METODS OF MODELING FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS

Laurentiu ALBOTEANU, Gheorghe MANOLEA, Florin RAVIGAN

Facultv for Electromechanical, Environment and Industrial Informatics
Engineering, Universitv of Craiova 107, Decebal Bl., 200440, Craiova,
Tel.0251 435 724, Fax. 0251 435 255 , e-mail lalboteanuem.ucv.ro,
ghmanoleagmail.com, ravigan.floringmail.com
Abstract This paper illustrates brass tacks of direct
conversion solar energy in power energy, through
photovoltaic cells, conversion based on photovoltaic
effect. The theoretical foundations is presented and also
the construction and working of the photovoltaic cells.
Modeling method of photovoltaic cells is indicating in
this paper too, and some experimental simulating was
shown with Matlab application program.
Keywords: modeling, photovoltaic cells, solar
radiation.
1. INTRODUCTION
It is known that solar energy can be direct conversion
in electrical energy by solid material semiconductor
used photovoltaic effect. Photovoltaic generator,
photovoltaic cells called, in opposition with
electromechanical generator, productions d.c.
electrical energy. Photovoltaic cells not environment
pollution and can be used everywhere, even irradiate
light |1|.
Out oI technological circuit and intermediately
transIormations, no motions, no vibrations and noise,
modular building, liIetime over 25 years, we can tell
that the Iuture oI energetic will belong to
photovoltaic technology.
The discovery oI photovoltaic eIIect belongs to Iranc
physicist Edmond Becquerel, which in 1839, whit
'wet battery experiment observed that the electrical
power generate oI battery increase iI the plane oI
silver is sunny.
2. CONSTRUCTION AND WORKING OF
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL
Photovoltaic cell is an electronic device, working by
reason oI minority charge carriers. As initially
material Ior Iabrications is used semiconductor,
usually crystalline silicon or polycrystalline, on it is
surIace by sundries technological method emergent
overlay, how contain impurity Ior obtained junction
pn. Figure 1 shows the constructive scheme adapted
oI PV cell, based on semiconductor material by type
p |2|.
Analyses oI phenomenon, iI the cell PV is incidence
sunny (see Iigure 1) it is determined that this
radiation can be equivalent whit a Ilux oI photons
energetically:
h f W

(1)
where, h is Planck` constant, and v is radiation
Irequency. II photon` energy is enough large, then
collision between photon and atom, the bonding
electron bring into conduction electron, this electron
get Iree, and generate a gol into crystal` net.
ThereIore, action oI photons generates couple
electron-gol. This eIIect is called inside photovoltaic
effect. In Iigure 1 on leIt side, photon A is low
Irequency and low energy too, photon B is high
Irequency and also a high energy (electromagnetic
wave with small Irequency get into material more
deep).
Figure 1. The construction scheme oI photovoltaic cell
150
Annals of the University of Craiova, Electrical Engineering series, No. 32, 2008; ISSN 1842-4805
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Electrical Iield oI junction p-n have a direct action
about new charge carrier, that Iield is having a
potential barrier U
0
wich is dependence oI
semiconductor type used as long as 0,2 - 0,7 V.
Spacial charge oI junction will have a determinate role
in division Iree charges cuple electron-gol. The
electrons will be directional to n area, the gols to p
area oI cell. This is the reason whence under light
inIluence p area is pozitive loaded, while n area is
negative loaded, that is appear electrical current
through junction, determined by photovoltaic
convertion oI solar radiation (sunny). This circulation
oI current is Irom n area to p area into junction (Iigure
1 leIt side) that produce a drop voltage U on external
charge R, conected to back connecting terminal and
contact-grille on surIace (Iigure 1 right side). Voltage
U with junction is direct sense and will produce
through junction current oI diode I
d
opposed by
photovoltaic current I
s
.
3. PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL MODEL METHODS
A detailed approach to PV cell module or array
modeling based on a mathematical description oI the
equivalent electrical circuit oI a PV cell is given in
|3| and |7|. Three models are used to describe the
equivalent electrical circuit oI a PV cell module or
array: the one-diode, the two-diode, and the empirical
model. The most commonly used conIiguration is the
one-diode model that represents the electrical
behavior oI the pn-junction. The two-diode model
allows Ior a more detailed description oI the
recombination process oI charge carriers both on the
surIace and in the bulk material. The empirical model
is a good Iit Ior the measured I-U curve and has a less
number oI parameters than in the other two models.
The parameters oI this model (P
max
, I
sc
, U
oc
, etc) are
usually given in the manuIacturer`s data sheet, which
allows modeling with an acceptable accuracy.
3.1. One-Diode Model
The photovoltaic cell is represented as an equivalent
circuit containing a current generator (modeling the
conversion oI solar radiation to electric energy), a
diode (accounting Ior the physical properties oI the
semiconductor cells) and two resistances, shunt and
series resistances. The characteristic equation oI the
PV cell model I
s
f(U
s
, I
s
) is obtained by applying
KirchoII`s current law to the equivalent circuit Figure
2, where I
s
|A| and U
s
|V| are the terminal current
and voltage oI the model respectively:
sh
I
d
I -
ph
I
s
I
(1)
Where:
I
s
terminal current oI cell
U
s
- voltage oI output
I
ph
photocurrent oI cell
I
d
diode loss current due to charge carrier
recombination.
I
sh
- diode loss current due to shunt resistance.
Figure 2. Equivalent circuit oI the PV cell one-diode
model.
The photocurrent I
ph
|A| is directly dependent on the
solar radiation E
s
and the ambient temperature T
a
and
is modeled by:

)] T - (T P ) E - (E P [1 E P I
0 f 3 0 s 2 s 1 ph
+ +
(2)
Where E
0
1000W/m and T
0
298.15K correspond
to a reIerence solar radiation and a reIerence ambient
temperature, respectively. P
1
|Am/W|, P
2
|m/W|
and P
3
|1/K| are constant parameters
The I-U characteristic oI a PV cell is also inIluenced
by the temperature oI the cell. The cell temperature is
a simple linear Iunction oI the cell junction
temperature T
f
|K| and the global solar radiation E
s
|W/m|. Equation 3 below describes the junction
temperature, where the ambient temperature T
a
|C|
determines the crossing point oI the Iunction on the
vertical axis:

( ) ( ) 20
800
15 273
2
+ +
op
s
a f
T
m / W
E
. T T
(3)
Where, NOCT is a parameter and called 'Normal
Operating Cell Temperature. It is given by the PV
cell module manuIacturer, mostly between 45 and
49C.
The diode loss current I
d
|A| due to charge carrier
recombination is given by:

]
]
]
]
,
,

(
(
,
\
,
,
(
j +

1
0
J
s s s
s
sat d
T
I R U
k fN
e
exp I I
(4)
Where
(
(
,
\
,
,
(
j

f
g
f sat
kT
E
exp T P I
3
4
-saturation current, |A|
e
0
- electron charge, |C|
a
f
- idealitv Iactor oI the photovoltaic array, |-|
N
s
- number oI cells in series, |-|
K- Boltzmann`s constant, |J/K|
R
s
- series resistance, |O|
E
g
- gap energy, |eV| and
P
4
- correction parameter, |A/K
3
|
Finally, the shunt current I
sh
|A| is calculated Irom:

sh
s s s
sh
R
I R U
I
+

(5)
151
Annals of the University of Craiova, Electrical Engineering series, No. 32, 2008; ISSN 1842-4805
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Where R
sh
|O| is shunt resistance.
The Iour variables generating this model are the two
input variables, solar radiation E
s
|W/m| and
ambient temperature T
a
|C|, as well as the two
output terminal variables, PV cell current I
s
|A| and
voltage U
s
|V|, as shown in Iigure 3.
Figure 3. Block diagram oI the PV cell with
input/output variables.
The relations between input and output variables are:
( ) ( ) [ ]
f
s s s
f
s s s
s f f
g
f
f s s s
T
I R U
T
I R U
k N
eo
exp
kT
E
exp T P
T T P E E P E P I
+

]
]
]
]
,
,

(
(
,
\
,
,
(
j
+

(
(
,
\
,
,
(
j

+ +
1
1
3
4
0 3 0 2 1
(6)
The set oI parameters (P
1
, P
2
, P
3
, P
4
, R
s
and R
sh
) can
be obtained Irom the modules manuIacturer`s data
sheet. Table 1 gives these parameters Ior the photo
watt BPX 47-451A 45Wp Si PV module |7|.
Parameter P
1
P
2
P
3
P
4
Rs Rsh
Value 2.96 -8.6E-4 0.0037 1272.3 1.29 154.1
Table 1. Parameters oI the one-diode model oI the
photo watt BPX 47-451A PV module
3.2 Two-Diode Model
The two-diode model, is derived Irom the same
equivalent circuit oI the one-diode model, with the
main diIIerence that the recombination current Id is
replaced by two currents I
d1
and I
d2
. Recombination
oI minority carriers, both on the surIace and in the
bulk material, is the major determinant oI the open-
circuit voltage, occurring readily at trapping levels oI
the depletion zone. When modeling the
recombination phenomena, the Iirst diode is
associated with neutral (base and emitter) regions,
whereas the second diode simulates the space-charge
recombination eIIect by incorporating a separate
current component I
d2
with its own exponential
voltage dependence |3|. The characteristic equation
oI this model is obtained by the same manner as Ior
the one-diode model. Figure 4 shows the equivalent
circuit oI the two-diode model. The terminal current
I
s
|A| is given by:

( )
sh d d ph s
I I I I I +
2 1 (7)
Where
]
]
]
]
,
,

(
(
,
\
,
,
(
j +

+
]
]
]
]
,
,

(
(
,
\
,
,
(
j +

+
1 exp
1 exp
0
2
0
1 2 1
J
s s s
s
sat
J
s s s
s
sat d d
T
I R U
k fN
e
I
T
I R U
k fN
e
I I I


(8)
o and are Iit parameters that are set to 1 and 2
respectively in the two-diode model.
The dependence oI the saturation currents on
temperature is given by:

(
(
,
\
,
,
(
j

f
g
f sat
kT
E
exp T P I
3
01 1
(9)

(
(
,
\
,
,
(
j

f
g
f sat
kT
E
exp T P I
2
2
5
02 2
(10)
Where P
01
|A/K| and P
02
|A/K
5/2
| are constant
parameters.
Furthermore, the photocurrent I
ph
|A| is proportional
to the solar radiation E
s
and is assumed to be linearly
dependent on the cell temperature T
f
:
s f 2 1 ph
E ) T P (P I +
(11)
Where P
1
|Am/W| and P
2
|Am/WK| are constant
parameters.
The shunt-current I
sh
is expressed in the same way as
Ior the one-diode model.
Figure 4. Equivalent circuit oI the PV cell two-diode
model
The relationship between the voltage U
s
|V| oI a PV
cell
and the current I
s
|A| is given by the two-diode
model as:

sh
s s s
J
s s s
s f
g
f
J
s s s
s
f
g
f 0 f 3 0 s 2 s 1 s
R
I R U
T
I R U
k fN
e
exp
kT
E
exp T P
T
I R U
k fN
e
exp
kT
E
exp T P )] T - (T P ) -E (E P [1 E P I
+

]
]
]
]
,
,

(
(
,
\
,
,
(
j
+

(
(
,
\
,
,
(
j

+
]
]
]
]
,
,

(
(
,
\
,
,
(
j +

(
(
,
\
,
,
(
j
+ +
1
2
1
0 2
5
02
0
3
01
(12)
Where
P
1
, P
2
, P
01
, and P
02
constant parameters, |A.m/W,
A.m/W.K, A/K and A/K
5/2
|
o and Iit diode parameters, equal 1 and 2
respectively.
The other parameters in equation 12 are the same as
Ior the one-diode model. The set oI parameters (P
1
,
152
Annals of the University of Craiova, Electrical Engineering series, No. 32, 2008; ISSN 1842-4805
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
P
2
, P
01
, P
02
, R
s
and R
sh
) can be obtained Irom the
modules manuIacturer`s data sheet. Table 2 gives
these parameters Ior the PV module SM50 |7|.
Parameter P
1
P
2
P
01
P
02
R
s
R
sh
Value
0.306 0.179E-4 1.708E-4 1.880 1.381E-4 0.13
Table 2. Parameters oI the two-diode model oI the
photovoltaic module SM50
3.3 Empirical Model
Many parameters are used within the one-diode and
two-diode models. Some oI them have known values
and others are physical constants
This model describes the behavior oI a PV cell via
the equivalent electrical circuit shown in Iigure 5,
which consists oI a current source I
ph
, a parallel-
connected diode D and a series resistor R
s
.
Figure 5. Equivalent circuit oI the PV cell empirical
model.
The main advantage oI this model is the limited
number oI parameters, which can be Iound in
manuIacturer`s data sheet. The equation describing
the I-U curve oI the PV cell is:


d
I -
ph
I
s
I
(13)
The photocurrent and diode loss current cannot be
measured by a simple manner. ThereIore, a Iew
number oI parameters which can be measured easily
such as open-circuit voltage (U
oc
); short-circuit
current (I
sc
); and maximum power (P
max
) are used to
represent this model.
In Equation 13, the Iollowing simpliIication is used:
I
ph
- I
sc
and substituting o e
0
/a
fk
T
f
(see I
d
in equation
4), the I-U curve can be expressed as:

( )
]
]
]
]
,
,

,
+
(
(
,
\
,
,
(
j

s s s
sc
sat
sc d
I R U
I
I
I I exp 1
(14)
Since o and R

are unknown, two conditions are
required to Iind them:
1. At I
s
0, then U
s
U
oc
2. At the maximum power point U
s
(I
s,max
) P
max
/I
s,max
From condition 1:
(
(
,
\
,
,
(
j

sat
sc
s
I s oc
I
I
ln U U
1
0 or
(
(
,
\
,
,
(
j

sat
sc
oc
I
I
ln
U
1
(15)
It was Iound that a typical value oI the ratio I
sat
/I
sc
Ior
a silicon cell at standard test conditions (T
0
25C,
E
0
1000 W/m) ranges approximately Irom 10
-8
to
10
-10
. The accuracy oI calculations oI the Iit is
aIIected only slightly when this ratio varies within
that range. Thus, in order to reduce the number oI
measurements, it is assumed that I
sat
/I
sc
10
-9
.
Substituting this value into Equations 14 and 15 then:

s s
sc
s sc
oc s
I R
I
I I
U U
]
]
]
,

,
+ ln
7 . 20
1
1
(16)
From condition 2:

(
(
,
\
,
,
(
j

max
max
max
s
s s s oc
I
P
I I U U
(17)
2
max
max max
max
max s
s s s
s
I
P
I
P
I I
U
s
I
s
I
s
I
s
I

(
(
,
\
,
,
(
j

(18)
The current at the maximum power point I
s,max
is
unknown. ThereIore, substituting equation 18 into
equation 17:
max
max
max
max
ln
7 . 20
1
1
s s
sc
s sc
oc
s
I R
I
I I
U
I
P

]
]
]
,

,
+
(19)
DiIIerentiating equation 17 according to Equation 19
we get.

s
s sc
oc
s
R
I I
U
I
P

]
]
]
,

max max
2
max
1
7 , 20
(20)
Combining equations 19 and 20:

0
U
P 2
I
I I
ln
I I
I
7 . 20
1
1 I
oc
max
sc
max s sc
max s sc
max s
max s

]
]
]
]
,
,

,
(
(
,
\
,
,
(
j
+

+
(21)
This equation has to be solved numerically in order to
determine the value oI I
s,max
. Then R
s
is calculated
using equation 20, and this value is substituted into
equation 16 to Iind the I-U curve oI the PV cell.
4. EFFECT OF SOLAR RADIATION ES AND
1UNCTION TEMPERATURE T1
The I-U curves oI the PV generator vary with solar
radiation E
s
|W/m| and junction cell temperature T
f
|C|. ThereIore, the values oI U
oc
, I
sc
, and P
max
at any
combination oI E
s
and T
f
are needed. The parameters
oI the model at standard test conditions are known
153
Annals of the University of Craiova, Electrical Engineering series, No. 32, 2008; ISSN 1842-4805
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Irom manuIacturer`s data sheet. Now, the parameters
at any other E
s
, T
f
combinations must be calculated.
T
f
is the junction cell temperature, which is related to
the ambient temperature Ta by the linear relation.

( )
s a f
E B A T T + +
(22)
Where A |C| and B |C.m/W| are constants.
DeIining I
sc,STC
, U
oc,STC
, P
max,STC
as the short-circuit
current, open-circuit voltage and maximum power at
standard test conditions respectively, these
parameters (I
sc
, U
oc
, and P
max
) can be computed, to a
good degree oI accuracy, at any ambient temperature
and solar radiation by the Iollowing equations:

( )
(
(
,
\
,
,
(
j
+

oSTC
f coef
s scSTC
sc
U
T T i
E
E I
I
0
1
0
(23)

( )
( ) ( )
0
0
72 , 2 ln 1 E E
U
T T i
U U
s
oSTC
f coef
ocSTC oc
+
(
(
,
\
,
,
(
j
+

(24)

( )
(
(
,
\
,
,
(
j
+

oSTC
f coef
STC
U
T T i
P P
0
max max
1
(25)
Where i
coef
temperature coeIIicient oI short-circuit
current, |A/C| u
coef
temperature coeIIicient oI open-
circuit voltage, |V/C| and 0 constant equal to
0.0005, |m/W|. The serial resistor R
s
is now
calculated by substituting these parameters into
equations 19 and 20.
By substituting the resulting value oI R
s
into equation
16, the I-U curve oI the PV generator is determined.
(a) InIluence oI solar radiation (cell temperature Tf 25C)
(b) InIluence oI cell temperature (solar radiation E
0
1kW/m)
Figure 6. I-U characteristics oI BP 585 High-EIIiciency Monocrystalline PV Module
As demonstrated in Figure 6, an increase in solar
radiation causes the output current to increase and the
horizontal part oI the curve moves upward. An
increase in cell temperature causes the voltage to
move leItward, while decreasing temperature
produces the opposite eIIect. Thus, the I-U curves
display how a photovoltaic module responds to all
possible loads under diIIerent solar radiation and cell
temperature conditions.
154
Annals of the University of Craiova, Electrical Engineering series, No. 32, 2008; ISSN 1842-4805
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An operating point oI a photovoltaic module will
move by varying solar radiation, cell temperature,
and load values. For a given solar radiation and
operating temperature, the output power depends on
the value oI the load. As the load increases, the
operating point moves along the curve towards the
right. So, only one load value produces a PV
maximum power. The maximum power points line,
which is positioned at the knees oI the I-U curves,
has a nearly constant output voltage at varying solar
radiation conditions. When the temperature varies,
the maximum power points are generated in such a
manner that the output current stays approximately
constant.
5 CONCLUSIONS
Three PV generator models have been presented,
whereas the empirical model is simpler than other
one or two diode models. While Ior the one or two
diode models six parameters must be determined, and
these parameters are diIIicult to measure precisely to
obtain an acceptable accuracy oI the models, the
empirical model uses Iive parameters which can be
Iound in the manuIacturer`s data sheet oI the PV
module.
Modeling oI photovoltaic modules are not diIIiculty
oI realize then when is know the model oI
photovoltaic cell. Also have been demonstrated that
the temperature and the solar radiation inIluenced
suggestive the system perIormances.
References
|1| L. Alboteanu, Gh. Manolea, Fl. Ravigan,
Positioning svstems for solar panels placed in
isolated areas, Annals oI the University oI
Craiova, Ed. Universitaria, 2006, pp. 163-168;
|2| T. Ambros, V. Arion, A.Gutu, I. Sabor, P. Todos,
D. Ungureanu, Surse regenerabile de energie; Ed.
Tehnica-InIo, Chisinu, 1999;
|3| Christian Dumbs: Development of analvsis tools
for photovoltaic-diesel hvbrid svstems, PhD,
Paris, 1999;
|4| L. Fara, Eugenia Paulescu, M Paulescu., Sisteme
Iotovoltaice, Ed. MatrixRom, Bucuresti, 2005;
|5| Metwally Aly Abd El-Aal, Modelling and
Simulation of a Photovoltaic Fuel Cell Hvbrid
Svstem, PhD dissertation, Kassel, Germany, 2005;
|6| M. Paulescu, Z. Schlett, Conversia fotovoltaic a
energiei solare, Ed. MIRTON, Timisoara, 2001;
|7| Ulleberg Oystein: Stand-alone power svstems for
the future. optimal design, operation & control of
Solar-Hvdrogen energv svstems, Ph.D.
dissertation, NorwegianUniversity, Trondheim,
1998;
|8|Zahari Zarkov, Vladimir Lazarov, Energv
Balanced of a Hibrid Renewable Energv Sources
Svstem, Proc. oI the 7th International ConIerence
oI Applied and Theoretical Electricity, Ed.
Universitaria 2004, pp. 291-297;
155
Annals of the University of Craiova, Electrical Engineering series, No. 32, 2008; ISSN 1842-4805
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------