UNIT II SOLAR ENERGY

Solar Radiation – Measurements of Solar

Radiation - Flat Plate and Concentrating
Collectors – Solar direct Thermal Applications
– Solar thermal Power Generation -
Fundamentals of Solar Photo Voltaic
Conversion – Solar Cells – Solar PV Power
Generation – Solar PV Applications.

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SOLAR ENERGY

Energy from the

sun.
Why is energy
from the sun
renewable?
 Solar energy

Solar energy comes from the light of the sun, which means it is a
renewable source of energy. We can use the sun light to create
pollution free electricity

The solar cell is the system used to convert the sunlight energy
into electrical energy

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 Disadvantages
What is it? • Solar panels are
• Solar power expensive.
uses energy • When it is cloudy or at
from the night there is not enough
Sun. light.
• Solar panels • Some people don’t like
transfer the the look of solar panels.
Suns energy
to heat
water.
Advantages
• The energy from the Sun
is free.
• The sun does not produce
greenhouse gases.
• The sun will always be
there during our lifetime.
Solar Energy

• Solar energy is the most readily available

source of energy.
• It is free.
• It is also the most important of the non-
conventional sources of energy because it is
non-polluting.
 Energy from the sun
• About half the incoming solar energy reaches the Earth's surface.

• The Earth receives 174 petawatts (PW) (1015 watts) of incoming solar
radiation at the upper atmosphere. Approximately 30% is reflected back to
space while the rest is absorbed by clouds, oceans and land masses.

• Earth's land surface, oceans and atmosphere absorb solar radiation, and this
raises their temperature. Sunlight absorbed by the oceans and land masses
keeps the surface at an average temperature of 14 °C.

• By photosynthesis green plants convert solar energy into chemical energy,

which produces food, wood and the biomass from which fossil fuels are
derived.

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 Areas of the world with high Solar radiation

• The basic resource for all solar energy systems is the

sun.
• Knowledge of the quantity and quality of solar energy
available at a specific location is of prime importance
for the design of any solar energy system
PH 0101 Unit-5 Lecture -1 8
• Although the solar radiation is relatively constant outside
the earth's atmosphere, local climate influences can cause
wide variations in available radiation on the earth’s surface
from site to site.

• In addition, the relative motion of the sun with respect to

the earth will allow surfaces with different orientations to
intercept different amounts of solar energy.

• It is the primary task of the solar energy system designer

to determine the amount, quality and timing of the solar
energy available at the site selected for installing a solar
energy conversion system.

PH 0101 Unit-5 Lecture -1 9

Difference between Beam Radiation
and diffuse Radiation

10
Pyranometer – For measuring diffuse
radiation

11
Pyrheliometer- for Measuring Beam
radiation

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Solar radiation-Pyrheliometer

13
• Beam radiation energy (Hb)

14
 Sunshine recorder
• It is used to measure the duration of bright
sunshine hours in a day.

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Solar collector

16
Concentrating ratio of the collector

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Solar collectors

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Thermal Collector Mechanics

Solar energy is
absorbed,
transformed, and
concentrated in a
solar thermal
collector over a
time or spatial
gradient to produce
usable energy
 Thermal Collector Technologies
• Solar Cookers • Solar Chimney

• Parabolic Troughs • Solar Distillers

• Parabolic Dish
• Solar Water Heaters

• Central Receiver
System
Parabolic Trough collector

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 Parabolic Trough
• A parabolic trough concentrates sunlight along
a spatial gradient into a linear focal point

• A fluid acts as a thermal sink as it passes

through tubes along the focal point

• Parabolic troughs are used to generate

electricity but are susceptible to seasonal
changes
Parabolic dish collector

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 Parabolic Dish
• A parabolic dish or solar furnace is a large
reflector that concentrates thermal energy into
a single focal point

• The focal point can contain a Stirling Engine

to generate electricity or the energy can be
focused and used in industrial processes

• On a small scale, a reactor can be used in the

same way a solar oven is used
Solar Pond

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Solar pond

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Layout of solar pond electric power
plant

27
Solar water heater

28
Solar water pump

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Solar vapour compression refrigeration
system

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Solar power plant

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Low temperature solar power plant

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Solar pump

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Solar air heater

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Solar water heating solar air heating
Solar cooker

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 Solar Cookers
• Solar cookers or ovens are primarily used in
developing nations as a primary method for
cooking using passive solar heat to cook
primary meals

• Insulated box that collects solar radiation

enhanced by reflectors attached to each side

• Helps combat deforestation

Solar furnace

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 Solar Distiller
• Solar radiation heats up the contaminated
water and allows the water to evaporate,
leaving the contaminant behind

• System design collects distilled water for use

• Technology purifies water and can serve from

one person to a community depending on the
size of system installed
Solar distiller

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Solar distillation

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Solar Distiller Technology
 Solar Chimney
A solar chimney is a technology that can be used to enhance the
ventilation of a residential or commercial structure.
 Solar Water Heater - Overview
• A solar water heater concentrates solar energy
over a time gradient

• Common usage ranges from pool heaters to hot

water for showering and domestic use

• The most popular solar collector

• Heavily used in Florida until World War 2

increased the demand for copper
 Solar Water Heater - Components
• Conductive thermal collectors
(painted black to aide absorption)
• Transparent cover to capture solar
radiation
• Pipes for water flow
• Insulation
• Water body
 Solar Water Heater - Passive Design

• Passive design uses thermal convection to

circulate heat in the water system

• The water body needs to be above the solar

collector

• As water heats up it rises into the water body

pushing cold water down
Passive Solar Water Design
 Solar Water Heater - Active Design
• Uses pumps to circulate
hot water

• Spends electricity
lowering the energy
savings
 Applying Solar Water Heating
• The solar collector should be placed facing South
and at an angle equal to that of the latitude

• For increased efficiency angle should be increase

by 15 degrees during the winter season and
decreased by 15 degrees in the summer

• This makes the angle to the sun closest to 90

degrees during seasonal changes
 What are Solar Cells?

• Solar cells are devices which convert solar light energy directly
into electricity
• Sunlight contains packets of energy called photons that can be
converted directly into electrical energy.

• This is referred to as the photovoltaic effect.

• Photo- means light and -voltaic means electrical current;

• A solar cell provides direct current (DC) electricity, similar to

batteries.
• Batteries however use electrochemical reaction.

50
 Atoms
An atom is composed of three different particles:
Protons (P+)

• Nucleus- Center of the atom:

1. Protons (P+)-- positively charged.
-- equal to the number of Neutrons
electrons.
2 Neutrons -- no charge.

3. Electrons (e-) -- negatively charged.

-- orbit the nucleus.
(e-)

The outermost electrons of an atom

determine its chemical and electrical
properties

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 Semiconductor Doping
• How can we change the electrical properties of the pure Semiconductor
material?

• By adding foreign material to it, called dopants. (impurities)

• Boron, phosphorus, arsenic are common dopants.
• Rate of low :1 every 100,000,000 atoms
high: 1 every 10,000 atoms

Silicon (Si) with Phosphorus (P2,8,5) dopant : n-type

(extra valence electrons are added)

Silicon (Si) with Boron (B2,3) dopant = p-type

(missing fourth valence electron, holes)

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 Photon Hits the Atom of a “Semi” Material

Hole is the “empty space” left behind as a result of the movement of the
free electron. Holes have + charge.
www.altensol.comph/solal-photovoltaic 53
 Disadvantages
What is it? • Solar cells are
• Solar cells expensive.
use energy • They take up lots of
from the Sun. space.
• Solar panels • They only work in Sun
transfer the light
Suns energy
directly into
electricity.

Advantages
• The energy from the Sun
is free.
• The sun does not produce
greenhouse gases.
• The sun will always be
there during our lifetime.
.
Solar Cell Schematic

Protective Cover-Glass
Antireflective Layer current
Electrical Contact

N
Load
P-N Junction
P

Electrical Contact

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 The Process
Sunlight is made of photons, small particles of energy.
.

These photons are absorbed by and pass through the material of a solar cell or
solar PV panel. The photons 'agitate' the electrons found in the material of the
photovoltaic cell.
As they begin to move (or are dislodged), these are 'routed' into a current. This,
technically, is electricity - the movement of electrons along a path.

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www.altensol.com.ph/solar_photovoltaic_philip
 So, How does it work?
• Light breaks silicon bonds and creates “free” electrons
and holes, “missing electrons”
• Holes are positive charges
• Built-in field separates electrons and holes

Step 1. Photogeneration of charge carriers,

electron (negative) and hole (positive).
Step 2. Separation of the charge carriers
through the medium.

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 Solar Photo voltaic (SPV)
• In photovoltaic conversion, Solar radiation
falls on semi-conductor devices called solar
cells which convert the sunlight directly into
electricity.

• When a bright light shines on a cell, energy

from the light (photons) enables electrons to
break free from the junction between them.
This is called photo electric effect.

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 Solar Photo voltaic (SPV)
• N-Type – Excess electrons
• N- Type- doping with phosphorous or arsenic
• P- Type – Shortage of electrons
• P Type – doping silicon with boron
• When cell is connected to a load, Electron flow
from n-type to p-type
• The ratio of the maximum useful power to the
ideal power is called fill factor(k). K=0.65 to0.80

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Physics of Photovoltaic Generation

n-type
semiconductor
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Depletion Zone
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
p-type
semiconductor
Solar Photo voltaic (SPV)

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Solar thermal power plant

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Motor : 240W
Transmission : Automatic
Brake : Drum Brake
Max.Speed : 25KMPH
Mileage : 7 to 10 KM
Charging : 3Hours
Seat : Single
Weight : 40Kg (Approx)
Driver Wheels : Rear
Front : Caster Wheel
Body : Sheet Metal
LXBXH : 105X36X80 CM
Wheel chair