EE-3352: Fundamentals of Electric Power Engineering

Prof. Gosney Spring 2015

Homework #4

For Friday, January 30, 2015, read Chapters 6 (pages 99-133) Solar Energy

For Wednesday, February 4, 2015:

Chapter 6 Questions: 6.1, 6.6, 6.14, 6.15, 6.16, 6.17, 6.18, 6.19; (pages 209-210),

6.1 A solar panel consists of four parallel columns of PV cells. Each column has 10 PV cells in
series. Each cell produces 2 W at 0.5 volts. Compute the voltage and current of the panel?

Panel voltage = 10 x 0.5 volts = 5.0 volts.

Panel current = 4 x 2W/0.5 V = 16 Amps

6.6 An area located near the equator has the following parameters: dt=
0.82; p= 0.92; wa= 0.06. The solar power density measured at 11:00 AM is
890 W/m. Compute the solar power density at 4:00 PM.

We know,

Pmax =P0 cos ( dt wa ) p

1353 cos ( o ) ( 0.820.06 ) 0.92

W
946.02
m2

2
( tt 0)
( 2
)
2
P=Pmax e
2
( 1112 )
2
2 ( )
890=946.02 e
=2.84

2
( tt 0)
( 2
)
2
P=Pmax e
2
( 1612 )
2
2(2.84)
946.02 e
 W
350.86 2
m

6.14 A solar cell with a reverse saturation current of 1nA is operating at 35o
C. The solar current at 35o C is 1.1 A. The cell is connected to a 5ohm
resistive load. Compute output power of the cell.

Solution:

I 0 =1nA
We know, Reverse Saturation current (
Solar current I = 1.1 A
Resistance = 1 ohm
23
KT 1.38 10 ( 35+273 )
VT= = =0.0265 V
q 1.6 1019

R (e )
Vt
V =I S RI 0 1
V
V =( 1.1 5 ) ( 5 ) ( 10 9
)( e 0.0265
1 )
V =0.549 V

2
V 2 ( 0.549 )
P= = =60.28 mW
R 5

6.15 A solar cell of reverse saturation current of 1 nA has a solar current of

1.1 A. Compute the maximum output power of the cell per unit of thermal
voltage.

Solution:

We use,
V amp
V I +I V
( VT )
1+ amp e V = s 0 ; where amp = X
T

I0 VT

( 1+ X ) e X =1.1 109
 X =17.88

6.16 For the solar cell in the previous problem, compute the load resistance
at the maximum output power.

Calculate ID = (1x10-9)(e17.88 1) = 58.24 mA.

IL = IS ID = 1.1 A 58.24 mA = 1.042 A.

VmaxP = xVt = 17.88 kT/q

RL = VmaxP/ID = (17.88/1042)kT/q = 17.16 kT/q.

At 20oC, kT/q = 25.25 mV, hence RL = 0.433 ohms.

6.17 A PV module is composed of 100 ideal solar cells connected in series.

At 25C, the solar current of each cell is 1.2 A, and reverse saturation current
is 10 nA. Find the module power when the module voltage is 45V.

I cell=I sI d
0.45
(
1.2109 e 0.0257 1 )
0.7978 A
Pcell=V cell . I cell

( 0.45 ) ( 0.7978 )
0.359
Pmodule =n Pcell =100 0.359=35.9W

6.18 An 80 cm solar cell is operating at 30C where the output is 1A, the
load voltage is 0.5V and the saturation current of the diode is 1nA. The series
resistance of the cell is 10 m and the parallel resistance is 500 . At a given
time, the solar power density is 300 W/m. Compute the irradiance efficiency.

Efficiency,
 V d Is
=
PA

I s=I + I d + I P

0.51
( )
I d=109 e 0.026 1 =0.33 A

V d 0.51
I P= = =0.00102 A
R p 500

I s=1+0.33+0.00102=1.33102 A

(0.51)(1.33102)
irradiance = =0.283 100 =28.3
( 300 ) (0.008)

6.19 A solar cell is operating at 30C. I= 1.1A, load voltage is 0.5V, Rs= 20
m, Rp= 2 K. irr= 22%.

We know that,
Ploss=I 2 R s + I p2 R p

V d =V + I R s

0.5+ ( 1.1 20 103 )

V d =0.522V

V d 0.522
I P= = =2.61 104 A
R p 2000

4
2.6110


2 3
Peloss=( 1.1 ) ( 20 10 ) +
 Pout VI ( 0.5 ) ( 1.1 )
e= = = =95.77
P out + P loss VI + Ploss ( 0.5 )( 1.1 ) + ( 0.0243 )

= e . irr =0.22 0.9577=21.07

and:

1. A p-n junction diode at 25C carries a current of 100 mA when the diode voltage is
0.5 V. What is the reverse saturation current, I0?

1) A p-n junction diode at 25 C carries a current of 100 mA when the

diode voltage is 0.5 V. What is the reverse saturation current, Io?
Solution:
Current at 25o C = 100mA
Voltage on diode = 0.5 V

We know that,

V
( Vt
I =I 0 e 1 )
KT
V t=
q

1.38 x 1023 x 298

V t=
1.6 x 1019
V t =0.0257 V

0.5
(
100 x 103=I 0 e 0.0257 1 )
I 0 =3.59 1010 A

2. For the simple equivalent circuit for a 0.005 m2 photovoltaic cell shown below, the
reverse saturation current is I0 = 10-9 A and at an insolation of 1-sun the short-circuit
current is ISC = 1 A,. At 25C, find the following:
 a. The open-circuit voltage.
b. The load current when the output voltage is V = 0.5 V.
c. The power delivered to the load when the output voltage is 0.5 V.
d. The efficiency of the cell at V = 0.5 V.

2) For the simple equivalent circuit for a 0.005 m photovoltaic cell shown
below, the reverse saturation current is Io = 10 A and at an isolation
of 1-sun the short-circuit current is Isc = 1 A. At 25 C, find the
following:
a. The open-circuit voltage.
b. The load current when the output voltage is 0.5 V.
c. The power delivered to the load when the output voltage is 0.5 V.
d. The efficiency of the cell at V = 0.5 V.

Solution:

Area of photovoltaic cell = 0.005m3

Reverse Saturation current = 10-9 A
Short circuit current at 25o C = 1A
V

=I ( e )
Vt
a) I sc 0 1
V
1=10 9
(e 0.0257
1 )
V =0.533 volts
I =I scI d
b)

I ( e )
Vt
I =I sc 0 1
0.5
I =110 9
(e 0.0257
1 )
I =0.718 A

c) Power delivered by the load,

P=VI
P=0.5 0.718
 P=0.359 Watts

d) Efficiency of solar cell,

VI
=
PA
3
0.359 10
= 100
1 0.005
=7.18

3. The equivalent circuit for a PV cell includes a parallel resistance of RP =10 . The cell
has area 0.005 m2, reverse saturation current of I0 = 10-9 A and at an insolation of 1-
sun the short-circuit current is ISC = 1 A, At 25C, with an output voltage of 0.5 V, find
the following:

a. The load current.

b. The power delivered to the load.
c. The efficiency of the cell.

3) The equivalent circuit for a PV cell includes a parallel resistance of Rp

= 10. The cell has area 0.005 m, reverse saturation current of Io=
10 A and at an isolation of 1-sun the short-circuit current is Isc= 1 A.
At 25 C, with an output voltage of 0.5 V, find the following:
a. The load current.
b. The power delivered to the load.
c. The efficiency of the cell.
Solution:
Resistance= 10
Area of cell= 0.005m2
Output voltage=0.5 V

I =I sI d I r
a)
0.5
I =110 9
(e 0.0257 )
1
0.5
10
I =0.6686 A
b) P=VI
P=0.5 0.6686
P=0.3343 Watts

c) Efficiency of solar cell,

VI
=
PA

3
0.3343 10
=
1 0.005
=6.68
4. The following figure shows two I-V curves. One is for a PV cell with an equivalent
circuit having an infinite parallel resistance (and no series resistance).
What is the parallel resistance in the equivalent circuit of the other cell?

4) From the given graph,

Parallel Resistance,
V
R=
I

( 0.40)
R=
( 43.8)
R=2

5. The following figure shows two I-V curves. One is for a PV cell with an equivalent
circuit having no series resistance (and infinite parallel resistance). What is the series
resistance in the equivalent circuit of the other cell?

5) From the given graph,

V
Series Resistance R s=
I

( 0.620.58 )
Rs =
( 10 )
Rs =0.04