LECTURE 6 TUTORIAL

SOLUTION FOR SAMPLE QUESTIONS

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Q1) The open circuit voltage (Voc) and the short circuit current (Isc) of a solar cell are 0.6
V and 2.8 A respectively. What is the fill factor of this solar cell having maximum power
Pmax = 1.5 W?
𝑃𝑚𝑝𝑝 1.5 W
 𝐹𝐹 = = = 0.89
𝐼𝑆𝐶 𝑉𝑂𝐶 2.8 A 0.6 V

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Q2) Calculate the efficiency of a silicon based solar cell having short circuit current
density of Jsc = 42.2 mA/cm2, open circuit voltage Voc = 706 mV and fill factor FF = 0.828.
mA
𝑃𝑚𝑝𝑝 𝐽𝑆𝐶 𝑉𝑂𝐶 𝐹𝐹 42.2 0.706 V 0.828
cm2
 𝜂= = = mW × 100% = 24.7%
𝑃𝑖𝑛 𝑃𝑖𝑛 100
cm2

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Q3) Estimate the ideal and non-ideal FF and η at 1000 W/m2 irradiance level

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 W
𝑃𝑚𝑝𝑝,𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑙 150
m2
 𝐹𝐹𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑙 = = 𝐴 × 100% = 81.6%
𝐽𝑆𝐶,𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑉𝑂𝐶,𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑙 350 0.525 𝑉
𝑚2
W
𝑃𝑚𝑝𝑝,𝑛𝑜𝑛−𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑙 118 2
m
 𝐹𝐹𝑛𝑜𝑛−𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑙 = = 𝐴 × 100% = 64.2%
𝐽𝑆𝐶,𝑛𝑜𝑛−𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑉𝑂𝐶,𝑛𝑜𝑛−𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑙 350 2 0.525 𝑉
𝑚
A
𝑃𝑚𝑝𝑝,𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝐽𝑆𝐶,𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑙 ×𝑉𝑂𝐶,𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑙 ×𝐹𝐹𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑙 350 0.525 V 0.816
m2
 𝜂𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑙 = = = W × 100% = 15%
𝑃𝑖𝑛 𝑃𝑖𝑛 1000 2
m
A
𝑃𝑚𝑝𝑝,𝑛𝑜𝑛−𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝐽𝑆𝐶,𝑛𝑜𝑛−𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑙 ×𝑉𝑂𝐶,𝑛𝑜𝑛−𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑙 ×𝐹𝐹𝑛𝑜𝑛−𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑙 350 0.525 V 0.642
m2
 𝜂𝑛𝑜𝑛−𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑙 = = = W × 100% = 11.8%
𝑃𝑖𝑛 𝑃𝑖𝑛 1000 2
m

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Q4) If the saturation current of a solar cell is 1.7 x 10-8 A/m2, the cell temperature is
27°C, the short-circuit current density is 250 A/m2 and the voltage at maximum
power, Vmpp = 0.47 V calculate;
a) the open circuit voltage, Voc
b) the current density at maximum power, Jmpp
c) the maximum power, Pmax
d) the maximum efficiency, ηmax.
e) What cell area is required to get an output of 20 W when the available solar
radiation is 820 W/m2?

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 J
𝑞 1.602×10−19 V
a) = J = 38.64 V −1
𝑘 𝐵 𝑇𝐶 1.381×10−23 300 K
K
A
𝑘𝐵 𝑇𝐶 𝐽𝑝ℎ 1 250
𝑉𝑂𝐶 = ln +1 = ln +1 m2 = 0.605 V
𝑞 𝐽0 38.64 V A
1.7 × 10−8 2
m
J
𝑞𝑉𝑚𝑝𝑝 1.602×10−19 V 0.47 V A A 𝐴
b) 𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑝 = 𝑘 𝐽𝑆𝐶 + 𝐽0 = J J 250 + 1.7 × 10−8 m2 = 237
𝐵 𝑇𝐶 +𝑞𝑉𝑚𝑝𝑝 1.381×10−23 K 300 K + 1.602×10−19 V 0.47 V m2 𝑚2

𝐴 W
c) 𝑃𝑚𝑝𝑝 = 𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑝 𝑉𝑚𝑝𝑝 = 237 𝑚2
0.47 V = 111.4 m2
W
𝑃𝑚𝑝𝑝 111.4
m2
d) 𝜂= 𝑃𝑖𝑛
= W = 13.58%
820 2
m
𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑞 20 m2
e) 𝐴=𝑃 = W = 0.18 m2
𝑚𝑝𝑝 111.4 2
m