Experiment 1 : Solar module performance Test with the SOL Sensor instrument

Aim :To demonstrate:

 I-V Curve measurement for the solar panel at Latitude Angle and for
maximum solar insolation on the day of measurements.
 The effect of solar insolation changes with the location and the date.
 the effect of cell masking
 the effect of solar module inclination and orientation for the solar
insolation at a location
Procedure:

Set up the PVA-Solsensor equipment and get the results for the following test conditions

1. I-V curve for the given panel at Latitude angle of location.

2. I-V curve for the given panel at maximum solar insolation on the given
date and location. (find the angle at which maximum solar insolation is
incident on the panel and make the inclination angle equal to that)
3. I-V curve for the given panel with one cell shaded
4. Vary the inclination of the panels from horizontal to vertical in
increments of 150 and obtain the I-V curve for the given panel .
5. With the panel fixed at the inclination for maximum power, vary the
orientation from due east to due west in increments of 150.
6. Table Tab Screen (Presents summaries of the predicted and measured I-V data
and a translation of the measurement results to Standard Test Conditions.)
Results:

Obtain the results for the given conditions with the use of Sol Sensor instrument and plot the
maximum power for each case . Compare the effect on the output of the panel by varying the
inclination from Horizontal to vertical and the orientation by 15° from East to West. Compare the
Maximum Power with optimum tilt angle for the location and the maximum solar insolation on the
day of the experiment.

Conclusion:
Conclude the results obtain for the above test conditions and compare the results obtained and give
reasons for the difference in maximum power generated for each case.

Discussion:

Discuss about the key values obtained for the given panel with the rating of the panel. The effects of
the following conditions are to be discussed in detail

 Insolation
 Temperature effect for solar PV generation.
 Shading effect
 Solar panel type
 Good tracking system; Selection of tracking systems to maximize solar power generation
and the factors that affect such a decision.