its solar simulator illuminates the test device while the electronic load sweeps the cell voltage from a reversebias condition, through the power quadrant, and beyond voc. A typical iv curve for a 12 v module is shown at fig.
Results direct, hli, medium b, c purdue school of electrical and computer engineering. The most common material in solar cell production is purified silicon that can be applied in different ways monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic pv cells. Critical factors that affecting efficiency of solar cells. Analysis of electrical characteristics of photovoltaic. The maximum power point of a pv cell varies dynamically with incident solar illumination. Pdf overcoming the bandgap limitation on solar cell. What links here related changes upload file special pages permanent link page. The solar cell is the basic building block of solar photovoltaics. Characteristics of photovoltaic solar cells analog. One way to handle a pspice circuit is to define subcir cuits for the main blocks. When an atom like phosphorus, with more than four bonding electrons, is used to dope silicon, the resulting crystal material is called ntype silicon. Second generation solar cells comprise of thin lms of materials like amorphous silicon.
Vi characteristic of a solar cell can be obtained using this apparatus. The working principle of a solar cell in this chapter we present a very simple model of a solar cell. Transparent conducting films tcfs are thin films of optically transparent and electrically conductive material. Dyesensitized solar cells which combine the unique properties of both the. Schematic diagram of the band structure of a heterojunction organic solar cell.
Solar thermal heating is the result of the whole solar. The a layer structure and b band diagram of a typical cigs. It is a form of photoelectric cell, defined as a device whose electrical characteristics, such as current, voltage, or resistance, vary when exposed to light individual solar cell devices can be. A typical iv curve and power curve of a solar cell fig 4. Solar cells are characterized using a voltage current curve. Note that eng p ro 4 is a purely optical model and does not consider the electrical characteristics. The reader is told why pv cells work, and how they are made. Crystalline silicon, also called wafer silicon, is the oldest and the most widely used material in commercial solar panels. I v plot using the waveforms software, export a data file in.
This process requires firstly, a material in which the absorption of light raises an electron to a higher energy state, and secondly, the movement of this higher energy electron from the solar cell. Solar energy is abundant, in exhaustible, clean, and cheap. Pdf investigation of the relationship between reverse current of. This work upends this assumption by demonstrating that the optimal material. Part ii aims to cover all the physical fundamentals that are required for understanding solar cells in general and the different technologies in particular. Analysis methods of iv characteristics have been introduced in precursory studies 17. The light energy, in the form of photons, supplies sufficient energy to the junction to create a number of electronhole pairs. However, at both of these operating points, the power from the solar cell is zero. This is the ratio that describes how close the iv curve of a solar cell resembles a perfect rectangle, which represents the ideal solar cell. The theory of solar cells explains the process by which light energy in photons is converted into electric current when the photons strike a suitable semiconductor device. Solar energy is tenuous, undependable, and expensive beyond practicality. All the aspects presented in this chapter will be discussed in greater detail in the following chapters. A complete bulk heterojunction organic solar cell is pictured in figure 5. Solar cells can be found almost anywhere, from calculators, childrens toys, torches and satellites etc.
Solar cells are a form of photoelectric cell, defined as a device whose electrical characteristics such as current, voltage, or resistance. Solar cell conversion efficiency the standard solar radiation known as the air mass 1. Byproduct mineral commodities used for the production of. Solar cells are usually coated with antireflective materials so that they absorb the maximum amount of light energy. Many notions presented in this chapter will be new but nonetheless the general idea of how a solar cell works should be clear. Fraunhofer institute for solar energy systems, ise. Vary the load resistance through band switch and note down the current and voltage readings every time in table 1. The efficiency of conversion of solar cell depends mainly on internal quantum efficiency of solar cell and on parasitic resistances. P s1 characteristic curve dark and light iv of the solar. The solar cell system we developed in this project is dyesensitized solar cell, composed of the tio 2 layer acting as the electron carrier and the organic dye layer acting. These cells are then assembled together in multiples to make a solar panel. The theoretical studies are of practical use because they predict the fundamental limits of a solar cell, and give guidance on the phenomena that contribute to losses and solar cell efficiency.
Photovoltaic cellbased powerplants use significant tonnages of mineral materials commonly used for. Electrical characteristics include nominal power pmax, measured in w, open circuit. Perovskite solar cell psc materials a perovskite solar cell. Influence of defects on solar cell characteristics otwin breitenstein 1,a, jan bauer 1,b, pietro p. Solar cell module efficiencies the record lab cell efficiency is 26. For the love of physics walter lewin may 16, 2011 duration. A solar cell, or photovoltaic cell, is an electrical device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect, which is a physical and chemical phenomenon. Normally open circuit voltage of solar cell nearly equal to 0. Pdf in the process of crystalline silicon solar cells production, there exist. The cells are tested under varying resistance loads and varying light levels. Silicon is a popular candidate material for solar pv cells because. A solar cell or photovoltaic pv cell is a semiconductor device that converts light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect. Solar cell, also called photovoltaic cell, any device that directly converts the energy of light into electrical energy through the photovoltaic effect.
The solar cell system we developed in this project is dyesensitized solar cell. After discussing some basics from electrodynamics in chapter 4 and solar radiation in. It is a form of photoelectric cell, defined as a device whose electrical characteristics. To plot the vi characteristics of the solar cell and hence determine the fill factor. Photovoltaics electrical characteristics solar power. The theoretical studies are of practical use because they predict the fundamental limits of a solar cell, and give guidance on the phenomena that contribute to losses and solar cell efficien. The construction and operation of facilities required for. Ee462l, power electronics, solar power, iv characteristics. Monocrystalline silicon pv cells are made from silicon wafers that are cut from. When photon hits solar cell, its energy breaks apart electronhole pairs. However, there are ambivalent views about solar, or photovoltaic, cells ability to supply a significant amount of energy relative to global needs. Solar cells convert the solar radiation directly into elec tricity using photovoltaic cell or the so called solar cells generate electromotive force as a result of absorption of. So, the solar cell costs expensive according to other energy resources products.
Understanding the pn junction university of new south wales. The project has contributed to reducing the price of. Click on the graph to see how the curve changes for a cell with low ff. The large surface area indicated in light blue is exposed to incident light energy. Quantum efficiency is a term intrinsic to the light absorbing material and not the cell as a. A study on the electrical characteristic analysis of csi. An introduction to fuel cells and hydrogen technology by brian cook, heliocentris vancouver, canada whereas the 19th century was the century of the steam engine and the 20th century was the century of the internal combustion engine, it is likely that the 21st century will be the century of the fuel cell. The solar cell uses the photovoltaic effect to produce electricity.
These are re ered to as rst generation solar cells. The shortcircuit current and the opencircuit voltage are the maximum current and voltage respectively from a solar cell. A solar cell is a semiconductor pn junction diode as shown in figure 1. Digitalisation, repowering, new features for grid stabilization and optimization of. The performance of a solar cell is needed to understand the correlation between current and voltage of the cell. In typical solar cell applications there is about 1 dopant atom for every 5,000,000 silicon atoms. If we draw the vi characteristics of a solar cell maximum power will occur at the bend point of the characteristic curve. A solar module can be seen as a black box that with two connectors, producing a current, i, at a voltage, u. Solar cell is the basic unit of solar energy generation system where electrical energy is extracted directly from light energy without any intermediate process. Experimental arrangement for solar cell characteristics apparatus.
Index terms solar cell diodes, junction uniformity, nonideal characteristic, iv, cv i. The thermodynamic efficiency of a single junction solar cell is bounded by the shockleyqueisser detailed balance limit at. Monocrystalline silicon monocrystalline also called single. A diode model there is a current source solar cell. Set the distance between solar cell and lamp in such a way that current meter shows 250 a deflections. V characteristic of the solar cell describes its electrical per formance. Fundamental properties of solar cells, principles and. This is also the case of a solar cell, where a subcircuit facilitates the task of connecting several solar cells in series or in parallel. Solar cell mounted on the front panel in a metal box with connections brought out on terminals. Characteristics of a solar cell and parameters of a solar.
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