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Photovoltaic Techniques

SOLAR POWERED CHARGERS AND


POWER BANKS

Group Members:

Shubh Gupta : 19103276

Saurav Sharma : 19103277

Aryan Singh Chauhan : 19103279

Submitted To : Dr. BHUBESH CHANDER JOSHI


INTRODUCTION AND MOTIVATIONS:

Solar cells are semiconductor devices which use sunlight to produce


electricity; they are the devices that use the photovoltaic effect to
convert the energy of light directly into electricity, producing electrical
charges that can move freely in semiconductors.

The process was discovered as early as 1839, but the first solar cell
was introduced by Bell executives in 1954.
The first generation of solar cells was produced on silicon wafers
either using monocrystalline or polycrystalline silicon crystals.
The most recent and promising generation of solar cells consists of
concentrated solar cells, polymer-based solar cells, dye-sensitized
solar cells, nanocrystal-based solar cells, and perovskite-based solar
cells.

The energy conversion consists of absorption of light (photon) energy


producing electron–hole pairs in a semiconductor and charge carrier
separation. A p–n junction is used for charge carrier separation in
most cases. It is important to learn the basic properties of
semiconductors and the principle of conventional p–n junction solar
cells to understand not only the conventional solar cell but also the
new type of solar cell. The comprehension of the p–n junction solar
cell will give you hints to improve solar cells regarding efficiency,
manufacturing cost, consuming energy for the fabrication, etc.

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Solar panels

A solar panel is a collection of solar cells. Lots of small solar cells


spread over a large area can work together to provide enough power
to be useful. The more light that hits a cell the more electricity it
produces, so spacecraft are usually designed with solar panels that
can always be pointed at the Sun even as the rest of the body of the
spacecraft moves around, much as a tank turret can be aimed
independently of where the tank is going.

Solar panel refers either to a photovoltaic module, a solar thermal


energy panel, or to a set of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules
electrically connected and mounted on a supporting structure.
A PV module is a packaged, connected assembly of solar cells. Solar
panels can be used as a component of a larger photovoltaic system to
generate and supply electricity in commercial and residential
applications.

Uses
Assemblies of photovoltaic cells are used to make solar modules
which generate electrical power from sunlight, as distinguished from a
"solar thermal module" or "solar hot water panel." The electrical
energy generated from solar modules, colloquially referred to as solar
power, is an example of solar energy.
The PV MARKET has been on an upward trend for years now. The
market is expected to continue to grow until 2050. The demand far
outstrips supply and there is a huge gap to be filled. In India, there is
about 1.4 GW of module manufacturing capacity and this is expected

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to increase in the future since the solar PV segment is one part of the
entire value chain where the barriers to entry are relatively low.
Thus, solar module production offers an exciting opportunity.

Technology

Most solar modules are currently produced from crystalline silicon


(c-Si) solar cells made of multicrystalline and monocrystalline silicon.
In 2013, crystalline silicon accounted for more than 90 percent of
worldwide PV production, while the rest of the overall market is made
up of thin-film technologies using cadmium telluride, CIGS and
amorphous silicon

Emerging, third generation solar technologies use advanced thin-film


cells. They produce a relatively high-efficiency conversion for a lower
cost compared with other solar technologies. Also, high-cost,
high-efficiency, and close-packed rectangular multi-junction

Performance and degradation

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This chart illustrates the effect of clouds on solar energy production.

Module performance is generally rated under standard test conditions


(STC): irradiance of 1,000 W/m2, solar spectrum of AM 1.5 and
module temperature at 25 °C. The actual voltage and current output of
the module changes as lighting, temperature and load conditions
change, so there is never one specific voltage at which the module
operates. Performance varies depending on geographic location, time
of day, the day of the year, amount of solar irradiance, direction and tilt
of modules, cloud cover, shading, soiling, state of charge, and
temperature. Performance of a module or panel can be measured at
different time intervals with a DC clamp meter or shunt and logged,
graphed, or charted with a chart recorder or data logger.

Maintenance

Solar panel conversion efficiency, typically in the 20% range, is


reduced by the accumulation of dust, grime, pollen, and other
particulates on the solar panels, collectively referred to as soiling. "A
dirty solar panel can reduce its power capabilities by up to 30% in high

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dust/pollen or desert areas", says Seamus Curran, associate
professor of physics at the University of Houston and director of the
Institute for NanoEnergy, which specializes in the design, engineering,
and assembly of nanostructures.
The average soiling loss in the world in 2018 is estimated to be at
least 3% - 4%.

Waste and recycling

Leftover PV panels can contaminate soil, as it happened in 2013 when


US-based Solyndra solar farm bankrupted leaving broken panels on
site.

IRENA 2016 study estimated the amount of PV waste at 78 millions


tons by 2050. Most parts of a solar module can be recycled including
up to 95% of certain semiconductor materials or the glass as well as
large amounts of ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Some private
companies and non-profit organizations are currently engaged in
take-back and recycling operations for end-of-life modules. EU law
requires manufacturers to ensure their solar panels are recycled
properly. Similar legislation is underway in Japan, India, and Australia.

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APPLICATIONS:

There are many practical applications for the use of solar panels or
photovoltaics. It can first be used in agriculture as a power source for
irrigation. In health care solar panels can be used to refrigerate
medical supplies. It can also be used for infrastructure. PV modules
are used in photovoltaic systems and include a large variety of electric
devices:

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FACTORS AFFECTING SOLAR CELL PERFORMANCE:

A solar cell or photovoltaic cell is a device that converts the sunlight


into usable energy. The amount of sunlight that can be converted into
electricity is referred to as solar cell efficiency. There are some factors
that should be taken into consideration to guarantee the optimal
efficiency of the solar panels.

Temperature:
The temperature influences the efficiency of the photovoltaic cell due
to the intrinsic characteristic of the semiconductor material. The
efficiency of the solar panels increases when the temperature drops
and decreases in high temperatures, as the voltage between the cells
drops.

Solar Shadings:
Solar PV panels are very sensitive to solar shadings. Total or partial
shading conditions have a significant impact rate on the capability of
delivering energy and may result in lower output and power losses.
Cells in a solar panel are usually connected in series to get a higher
voltage and therefore an appropriate production of electricity.

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But when shading occurs, this structure presents some limitations. In
fact, when a single solar cell is shaded, the current of all the units in
the string is determined by the unit that produces the least current.
When a cell is shaded, the whole series is virtually shaded too. To
prevent the loss of energy, the installation usually includes bypass
diodes.

Orientation:

The positioning of the solar panel must be facing a south direction for
those living in the Northern Hemisphere and the sun is always along
the southern part of the sky. Hence it is generally the best practice to
position solar panels facing south to capture the maximum amount of
sunlight overall.

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EFFICIENCY:
The solar module has a different spectral response depending on the
kind of the module. Therefore, the change of the spectral irradiance
influences the solar power generation. The energy conversion
efficiency is increased by reducing the reflection of the incident light.

APPLICATIONS:

■ It's mostly used in the field of toys, watches, etc.


■ They are also used in the field of electric fences.
■ It's also used in the field of Remote lighting systems area.
■ This may be used in the field of portable power supplies
■ They are mostly used in the field of satellites.
■ They are also used in the field of water treatment & pumping.
■ It may be used in the field for emergency power.

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DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION: SOLAR BATTERY CHARGER:

Charging a battery requires a regulated DC voltage.

However, the voltage supplied by a solar panel can vary significantly


depending upon the day, time, weather condition and irradiation from
the sun.

In order to charge the battery with a regulated voltage, a DC converter


is connected between the solar panel and the battery.

The main components in the solar battery charger are standard


Photovoltaic solar panels (PV), a rechargeable battery, a SingleEnded
Primary Inductance Converter (SEPIC) converter and a controller.
Solar power is harvested and stored by charging rechargeable
batteries.

Older solar battery chargers were mainly developed for stationary


situations such as solar houses and RVs.
Lead acid batteries are usually used because weight was not a major
factor to consider.
However, since the appearance of the foldable and lightweight solar
panels, the need to develop solar battery chargers for more portable
batteries such as Nickel metal hydride (NiMH) and Lithium-ion (Liion)
batteries becomes essential.

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An Attempt to understand Rechargeable Batteries
Older solar battery chargers were mainly developed to charge lead
acid batteries.
In order to reduce the weight of the solar power system for portable
needs, there has become a need to develop more portable batteries
including Li-ion and NiMH batteries.

Different types of rechargeable batteries were considered including


lead acid, Nickel Cadmium (NiCd), Nickel metal hydride (NiMH) and
Lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries. Among these batteries, Li-ion batteries
have the highest energy density and relatively low self-discharge rates
and no memory effect.

Let’s take a BB2588 Li-ion battery from Bren-Tronics, Inc, for example
The dimension of the battery is 89.7 mm (length) × 30.9 mm (width) ×
90.2 mm (height). The weight of the battery is 0.36 Kg. Nominal and
maximum voltage is 14.4 V and 16.8 V respectively. Capacity of the
battery is 2.2 Ah. Operating temperature range is –20 oC to +55 oC.
The battery requires to charge at 16.5 V constant voltage, and 1A
maximum current.

Charge is complete when current drops to 50 mA. To allow charging to


proceed, 5V dc needs to applied through a 470 Ohm, 1/4 W resistor
between the "charge enable" contact (+) and the negative contact of
the main connector (-)

SEPIC Converter converts unregulated DC input voltage into


regulated DC output voltage.

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In a DC-DC converter, a transistor or MOSFET operates as an
electronic switch: either completely on or completely off.

Power absorbed by an ideal switch should be zero.


In practice, losses will occur in a real switch due to switching and
conduction losses.

Efficiency of a DC-DC converter is quite high compared to a linear


regulator. Several types of DC-DC converters are: buck converter,
boost converter, buck-boost converter and single ended primary
inductance converter(SEPIC).

To charge the battery, a constant voltage of 16.5 V is required.

However, the output voltage of the solar panel will vary depending on
the time of the day, weather condition and light illumination.

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Testing of the solar panel shows that the output voltage of the solar
panel can vary from 5.8 V up to 19.6 V with different load current. To
obtain a constant voltage of 16.5 V, a DC-DC converter is inserted
between the solar panel and the battery to regulate the voltage.

A SEPIC converter is chosen because it can convert the input voltage


into either a higher or lower output voltage. The output voltage of a
SEPIC converter is non-inverted, while the output voltage of a
buck-boost converter is inverted.

NOW,

Efficiency of the SEPIC converter is tested with different input voltage


from the solar panel. The efficiency η is determined by (1)

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A Solar Power Bank:
Solar Power Bank is an eco-friendly mobile phone charger, collects
power from the sun, and then converts that power into electricity. This
electricity is used for charging electronic devices such as mobile
phones, power banks, cameras etc.

All solar battery and energy systems should be modify to fit the
specific needs. Each part of the system is dependent on each other
and the application. The power bank is dependent on the load and the
time the load is used.

Next is to set up the power bank. A power bank is simply the result of
joining two or more batteries together for a single application.

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Consistency in the battery size will keep the solar battery bank safe
and running smoothly.

Depending on the number of batteries needed the batteries will be


connected to each other with input and output in the power bank.
There are two ways to successfully connect two or more batteries to
each other to form the battery bank. These are a series join or a
parallel join.

A solar power bank uses the sun to charge itself instead of electricity.
Then the accumulated power is fed into the rechargeable batteries,
which will hold that power until needed.

Benefits that come with solar power banks:

Environment Friendly: Charging the phone through a solar power


bank saves energy. It will be especially helpful if you charge your
phone often or have several devices to charge. A solar powered bank
can be added to the mix of other charges that are currently used. This
will allow exploring the new gadget without making a rough transition.

Great for Traveling: Charging the phone when traveling, especially


for a long time, is quite difficult. Using a power bank for outings is
good, so that phones can be recharged, can put different gadgets
inside, and makes traveling life so easy and comfortable. A solar
power bank is able to hold a high level of power and therefore can be
used to charge phones throughout several days. All you have to

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remember is to take the power bank out in the daylight and let it regain
its power.

And another big advantage is with a reliable power bank is forget


about bothering with the appropriate adapter

CONCLUSION:
The solar battery charger allows more portable usage for solar panels,
such as outdoor enthusiast and soldiers on the move. The solar
battery charger includes the following components: solar panel, Li-ion
battery, SEPIC converter and controller. The SEPIC converter
regulates the output voltage from the solar panels into a constant
voltage, which is used to charge the battery.

Nowadays, solar cell technologies play an important role in electrical


power production due to greater power consumption and large
population. The efficiency of solar cells is one of the most important
parameters in directly converting light to electricity

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References:
➔ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311576511_Solar_Pow
ered_Mobile_Power_Bank_Systems
➔ https://medium.com/@alphazee17/why-a-solar-power-bank-bb5b
4470d1d6#:~:text=A%20solar%20power%20bank%20uses,that
%20power%20until%20need%20it.&text=Environment%20Frien
dly%3A,solar%20power%20bank%20saves%20energy.
➔ https://www.slideshare.net/ArpanJain63/solar-power-bank-17168
7664?next_slideshow=171687664
➔ https://www.slideshare.net/Shravansilent/solar-mobile-charger-re
port
➔ https://mechanicalnotes.com/solar-cell-definition-working-types-a
pplications-advantages/#Factor_affecting_Solar_Cell_Performan
ce
➔ https://www.nrel.gov/pv/applications.html
➔ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B97801281880
64099915

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