MATERIAL AND EQUIPMENT

1. Solar panel

PROCEDURE
EXPERIMENT 1: SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC
i.

A A4 paper were placed on top of both panel PV1 and PV2, the angle of the solar

ii.

panel was vary (45,90) and the reading was recorded for each 30s for 5minutes.
The DISCONNECT switch in the closed (ON) position was placed to ensure the

iii.

current can pass through it .

The reading was recorded from Data Acquistion System

EXPERIMENT 2 : SERIES CONNECTOR

i.
ii.
iii.

The current and voltage was measured of each individually by using digital
multimeter before connecting the circuit.
The solar cell was connected in series and the output was measured.
The output solar cell was connected to the load. The load output was measured and
recorded

Result:
For experiment 1,
P = IV
For 45,
Time(s
Solar
Surface
Ambient
PV
Battery
PV
)
radiatio Temperatur Temperatur Voltag Voltag Curren
n
e
e
e
e (V)
t (A)

2
(W/m )
( C)
( C)
(V)
30
981.30
43.96
36.46
18.20
12.49
1.49
60
974.99
44.07
36.41
18.09
12.46
2.55
90
983.40
43.77
36.45
17.77
12.50
1.74
120
980.25
43.80
36.52
17.14
12.50
0.55
150
1004.41
43.10
36.46
18.08
12.62
2.36
180
986.55
42.94
36.63
16.95
12.74
1.26
Example calculation: For 30s, Calculated Power = 18.2V*1.49A = 0.027kW
For 90,

PV
Powe
r
(kW)
0.03
0.05
0.03
0.01
0.04
0.02

Calculate
d
Power
(kW)
0.027
0.046
0.031
0.009
0.043
0.021

Time(s
)

Solar
Surface
Ambient
PV
Battery
PV
radiatio Temperatur Temperatur Voltag Voltag Curren
n
e
e
e
e (V)
t (A)

2
(W/m )
( C)
( C)
(V)
30
904.60
41.30
36.94
17.93
12.58
1.68
60
911.96
41.57
36.98
17.34
12.68
1.68
90
909.86
41.91
36.89
18.25
12.50
1.14
120
896.20
42.11
36.87
18.21
12.53
1.41
150
904.60
42.65
37.02
18.07
12.63
0.66
180
913.01
43.00
36.97
18.18
12.42
1.27
Example calculation: For 90s, Calculated Power = 18.25V*1.14A = 0.021kW
For experiment 2,
Series Connection:
V = 4.16V
Parallel Connection:
V = 1.02V
Direct Connection:
Panel 1: V = 1.08V

I = 3.10A

P = 12.90W

I = 12.60A

P = 12.85W

I = 3.70A

P = 4.00W

Panel 2: V = 1.05V

I = 3.40A

P = 3.57W

Panel 3: V = 1.04V

I = 3.30A

P = 3.43W

Panel 4: V = 1.00V

I = 3.00A

P = 3.00W

PV
Powe
r
(kW)
0.03
0.03
0.02
0.03
0.01
0.02

GRAPH OF POWER AGAINST TIME

0.09
0.08
0.07
0.06
0.05
Power (kW)

0.04
0.03
0.02
0.01
0
30

60

90
Time (s)

Graph 1

120

150

180

Calculate
d
Power
(kW)
0.030
0.029
0.021
0.026
0.012
0.023

DISCUSSION:
In experiment 1, Data Acquisition System is used to collect the data about electrical
electricity obtained from the solar panel which involve the reading of voltage, current and
power. We can convert the meter readings to power by using formula P= V x I. Based on the
tables of experiment 1, we concluded that there no different between the calculated power
and DAQ power. Take 30s of 45

solar panel as example, the DAQ displayed a power of

0.03 kW and the calculated power is 0.027 kW which is only differs by the decimal place as it
have not been rounded off.
Next, we have studied on the relationship of the time, position and angle of solar
panel to the data obtained in DAQ system. We have conducted our experiment around 1.30
pm at an opened area of Haz Melati, the weather of the day was sunny day. The experiment is
carried out twice which the angle of the solar panel is set to 45 and 90 .
Firstly, the higher the amount of solar radiation, the larger the power produced. This is
because the amount of solar radiation is depending on the time factor. As we carried out our
experiment during afternoon, there is abundant solar radiation can be reached at the solar
panel which falls within a range of 974.99 W/m2 to 1004.41 W/m2 for 45
896.20 W/m2 to 913.01 W/m2 for 90

solar panel and

solar panel. For example, when the angle of solar is

45 , the power produced by solar panel at 1004.41 W/m2 of solar radiation is the highest,
which is 0.04 kW.
Next, the angle of solar panel also closely related to the surface area exposure to light.
According to Graph 1, we can clearly observe that there higher amount of power produced by
solar panel when the angle is 90

compared to the angle of 45 . This is because when

the angle of solar panel is 90 , it is perpendicular to the sun which it has the larger surface
area contacting to the sunlight. Thus, there is higher current produced and the larger power is
generated.

In experiment 2, the solar panel used semiconductor elements that has the combined
properties of a conductor and an insulator. Doping implies impregnation of silicon by positive
and negative agents, such as phosphor and boron. Phosphor creates a free electron that
produces so-called N-type material. Boron creates a hole, or a shortage of an electron, which
produces so-called P-type material. Impregnation is accomplished by depositing the
previously referenced dopants on the surface of silicon using a certain heating or chemical
process. The N-type material has a propensity to lose electrons and gain holes, so it acquires a
positive charge. The P-type material has a propensity to lose holes and gain electrons, so it
acquires a negative charge.
When N-type and P-type doped silicon wafers are fused together, they form a PN
junction. The negative charge on P-type material prevents electrons from crossing the
junction, and the positive charge on the N-type material prevents holes from crossing the
junction. A space created by the P and N, or PN, wafers creates a potential barrier across the
junction. In solar cells, when a PN junction is exposed to sunshine, the device converts the
stream of photons that form the visible light into electrons (the reverse of the LED function),
making the device behave like a minute battery with a unique characteristic voltage and
current, which is dependent on the material dopants and PN-junction physics.
The solar cells can be combined in series or parallel configurations. The difference
between series and parallel the series connections are made at the positive end of a solar
panel to the negative end of another solar panel and the parallel connections are made from
positive to positive terminals and negative to negative terminals between the solar panels.
Thus, when adding cells in series, the output voltage becomes the sum of the individual cell
voltages whereas in parallel, the output current increases.
Next, the result obtained from the series connection were 4.16V, 3.10A and 12.90W
whereas in parallel connection, the result obtained were 1.02V, 12.60A and 12.85W. The
result affected mostly by the terminals and shadows. When solar panels are connected in
series the voltage increases but does not increase the current value. When the solar panels are
wired in parallel the voltage become decrease and the current is increase.

REFERENCES

1)

Gilbert M. Masters, Renewable and Efficient Electric Power System, Wiley, 2004

2)

Ashok, S. "Solar Energy." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica,

n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2014.

3)

Felder, Richard M., and Rebecca Brent. "Designing and Teaching Courses to Satisfy

the ABET Engineering Criteria." Journal of Engineering Education(2003): 7-25. Web. 29 Apr.
2014.
4)

"Photoelectric Effect - Explanation of the Photoelectric Effect." About.com

Chemistry. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.

5)

Paul Scherz; Dr. Simon Monk: Practical Electronics for Inventors, Third Edition.

PREFACE, Chapter (McGraw-Hill Professional, 2013, AccessEngineering

6)

Mismatch Effects in Arrays

http://www.pveducation.org/pvcdrom/modules/mismatch-effects-in-arrays