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09-Solar Energy PDF
09-Solar Energy PDF
Prepared by:
Dr. Khuram Maqsood
Assistant Professor
NFC Institute of Engineering & Fertilizer
Research, Faisalabad
SOLAR ENERGY
A FEW FACTS
• Every day the earth receives thousands of times
more energy from the sun than is consumed in all
other resources.
• The sunlight falling on a typical house can provide
from 1/3 to 1/2 of the heating needs of that house.
The Sun: Earth’s Energy Source
1. Absorption of light
2. Generation of charge carriers.
3. Separation of charge carriers.
4. Collection of the carriers at electrodes.
Converting Sunlight into Electricity
Light striking a silicon semiconductor causes
electrons to flow, creating electricity.
Solar power generating system take advantages
of this property to convert sunlight directly into
electrical energy.
Solar panels produce direct current which goes
through a power converter to become (AC)-
electricity that we can use in homes , offices like
that supplied by a utility power company.
Characteristics of Isolation
Water Heating
Space heating, ventilation and cooling
Solar cooking
Water desalination
Crop drying
Domestic Hot Water
Industrial and Process Heat
Swimming Pool Heating
Power generation
Water heating
Solar water heater systems are a well-tried and
tested technology.
Low cost
Low temperature
Rugged
Lightweight
Seasonal pool
heating
Cont…
• A unglazed flat-plate collectors currently account for the most
area installed per year of any solar collector. Because they are not
insulated, these collectors are best suited for low temperature
applications where the demand temperature is below 30°C.
• By far, the primary market is for heating outdoor swimming
pools , but other markets exist including heating seasonal indoor
swimming pools, pre-heating water for car washes, and heating
water used in fish farming operations.
• There is also a market potential for these collectors for water
heating at remote, seasonal locations such as summer camps.
• Unglazed collectors are usually made of black plastic that has
been stabilized to withstand ultraviolet light.
• Since these collectors have no glazing, a larger portion of the
Sun's energy is absorbed. However, because they are not
insulated a large portion of the heat absorbed is lost, particularly
when it is windy and not warm outside. They transfer heat so
well to air (and from air) that they can actually capture heat
during the night when it is hot and windy outside.
Glazed Flat Plate Solar Collectors
Moderate cost
Higher temperature operation
Heavier and more fragile (easily broken)
• Flat-plate collectors are the most common solar
collectors for use in solar water-heating systems in
homes and in solar space heating.
• A flat-plate collector consists basically of an insulated
metal box with a glass or plastic cover (the glazing) and
a dark-colored absorber plate.
• Solar radiation is absorbed by the absorber plate and
transferred to a fluid that circulates through the
collector in tubes.
• In an air-based collector the circulating fluid is air,
whereas in a liquid-based collector it is usually water.
Evacuated Tube Collectors
Higher cost
No convection losses
High temperature
Cold climates
Fragile
Snow is less of a problem
Installation can be more complicated
Cont…
• A type of solar collector that can achieve high temperatures, in
the range 170°F (77°C) to 350°F (177°C) and can, under the
right set of circumstances, work very efficiently.
• Evacuated-tube collectors are, however, quite expensive, with
unit area costs typically about twice that of flat-plate collectors.
• They are well-suited to commercial and industrial heating
applications and also for cooling applications (by regenerating
refrigeration cycles).
• They can also be an effective alternative to flat-plate collectors
for domestic space heating, especially in regions where it is often
cloudy. For domestic hot water heating, flat-plate collectors tend
to offer a cheaper and more reliable option.
Evacuated Tube Collectors
Photovoltaic Cells use in Energy
Production
•How cells are built
•The Photoelectric Effect
•Pros and Cons of PV (Photovoltaic)
4 types of PV cells
• Single-crystal silicon.
• Polycrystal silicon (also known as multicrystal
silicon).
• Thick Film
• Amorphous silicon (abbreviated as "aSi," also
known as thin film silicon).
Single- Polycrystal
crystal silicon
silicon.
Thick- Amorphous
film Silicon
Silicon
Single-Crystal Silicon Cell Construction
• The majority of PV cells in use are the single-crystal silicon
type.
• Silica (SiO2) is the compound used to make the cells. It is
first refined and purified, then melted down and re-
solidified so that it can be arranged in perfect wafers for
electric conduction. These wafers are very thin.
• The wafers then have either Phosphorous or Boron added
to make each wafer either a negative type layer or a positive
type layer respectively. Used together these two types
treated of crystalline silicon form the p-n junction which is
the heart of the solar– electrical reaction.
• Many of these types of cells are joined together to make
arrays, the size of each array is dependant upon the
amount of sunlight in a given area.
How Does A Cell Become A Module?
• A solar cell is the basic building
block of a PV system.
• A typical cell produces .5 to 1V of
electricity.
• Solar cells are combined together
to become modules or if large
enough, known as an array.
• A structure to point the modules
towards the sun is necessary, as
well as electricity converters,
which convert DC power to AC.
• All of these components allow the
system to power a water pump,
appliances, commercial sites, or
even a whole community.
The Photoelectric Effect
• The photoelectric effect relies
on the principle that whenever
light strikes the surface of
certain metals electrons are
released.
• In the p-n junction the n-type
wafer treated with phosphorus
has extra electrons which flow
into the holes in the p-type
layer that has been treated
with boron.
• Connected by an external
circuit electrons flow from the
n-side to create electricity and
end up in the p-side.
• Sunlight is the catalyst of the reaction.
• The output current of this reaction is DC (direct) and the
amount of energy produced is directly proportional to the
amount of sunlight put in.
• Cells only have an average efficiency of 30%
Pros and Cons of Solar Electricity
• Expensive to produce because of the high cost of semi-
conducting materials, which could be avoided by reducing
manufacturing costs.
• Solar energy contributes positively to the nation’s energy security
because it is produced domestically, reducing reliance on energy
imports.
• The industry is still relatively new and extremely hi tech allowing
for the creation of more jobs in the market.
• The government has many incentives program which vary from
state to state, but they exist to encourage investment in forms of
alternative energy.
• Does not require the transportation of hazardous materials across
country.
• Sunlight is a free abundant source!
Pros and Cons cont.
• PV can be designed for a variety of applications
• No noise or air pollution
• Require minimal maintenance and have long
service life times.
• Power can be either centralized in individual
homes or distributed by electrical companies.
How PV Systems Work