Solar Cell Data Characteristics
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SAGAR THAKRESolar Cell Data Characteristics
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SAGAR THAKRESOLAR CELL DATA
OBSERVATIONS TABLE:
For Light Intensity: __________________________________
Voc :
Isc :
Load Resistance Current Power
S. N Voltage (mV)
(Ohm) (mA) (µW)
Sample Reading:
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The Electrical Characteristics of a Photovoltaic Array
The electrical characteristics of a photovoltaic array are summarised in the relationship between the
output current and voltage. The amount and intensity of solar insolation (solar irradiance) controls
the amount of output current ( I ), and the operating temperature of the solar cells affects the output
voltage ( V ) of the PV array. Solar cell I-V characteristic curves that summarise the relationship
between the current and voltage are generally provided by the panels manufacturer and are given as:
Solar Array Parameters
• VOC = open-circuit voltage – This is the maximum voltage that the array provides when the
terminals are not connected to any load (an open circuit condition). This value is much
higher than Vmp which relates to the operation of the PV array which is fixed by the load. This
value depends upon the number of PV panels connected together in series.
• ISC = short-circuit current – The maximum current provided by the PV array when the output
connectors are shorted together (a short circuit condition). This value is much higher than
Imp which relates to the normal operating circuit current.
• MPP = maximum power point – This relates to the point where the power supplied by the
array that is connected to the load (batteries, inverters) is at its maximum value, where MPP =
Imp x Vmp. The maximum power point of a photovoltaic array is measured in Watts (W) or
peak Watts (Wp).
• FF = fill factor – The fill factor is the relationship between the maximum power that the array
can actually provide under normal operating conditions and the product of the open-circuit
voltage multiplied by the short-circuit current, ( VOC x ISC ) This fill factor value gives an idea of
the quality of the array and the closer the fill factor is to 1 (unity), the more power the array
can provide. Typical values are between 0.7 and 0.8.
• %eff = percent efficiency – The efficiency of a photovoltaic array is the ratio between the
maximum electrical power that the array can produce compared to the amount of solar
irradiance hitting the array. The efficiency of a typical solar array is normally low at around 10-
12%, depending on the photovoltaic type (monocrystalline, polycrystalline, amorphous or
thin film) of cell being used.
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What does fill factor indicates?
The Fill Factor is essentially a measure of the efficiency of a PV module, the theoretical maximum
value depending on factors such as the type of silicon used to construct the module.
Fill factor is the measure of Quality of Solar cell how good or bad
It is the ratio of Max useful power/Theoretical Power
Fill Factor
The short-circuit current and the open-circuit voltage are the maximum
current and voltage respectively from a solar cell. However, at both of these
operating points, the power from the solar cell is zero. The "fill factor", more
commonly known by its abbreviation "FF", is a parameter which, in conjunction
with Voc and Isc, determines the maximum power from a solar cell. The FF is
defined as the ratio of the maximum power from the solar cell to the product of
Voc and Isc so that:
FF=PMP / VOC×ISC
FF=VMP * IMP / VOC*ISC
Graphically, the FF is a measure of the "squareness" of the solar cell and is also
the area of the largest rectangle which will fit in the IV curve. The FF is
illustrated below.
Graph of cell output current (red line) and power (blue line) as a
function of voltage. Also shown are the cell short-circuit current (Isc)
and open-circuit voltage (VOC) points, as well as the maximum power
point (Vmp, Imp). Click on the graph to see how the curve changes for a
cell with low FF.
As FF is a measure of the "squareness" of the IV curve, a solar cell
with a higher voltage has a larger possible FF since the "rounded"
portion of the IV curve takes up less area.
The fill factor, very commonly abbreviated as FF in solar energy
technology is a measure of how closely a solar cell acts as an ideal
source.
The fill factor is key in measuring solar cell efficiency. It shows how
well a solar cell converts sunlight to electrical power.