Paper on Methods of Solar Photovoltaic Cells

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AN EFFICIENT ENGINEERING METHOD TO MAXIMIZE PV OUTPUT FROM SOALR
PANEL

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Contents
AN EFFICIENT ENGINEERING METHOD TO MAXIMIZE PV OUTPUT FROM
SOALR PANEL...............................................................................................................................7
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION........................................................................................7
CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW.............................................................................8
SOLAR TRACKING.................................................................................................................10
SOLAR TRACKING METHODS............................................................................................11
SOLAR TRACKER PROTOTYPE..........................................................................................13
Passive Trackers.........................................................................................................14
Active Trackers..........................................................................................................15
Solar Tracking Viable Considerations.......................................................................20
Solar Tracking for Energy Efficiency........................................................................21
CORRELATIONS OF OPTIMUM TILTS ANGLE................................................................23
Solar Radiation Estimation on Tilted Surface...........................................................................25
Material and Methods - Electric Circuit....................................................................................29
PLC............................................................................................................................29
Signal Processing And Sensors Unit..........................................................................29
Microcontroller..........................................................................................................31
Monthly Comparison.................................................................................................................32
Key Point...................................................................................................................................33
Low-Cost Considerations..........................................................................................................34
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY...................................................................................35
CHAPTER IV: PRELIMINARY RESULTS.....................................................................37

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EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES AND RESULTS.......................................................................38
CONCLUSION..................................................................................................................40
REFERENCES..................................................................................................................41

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ABSTRACT
Solar energy is the easily available and catchable resource available at any point in the
world. So, exploitation of the solar energy is considered to be the best way to fulfill the day to
day electricity needs in the world. this renewable energy is easily available, however,
unfortunately, demands complex and expensive system to catch and convert it into the
conventional electrical energy used in the day to day need, though solar energy is available in the
nature, abundantly. Still, solar energy is considered as the best renewable energy, scalable and
sustainable energy that can meet the demands of the energy needs today and in the future. To
materialize this fact, a thorough research and development are demanded in basically, two
dimensions, first one to increase the efficiency of converting the solar energy to electrical energy
and second is to decrease the production cost, so that every home and family can afford to
implement and use it, as the best alternative to the conventional energy. This paper deals with the
best techniques and methods to increase the efficiency of the solar photovoltaic cells, through
producing highest possible output power.

RESEARCH

RESEARCH
AN EFFICIENT ENGINEERING METHOD TO MAXIMIZE PV OUTPUT FROM SOALR
PANEL
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
The fossil fuels dearth has rooted the most daunting challenges of exploring
and discovering the renewable and clean energy. Huge efforts are invested in
various conservation methods, like energy recycling, energy harvesting, towards
reduction in the usage of energy, in various commercial applications. Some of the
methods explored, for energy renewable sources usage, like hydro power, wind,
thermal power, solar power, tidal power, etc. Among them, solar power is
considered as one of the most possible and easier natural sources, because of the
low maintenance cost and ubiquitous characteristics of them(Sumathia, 2017).
As part of exploiting the sun and sunlight incident on the surface of the
earth, there are various techniques and methods developed and implemented so
that the energy obtained from the sunlight and solar power can be maximized to the
best extent. Among these techniques, solar tracking stands as one of the most
beneficial and viable one, to increase the solar power output, by following the
incidence angle close to zero with the sun. The solar tracking motion can be a
single axis tracker or dual axis tracker. The research continues to study the pros
and cons of these both techniques and the differences in the energy gain.
Solar tracking with the two optional techniques are explored in terms of
complexity, cost, and efficiency and majorly with the power output that can be
obtained by each of this techniques. Then the design aspects are decided based on
the viability and benefits of the respective techniques.

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CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW
The discovery of mechanism of photoelectric current has enabled the
technology to extract the electricity usable from the sun. It then enabled the solar
cell development subsequently, which is a semi conductive material capable of
converting direct current from the visible light. Generation of the DC voltage is
then made possible with arrays of solar cells, connecting electrically.
The technology of generation of alternative power source has been achieving
increased popularity, increasingly from the shortcomings of fossil fuel realization.
However, solar power is generated moderately, because of more expensive solar
cells, relatively and lower efficiency of conversion of them. Eventually, solar
alternative power generation has been researched heavily, to decrease cents per
kW/h and increased its usage compared to the other alternative power sources,
such as Hydro, Wind, Geothermal, etc.
The lower efficiency is because of the reduced storage losses, inverter losses
and light gathering losses. The emphasis here to increase the solar power is the
incidence of the source of light that provides the power, from the sun. So, angle of
incidence is directly proportional to the gathering of the light, from the surface of
the solar cell, and greater the power, when it is closer to perpendicular incidence.
When the surface of the solar panel is fixed, the incidence angle would be near 900,
in the evening and morning and then the cell’s ability to gather light would be zero
that results to zero output (Sumathia, 2017). And the incidence angel would be
zero, during the mid day and maximum output of power collected by the surface of
the cell, since light incidence is perpendicular, on the panel.

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So, the key to increase the efficiency and power output is to maintain the
incidence angle to 00, to the possible extent. It can be achieved by solar panel tilt,
to face the sun, consistently. This sensing and tracking or following the sun in real
time, is called solar tracking.
SOLAR TRACKING
Since solar power is available for about ten hours, everyday, it can be the
best utilized. So, there have been various techniques developed and implemented,
towards maximizing the solar power and energy obtained. Solar tracking is one of
such techniques. Solar tracking is done in one of two techniques called 1 axis
tracker and dual axis tracker.
Figure: Curves of Load Power for Fixed and Tracking Systems (Al-
Mohamed, 2004)