Solar Cell Temperature Research Articles

MODELLING OF THE SOLAR CELL BASED ON Cu2SnS3 THIN FILM PRODUCED BY SPRAY PYROLYSIS

Cu2SnS3 (CTS) thin film has been produced for 30 ccm sulphur flux rate at 30 minutes annealing durations at 550 oC temperature. CTS thin film’s crystalline structure has been investigated and crystalline size, lattice parameters, dislocation density and microstrain, crystalline number have also been determined. The CTS thin film’s morphological and optical properties have been examined and thoroughly interpreted. Mo/CTS/CdS/AZO solar cell has been modelled based on CTS thin film produced at the present work, using SCAPS-1D simulation programme. Voc, Jsc, FF, conversion efficiency and photovoltaic parameters have been determined depending on neutral defect density at the interface, coefficient of radiative recombination, Auger electron/hole capture’s coefficient and operation temperature of CTS solar cell. As a consequence of simulation study, ideal efficiency of CTS solar cell has been determined to be 3.72 % and all the data obtained in this study have been presented, interpreted and concluded to be original results.

Effect of Nanofluid Flow in a Rectangular Heat Exchanger on the Performance of a Photovoltaic Panel

Abstract The efficiency of solar panels decreases gradually with the increase of solar cell temperature. To solve the problem, various researches have been carried out. This article studies the effect of using a cooling system on the useful energy and the overall efficiency of a photovoltaic (PV) panel. First, a numerical study has been carried out to reduce the temperature of photovoltaic panels using cooling fluids. To achieve our goal, a modeling of the heat flows between the panel components and the cooling fluid was performed, and then a matlab simulation to optimize the efficiency of the PV panel was run. A heat exchanger consisting of rectangular pipes was chosen to ensure a maximum heat exchange surface with the fluid. The choice of operating conditions and geometrical parameters was made according to the cell temperature, which must be minimal. The metrological conditions are collected from the metro central corresponding to the region of Gabes located in southern Tunisia. To further enhance the performance of solar collectors, different cooling fluids were tested including nanofluids. After testing the thermal behavior of different fluids, MgO was chosen as the best operating nanofluid. Using this nanofluid, the overall power increased by 400 W m−2 compared to that obtained with water. In addition, the electrical energy of the panels increased by 12.17% compared to water.

Simulation study on performance of PV-PCM-TE system for year-round analysis

Due to the low efficiency of power generation, a novel photovoltaic (PV) system integrated with phase change material (PCM) and thermoelectric (TE) module was proposed. The system was designed to increase the electricity output by attaching the PCM and TE module to PV cell optimally. To study the annual dynamic performance of the proposed system, a numerical model focusing on solar cell temperature, efficiency and output power was established. The results showed the solar cell temperature of PV-PCM-TE system was decreased from 79.72 °C to 57.39 °C compared with single PV system, while the PV-TE system was 73.62 °C. The annual average efficiency of the PV-PCM-TE system, the PV-TE system and the single PV system were 17.57%, 17.15% and 15.95%, respectively. The all-year electricity generation were 341.97 kWh, 333.87 kWh and 310.47 kWh, respectively. The efficiency of the PV-PCM-TE system was increased by 10.15% and 2.37% than that of the single PV system and PV-TE system respectively. It was confirmed the performance of PV-PCM-TE system was the best. Compared with PV-TE system, the efficiency increased by 3.53% in summer and 0.6% in winter, suggesting that t it was necessary to use PCM and TE module to cool the PV cell in summer.

Review on the structure and application of solar photovoltaic air collector

ABSTRACT At present, people use a large amount of coal, oil and other energy while causing a series of environmental pollution problems. In response to the national 3060 policy, improving the utilization of solar energy is imminent. Solar photovoltaic air collector can not only collect heat efficiently but also reduce the surface temperature of solar cells to improve the photoelectric conversion efficiency. The research progress of solar photovoltaic air collector system improvement and application scenarios are reviewed. The theoretical and experimental research of solar photovoltaic air collector in improving photoelectric/photothermal conversion efficiency is analyzed, the current application scenarios and advantages of solar photovoltaic air collector are discussed, and the research direction of solar photovoltaic air collector is prospected.

Optimal sizing of a solar water pumping system for Koyli Alpha Village, Senegal

Our objective is to solve problems of water supply in the village of Koyli Alpha, in Senegal. Theirs boreholes are supplied by diesel fuels causing environmental drawbacks and the populations don’t satisfy their water demand. In order to bring a positive response, we used solar energy to give back the borehole’s autonomous and proposed intuitive and numerical methods applying on solar water pumping for finding the best method. A previous study used intuitive methods for determining the size of various components. In order to optimize the energy production, we propose two numerical sizing approaches in order to have an optimal operation. Then, we developed two solar cell temperature models in the numerical sizing method and did a simulation of system operating in MATLAB software. The first model of solar cell temperature depends only on the ambient temperature and the second one combines wind speed and ambient temperature. The results of simulation showed that among these numerical sizing methods, we choose the second solar cell temperature expression, which gives the best performance. The numerical sizing method which uses the second solar cell temperature model yields to the reduction of battery’s size and the total life cycle cost found in the intuitive method, by 54% and 32%, respectively.

Lowering firing temperature of a p-type passivated emitter rear contact Si solar cell via current injection

Effective contact formation during low-temperature firing with applied current was investigated in this study. The screen-printed electrode was fired using rapid thermal annealing and contacted by etching the passivation layer and forming Ag crystallites. In our previous study, we proposed a method for reducing this contact resistance from 5 to 1 mΩ cm2 by applying a current during the firing of a phosphorous-doped (P-doped) n+ emitter in a p-type Si wafer without a silicon nitride (SiNx) passivation layer. According to the results, current application during the firing of Si solar cells should reduce the required firing temperature. Herein, a current (3 A) was applied between the screen-printed electrode and P-doped n+ emitter in a p-type Si wafer with an SiNx passivation layer during low-temperature firing from 350 to 600 °C. The major effects of the proposed methods were a reduced contact resistance and enhanced of SiNx etching. Cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy images at different firing temperatures demonstrated that current injection during firing promoted the etching of the SiNx layer. Additionally, the method of current injection with low-temperature firing proposed in this work resulted in a device with a solar cell efficiency of 19.0%, which is similar to the efficiency of a reference cell fired at a higher temperature.

Review of forecasting methods to support photovoltaic predictive maintenance

Predictive maintenance models are thought to be a reliable alternative to costly on-site maintenance techniques in the solar photovoltaic industry. They provide the owners with a third-party system to objectively diagnose and prevent failures in the system or any of its components. These models depend on data acquisition and analysis to compare the estimated performance with the actual energy production of the system, to conclude on the systems' health status. Ambient temperature, cell temperature, and solar irradiance forecasting are crucial parameters in predictive maintenance models’ formulation. These parameters represent the input variables to the model and define its efficiency to a great extent. Nonetheless, the current approaches to predict weather-related parameters have a high dependency on data availability and, in some cases, sensibility to the location where they are being measured. Forecasting climate parameters using neighboring weather stations seems to be a promising option to tackle the cost of on-site sensing and data availability, however, the scarcity of applications of specialized forecasting methods to predict solar irradiance and temperature (cell and ambient) for such applications represents an obstacle. This document will present a review of the state-of-the-art comparing the techniques to forecast solar irradiance, and ambient and cell temperature, and their relationship with predictive maintenance models, by acquiring data from weather stations. This review evaluates the suitability of the models for solar photovoltaic applications, taking on their forecasting horizon, computational cost, and improvement opportunities to propose a framework for future work in the photovoltaic industry.

Investigation on the thermal management of solar photo voltaic cells cooled by phase change material

Photovoltaic (PV) cells are used to convert solar energy into usable direct current as an output power source. Temperatures of PV module exceeding 25 °C reduce conversion rates by 0.4 to 0.65%/0C. In order to keep PV cells working at their optimal operating temperature, a variety of heat extraction systems have been developed. Another method that may be utilized for both heat absorption and temperature management is phase change material (PCM), which has a high thermal energy absorption capacity while also maintaining a constant temperature range throughout phase transition. One of the most efficient ways to absorb extra heat off the backside of solar panels is using PCM, which allows for improved energy efficiency. This article presents the findings of an experimental work of a PV system that includes a normal PV system, a PV system cooled with PCM, and a PV system cooled using nano phase change material (NPCM) for thermal management of the cell. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) 1000 with a melting temperature of 33-39 °C was employed as the PCM, while alumina and silica nanomaterial were used as the insertion materials in PCM. The findings indicate that adopting a PV-PCM, PV- Alumina nano phase change material (ANPCM), and PV-Silica nano phase change material (SNPCM) cooled system increases the system's electrical efficiency by 4.82, 8.1, and 7.17%, respectively, and increases power output by 5.12, 8.4, and 7.29%, respectively. In comparison to uncooled PV system, the panel temperature is lowered by 17.15%. Based on the findings, it seems that PCM and NPCM are effective means of controlling the temperature of PV solar cells.

Solar collector tube as secondary concentrator for significantly enhanced optical performance of LCPV/T system

Improving efficiency, controlling cost and reducing the temperature of solar cells are great challenges for linear concentrated photovoltaic/thermal systems (LCPV/T). In this work, we report a new design with a linear Fresnel lens as the primary optical element and an additional multi-functioned solar collector tube as the secondary optical element. With such design, the low-cost solar collector tube acts multiple roles simultaneously, i.e., lens, spectral beam-splitting filter and heat collector. It was demonstrated that the addition of such multi-functional solar collector tube in LCPV/T system can significantly increase the irradiation uniformity and decrease the average temperature of photovoltaic (PV) module under the same thermal condition, which results in the improved electricity output performance of PV module. Under the solar irradiance and ambient temperature for a typical daytime, the average electrical, thermal and total energy efficiencies of the proposed system are 11.39%, 64.72% and 76.11%, respectively. Our work should be of guidance for the design of LCPV/T system with high efficiency, long-life and low cost.

Research on the Effect of Wind Speed and Angle on Photovoltaic Cell Characteristics

Abstract The effects of wind speed (F) and angle (θ) on the photovoltaic (PV) cells’ (monocrystalline silicon and triple-junction GaAs solar cells) temperature (T) and output characteristics (the short-circuit current (Isc), the open-circuit voltage (Voc) and the maximum power (Pmax)) have been studied experimentally and analyzed theoretically. The results first show that T and Isc of both cells decrease, but Voc and Pmax of both cells increase with an increase in F (θ). The reason is that the increase of F (θ) results in the heat exchange between the PV modules and the external environment increasing and tending to be stable. Second, T, Isc, Voc, and Pmax change rate of silicon cell are found to be more affected by F (θ) than that of GaAs cell. The reason is that the temperature coefficient of silicon cell is larger than that of GaAs cell. Finally, T, Isc, Voc, and Pmax of both cells are more sensitive to F than θ. This is because the cell’s temperature changes depend more strongly on F.

Steam and electrical power generation by a hybrid photovoltaic/parabolic dish concentrator using beam splitter technology

The parabolic dish is considered the most performant concentrating solar power (CSP) technology since it fits a wide range of domestic and industrial processes and offers better modular deployment than other CSP technologies such as thermal power receivers. The parabolic dish has been widely employed to produce steam and electricity especially when it works in conjunction with Stirling engines; however, the extreme complexity of the latter makes the power generation cost of this technology unfavorable against other competing solutions. In this paper, a comprehensive and detailed optical and thermal performance analysis and optimization study of a hybrid photovoltaic/parabolic dish concentrator with a conical thermal receiver using a beam splitter filter (PV/PDC-CTR-BSF) are carried out. A complete modeling module is developed to assess and optimize the overall yields of the PV/PDC-CTR-BSF. The present work is unique since it encompasses a sophisticated simulation tool enabling performance potential assessment of a novel PV/PDC-CTR-BSF system coupled with a novel conical-shaped helical coiled-tube heat exchanger for steam production and paves the avenue for higher electrical yield using single-junction PV cells mounted over the tip surface area of the paraboloid mirrors. The concentrated solar density (CSD) distribution, optical efficiency, temperature distribution, and steam fraction have particular interest in the performance assessment of the innovative PV/PDC-CTR-BSF package system. As a result, the maximum value of the CSD at the conical cavity receiver and the PV cells is 40 and 8 kW/m2, respectively. The optical efficiency of the proposed design has a breakthrough in the record of the typical hybrid designs reaching the value of 67%. Moreover, the maximum surface solar cells temperature was 80°C, while the temperature reached 170°C at the conical cavity receiver. The optical new hybrid design has maximized the steam productivity up to a steam volume fraction of 98%.

Performance enhancement of the photovoltaic system with different cooling methods.

Solar energy has been a vital renewable energy source for humanity for decades. Researchers have proposed many strategies to harness the same but solar photovoltaic (PV) is the only technology which has reached commercial scale and highly successful in meeting renewable energy goals of many countries. The major drawback of PV systems is that increase in the temperature of solar cell of the PV module beyond the threshold limit brings down its electrical efficiency (EE). Hence, this review paper discusses the different cooling techniques responsible for reducing the cell temperature, which in turn increases not only its EE, but also collection of the thermal energy that is otherwise considered to dampen the performance of the PV system. A brief study on PV with air cooling, photovoltaic thermal (PVT) with water cooling, PVT/PCM with and without fins, PVT integrated with nanofluids has been done in this review paper. PVT hybrid systems are the need of hour to get the optimum efficiency. Amongst the PVT systems, the performance analysis of PV integrated with the nanofluid is discussed and it is found to give the maximum cell temperature reduction. Since reduction in the cell temperature directly relates to better efficiency, PVT system using nanofluid as a cooling medium gives the best overall efficiency (OE) followed by PVT system incorporating water and air respectively. This review paper also gives spotlight to the real-time usages of PCM and nanofluids for the effective cooling ability especially in the case of PV module.

Determination of maximum power point from photovoltaic system using genetic algorithm

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present a novel approach to the determination of the maximum power point (MPP) in the photovoltaic system using genetic algorithm (GA). The optimization is realised on two types of photovoltaic (PV) modules: monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar modules, with the same rated peak power (400 Wp) but different electrical output data.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed algorithm is a nature-based algorithm that uses genetic operators such as reproduction, crossover and mutation to realise the search through the investigated area of solutions. To determine the MPP of the PV modules, a two-diode model of a PV cell is used. Based on the input electrical data for the analysed PV module, as well as the mathematical model of the PV, the algorithm can estimate the current and voltage at the MPP for given solar irradiation and cell temperature. The analysis is made for several different irradiations, but in work, the results are presented for irradiations of: 100, 500 and 1,000 W/m2 and cell temperatures of 0, 25 and 40 °C.FindingsFrom the presented results and performed analysis, it can be concluded that GA gives adequate results for both modules and for all working conditions. From the obtained results, it can be concluded that the optimization algorithm performs better when applied to the monocrystalline module works better especially in conditions with larger cell temperature, in comparison with the performance of the optimization algorithm applied to the polycrystalline module. On the other hand, the optimization algorithm applied to the polycrystalline module works better for the other working scenarios with smaller cell temperatures.Practical implicationsFrom the performed analysis, it can be concluded that the use GA as an optimization tool for the determination of the MPP can be successfully implemented. In addition, to improve the overall performance of the PV system, it is also necessary to forecast the weather conditions of the location where the PV system would be installed to forecast the cell temperature and the solar irradiation. This is necessary to choose the right PV module and inverter for the given location.Originality/valueAn optimization technique using GA as an optimization tool has been developed and successfully applied in the determination of the MPP for a PV system. The results are compared with the analytically determined values as well as with the values given by the producer, and they show good agreement.

Experimental and simulation-based comparative analysis of different parameters of PV module

Renewable Energy (RE) has been rapidly growing day by day as a need of the world due to the energy crises and environmental effects. In recent years, the use of solar systems for the generation of electricity has gained considerable popularity. This increase mainly results from a scarcity of other energy sources, such as fossil fuels. As a result, there is a pressing need to transition to more dependable and long-term resources, such as photovoltaic (PV) systems. To improve the performance of PV proper design and development have been required for adequate extraction of their essential parameters. This study proposed the implementation and behaviour of a photovoltaic module (PVM) and describes the individual main equation situated on the Shockley diode to enable a detailed study of semiconductor physics and PV occurrence. The environmental performance of a PVM is represented using MATLAB which can be illustrative of the PVM for simple use in the simulation phase. The model was designed in MATLAB, an easy-to-use icon and dialog box that depends on the effect of solar radiation (SR) and cell temperature, output current (I) versus (vs) voltage (V), and power vs. Voltage. PVM is made with the simulated models are simulated and optimized. These models have been used to analyze the outcome of variations in various specifications on the PVM, including the operating temperature and the level of SR. The observed results have been compared with outcomes characteristics of PV, which are specified on the technical datasheet of the PVM. Simulation results have been obtained by using MATLAB software. From the results, it can be seen that at insolation 900W/m2 the output power of PVM is 280 but at 10°C the power of PVM is 270.

A novel solar panel cleaning mechanism to improve performance and harvesting rainwater

First generation Photovoltaic (PV) systems need regular washing to avoid efficiency degradation. Dust deposition on the surface limits solar penetration into photovoltaics and consequently the PV output. Efficiency may fall by 50% after a month without cleaning the modules. This effect strongly depends on the area, being desert climates more problematic because of the proliferation of dust particles and eventual high wind speeds. This research aims to illustrate the idea of an innovative intelligent device with wide applications and advantages, which improves the efficiency of solar cells by a self-cleaning mechanism, keeping the temperature of solar cells from rising, recycling the cleaning water, and harvesting rainwater falling. In this research, an experiment was performed in the city of Salt (Jordan) to investigate the purification of solar cells at the energy production plant above the Najashi Mosque. To clean the dust periodically, an automated cleaner was installed that detects the dust on the solar panel and automatically cleans the module. Various cleaning methods were compared: manual cleaning, automatic cleaning, manual injection water, compressed air. Some outstanding features of the new proposal are identified, making it the ideal device for resolving cleaning difficulties, high temperatures, and increasing solar cell performance. It can be also utilized to gather rainwater by employing the vast areas of solar cells scattered over the world. The findings of this study may help in preserving the environment by harvesting sun and rainwater, enhancing PV efficiency, and achieving decarbonization in the energy industry.

Year-round energy and exergy performance investigation of a photovoltaic panel coupled with metal foam/phase change material composite

In this study, the year-round performance of a photovoltaic (PV) system coupled with phase change material/aluminum metal foam (PCM/AMF) composite as a passive cooling technique is performed based on on-site measured data. Experiments are conducted in different months of the year to compare the performance of the proposed PV-PCM/AMF system against traditional PV and PV-PCM without metal foam based on energy and exergy assessments. The findings indicated that the PV-PCM/AMF arrangement has the prospective to be used as a viable thermal regulation technology to effectively regulate the temperature of PV cells. However, it is found that the effectiveness of PCM for PV is more prominent in summer than in winter. It is observed that the composite PCM is superior to all the other tested systems and performs differently in various months of the year. The experimental results indicated that the highest temperature drop was observed in July, achieving 8.1% and 13.4% reduction in solar cell's temperature on average for PV/PCM and PV/PCM-AMF, respectively, whereas the lowest temperature drop percentage was 3.8% and 5% in November. Also, it is observed that the yearly energy and exergy efficiencies of PV-PCM/AMF system is improved by 5.05%, and 5.6%, respectively, compared to the conventional PV system. The findings of the current study emphasize the necessity of selecting the right melting temperature of PCM based on optimal year-round performance. Finally, based on our measurements and observations, it is proposed that utilizing PCM with a melting temperature somewhat lower than the one utilized in the present research (e.g. RT35) might provide higher performance in both hotter and colder months under Benha climatic conditions.

Optimized photovoltaic system for improved electricity conversion

Abstract Photovoltaic (PV) modules convert solar energy into electricity; however, in actual applications, the conversion efficiency of PV modules is low. This is because the temperature of PV modules increases, most of the incoming solar radiation absorbed is discarded to the PV modules as wasted heat; this wasted heat generated can be utilized and transferred to a heat exchanger in contact to the rear PV modules. A proposed model is considered with a variation of solar cell temperature due to solar radiation and its effects on output power are modeled and evaluated, seeing PV modules as a thermal absorber, a part of the heat dissipated in the PV modules can be recovered by means of a heat transfer fluid running behind the PV modules, this method improves the PV efficiency, as well as produces thermal and electrical energy simultaneously, thus, the PV modules provide a multifunctional performance cited above, this plays the role of a hybrid solar collector system. The aim of this study is to improve the efficiency of the PV module, through the analysis of a detailed Photovoltaic-Thermal (PVT) collector model performance. The study also estimates the electrical power and thermal energy produced; using MATLAB as an application-oriented design method, the method proposed in this paper can better improve the efficiency of PV power generation and has a wide range of application prospects.

Enhancing the efficiency of photovoltaic power system by submerging it in the rivers

In light of the advanced technological development in the world, this study aims to use alternative energy for generating electric energy at the lowest cost. Solar cells are devices that have special operating conditions. The most important of these conditions are the temperature of cells and the intensity of solar radiation. Sometimes the climate condition does not match the ideal conditions used for operating solar cells in many regions around the world. Although the Middle East and Iraq in particular, is considered one of the sunniest areas in the world, solar energy cannot be relied upon to generate electric energy effectively because of the problem of high temperature in solar cells in the summer as well as the problem of dust. In this paper, a simple and economical method was designed to overcome the main problems in the operation of solar cells represented by high temperature in solar cells as well as the problem of dust accumulated on the surface of solar cells which impedes the entry of sunlight into those cells. The method is conducted by immersing the solar cells in running water at a distance that should be close to the surface of the water.

Sources of Thermal Power Generation and Their Influence on the Operating Temperature of Organic Solar Cells.

Thermal stability, closely associated with the operating temperature, is one of the desired properties for practical applications of organic solar cells (OSCs). In this paper, an OSC of the structure of ITO/PEDOT:PSS/P3HT:PCBM/ZnO/Ag was fabricated, and its current-voltage (J-V) characteristics and operating temperature were measured. The operating temperature of the same OSC was simulated using an analytical model, taking into consideration the heat transfer, charge carrier drift-diffusion and different thermal generation processes. The simulated results agreed well with the experimental ones. It was found that the thermalization of charge carriers above the band gap had the highest influence on the operating temperature of the OSCs. The energy off-set at the donor/acceptor interface in the bulk heterojunction (BHJ) was shown to have a negligible impact on the thermal stability of the OSCs. However, the energy off-sets at the electrode/charge-transporting layer and BHJ/charge-transporting layer interfaces had greater impacts on the operating temperature of OSCs at the short circuit current and maximum power point conditions. Our results revealed that a variation over the energy off-set range from 0.1 to 0.9 eV would induce an almost 10-time increase in the corresponding thermal power generation, e.g., from 0.001 to 0.01 W, in the cells operated at the short circuit current condition, contributing to about 16.7% of the total solar power absorbed in the OSC.

Estimation for iron contamination in Si solar cell by ideality factor: Deep neural network approach

AbstractDefect‐assisted recombination often restricts the performance of photovoltaic devices, and in order to mass‐produce reliable solar cells, low‐cost express methods are in demand, which could monitor contamination during the process of manufacture. In our work, we applied the deep learning‐based approach for estimating iron concentration in silicon solar cells by using ideality factor. The simulation of solar cells with the back surface field design for generating labeled training and test datasets was performed using SCAPS‐1D software. Our results demonstrate that deep neural networks can predict iron concentration using the ideality factor, temperature, base‐thickness, and doping level of solar cells. Our simulation showed smaller prediction errors at high doping level, low temperature, and the two values of ideality factor: the first one for structures containing only iron interstitial atoms and the second for structures where Fei and iron–boron pairs coexist. The proposed method was tested on real silicon structures.