The rate of energy generation or power from the solar cell. To plot the vi characteristics of the solar cell and hence determine the fill factor. Multiply the panel area times the incoming solar radiation to find the maximum possible power if the panel converted all solar radiation to electricity. The sequence is a simple set of repeating steps including oxidation, etching, diffusion, cleaning and patterning.
In the first part of the lab we wanted to see how changing the intensity of light affected the. Solar cell mounted on the front panel in a metal box with connections brought out on terminals. At a distance of 20 cm the solar module must only be illuminated for the duration of the experiment. Place the solar cell next to a light source, with the negative electrode facing the source. 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. The solar cell is a commercially available triplejunction solar cell manufactured by. 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. Students are introduced to the concept of converting sunlight to electricity with photovoltaic pv cells by conducting a lab activity to determine the effect of several variables on the output of a pv cell. Various photovoltaic pv solar cell technologies are currently being developed in three. Pdf the tacsat4 solar cell experiment will measure the current and voltage characteristics of advanced emcore btjm solar cells thinned to 100 microns. A schematic of the pvelectrolysis system is shown in fig. The solar cell is a commercially available triplejunction solar cell manufactured by solar junction. Solar photovoltaic cells introduction one method of converting energy from the sun solar energy is to use a solar cell also known as a photovoltaic cell.
Hoedsc01 is an effective tool for evaluating the characteristics of solar cell. Mar 23, 2019 solar cell is a device or a structure that converts the solar energy i. Since the voltage is too small for most applications, to produce a useful voltage, the cells are connected in series into. Measurement of solar cell efficiency the most fundamental of solar cell characterization techniques is the measurement of cell efficiency. The physics guide is a free and unique educational youtube channel. Solar cells are usually coated with antireflective materials so that they absorb the maximum amount of light energy. Solar v cell i use the flux meter to determine the input intensities be sure you understand the scale. Jul 28, 2017 the physics guide is a free and unique educational youtube channel. Solar powered toys, calculators, and roadside telephone call boxes all use solar cells to convert sunlight into electricity. The ftsce is being fielded in response to recent onorbit and ground test anomalies associated. When charged by the sun, this basic unit generates a dc photovoltage of 0.
The silicon solar cell used in this experiment can essentially be represented by the simplified equivalent circuit shown in figure 8, which consists of a constant. The circuit allows the electrons to flow to the electronpoor back of the cell from the electronrich front of the cell. Apparatus 17 v nominal thin film amorphous silicon solar module, four 100 w halogen lamps, small electronic circuits to control load voltage of solar panel, standard data acquisition equipment. 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.
In our solar cell experiment, we were tasked with experimenting with solar panels and how they function. In this experiment a variable resistor is used to obtain a series of voltage and current pairs. Solar energy can be part of a mixture of renewable energy sources used to meet the need for electricity. The fill factor is the degree to which the v curve approximates the j. Solar cell, also called photovoltaic cell, any device that directly converts the energy of light into electrical energy through the photovoltaic effect. Nowadays, many households have converted their home to be powered solely by solar power, reaping all the advantages offered by the sun.
In a school classroom, this can be done by laying the cell on top of the lens of an overhead projector. Short circuit current, i sc, flows when the external resistance is zero v 0 and is the maximum current delivered by the solar cell at a given illumination level. This was because i tried to setup before dawn and things began to gather dew. Study of iv characteristic of a solar cell illuminated by an incandescent lamp, at. P s1 characteristic curve dark and light iv of the solar module. The objective of this experiment is to find a distinct relationship between a solar cells power output and its angle of incident with sunlight. Characteristics of solar cell fill factor experiment youtube.
Record the current and voltage for your solar cell when in indoors under light, direct sun, and in the shade outdoors. An experiment to measure the ivcharacteristics of a silicon solar cell. Using photovoltaic cells also called solar cells, solar energy can be. The ptype silicon is produced by adding atomssuch as boron or galliumthat have one less electron in their outer energy level than does silicon. A simple solar cell experiment the following experiment was performed using a commercial polycrystalline silicon solar cell with an active area of 8. Exploring solar energy student guide seven activities grades. A solar cell uses the photovoltaic effect to convert solar radiation directly to dc electrical energy. We modified the procedure a bit, trying to enhance the efficiency of the resultant cells, so we will touch on the modifications of the process.
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 cells are characterized using a voltage current curve. A solar cell is made of two types of semiconductors, called ptype and ntype silicon. Use a current source representing the photoelectric current and resistors representing the shunt and series resistances. 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. Measurement of short circuit current iesc with biasing the solar cell and compare it. Light shining on the solar cell produces both a current and a voltage to generate electric power. This apparatus allows students in introductory physics course to plot iv characteristics of a solar cell by a simple experiment. Solar cells are made of two thin pieces of silicon, the substance that makes up sand and the second. Under illumi nation from an artificial light source with an intensity of 8. Solar cells produce direct current dc electricity and an inverter can be used to change this to alternating current ac electricity.
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. P s1 characteristic curve dark and light iv of the solar. Two ways to make electricity from solar energy are. This educational material is brought to you by the u.
In this weeks class we conducted a series of experiments concerning photovoltaic cells. In practice, when a load is present a potential difference develops between the terminals of the cell. Department of energys office of energy efficiency and renewable energy. Todd kaiser montana state university solar cell lab manual july 2009 this manual was designed for use with the montana microfabrication facility at montana state university. The cells are tested under varying resistance loads and varying light levels. Few facts of solar energy are explained below a perovskite structured compound is present in perovskite solar cell. Efficiency of a solar cell objective how efficient is a solar cell at converting the suns energy into power. A solar cell is a semiconductor pn junction diode as shown in figure 1. To do this, record two further characteristic curves, changing the distance between the lamp and the solar module e. The aim of this lab exercise is to experimentally create the current vs. Heat the solar cell for 30 seconds, take a reading. Be sure to record the correct units with your measurements. Experiments with photovoltaic cells university of oregon. Part b semiconductor devices experiment series 3 solar cell solar cell prelaboratory assignment draw the equivalent circuit representing a solar cell.
Near the junction of the two layers, the electrons on one. Since the efficiency of a diode is dependent on its temperature, you will want to be careful that the photocell temperature is kept constant throughout the. I tested all the tracking and data logging software routines before running the experiment outside with the real tracker hardware. To study the characteristics of solar cell to study the. In the ntype layer, there is an excess of electrons, and in the ptype layer, there is an excess of positively charged holes which are vacancies due to the lack of valence electrons. When the pv cell is placed in the sun, the radiant energy energizes the free electrons. Voltage for an actual solar cell under various illumination conditions. Jun 20, 2017 photovoltaic solar cell ppt and pdf report. Because boron has one less electron than is required to form the bonds with the surrounding silicon atoms, an electron vacancy or hole is created. In this video we will study the characteristics of solar cell.
An experiment to measure the ivcharacteristics of a. We also compare operation and e ciencies of devices in section 10. Experimental arrangement for solar cell characteristics apparatus. Pv characterization lab purpose in this lab you will measure the current versus voltage for several photovoltaic cells using computer probeware. The objective of this experiment is to explore solar cells as renewable energy sources and test their efficiency in converting solar radiation to electrical power.
Since the efficiency of a diode is dependent on its temperature, you will want to be careful that the photocell temperature is kept constant throughout the experiment. Repeat the experiment for different values of lamp voltage say150, 200. The resulting curve is a measure of the overall performance of the cell. Solar water splitting by photovoltaicelectrolysis with a. Solar energy can also be used to produce electricity.
This potential generates a current which acts in the opposite direction to the photocurrent, and the net current is reduced from its short circuit value. Similarly, the open circuit voltage, v oc, is the potential that develops across the terminals of the solar cell when the external load. Alternative methods of solar energy are discussed in part v. Place the pv cell directly in the sun or under a lamp so that the cell becomes warm. Experiment instructions to carry out an investigation into the factors affecting the voltage produced by a solar cell. In the first part of the lab we wanted to see how changing the intensity of light affected the amount of electricity produced by the solar cell. Effect of temperature on a solar panel results carrying out the experiment. 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. The most obvious use for solar cells is to serve as the primary building block for creating a solar. A solar cell is an electronic device which directly converts sunlight into electricity. Measure the surface area of the solar cells on the photovoltaic panel. Photovoltaic cells are also called pv cells or solar cells for short. An experiment to measure the ivcharacteristics of a silicon. These solar cells are fabricated using a combination of thin film deposition and etching techniques.
Experiments with pv cells uo solar radiation monitoring. Specific performance characteristics of solar cells are summarized, while the methods and equipment used for measuring these characteristics are emphasized. The large surface area indicated in light blue is exposed to incident light energy. Solar cell characterization apparatus iv characteristics. Apparatus for characteristic study of solar cell model no. Two meters mounted on the front panel to measure the solar cell voltage and current. Currently, solar energy is recognized as one of the most promising options to address the issue 1,2. Photovoltaic panels are oriented to maximize the use of the suns light, and the system angles can be. Standardized testing allows the comparison of devices manufactured at different companies and laboratories with. Finding the efficiency of a solar cell while driving an electric motor.
A solar cell consists of a layer of ptype silicon placed next to a layer of ntype silicon fig. An overview of the sequence is shown to the right figure 1. The short circuit current is a function of the pn junction area collecting the light. This channel covers theory classes, practical classes, demonstrations, animations, physics fun, puzzle and many more of the physics. In a home setting, another light source, such as a spotlight or the sun itself, can be substituted. In chapter 21, which is the last chapter of the regular text, we discuss solar fuels, which allow to store solar energy on the long term in the form of chemical energy.
Using photovoltaic cells also called solar cells, solar energy can be converted into electricity. The basic principle behind the function of solar cell is based on photovoltaic effect. Record the incoming solar radiation in using the sdl1 solar data logger described in the previous section. In chapter 20 we introduce different concepts related to solar thermal energy.
Heat the solar cell with a hair dryer for 15 seconds, take a reading. The solar cell system we developed in this project is dyesensitized solar cell, composed of the tio 2 layer acting as the. I setup the equipment outside once the day began to warm. A solar cell is basically a semiconductor pn junction device. The solar cell is the basic building block of solar photovoltaics. It is based on a semiconductor formed between a photosensitized anode and an electrolyte, a photoelectrochemical system. Part 1 was an experiment to determine whether the distance of the source of light from the photovoltaic cell. You can determine the influence of light intensity on the power of the solar module. A dyesensitized solar cell dssc, dsc, dysc or gratzel cell is a lowcost solar cell belonging to the group of thin film solar cells. Solar energy is undoubtedly the future trend of energy.
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. For the entire procedure, see the nanocrystalline solar cell kit from the institute for. If you measure the voltage of solar cell with no loadthat is the open. Materials on the international space station forward. A typical iv curve and power curve of a solar cell fig 4. In order to get readings that encompassed the full range of the multimeter three solar cells were attached in series, their voltages add.
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