Solar Photovoltaic systems

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 PHOTOVOLTAIC ENERGY
CONVERSION
Photovoltaic systems convert sunlight directly into electricity, and are
potentially one of the most useful of the renewable energy technologies.
Also known as solar cells, PV systems are already an important part of
our lives. The simplest systems power many of the small calculators and
wrist watches we use everyday.
The conversion efficiency of a PV cell is the proportion of sunlight
energy that the cell converts into electrical energy.
A solar cell is essentially a semiconductor device fabricated in a manner
which generates a voltage when solar radiation falls on it.
Solar electricity systems capture the sun's energy using photovoltaic
(PV) cells.
The cells convert the sunlight into electricity, which can be used to run
household appliances and lighting.
A SOLAR CELL is a solid state electrical device that converts energy of
light directly into electricity by Photoelectric Effect.
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 PHOTOELECTRIC EFFECT
When photons of light hit electrons in the silicon lattice and provide
energy to flow. Introducing dopants such as boron and phosphorus
into the silicon lattice provides a direction for the electrons to flow.
Finally, electrons flowing from one cell into the next cell in a module
gain about 1/2 volt from each cell.

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PV CELLS,MODULES &
ARRAYS

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A PV System typically consists of 3 basic components:

PV cells - Electricity is generated by PV cells, the smallest unit of

a PV system.

Modules - PV cells are wired together to form modules which are

usually a
sealed, or encapsulated, unit of convenient size for handling.

Arrays – Groups of panels make up an array.

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PV CELL

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Solar cells are fixed on a board and connected in series and parallel
combinations to provide the required voltage and power to form a
photovoltaic (PV) module.
To protect the cells from damage the module is hermetically sealed
between a plate of toughened glass and layers of Ethyl Vinyl Acetate.
A terminal box is attached to the back of module where the two ends of
solar string are shouldered to the terminals.
When the PV module is in use, terminals are connected directly to the
load.

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 SEMICONDUCTOR
A semiconductor has electrical conductivity due to electron flow (as
opposed to ionic conductivity) intermediate in magnitude between
that of a conductor and an insulator.
Semiconducting materials are the foundation of modern electronics,
and are used in transistors, solar cells, many kinds of diodes
including the light-emitting diode, and digital and analog integrated
circuits.
Semiconductor PV cells directly convert light energy into electrical
energy. In metals, current is carried by the flow of electrons. In
semiconductors, current is often schematized as being carried
either by the flow of electrons or by the flow of positively charged
"holes" in the electron structure of the material (in both cases only
electron movements are actually involved).
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 ATOM

 An atom is the smallest constituent unit of ordinary matter that has the properties of a
chemical element.
 Atoms are very small; typical sizes are around 100 picometers (a ten- billionth of a meter, in
the short scale). KPR Institute of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India 12
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 PV CELL WORKING PRINCIPLE
Photovoltaic cells are made of special materials called
semiconductors such as silicon. An atom of silicon has 14
electrons, arranged in three different shells. The outer shell has 4
electrons.
Therefore a silicon atom will always look for ways to fill up its last
shell, and to do this, it will share electrons with four nearby atoms.
Now we use phosphorus(with 5 electrons in its outer shell).
Therefore when it combines with silicon, one electron remains free.

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A PV module produces DC power. To operate electrical appliances
used in households, inverters are used to convert DC power into
220 V, 50 Hz AC power. Components other than PV modules are
collectively known as balance of system (BOS) which includes
storage batteries, an electronic charge controller and an inverter.
When sunlight strikes solar cell surface, the cell creates charge
carrier as electrons and holes. The internal field produced by
junction separates some of positive charges (holes) from negative
charges (electrons). Holes are swept into positive or p-layer and
electrons are swept into negative or n-layer.
When a circuit is made, free electrons have to pass through the load
to recombine with positive holes; current can be produced from the
cells under illumination.
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STRUCTURE OF SOLAR CELL

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 ELECTRICITY BASICS
 Electrical Current – how many
electrons
 Voltage – how hard they’re pushed
 Power – what they can accomplish
 Circuit – where they can go
 Series Circuit – one pathway only
 Parallel Circuit – so many choices!

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 PARALLEL CIRCUITS & SERIES
CIRCUITS
Parallel circuits Series circuits

Maintain potential (voltage is Maintain electrical flow (current is

constant) constant)
Current is divided among Voltage is divided among
components components
If one light goes out, the others Easy to open circuit quickly
stay lit

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COMPONENTS OF SOLAR PV
SYSTEM

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Solar Module is the essential component of any solar PV system
that converts sunlight directly into DC electricity.
Solar Charge Controller regulates voltage and current from solar
arrays, charges the battery, prevents battery from overcharging and
also performs controlled over discharges.
Battery stores current electricity that produces from solar arrays for
using when sunlight is not visible, nighttime or other purposes.
Inverter is a critical component of any solar PV system that
converts DC power output of solar arrays into AC for AC
appliances.
Lightning protection prevents electrical equipment's from
damages caused by lightning or induction of high voltage surge. It
is required for the large size and critical solar PV systems, which
include the efficient grounding.
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 APPLICATIONS OF SOLAR CELL
Home Indoor and outdoor lighting system, electrical equipment, electric gate opener, security
system, ventilator, water pump, water filter and emergency light, etc

Lighting system Bus stop lighting, telephone booth lighting, billboard lighting, parking lot lighting,
indoor and outdoor lighting and street lighting, etc.

Water pumping Consumption, public utility, livestock watering, agriculture, gardening and farming,
mining and irrigation, etc.
Battery charging system Emergency power system, battery charging center for rural village and power supply for
household use and lighting in remote area, etc.
Agriculture Water pumping, agricultural products fumigator, thrashing machines and water
sprayer, etc
Cattle Water pumping, oxygen filling system for fish-farming and insect trapped lighting, etc

Health center Refrigerator and cool box for keeping medicines and vaccines and medical
equipment, etc
Communication Air navigational aid, air warning light, lighthouse, beacon navigation aid, illuminated
road sign, railway crossing sign, street lighting and emergency telephone, etc

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 APPLICATION OF PV SYSTEMS
Solar PV power systems are categories into four
classes.
 Standalone
 PV hybrid
 Grid connected
 Solar power satellite

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GRID CONNECTION

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 Table 5.1 highlights the key features of the three solar technologies.

Parabolic Trough Dish/Engine Power Tower

Size 30-320 MW 5-25 kW 10-200 MW

Operating Temperature
390/734 750/1382 565/1049
(ºC/ºF)

Annual Capacity Factor 23-50 % 25 % 20-77 %

Peak Efficiency 20%(d) 29.4%(d) 23%(p)

Net Annual Efficiency 11(d)-16% 12-25%(p) 7(d)-20%

Commercially Scale-up
Commercial Status Demonstration AvailableDemonstration
Prototype

Technology
Low High Medium
Development Risk
Storage Available Limited Battery Yes

Hybrid Designs Yes Yes Yes

Cost USD/W 2,7-4,0 1,3-12,6 2,5-4,4

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 SOLAR SYSTEM DESIGN
 Power (watts) = current (Amps) X voltage (volts)

 Energy (kWh)=Power (kW) X Time (hours)

 Voltage Drop (volts) = Current (amps) X Resistance (ohms)

 Components size depending upon our requirement.

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 SOLAR CELL EFFICIENCY
• The efficiency of a solar cell (sometimes known as the power
conversion efficiency, or PCE, and also often abbreviated η)
represents the ratio where the output electrical power at the
maximum power point on the IV curve is divided by the incident
light power – typically using a standard AM1.5G simulated solar
spectrum.

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The efficiency of a solar cell is determined as the fraction of incident power
which is converted to electricity and is defined as:

Pmax= Voc IscFF η = Voc Isc FF/Pinc

where Voc is the open-circuit voltage

where Isc is the short-circuit current
where FF is the fill factor
where η is the efficiency.

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THANK YOU

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