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LEC 2

The document provides an overview of photovoltaic (PV) solar cells, explaining their working principle based on the photovoltaic effect and detailing the components involved, such as n-type and p-type silicon. It classifies solar cells into three types: monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and amorphous silicon, highlighting their efficiencies and applications. Additionally, it discusses the characteristics and parameters of PV cells, including their equivalent circuits and performance metrics under various conditions.

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Abdulrahman Mohammed
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© © All Rights Reserved
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3 views

LEC 2

The document provides an overview of photovoltaic (PV) solar cells, explaining their working principle based on the photovoltaic effect and detailing the components involved, such as n-type and p-type silicon. It classifies solar cells into three types: monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and amorphous silicon, highlighting their efficiencies and applications. Additionally, it discusses the characteristics and parameters of PV cells, including their equivalent circuits and performance metrics under various conditions.

Uploaded by

Abdulrahman Mohammed
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Solar Energy

Part II

Photovoltaic
Convert Sun Light into Electricity
Working principle of Solar cell

Principle: The solar cells are based on the


principles of photovoltaic effect. The photovoltaic effect
is the photogeneration of charge carriers in a light
absorbing materials because of absorption of light
radiation.

This can be done in two steps:

1- Photogeneration of charge carriers like electrons and


protons by means of PN junction.

2- Give these charge carriers more energy from the light


2
Photovoltaic power
Photovoltaic cells
Valence electrons

Tabs

Grid lines

The device which


convert
Sunlight into
electrical energy
is PV solar cell 3
Photovoltaic power
Photovoltaic cells: Cross section

4
Photovoltaic power
I- Photovoltaic cells: Parts
◼ Front contact (tabs and grid lines)
◼ Collects current generated by the cell – negative contact
◼ Tab material generally copper with tin coating
◼ Large tabbing – loses area: Small tabbing has greater
resistance

◼ Anti reflective coating (~150 nm thick)


◼ Stops silicon reflecting ~1/3 of the light (reduces this to 5% -
texturing reduces this to <2%) silicon monoxide is a common
coating

5
Photovoltaic power
Photovoltaic cells: Parts
◼ n-type silicon (~300nm thick)
◼ silicon doped with phosphorous forming the negative side
of the cell.

◼ p-type
silicon (250,000 nm thick)
◼ p-n junction
◼ Where n and p type silicon meet
◼ Sometimes called the depletion zone

◼ silicon doped with boron forming the positive side of the


cell

◼ Back contact 6
7
PV Cell principle of operation

8
Photovoltaic power
Photovoltaic cells: How they work:
the silicon atom
Valence electrons

9
N-type

Exploring Solar © 2018 The NEED Project


P-type

Exploring Solar © 2018 The NEED Project


P-N
Junction

Exploring Solar © 2018 The NEED Project


Single Solar cell

N-type

P-type

14
II- Types of PV Solar cell
Based on the types of crystal used, soar cells can be classified as,
1. Monocrystalline silicon cells
2. Polycrystalline silicon cells
3. Amorphous silicon cells
1. The Monocrystalline silicon cell is produced from pure
silicon (single crystal). Since the Monocrystalline silicon is
pure and defect free, the efficiency of cell will be higher.
2. In polycrystalline solar cell, liquid silicon is used as raw material
and polycrystalline silicon was obtained followed by solidification
process. The materials contain various crystalline sizes. Hence,
the efficiency of this type of cell is less than Monocrystalline cell.

3. Amorphous silicon was obtained by depositing silicon film on the substrate


like glass plate.

15
Types of PV Solar cell

• The layer thickness amounts to less than 1µm – the


thickness of a human hair for comparison is 50-100 µm.

• The efficiency of amorphous cells is much lower than that


of the other two cell types.

• As a result, they are used mainly in low power


equipment, such as watches and pocket calculators, or
as facade elements.

16
Types of solar cells
Amorphous silicon /
thin film silicon cells
Monocrystalline silicon cell Polycrystalline silicon cell

Made from cells cut from an Made by depositing


Made using cells saw-cut
ingot of melted and silicon in a thin
from a single cylindrical
recrystallised silicon homogenous layer onto
crystal of silicon
a substrate
Commercial solar cells technology,
materials and efficiency
Comparison of Types of PV solar cell

Material Efficiency (%)

Monocrystalline silicon 14-20

Polycrystalline silicon 13-16

Amorphous silicon 5-8

19
III- PV Solar Cell Characteristics
P-V Junction
Diode Characteristic
Simplified PV Solar Cell Equivalent Circuit
I-V characteristic under dark condition
I-V characteristic of simplified circuit
The Actual I-V characteristic
PV Solar Cell Equivalent Circuit
Current in the Equivalent Circuit
Current in the Equivalent Circuit
Current in the Equivalent Circuit
PV Cell Parameters from I-V and P-V Characteristics
PV Cell Parameters
PV Cell Parameters
PV Cell Parameters
PV Cell Parameters
Effect of Irradiance on the I-V Characteristic
PV Cell Parameters
PV Parameters
Effect of Change in Irradiant on P-V Characteristic
Solar Cell Parameters Datasheet
Solar Cell Parameters Datasheet
Solar Cell Parameters Datasheet
Effect of Temperature
Effect of Temperature
Effect of Temperature
Effect of Temperature
Effect of Temperature
Effect of Temperature
Effect of Temperature
Effect of Temperature
Effect of Temperature
The Fill Factor
Effect of Temperature
Equivalent circuit of a solar cell

where
• I = output current (ampere)
• IL = photo generated current (ampere)
• ID = diode current (ampere)
• ISH = shunt current (ampere).
Diode

◼
Diode
A junction temperature of 25◦C is often used as
a standard, which results in the following diode
equation
Solar cell

where
• RSH = shunt resistance (Ω).
PV Solar Cell Equivalent Circuit
Mathematical model of PV cell
At Short Circuit

Summary
Iph = Isc
At open circuit
Voc = (kT /q) [ ln(Iph /Io) + 1]
FF = Im x Vm / Isc x Voc
Example 1
◼
Example 2
For the simple equivalent circuit for a 0.005 m2 photovoltaic cell shown below, the
reverse saturation current is I0 = 10-9 A and at an insolation of 1-sun the short-
circuit current is ISC = 1 A,. At 25◦C, find the following:

a. The open-circuit voltage.


b. The load current when the output voltage is V = 0.5 V.
c. The power delivered to the load when the output
voltage is 0.5 V.
d. The efficiency of the cell at V = 0.5 V.
Solution of Example 2
◼
Example 3
A PV solar cell has area 0.01 m2, reverse saturation current
of Io = 10-9 A, shunt resistance of 20 Ω, series resistance
of o.01 Ω and at standard test condition it is connected
to a load resistance which gives the maximum power
point of Vm = 0.5 V and Im = 3.5 A.
Find the following at maximum power point:
i. Draw the cell equivalent circuit.
ii. The load resistance. iii. The short circuit current.
iv. The open circuit voltage. v. The fill factor.
vi. The efficiency of the cell.
The Solar Cell Equivalent Circuit
Rs = 20 Ω, Rsh = 0.01 Ω
of Vm = 0.5 V, and Im = 3.5 A., Io = 10-9 A
Area 0.01 m2
Solution of Example 3
i- The load resistance at maximum power point = Vm / Im
Rm = 0.5 / 3.5 = 0.143 Ω
ii- Isc = ID + Ish + IL
IL = 3.5 A
Vsh = V + IL x Rs = o.5 + 3.5 x 0.01 = 0.535 V
Then Ish = Vsh / Rsh = 0.535 / 20 = 0.0268 A

-9 0.535/0.0257

ID = 10 e - 1 = 1.1 A
ii- Then Isc = 1.1 + 0.0268 + 3.5 = 4.627 A
Solution of Example 3
iii- Voc = kT /q[ ln(Iph /Io) + 1 ]
= 0.0.0268[ ln 4.627/I0 + 1]
= 0.58 V
iv- The Fill Factor = IL x VL / Isc x Voc
= 3.5 x 0.5 / 4.627 x 0.58
= 0.652
V- The Efficiency = Po / Pin = 3.5 x 0.5/0.01 x 1000
= 0.175 = 17.5 %

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