SEMINAR REPORT SOLAR MOBILE CHARGER

1. Introduction

The current energy crisis and increasing need for sustainable energy, we endeavored to create a cost-
effective, small-scale electrical generator which could be used to power consumer electronics. Solar
energy has proven its worth as an alternative energy source because it is low-impact and emission-free.
It has been implemented with much success for power grids with hundreds of acres of enormous solar
concentrators. In the small-scale, solar energy has been harvested through the use of photovoltaic (PV)
panels and have been used to power anything from an iPod to a residential home.

Although PV systems are considered part of the green energy revolution, materials utilized for
its construction (like silicon) are extremely dangerous to the environment and much care must be taken
to ensure that they are recycled properly.

PV cells also only utilize the energy stored in specific wavelengths of light and therefore have
an approximate efficiency between 14-19%. Sunlight, however, produces immense amounts of heat
which only serves to heat up the surface of the solar cell. Although there are some PV cells that have
reached efficiency levels over 40% (world record is 41.6%), they are enormously complex and
expensive. Concentrated solar power (CSP) works differently because it focuses solar energy in its
entirety rather than absorb it. Ultimately, our group will be designing and producing a Solar-Powered
Battery.

It works on the principle that when light falls on the solar cell, electron -hole pairs are created in
the n-type emitter and in the p-type base. The generated electrons (from the base) and holes (from the
emitter) then diffuse to the junction and are swept away by the electric field, thus producing. Certain
modules are selected and worked out to suitable specifications. The development of solar charger goes
from the fundamental level like soldering lamination and making the panel etc. The developed charger
is planned for 6 Volts with ma capacity at bright sunlight and step down to 5Volts using regulator. In the
report, the detailed experimental characteristics of mobile charger are noted.

Solar energy is the energy produced directly by the sun and collected elsewhere, normally the
Earth. The sun creates its energy through a thermonuclear process. The process creates heat and

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electromagnetic radiation. Only a very small fraction of the total radiation produced reaches the Earth.
The radiation that does reach the Earth is the indirect source of nearly every type of energy used today.
The radiation that does reach the Earth is the indirect source of nearly every type of energy used today.

The exceptions are geothermal energy, and nuclear fission and fusion. Even fossil fuels owe their
origins to the sun; they were once living plants and animals whose life was dependent upon the sun.
Much of the world's required energy can be supplied directly by solar power. More still can be provided
indirectly. The practicality of doing so will be examined, as well as the benefits and drawbacks. In
addition, the uses solar energy is currently applied to will be noted.

Due to the nature of solar energy, two components are required to have a functional solar energy
generator. These two components are a collector and a storage unit. The collector simply collects the
radiation that falls on it and converts a fraction of it to other forms of energy (either electricity and heat
or heat alone). The storage unit is required because of the non-constant nature of solar energy; at certain
times only a very small amount of radiation will be received. At night or during heavy cloud cover, for
example, the amount of energy produced by the collector will be quite small. The storage unit can hold
the excess energy produced during the periods of maximum productivity, and release it when the
productivity drops. In practice, a backup power supply is usually added, too, for the situations when the
amount of energy required is greater than both what is being produced and what is stored in the container

Due to the increased demand for renewable energy sources, the manufacturing of solar cells and
photovoltaic arrays has advanced considerably in recent years. Solar photovoltaics is a sustainable
energy source. By the end of 2011, a total of 71.1 GW had been installed, sufficient to generate 85
TWh/year. And by end of 2012, the 100 GW installed capacity milestone was achieved. Solar
photovoltaics is now, after hydro and wind power, the third most important renewable energy source in
terms of globally installed capacity. More than 100 countries use solar PV. Installations may be ground-
mounted (and sometimes integrated with farming and grazing) or built into the roof or walls of a building
(either building-integrated photovoltaics or simply rooftop).

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Driven by advances in technology and increases in manufacturing scale and sophistication, the
cost of photovoltaics has declined steadily since the first solar cells were manufactured, and the levelised
cost of electricity (LCOE) from PV is competitive with conventional electricity sources in an expanding
list of geographic regions. Net metering and financial incentives, such as preferential feed-in tariffs for
solar-generated electricity, have supported solar PV installations in many countries. With current
technology, photovoltaics recoup the energy needed to manufacture them in 3 to 4 years. Anticipated
technology would reduce time needed to recoup the energy to 1 to 2 year.

Solar energy is the energy produced directly by the sun and collected elsewhere, normally the
Earth. The sun creates its energy through a thermonuclear process. The process creates heat and
electromagnetic radiation. Only a very small fraction of the total radiation produced reaches the Earth.
The radiation that does reaches the Earth is the indirect source of nearly every type of energy used today.

1.1 History

The term "photovoltaic" comes from the Greek (phōs) meaning "light", and "voltaic", meaning electric,
from the name of the Italian physicist Volta, after whom a unit of electro-motive force, the volt, is named.
The term "photo-voltaic" has been in use in English since 1849.

The photovoltaic effect was first recognized in 1839 by French physicist A. E. Becquerel.
However, it was not until 1883 that the first solar cell was built, by Charles Fritts, who coated the
semiconductor selenium with an extremely thin layer of gold to form the junctions. The device was only
around 1% efficient. Subsequently Russian physicist Aleksandra Stoletov built the first solar cell based
on the outer photoelectric effect (discovered by Heinrich Hertz earlier in 1887). Albert Einstein
explained the photoelectric effect in 1905 for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921.
Russell Ohl patented the modern junction semiconductor solar cell in 1946, which was discovered while
working on the series of advances that would lead to the transistor. The highly efficient solar cell was
first developed by Chapin, Fuller and Pearson in 1954 using a diffused silicon p-n junction. In the past
four decades, remarkable progress has been made, with Megawatt solar power generating plants having
now been built.

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A solar panel (photovoltaic module or photovoltaic panel) is a packaged interconnected assembly

of solar cell, also known as photovoltaic cell. The solar panel is used as a component in a larger
photovoltaic system to offer electricity for commercial and residential applications. Because a single
solar panel can only produce a limited amount of power, many installations contain several panels. This
is known as a photovoltaic array. A photovoltaic installation typically includes an array of solar panels,
an inverter, batteries and interconnection wiring.

Solar cells are often electrically connected and encapsulated as a module. Photovoltaic modules often
have a sheet of glass on the front (sun up) side, allowing light to pass while protecting the semiconductor
wafers from the elements (rain, hail, etc.). Solar cells are also usually connected in series in modules,
creating an additive voltage. Connecting cells in parallel will yield a higher current. Modules are then
interconnected, in series or parallel, or both, to create an array with the desired peak DC voltage and
current.

The power output of a solar array is measured in watts or kilowatts. In order to calculate the typical
energy needs of the application, a measurement in watt-hours, kilowatt-hours or kilowatt-hours per day
is often used. A common rule of thumb is that average power is equal to 20% of peak power, so that
each peak kilowatt of solar array output power corresponds to energy production of 4.8 kWh per day (24
hours x 1 kW x 20% = 4.8 kWh). Solar cells can also be applied to other electronics devices to make it
self-power sustainable in the sun. There are solar cell phone chargers, solar bike light and solar camping
lanterns that people can adopt for daily use.

1.1.1 Concept of solar charger

1) Photons in sunlight hit the solar panel and are absorbed by semiconducting materials, such as silicon.
2) Electrons (negatively charged) are knocked loose from their atoms, allowing them to flow through
the material to produce electricity. Due to the special composition of solar cells, the electrons are only
allowed to move in a single direction.
3) An array of solar cells converts solar energy into a usable amount of direct current (DC) electricity.

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 Photo generation of charge carriers

When a photon hits a piece of silicon, one of three things can happen:

a) The photon can pass straight through the silicon — this (generally) happens for lower energy photons
b) Photon can reflect off the surface
c) The photon can be absorbed by the silicon, if the photon energy is higher than the silicon band gap
value. This generates an electron-hole pair and sometimes heat, depending on the band structure.

A photon need only have greater energy than that of the band gap in order to excite an electron from
the valence band into the conduction band. However, the solar frequency spectrum approximates a black
body spectrum at ~6000 K, and as such, much of the solar radiation reaching the Earth is composed of
photons with energies greater than the band gap of silicon. These higher energy photons will be absorbed
by the solar cell, but the difference in energy between these photons and the silicon band gap is converted
into heat (via lattice vibrations — called phonons) rather than into usable electrical energy.

 Charge carrier separation

There are two main modes for charge carrier separation in a solar cell:

1) Drift of carriers, driven by an electrostatic field established across the device

2) Diffusion of carriers from zones of high carrier concentration to zones of low carrier concentration
(following a gradient of electrochemical potential).

In the p-n junction solar cells the dominant mode of charge is by diffusion. However, in thin films
(such as amorphous silicon) the main mechanism to move the charge is the electric field and therefore
the drift of carriers. The most commonly known solar cell is configured as a large-area p-n junction made
from silicon. As a simplification, one can imagine bringing a layer of n-type silicon into direct contact
with a layer of p-type silicon. In practice, p-n junctions of silicon solar cells are not made in this way,
but rather by diffusing an n-type dopant into one side of a p-type wafer (or vice versa).

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If a piece of p-type silicon is placed in intimate contact with a piece of n-type silicon, then a
diffusion of electrons occurs from the region of high electron concentration (the n-type side of the
junction) into the region of low electron concentration (p-type side of the junction). When the electrons
diffuse across the p-n junction, they recombine with holes on the p-type side. The diffusion of carriers
does not happen indefinitely, however, because charges build up on either side of the junction and create
an electric field.

The electric field creates a diode that promotes charge flow, known as drift current, that opposes and
eventually balances out the diffusion of electron and holes. This region where electrons and holes have
diffused across the junction is called the depletion region because it no longer contains any mobile charge
carriers. It is also known as the space charge region.

Solar panels use light energy (photons) from the sun to generate electricity through the
photovoltaic effect (this is the photo-electric effect). The structural (load carrying) member of a module
can either be the top layer (superstrate) or the back layer (substrate). The majority of modules use wafer-
based crystalline silicon cells or a thin-film cell based on cadmium telluride or silicon. Crystalline
silicon, which is commonly used in the wafer form in photovoltaic (PV) modules, is derived from silicon,
a commonly used semi-conductor. With a pencil, try this example to know the two types of energy. Put
the pencil at the edge of the desk and push it off to the floor. The moving pencil uses kinetic energy
Now, pick up the pencil and put it back on the desk. You used your own energy to lift and move the
pencil. Moving it higher than the floor adds energy to it. As it rests on the desk, the pencil has potential
energy. The higher it is, the further it could fall. That means the pencil has more potential energy.

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2. PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL

The term "photovoltaic" comes from the Greek (photo) means "light", and "voltaic", means electric
from the name of the Italian physicist “VOLTA "after whom a unit of electro-motive force, the volt
is named. The sun is a star made up of hydrogen and helium gas and it radiates an enormous amount
of energy every second. A photovoltaic cell is an electrical device that convert the energy of light
directly into electricity by photovoltaic effect.

Photovoltaics is the field of technology and research related to the practical application of
photovoltaic cells in producing electricity from light, though it is often used specifically to refer to
the generation of electricity from sunlight. Cells can be described as photovoltaic even when the light
source is not necessarily sunlight (lamplight, artificial light, etc.). In such cases the cell is sometimes
used as a photodetector (for example infrared detectors, light or other electromagnetic radiation near
the visible range, or measuring light intensity).

Figure2.1-Photovoltaics Working

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The operation of a photovoltaic (PV) cell requires 3 basic attributes:

 The absorption of light, generating either electron-hole pairs or excitons.

 The separation of charge carriers of opposite types.
 The separate extraction of those carriers to an external circuit.

In contrast, a solar thermal collector collects heat by absorbing sunlight, for the purpose of either
direct heating or indirect electrical power generation. "Photoelectrolytic cell" (photo electrochemical
cell), on the other hand, refers either a type of photovoltaic cell (like that developed by A.E. Becquerel
and modern dye-sensitized solar cells or a device that splits water directly into hydrogen and oxygen
using only solar illumination.

Figure 2.2- Working of PV cell

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Photovoltaic power generation employs solar panels composed of a number of solar

cells containing a photovoltaic material. Materials presently used for photovoltaics
include monocrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride, and
copper indium gallium selenide/sulfide. Due to the increased demand for renewable energy sources,
the manufacturing of solar cells and photovoltaic arrays has advanced considerably in recent years.
Solar photovoltaics is a sustainable energy source. By the end of 2011, a total of 71.1 GW had been
installed, sufficient to generate 85 GWh/year. And by end of 2012, the 100 GW installed capacity
milestone was achieved.

Solar photovoltaics is now, after hydro and wind power, the third most important renewable energy
source in terms of globally installed capacity. More than 100 countries use solar PV. Installations may
be ground-mounted (and sometimes integrated with farming and grazing) or built into the roof or
walls of a building (either building-integrated photovoltaics or simply rooftop).

Driven by advances in technology and increases in manufacturing scale and sophistication, the
cost of photovoltaics has declined steadily since the first solar cells were manufactured, and the
levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) from PV is competitive with conventional electricity sources in
an expanding list of geographic regions. Net metering and financial incentives, such as
preferential feed-in tariffs for solar-generated electricity, have supported solar PV installations in
many countries. With current technology, photovoltaics recoup the energy needed to manufacture
them in 3 to 4 years. Anticipated technology would reduce time needed to recoup the energy to 1 to
2 year.

2.1 PRINCIPLE OF PV CELL

Solar cell works on the principle of photovoltaic effect. Sunlight is composed of photons, or "packets
“of energy. These photons contain various amounts of energy corresponding to the different
wavelengths of light. When photons strike a solar cell, they may be reflected or absorbed. When a
photon is absorbed, the energy of the photon is transferred to an electron in an atom of the cell (which

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is actually a semiconductor). With its new found energy, the electron is able to escape from its normal
position associated with that atom to become part of the current in an electric

2.2. TYPES OF PV CELLS

 Monocrystalline silicon PV panels

These are made using cells sliced from a single cylindrical crystal of silicon. This is the most efficient
photovoltaic technology, typically converting around 15% of the sun's energy into electricity. The
manufacturing process required to produce monocrystalline silicon is complicated, resulting in slightly
higher costs than other technologies.

Figure 2.3- Monocrystalline silicon PV panels

 Polycrystalline silicon PV panels

Also sometimes known as multi crystalline cells, polycrystalline silicon cells are made from cells cut
from an ingot of melted and recrystallized silicon. The ingots are then saw-cut into very thin wafers and
assembled into complete cells. They are generally cheaper to produce than monocrystalline cells, due to

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the simpler manufacturing process, but they tend to be slightly less efficient, with average efficiencies
of around 12%.

Figure 2.4- Polycrystalline silicon PV panels

 Thick-film silicon PV panels

This is a variant on multi crystalline technology where the silicon is deposited in a continuous process
onto a base material giving a fine grained, sparkling appearance. Like all crystalline PV, it is normally
encapsulated in a transparent insulating polymer with a tempered glass cover and then bound into a metal
framed module.

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Figure 2.5- Thick-film silicon PV panels

 Amorphous silicon PV panels

Amorphous silicon cells are made by depositing silicon in a thin homogenous layer onto a substrate
rather than creating a rigid crystal structure. As amorphous silicon absorbs light more effectively than
crystalline silicon, the cells can be thinner - hence its alternative name of 'thin film' PV. Amorphous
silicon can be deposited on a wide range of substrates, both rigid and flexible, which makes it ideal for
curved surfaces or bonding directly onto roofing materials. This technology is, however, less efficient
than crystalline silicon, with typical efficiencies of around 6%, but it tends to be easier and cheaper to
produce. If roof space is not restricted, an amorphous product can be a good option. However, if the
maximum output per square meter is required, specifiers should choose a crystalline technology.

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Figure 2.6- Amorphous silicon PV panels

 Other thin film PV panels

A number of other materials such as cadmium telluride (CdTe) and copper indium diselenide (CIS) are
now being used for PV modules. The attraction of these technologies is that they can be manufactured
by relatively inexpensive industrial processes, certainly in comparison to crystalline silicon technologies,
yet they typically offer higher module efficiencies than amorphous silicon. Most offer a slightly lower
efficiency: CIS is typically 10-13% efficient and CdTe around 8 or 9%. A disadvantage is the use of
highly toxic metals such as Cadmium and the need for both carefully controlled manufacturing and end-
of-life disposal; although a typical CdTe module contains only 0.1% Cadmium, which is reported to be
lower than is found in a single AA-sized NiCad battery.

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3. SOLAR MOBILE CHARGER

3.1. NEED OF SOLAR MOBILE CHARGER

Cell phones are currently the most popular form of communication in almost all the countries throughout
the world. There are well over 5 billion mobile phones currently in uses and the number is growing as
technology gets better and the cost of production lowers. However, the main problem is the average
lifetime of a phone battery is less than 10 hours with moderate usage. This becomes very inconvenient
for people on the road or occupied with work. In order to recharge the phone, people must bring wall
phone chargers. The newest technology of solar phone chargers is a separate device that uses a small
solar panel to absorb light and then transfer to the phone. This process still forces customers to carry
around another device along with their cell phones. This way, the phone can charge independently;
independent of power outlets and independent of wires. There won’t be any need for electrical outlets or
portable solar panels. The mobile phone will be able to charge anywhere outside or where it is exposed
to sun light. A miniature solar cell will be built into the phone and able to absorb enough sunlight to
charge the device while in use.

Being liberated from wires and power outlets is just one of the many advantages of having solar
panels on cell phones. As the world’s resources are diminishing, governments are encouraging for a
green movement to help conserve the limited supply. Solar energy is gaining popularity because of the
free and abundant energy. This fact alone will save customers money on their electric bills. The energy
is also clean and produces no hazardous waste like some of the other power generation resources.

3.2. SOLAR MOBILE CHARGER

A Solar Mobile battery Charger is designed, builds and tested. The circuit acts as a control solar mobile
battery charger to regulate the process of photovoltaic solar cell battery charging process. The circuit is

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cheap and can be easily constructed from discrete electronic components. The circuit operation is based
on matching the solar cell terminal load voltage to the appropriate number of battery cell units to be
charged depending on the solar light intensity condition

Figure 3.1- Working Model of Solar Mobile Charger

3.3. BASIC BLOCK DIAGRAM

Basic block diagram of solar mobile charger. Its consists of

 Solar Panel
 Control Circuit
 Mobile Battery

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Figure 3.2- Block Diagram of Solar Mobile Charger

3.3.1. Solar panel

The driving force behind solar panels begins with the photovoltaic cells. These cells are responsible for
converting photons from the solar light directly into electrons. The name itself originates from Greek
words and can be broken down to photo which means “light” and voltaic which translates to “electricity”.
Photovoltaic cells are fabricated from special material known as semiconductors which fall right in
between conductors and insulators when it comes to the magnitude of electron flow. Normally, the most
commonly used semiconductor is Silicon.

Silicon is the most common semiconductor used in solar panels because of its ability to remain
a semiconductor at very high temperatures under the sun. However, the silicon material used in solar
cells must be doped and made impure because pure silicon crystalline serves as a very poor conductor
of electrons. Once the silicon material is doped, a lot less energy is needed to knock the electrons out of
their connections into a free flowing current.

“Modules” or groups of photovoltaic cells electrically connected together are placed into frames
where energy absorption can be concentrated. These casings are placed next to each other over a

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relatively large surface area to be as efficient as possible when absorbing the light. An anti-reflective
coating is added to the solar panels to reduce power losses and obtain maximum absorption ability.
Above that layer, a glass cover plate is used to create durability and protect against erosion.

Figure 3.3- Anatomy of Solar Cell

3.3.2 Control Circuit

Voltage regulator circuits are essential elements in solar photovoltaic systems Utilizing batteries for
energy storage. The voltage regulator1s function is to regulate the current from the solar panel array to
the battery to provide optimum Current control during charge. The output of the voltage regulator must
have the same electrical characteristics as a good battery charger. Voltage regulators can vary from a
simple, manually controlled resistor between the battery and the photovoltaic panel array to complex,
temperature compensating electronic circuits.

Cost vs. performance trade-offs must account for concerns such as battery life and capacity,
efficiency, power density, reliability, maintainability, size and weight Without a voltage regulator,
proper charge conditions for the battery cannot be achieved readily. If the solar array is sized to provide
sufficient current to charge the battery fully on a daily basis, severe overcharging could occur without

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some means to regulate the current when only a partial recharge is required. Excessive overcharge would
reduce battery life and increase system cost by requiring more frequent battery replacements.

3.3.3 Mobile Battery

Mobile Battery Use for Supply to Mobile. A Mobile phone is an electronic communication device. It is
often called a cell phone. Radio wave or satellite transmission are the medium through which mobile
phone gets connected to a wireless network. In addition to being a telephone, mobile phones provides
various services like Short Message Service (SMS) Multi Message Service, gaming, Bluetooth, cameras,
MP3 player, radio and GPS. the newer phones also provide Internet services like Web Browsing, e-mail
etc. the models with advanced computing ability are referred to as smart phones which are treated as s
high-end mobile phone.

3.4. COMPONENTS
 Solar cell

Photovoltaic offer consumers the ability to generate electricity in a clean, quiet and reliable way.
Photovoltaic systems are comprised of photovoltaic cells, devices that convert light energy directly into
electricity. Because the source of light is usually the sun, they are often called solar cells. The word
photovoltaic comes from “photo,” meaning light, and “voltaic,” which refers to producing electricity.
Therefore, the photovoltaic processes “producing electricity directly from sunlight.” Photovoltaic are
often referred to as PV.PV systems are being installed by Texans who already have grid-supplied
electricity but want to begin to live more independently or who are concerned about the environment.

For some applications where small amounts of electricity are required, like emergency call boxes,
PV systems are often cost justified even when grid electricity is not very far away. When applications
require larger amounts of electricity and are located away from existing power lines, photovoltaic
systems can in many cases offer the least expensive, most viable option. In use today on street lights,
gate openers and other low power tasks, photovoltaic are gaining popularity.

Although these larger panels aren't as common as solar-powered calculators, they're out there
and not that hard to spot if you know where to look. In fact, photovoltaic -- which were once used almost

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exclusively in space, powering satellites' electrical systems as far back as 1958 -- are being used more
and more in less exotic ways. The technology continues to pop up in new devices all the time, from
sunglasses to electric vehicle charging stations.

The hope for a "solar revolution" has been floating around for decades – the idea that one day
we'll all use free electricity from the sun. This is a seductive promise because on a bright, sunny day, the
sun's rays give off approximately 1,000 watts of energy per square meter of the planet's surface. If we
could collect all of that energy, we could easily power our homes and offices for free. In this article, we
will examine solar cells to learn how they convert the sun's energy directly into electricity. In the process,
you will learn why we're getting closer to using the sun's energy on a daily basis, and why we still have
more research to do before the process becomes cost-effective.

 Conversion of Photons to Electrons

When solar rays collide with the photovoltaic cells, the photonic energy is absorbed and transferred
within the semiconductor material. Once the photons are absorbed, the heat causes electrons to leave
their respective shells. The photonic energy collides with the electrons freeing them to flow without
restrictions. This free flowing energy can be moved into any direction by the natural electric fields
produced by the photovoltaic cells. The electric fields force the electrons into a current flowing in a
single direction. Another form of a support to directing the current is artificially made. Metallic contacts
are placed above and below the solar cells, serving as a guide to the free flowing energy, directing it in
one direction. Once the flowing current is combined with the voltage from the cell, the power wattage is
produced.

 Power Losses

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average solar cell’s efficiency is only about 12% to
18%. The power losses are substantial and can be explained by analyzing the electromagnetic spectrum.
When solar rays are shined down, light is the only visible part of the spectrum. However, there is a broad
range of wavelengths that all come within the solar rays which can be a problem when absorbing energy
efficiently. In order for the electrons in the doped silicon to be knocked free, a specific amount of energy
known as the band gap energy is needed.
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Photons with too much energy or not enough energy will not disconnect the electron groups. The
most optimal choice for band gap energy is calculated to be about 1.4 eV. Another situation where power
is lost is when the electrons are knocked freely and transferred across the solar cell in currents created
by the electric fields and conducting materials. During travel, several electrons are blocked off by the
grid or fall out of the current.

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4. WORKING

The working of the circuit diagram is simple. The output of the solar panel is fed via diode 1N5402 (D1),
which acts as a polarity guard and protects the solar panel. An ammeter connected in series between
diode D1and fuse to measure the current flowing during charging of the batteries. As in fig., we have
used analogue multi meter in 500Ma range. Diode D2 ids used for protection against reverse polarity in
case of wrong connection of the lead-acid battery. When you connect wrong polarity, the fuse will blow
up.

Figure 4.1- Circuit Diagram of Solar Mobile Charger

For charging a lead-acid battery, shift switch S1 to ‘on’ position and use connector ‘A’. After
you connect the battery, charging starts from the solar panel via diode D1, multi meter and fuse. Note
that pulsating DC is the best for charging lead-acid batteries.

Mobile phones’ becoming the major source of business/personal communication, the mobile
phone business is currently worth billions of dollars, and supports millions of phones. The need to
provide a public charging service is essential. Many critics argued that a public mobile phone charging
service is not a lucrative business because most users can charge their phones at home, in their office or
in their cars. Coin Operated Mobile Phone Charger is a new business milestone because many are

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attending business conventions and forgetting their charger at home or in hotel rooms. Students and
many that use the public transportation that don't know that their level of their battery is low are
prospective customers for coin operated mobile phone charger service.

Recommended locations include: Hotels, conference centers, exhibition halls, serviced offices,
exchange halls, motels, leisure centers, health clubs, training centers, golf clubs, retail outlets, shopping
malls, Internet cafes, universities, colleges, hall of residence, airports, train terminals, etc., so that the
mobile phone users can reactivate a low or dead battery by simply plugging in and charging for one
rupee. Here is a design based on ATMEL 89c51 a 40-pin micro controller that does the countdown
timing for a period of 3 mints with LCD displays showing the actual time left. During the timing period
a relay output is latched and a flashing led indicates timing in progress.

The solar panels produce same direct current that we cannot be used in household appliances.
The solar panel system will power the load whenever sun is shining strongly enough and the system will
stop when it is not. In sunny weather solar panel supply so much electricity to the battery that it
overcharges. When this happens, the acid and water mixture in the battery decomposes into hydrogen
and oxygen.

Reducing the acid level and eventually destroying the battery if not stopped. On the other hand
if there is not much sun or we have been too ambitious for electricity, more will be drawn from the
battery then the solar panel capable of replacing. This makes the battery go flat. The battery will no
longer electricity supply until we will recharge. In simple system either overcharge or flatten the battery-
both reduce the battery life.

To solve this problem, we add a package of electronics known as charge controller. This
controller prevents the solar panel from overcharging the battery during the sunny weather as well as
protecting the battery from going flat; it can protect the battery in this way by automatically
disconnecting the load from the battery. Systems as shown in above figure but including charge
controller can work and have been used in many applications.

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4.1. SPECIFICATIONS OF CHARGER

 Uses high-efficiency monocrystalline silicon

 Solar panel: 5.5V/1000mA

 Output voltage: 5.5V

 Output current: 300-550mA

4.2. DESIGN OF CHARGER

• A multi crystalline solar cell is taken and its cut into 12 parts.

• By taking tabbing wire and applying flux, paste is done .

• This is done from top of one cell to bottom of the other cell. They are connected in series. The above
process is continued for remaining cells.

• A wire comes from positive side of cell and another wire comes from the negative side.

• The whole arrangement is then placed on top of an acrylic sheet,teflon.

• On top these panels EVA is placed and are attached with feviquick

• These wires are connected to the terminals of a regulator.

• Using multimeter we verify the voltage is brought down to 5 V.

• Regular terminals are further connected to multipincable.

• The pin is then connected to mobile to charge it

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4.3. ANALYSIS
 Battery Charge

This section discusses quantitatively the charging of phone batteries using our unique design. Lithium-
ion batteries are the most widely used due to several advantages such as being light, portable and able to
operate for long periods of time. An Apple iphone4 (our prototype) uses a Lithium-ion battery with 3.7V
and 5.25 Whr specifications. The solar cells would be custom designed to conveniently satisfy these
requirements and be able to charge from 0 to 100% in usual recharge period (about 1 hr). Special
attention would be paid to sustain battery life. In the process of charging a Lithium-ion battery, electricity
moves through the cell (i.e. voltage is applied) and the lithium ions migrate from the negative cathode
to the positive anode, where they wait for the circuit to be closed and return back to the graphite cathode.

Unlike Ni-Cd batteries, Li-ion batteries should be charged early and often. These should not be
fully discharged and then recharged as these cycles reduce life (1 cycle per month recommended by
apple.com/batteries). Our design will take advantage of this characteristic and start charging as soon as
there is enough energy produced. A simple transistor circuit would ensure that there is enough voltage
(3.7V) produced before the recharging circuit closes between the battery and the two solar cells, while a
regulator circuit (another transistor with diodes, capacitors and resistors as shown in the picture) would
help in supplying a constant voltage.

Finally, we would also give the user a choice to enable or disable this innovative feature.
Although there is no harm in constantly charging the Li-ion battery as mentioned earlier, some users
may not like the feature turned on at all times. In fact, recharging of a Li-ion battery is an endothermic
process [2], which means the battery absorbs heat when it recharges and thus there is no additional heat
produced in the process. Solar Panel Output

The overall energy conversion efficiency of a solar cell is the percentage of electric power
converted from the incident light. In this formula, Pm represents the maximum power point while E is
the input light irradiance and Ac is the surface area of the cell (or module or array, as applicable). The
solar cell’s output is dependent on the temperature of the solar cell. A high temperature of the solar cell

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results a lower output as well as lower efficiency. However, it is harmful for the battery to overheat. A
lithium ion battery that is responsible for power an IPhone 4 should remain at 92 degrees Fahrenheit or
lower. We are adding a feature that would alert the user to put the phone in their pocket and away from
the sun if the temperature of the battery reaches over 95 degrees Fahrenheit due to the sun’s heat. We
are going to install a mini thermometer and sensor within the phone to detect overheating. This should
be one of the safety features to protect the phone.

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5. APPLICATIONS

• For low-power portable electronics, like calculators or small fans, a photovoltaic array may be a
reasonable energy source rather than a battery.

• In other situations, such as solar battery chargers, watches, and flashlights, the photovoltaic array is
used to generate electricity.

• Solar chargers can charge lead acid or Ni-Cd battery bank up to 48 V and hundreds of ampere-hours
(up to 400 Ah) capacity.

• For such type of solar chargers, generally intelligent charge controllers are used. A series of solar cell
array plates are installed separately on roof top and can be connected to battery bank. Such arrangement
can also be used in addition to mains supply chargers for energy saving during day times.

• Most portable chargers can obtain energy from the sun only. Portable knob's are also sold. Some,
including the Kinesis K3, can work either way. Examples of solar chargers in popular use include:

• Small portable models designed to charge a range of different mobile phones, cell phones, iPods or
other portable audio equipment.

• Fold out models designed to sit on the dashboard of an automobile and plug into the cigar lighter, to
keep the battery topped up whilst not in use.

• Torches, often combined with a secondary means of charging, such as a kinetic charging system.

• Public solar chargers permanently installed in public places, such as parks, squares and streets, which
passersby can use for free.

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6. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

 ADVANTAGES

i. Solar energy is a renewable energy sources. We get solar energy directly from resources i.e. from
sun. The solar charger power source comes from the solar energy which is an reliable alternative.
ii. Solar energy comes in free of charge. The energy from the sun is free. The source of energy is
practically free because we get sunlight directly from sun.
iii. Solar cells panel on the solar charger does not require much maintenance. As, the solar cells panel is
very reliable as it can last longer than other Source of energy.
iv. The solar charger also does emit zero pollution and is very environmental friendly which helps in
reducing global warming and greenhouse effect.
v. It also helps reduces cost such as electric bills as the solar charger source of energy is free.
vi. The solar charger also operate quietly and this does not contribute to noise pollution.

 DISADVANTAGES

i. Solar charger need light to work.

ii. The efficiency of the photo-voltaic panels has increased greatly over the last decade or so, reaching
the point where they do not need direct sunlight to work but will now create a satisfactory current
even under overcast conditions. But it is still something we should be aware of depending where in
the world we are based.

iii. Charging a device by solar charger is much slower than the main charger.

iv. This is due to the current generated by the solar panels being a lot less than what you would find at
home

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7. FUTURE SCOPE

a) To make sure we have plenty of energy in the future, it's up to all of us to use energy wisely.

b) Must all conserve energy and use it efficiently. It's also up to those who will create the new energy
technologies of the future.

c) All energy sources have an impact on the environment. Concerns about the greenhouse effect and
global warming, air pollution, and energy security have led to increasing interest and more
development in renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, wave power and
hydrogen

d) In solar mobile charger ripples will not be there as we use DC power directly to charge the mobile.

e) Battery life is more as high voltages are not developed.

f) Versatility of Solar mobile charger is high.

g) Life of the battery will be high as we use solar mobile charger.

h) Adaptability is high.

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8. REFERENCES

a. Rhodes, Christopher J,Solar Energy : Principles and Possibilities.

b. Higgins, James M ,Solar Energy May Soon Power Our Homes, Offices Buildings, Automobiles,
and iPods.

c. Childress, Vincent W ,Solar Power the Solution.

d. Marshall Cavendish ,Science and Technology.

e. Ozzie Zehner ,The Dirty Secrets of Clean Energy and the Future of Environmentalism.

f. David Elliott ,Technology for a Sustainable Future.

g. Mirel, Diana ,Solar Power Investments Can Offer Long-Term Savings in Energy Costs.

h. Frank N. Laird ,Technology Policy, and Institutional Values.

i. www.solarbuzz.com/going-solar.

j. www.solarserver.com/knowledge.

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