The document describes the development of an educational kit to measure I-V (current-voltage) curves of photovoltaic devices. The kit uses an electronic load method with a MOSFET controlled by an Arduino microcontroller to vary the load and measure voltage, current, temperature, and irradiance. The document compares different I-V curve measurement methods and explains why the electronic load method was chosen. Circuit diagrams and results from testing various components of the kit are provided. The goal is for students to use the low-cost kit to analyze how factors like temperature and irradiance impact photovoltaic performance and parameters.
Presentation on Op-amp by Sourabh kumarSourabh Kumar
Visit Andro Root ( http:\\www.androroot.com ) for Tech. news and Smartphones.
Presentation on Op-amp(Operational Amplifier) by Sourabh kumar. B.tech Presentation,
An insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) is a three-terminal power semiconductor device primarily used as an electronic switch which, as it was developed, came to combine high efficiency and fast switching. http://bit.ly/2PIOIQM
Presentation on Op-amp by Sourabh kumarSourabh Kumar
Visit Andro Root ( http:\\www.androroot.com ) for Tech. news and Smartphones.
Presentation on Op-amp(Operational Amplifier) by Sourabh kumar. B.tech Presentation,
An insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) is a three-terminal power semiconductor device primarily used as an electronic switch which, as it was developed, came to combine high efficiency and fast switching. http://bit.ly/2PIOIQM
Introduction to operational Amplifier. For A2 level physics (CIE). Discusses characteristics of op amp, inverting and non inverting amplifier, and voltage follower, and transfer characetristics, virtual earth , etc
This presentation contains the basic information you need to know about operational amplifier.
I have tried to cover all the basic info. If anything is left out or you have any suggestions i will appreciate it.
This Slide is made of many important information which are very easily discussed in this slide briefly. I hope, after watching this slide , you will get some analytical information on Alternative Current(AC).Actually, this slide was made for my University Presentation.
How to measure frequency and duty cycle using arduinoSagar Srivastav
Source - http://www.engineersgarage.com
Arduino has several applications. We may find its application in many different fields and areas. It can be used in measurement field also to measure electrical quantities (like voltage, current, power etc) or physical quantities (like temperature, moisture, light intensity, humidity etc) or electronic component values etc.
Introduction to operational Amplifier. For A2 level physics (CIE). Discusses characteristics of op amp, inverting and non inverting amplifier, and voltage follower, and transfer characetristics, virtual earth , etc
This presentation contains the basic information you need to know about operational amplifier.
I have tried to cover all the basic info. If anything is left out or you have any suggestions i will appreciate it.
This Slide is made of many important information which are very easily discussed in this slide briefly. I hope, after watching this slide , you will get some analytical information on Alternative Current(AC).Actually, this slide was made for my University Presentation.
How to measure frequency and duty cycle using arduinoSagar Srivastav
Source - http://www.engineersgarage.com
Arduino has several applications. We may find its application in many different fields and areas. It can be used in measurement field also to measure electrical quantities (like voltage, current, power etc) or physical quantities (like temperature, moisture, light intensity, humidity etc) or electronic component values etc.
Effect of calcination on the electrical properties and quantum confinement of...eSAT Journals
Abstract Fe2O3 nanoparticles have been prepared by a simple solvothermal method using a domestic microwave oven. X-ray powder diffraction measurement indicates the amorphous nature of the as-prepared sample. Calcined samples were obtained by annealing the as-prepared sample at different temperatures, viz. 400, 500, 600 and 700oC. Transmission electron microscopic images indicate that all the five samples are spherical in shape. AC electrical measurements were carried out on pelletized samples by the parallel plate capacitor method at various temperatures ranging from 40-130oC and frequencies ranging from 100 Hz -1 MHz. Results indicate low AC electrical conductivities and consequently show the occurrence of nano confined states. The exciton Bohr radii obtained from the dielectric constant values at 40oC temperature and 1 kHz frequency are 41.8, 54.8, 55.3, 56.3 and 27.0 respectively for the as-prepared sample and samples calcined at 400, 500, 600 and 700oC which indicate a strong quantum confinement effect. The impedance spectra observed exhibit non-ideal behavior. Keywords: Semiconductors, Magnetic materials, Nanoparticles, Electrical properties
Harmonics created by nonlinear loads such as arc furnaces, cycloconverters and motor drives destroys the power quality in the system. They not only affect the working of adjacent loads but also shorten the life of power equipment by creating excessive losses. ‘Shunt Active Power Filter’ is a modern addition to family of compensating devices. It has superior qualities over its contemporaries namely SVCs and STATCOMs. It not only mitigates harmonics within the allowable limits defined by IEEE Std 519-1992, but also compensates unbalancing and reactive power in the system. Consequently, only active power is supplied by the source thus power factor approaches unity. A fully functional Simulink model of Shunt Active Power Filter has been designed based on ‘Instantaneous Power Theory’ or ‘p-q Theory’. The results of simulation comply with all the features described by the theory, justifying employment of SAPF in the industry.
High step up interleaved forward-flyback boost converter with three-winding c...LeMeniz Infotech
High step up interleaved forward-flyback boost converter with three-winding coupled inductors
To Get this projects Call : 9566355386 / 99625 88976
Visit : www.lemenizinfotech.com / www.ieeemaster.com
Mail : projects@lemenizinfotech.com
Multiband and Modified Time Based Hysteresis Current Controller for Single Ph...IJMER
The unmatched dynamic response and wide command-tracking bandwidth of the
hysteresis modulation for power electronic converters has been utilized in many power electronics
application. The application of hysteresis modulation and the benefits of hysteresis modulation for twolevel
converters are well known, but the implementation and analysis of this approach to multilevel
converters is still under progress. In this paper, the different hysteresis modulation approaches, multiband
and time based approach are implemented for a single phase multilevel converters. The procedure
and connections of the proposed techniques are described and compared for tracking the reference
signal in order to achieve an optimum switching action, better dynamic behavior and high precision. By
using the proposed multilevel hysteresis modulation approaches, the advantages of using numerous
available dc potentials in a multilevel inverter have been fully exploited. These hysteresis modulation
approaches have been tested for tracking a current reference when applied to a five-level inverter. The
corresponding simulation results are presented. This paper provides an useful outline and serves as a
reference for the future expansion of hysteresis modulation for different multilevel converters
Real time performance assessment of utility grid interfaced solar photovoltai...IJECEIAES
Continuous monitoring of large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) installations is necessary to check the deterioration and monitor the performance of the PV plant. Fault diagnosis is crucial to ensure the PV plant operates safely and reliably. This paper presents a diagnosis methodology based on currentvoltage (I-V) and PV characteristics to monitor and assess the behavior of solar PV. In this paper, I-V curve characterization using an I-V curve tracer is used to check the deterioration and diagnosis of the PV panels. The realtime performance of the 50.4 kWp rooftop solar grid interfaced PV plant is investigated and analyzed using I-V and PV curve tracers in real-time conditions. The overall performance of solar PV is assessed on a real-time test system in different scenarios such as variable climatic conditions, partial shading conditions, aging of solar panels, short circuit conditions, and dust decomposition. Furthermore, the performance assessment of solar PV is evaluated using performance indicators such as open circuit voltage index, short circuit current index, fill factor, and performance ratio.
International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) is an open access online peer reviewed international journal that publishes research and review articles in the fields of Computer Science, Neural Networks, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Plastic Engineering, Food Technology, Textile Engineering, Nano Technology & science, Power Electronics, Electronics & Communication Engineering, Computational mathematics, Image processing, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Environmental Engineering, VLSI Testing & Low Power VLSI Design etc.
Mathematical modeling, simulation and validation of photovoltaic cellseSAT Journals
Abstract In this paper, an analysis has been done on the effect of varying physical and environmental factors on the I-V (current voltage characteristics) of a photovoltaic cell using Matlab-Simulink. A standalone model has been created based on the mathematical relations between various parameters in photovoltaic cells made up of a single diode, a series resistance, and a shunt resistance. To validate the developed model, the values from I-V characteristics of this model have been compared with the experimental results. In addition, simulations have been done for I-V characteristics for different temperature and resistance values. The results obtained are analyzed and presented in this paper. Keywords: Solar cell, Modeling, Matlab-simulink
Benchmarking study between capacitive and electronic load technic to track I-...IJECEIAES
To detect defects of solar panel and understand the effect of external parameters such as fluctuations in illumination, temperature, and the effect of a type of dust on a photovoltaic (PV) panel, it is essential to plot the Ipv=f(Vpv) characteristic of the PV panel, and the simplest way to plot this I-V characteristic is to use a variable resistor. This paper presents a study of comparison and combination between two methods: capacitive and electronic loading to track I-V characteristic. The comparison was performed in terms of accuracy, response time and instrumentation cost used in each circuit, under standard temperature and illumination conditions by using polycrystalline solar panel type SX330J and monocrystalline solar panels type ET-M53630. The whole system is based on simple components, less expensive and especially widely used in laboratories. The results will be between the datasheet of the manufacturer with the experimental data, refinements and improvements concerning the number of points and the trace time have been made by combining these two methods.
Analysis and Implement of Hybrid ANN PandO Based MPPT Controller to Enhance E...ijtsrd
Solar energy is a potential energy source in Myanmar and its application is ever increasing. In solar PV application, the photovoltaic module is needed to harvest this kind of energy. The PV module exhibit nonlinear I–V and P– V characteristics. The maximum power produced varies with both irradiance and temperature. The maximum efficiency is achieved when PV works at its maximum power point which can be obtained by using suitable MPPT algorithm. Most of PV systems use conventional MPPT methods such as incremental conductance IC and perturb and observe P and O . With the advanced in control technology, the intelligent control techniques are commonly used in all areas. A conventional MPPT controller is used to maximise the conversion efficiency under normal conditions but fails in abnormal conditions. This paper proposes an intelligent ANN PandO MPPT controller for the Boost converter that utilises the effective regions of both ANN and PandO methods to identify the global maximum point in order to improve the conversion efficiency of a PV system and a comparative simulation study of three MPPT algorithms specifically i perturb and observe, ii artificial neural network ANN , and iii NN – PandO. MATLAB SIMULINK software is used to test how well the controller works in unusual situations and compare it to its individual counterparts. Shubham Dwivedi | Poonam Jounjare "Analysis and Implement of Hybrid ANN - P&O Based MPPT Controller to Enhance Efficiency of Photovoltaic System" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-6 | Issue-5 , August 2022, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd50589.pdf Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/engineering/electrical-engineering/50589/analysis-and-implement-of-hybrid-ann--pando-based-mppt-controller-to-enhance-efficiency-of-photovoltaic-system/shubham-dwivedi
Simulation of incremental conductance mppt with direct control method using c...eSAT Journals
Abstract PV Module Maximum Power Point Tracker (MPPT) is a photovoltaic system that uses the photovoltaic array as a source of electrical power supply. Every photovoltaic (PV) array has an optimum operating point, called the maximum power point, which varies depending on cell temperature, the insulation level and array voltage. The function of MPPT is needed to operate the PV array at its maximum power point. The design of a Maximum Peak Power Tracking (MPPT) is proposed utilizing a cuk converter topology. Solar panel voltage and current are continuously monitored by a MPPT, and the duty cycle of the cuk converter continuously adjusted to extract maximum power. The design consists of a PV array, DC-DC cuk converter and many such algorithms have been proposed. However, one particular algorithm, the Incremental Conductance method, claimed by many in the literature to be inferior to others, continues to be by far the most widely used method in commercial PV MPPT’s. The general model was implemented on Mat lab, and accepts irradiance and temperature as variable parameters and outputs the I-V characteristic and P-V characteristic Index Terms: PV system; Maximum power point tracking (MPPT); Incremental conductance (Inccond); digital signal processor (dsp)
MPPT oscillations minimization in PV system by controlling non-linear dynamic...IJECEIAES
Solar PV power generation has achieved rapid growth in developing countries which has many merits such as absence of noise, longer life, no pollution, less time for installation, and ease of grid interface. A maximum power point tracking circuit (MPPT) consists of DC-DC power electronics converters that are used to improve the energy attainment from solar PV array. This paper presents a detailed analysis to control of chaos, a non-linear dynamic in SEPIC DC-DC converter interfaced solar PV system, to minimize the oscillations near to MPP. In SEPIC DC-DC converter, the input inductor current is continuous and capable of sweeping the whole I-V curve of a PV module from open circuit voltage (V oc ) to short circuit current (I sc ) operating points. To trace the true maximum power point and to nullify the oscillations near to MPP, the yield output voltage needs to ensure period-1 operation.
Performance Enhancement of MPPT Based Solar PV System using Neural Networkijtsrd
In this paper, using artificial neural network ANN for tracking of maximum power point is discussed. Error back propagation method is used in order to train neural network. Neural network has advantages of fast and precisely tracking of maximum power point. In this method neural network is used to specify the reference voltage of maximum power point under di erent atmospheric conditions. By properly controlling of dc dc boost converter, tracking of maximum power point is feasible. To verify theory analysis, simulation result is obtained by using MATLAB SIMULINK. Rakesh Kumar | Pramod Kumar Rathore "Performance Enhancement of MPPT Based Solar PV System using Neural Network" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-6 | Issue-5 , August 2022, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd50540.pdf Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/engineering/electrical-engineering/50540/performance-enhancement-of-mppt-based-solar-pv-system-using-neural-network/rakesh-kumar
Design and Simulation of PV Based Two-Phase Interleaved Boost Converter IJMER
In this paper, simulation of PV based two phase interleaved boost converter has been
discussed. Interleaved Boost Converter (IBC) serves several applications which require boost in output
voltage such as fuel cells, photovoltaic cells and batteries etc., because it has several advantages over
conventional DC-DC converters. The configuration of IBC comprises parallel combination of a number
of boost converters with same phase shift and switching frequency. This paper deals with the design of
two-phase IBC for a five level cascaded multilevel inverter (MLI). The source for each bridge of the MLI
has been modelled as PV. The simulation has been carried out using MATLAB/SIMULINK
International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) is an open access online peer reviewed international journal that publishes research and review articles in the fields of Computer Science, Neural Networks, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Plastic Engineering, Food Technology, Textile Engineering, Nano Technology & science, Power Electronics, Electronics & Communication Engineering, Computational mathematics, Image processing, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Environmental Engineering, VLSI Testing & Low Power VLSI Design etc.
IJRET : International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology is an international peer reviewed, online journal published by eSAT Publishing House for the enhancement of research in various disciplines of Engineering and Technology. The aim and scope of the journal is to provide an academic medium and an important reference for the advancement and dissemination of research results that support high-level learning, teaching and research in the fields of Engineering and Technology. We bring together Scientists, Academician, Field Engineers, Scholars and Students of related fields of Engineering and Technology.
THERMAL FAULT DETECTION SYSTEM FOR PV SOLAR MODULESelelijjournal
Photovoltaic (PV) modules used to convert sunlight into electricity. PV researches and industries are
rapidly becoming popular in the energy field since PV technologies do not harm to environment and use
sun which is unlimited energy source. Nowadays, many applications are realized with photovoltaic (PV)
modules in different areas such as buildings, aviation, solar power plants, land and sea transportations,
etc. Construction, operation and maintenance of solar PV system are not easy and complex. There are
many methods for PV plants inspection such as visual inspection, using current sensors, comparing the
input and output power units of PV modules, and thermal monitoring with infrared cameras. Monitoring
the differences on the PV module output voltage by means of sensors is the most appropriate methods but it
is very expensive solution since there are thousand PV modules in some plants. Thermal monitoring system
is more suitable method for large PV plants’ inspection. Because, it reduces the fault detection costs and
provide shorten maintenance time. The main aim of this paper is to investigate thermal monitoring of the
PV solar modules and realize image processing by thermal radiation on PV modules. For this purpose, it is
created a wireless directable robotic vehicle which has RF and thermal camera, two brushless hub motor
and X-Bee modules to send direction commands. In this way, the robot moves between the panels and sent
data for user whether there is fault on the panels or not. The test results indicate that PV module faults are
detected effectively by using thermal cameras.
Modeling Simulation and Design of Photovoltaic Array with MPPT Control Techni...IJAPEJOURNAL
The Renewable energy is important part of power generation system due to diminution of fossils fuel. Energy production from photovoltaic (PV) is widely accepted as it is clean, available in abundance, & free of cost. This paper deals with modeling of PV array including the effects of temperature and irradiation. The DC-DC converter is used for boosting low voltage of the PV array to high DC voltage. Since the efficiency of a PV array is around 13% which is low, it is desirable to operate the module at the peak power point to improve the utilization of the PV array. A maximum power point tracker (MPPT) is used for extracting the maximum power from the solar PV array and transferring that power to the load. To track maximum power point (MPP) Perturb & Observe (P & O) algorithm is used which periodically perturbs the array voltage or current and compare PV output power with that of previous perturbation cycle which controls duty cycle of DC-DC converter. The entire system is simulated in MATLAB /SIMULINK and simulation results are presented.
1. Developing an educational kit for I-V curve measurement of
photovoltaic devices
John Peter Raja David Raja, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leics LE11 3TU
Abstract
This research main goal is to provide the kit to the students for understanding the basic concepts of solar
energy and their performance characteristics to explore sustainable energy solutions. Developed
educational kit provides the students with the tools needed to effectively investigate the performance of
PV. There are so many factors which affects the performance of Solar PV like temperature, Dusts, Shading,
Orientation and Tilt angle. So, periodic measurement of Solar PV performance is necessary. Electrical I-V
characteristics of a solar cell determines the device output performance and efficiency of the solar cell.
Since this kit is for teaching purpose a highly reliable method is needed to measure the I-V curve. So,
Electronic Load method using MOSFET is used to measure I-V curve of PV. Using this curve, the students
could understand the important terms such as short circuit current (Isc), open circuit voltage(Voc), Fill
Factor(FF) and its connection with the efficiency, students can also analyse the temperature and irradiance
effects on PV parameters for various conditions with both manual mode and automatic mode using
educational kit. Arduino is used as a microcontroller to control the variable load for measuring voltage,
current, temperature and irradiance. The resulting I-V curve for different temperature and irradiance
obtained from the final circuit shows very low noise disturbance and the curve is relatively smooth same
as keithley but with such a low cost of 40 pounds. From the analysis we see that use of this particular
method for the purpose of tracing I-V curve is very suitable and convenient.
Keywords – I-V curve, Arduino, MOSFET, Educational
Introduction
Aim
To develop a device for educational purpose that can trace I-V curves based on the outputs from
photovoltaic modules.
Objectives
1.To build a device that can trace current and voltage from the photo-voltaic devices using
Electronic Load(MOSFET)
2. To display the output as a graph in Excel
3. The Educational Kit should work in both Manual sweep mode and Automatic sweep mode.
4. To sense temperature and irradiance using sensors and display the data along with the I-V curve.
5.To test the educational kit in comparison to the currently used Keithley SMU with the post
graduate students.
Explanation of the Topic
The Current-Voltage characteristic curve demonstrates the relationship between the current flowing
through the electronic device and the applied voltage across its terminals. Graphing the obtained current
and voltage data is referred to as I-V curve and this curve usually acts as the tool to determine and
understand the basic parameters of a component or device. Similarly, in PV module the I-V curve
determines the conversion capability from solar energy to electrical energy for a particular irradiance and
temperature. The various parameters to characterise the solar cell are short circuit current (Isc), open
circuit voltage(Voc), Fill Factor(FF) which are obtained from the curve. The efficiency of the solar cell can
be analysed only from these parameters. So, it is an important measurement for understanding PV. [1]
Because of the benefits provided by Renewable Energy the study of renewables becomes important in both
school and college level. For a complete understanding of solar power, the I-V curve should definitely be
included in the solar education. Then only the students can analyse the temperature and irradiance effects
on PV for various conditions through practical work. Only practical work connects two different domains
(domain of real objects and observable things and domain of ideas). While, doing the experiments
2. practically it becomes interesting in the form of educational trip or real life projects and the difficult
concepts retains in our mind forever [2].
The theory of learning
There are several possible methods to obtain I-V curve of the PV which are enlisted below
Variable resistor and Bipolar Power supply method - In 2002, Malik, Salmi used variable resistor and
Bipolar power to obtain the I-V curve and examine the performance of PV. By varying the resistance, they
obtain current and voltage data but from their findings they figured out that short-circuit current cannot
be obtained using variable resistor. Then also by using BJT switch in Bipolar power they measured the
current and voltage data from PV to obtain I-V curve. [3].
Capacitive Load method - Marwan M. Mahmoud (2005) inspected the PV performance using capacitive
load and he claims that by using reasonable capacitor value to obtain I-V curve this method will be more
efficient comparing to first method. [4]
Electronic Load method - As an alternative method, Yingying Kuai, Yuvarajan (2005) examined the PV
module performance using MOSFET due to its fast variation of equivalent load resistance. He studied the
performance of this particular method both theoretically and practically by connecting the MOSFET with
PV to obtain different current and voltage data for graphing the curve. [5]
DC-DC Converter - Duran, Enrique, Bohorquez, Sidrach-de-Cardona, Carretero, Andujar (2005) found out
that SEPIC converter can sweep a complete I-V curve comparing to buck and boost converter from their
results. [6]. A best method can be applied to develop the educational kit only by comparing the advantages
and disadvantages of all methods. So, the compared advantages and disadvantages of every method is given
below:
Advantages and Disadvantages [7]
Method Advantage Disadvantage
Variable Resistor 1)Very cheap and easy to replace
2)Easiest method
1)Reliability and Response is
low
2)Need to program in case of
using programmable variable
resistor.
Capacitive Load
1)Excellent uses of their characteristic for
conducting a varying voltage
2) By charging the capacitor to negative
voltage second quadrant can be obtained.
1)Relatively unreliable in
circuits -For every new
measurement the capacitor
must be discharged
2)Difficult to control the
switches to operate in proper
sequence
Bi-polar Power 1)Simple circuit
2)Dark current can also be measured
using this method.
1)Switches(BJT) should be
operated in three modes
2)Cannot be applied for large
power systems
Electronic Load(MOSFET) 1)Highly reliable
2)Frequency of MOSFET is very high
(very fast)
1) It has high impedance and
low capacitance
2)High voltages may destroy the
MOSFET.
4 – Quadrant Power
Supply
1)Direct display of output is possible in
this method
2)With this method second and third
quadrant curves can also be obtained.
1)Cost is high
2)Difficult to build due to higher
number of switches. And cannot
be used for large PV systems
DC-DC Converter 1)High efficiency
2)Can handle a large output current
1)Complicated design with
ripples due to inductor
2)Cost factor
3. Methodology
This kit is for education purpose to teach in the classroom. So, it should be highly
reliable. Electronic load (MOSFET) method is the best method to use for obtaining the I-
V curve of PV. MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) is used in
this method for switching the signals i.e. to control the flow of voltage and current in the
circuit. The MOSFET used is IRFZ44N it is an n-channel MOSFET the reasons to choose
an n-channel MOSFET for this circuit is it has high efficiency, low resistance and also it
is easy to scale. It has three terminals Source, Gate and Drain. Usually MOSFET works in
various modes here it operates in enhancement mode. The symbol 1 shows N-channel
MOSFET. For safety measures in case of higher voltage or current flows through
MOSFET there is an inbuilt diode in the MOSFET to protect it.
SYMBOL1
The PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) is given to the gate of MOSFET to control the voltage and current flow
in the circuit. It depends on the duty cycle, here the duty cycleis from zero percent to 100 percent to obtain
the complete I-V curve. The complete Project flowchart is given below:
Project Steps
Project Flow chart
Voltage Measurement – The Voltage from the PV is measured by connecting voltage divider circuit with
the PV input. For reducing the voltage magnitude from 22volts to 5volts two resistors of 4.621Kohm and
0.9958Kohm (four times difference) is connected in series across the input supply. The output from the
voltage divider is connected to the microcontroller to measure the voltage.
Current Measurement – The Current from the PV can be measured both directly and indirectly. Resistors
or Transistors can be used to measure directly, Hall effect coil and Rogowski coil can be used to measure
indirectly [8]. Here, Current sense resistor of 10ohm is used to measure the current from PV [8].
Irradiance Measurement – A Pyranometer is used to measure the irradiance. But the output from the
Pyranometer is low. So, an operational amplifier connected innon-inverting amplifier configuration is used
to amplify the voltage to 5volts. The resistors used in the configuration are 0.746ohm and 200Kohm
Temperature Measurement – A temperature sensor (LM 35) is used to read the temperature and the
microcontroller converts the analog data into digital data in Celsius.
Every measurement output is displayed in the serial monitor of Arduino and initially, it is copied to excel
for graphing the I-V curve but later it is made automatic using visual basics.
4. Circuit Diagram – To measure Voltage and current
Figure 1a – Circuit diagram to measure voltage and current
Components Specification/Model
Resistors R1 and R3 4.621Kohm
Resistors R2 and R4 0.9958ohm
Resistor R6 10ohm
Current Sense Resistor R5 10ohm
Capacitors C1 and C2 100microFarad
MOSFET n-Channel (IRFZ44N)
Power Supply 5volts
Microcontroller Arduino UNO
Photo-Voltaic At Standard Test Condition
Wp=5W, Vmp=17.5V, Imp=0.29A, Voc=22.0V,
Isc= 0.32A, Operating Temperature = -40degree to
+85degree. Max system voltage = 600v
Working Theory - The PV is connected to two voltage dividers with one resistor four time bigger than the
other one. The 22 volts from PV is converted to 5volts and given as analog input to the Arduino in pins A3
and A5. Current Sense resistor is connected in between the two voltage dividers. From the two voltage
values and current sense resistor value the current data can be obtained from ohm’s law (Ipv = (V1-
V2)/10ohm). The PWM for the GATE terminal of MOSFET is given from the Arduino PWM pin 5 to obtain
current and voltage data for duty cycle 0percent to 100percent. The ground of the circuit is connected to
the Arduino ground pin. The capacitors are connected with the circuit to smooth the curve.
Circuit Diagram - To measure Temperature and irradiance
Figure 1b – Circuit diagram to measure temperature and irradiance
Working Theory - The input from the irradiance sensor (Pyranometer) is connected to the non-inverting
amplifier configuration. Since, the pyranometer gives only 10microvolts/Wm-2 the amplifier is used to
amplify the voltage to 5volts [9] and given as analog input to the microcontroller (Arduino UNO). a power
supply of 5volt is used to power the amplifier. Finally, output from the temperature sensor is also given as
analog input to the Arduino.
5. Results – Steps of project progression
Voltage and Current Measurement
a) The Voltage Divider is connected directly across a voltage supply initially instead of PV, 4.621Kohm is
connected to the positiveside of the supply and 0.9958Kohm is connected to the negative side of the supply.
When the input of 19volts is given from the voltage supply an output of 3.72volts is obtained using voltage
divider and it is measured in the keithley. The main reason to convert the voltage is the Arduino UNO can
read only maximum voltage of 5volts.
Figure 2a – Voltage Divider Circuit Figure 2b – Keithley Output
b) To measure the current, a current sense resistor of 10ohms is also connected with the voltage divider.
As shown in the figure 2c, Keithley is used to read the current flow in the circuit.
Figure 2c – Current measurement Circuit
c) Since, PWM (pulse width modulation) using MOSFET acts as the load in the circuit. So, it is initially tested
with LED. The Digital pin 3 acts as the PWM pin to control brightness of the LED. The LED with 1Kohm
resistor is connected with drain terminal of MOSFET, the main reason to use a resistor with LED is to limit
the flow of current to prevent damage and source terminal is connected to the ground. Finally, PWM pin
from microcontroller is connected with gate terminal. When a duty cycle of 90percent is given to the
MOSFET the LED is seen bright as shown in the figure 2d. And an oscilloscope is also connected with the
MOSFET terminals to measure the duty cycle and voltage.
Figure 2d – MOSFET connection to control LED Figure 2e – Oscilloscope Output
R1= 1Kohm
R2 = 4.7Kohm
Current sense Resistor = 10ohms
Keithley
MOSFET
LED
1Kohm
Arduino UNO
6. d) The MOSFET is connected with voltage
divider and current sense resistor. But now an
additional voltage divider is also added along
with the present circuit to measure precise
values. The new circuit is simulated using
Falstad’s circuit simulator before being built in
the breadboard. The two voltage values from
the voltage dividers is connected to two Analog
pins (A3, A5) in the Arduino UNO and the
current from the circuit is calculated using
ohm’s law Ipv = (V1
– V2)/current sense resistor value. The PWM
pin 5 from Arduino UNO is connected to the gate
of MOSFET. Figure 2f – Circuit Simulation
The current and Voltage values for duty cycle 0 percent to 100 percent is obtained in the serial monitor of
Arduino UNO. The built simulated circuit is shown below in figure 2g. A voltage supply of 22volts is used
as input in the circuit to check the measurements. Arduino is programmed to measure an average of
1000values for both current and voltage.
Figure 2g – MOSFET connected with current and voltage measurement Circuit
e) Now a potentiometer is connected with circuit to measure the voltage and current values manually for
different duty cycles. The first terminal of Potentiometer is connected to 5volts, second terminal is
connected to the Arduino analog pin A1 and third terminal is connected to the ground.
Figure 2h – Manual Mode Circuit
The current and voltage of the circuit is measured using Oscilloscope and Keithley before drawing the
curve for ten different duty cycles the current and voltage values are obtained and I-V curve is drawn using
Excel. Which is shown below:
Voltage Supply
Mosfet
Voltage Dividers
Current Sense Resistor
Arduino UNO
Arduino UNO
MOSFET
Potentiometer
Current Sense Resistor
Voltage Dividers
7. Figure 2i – Oscilloscope and Keithley output for manual mode
The oscilloscope shows the voltage of 5.5 volts and keithley measures the current for voltages from 0 to
5.7volts. Then the serial monitor is used as display to read the output current and voltage values from the
circuit for ten different duty cycles. Instead of voltage supply as input, the PV is connected with circuit as
input
Figure 2j – PV connected with manual mode circuit Figure 2k – manual mode – I-V curve
f) Instead of manual mode, the current and voltage values are obtained automatically from the circuit and
Arduino is programmed to automatically calculate and display current and voltage values for duty cycle
from 0percent to 100percent. An average of 100000samples and 1000samples are taken separately and
the I-V curve is drawn for both program.
Figure 2l – I-V curve for 100000 samples Figure 2M- I-V curve for 1000 samples in automatic mode
PV
Manual Mode Circuit
Output in serial monitor
8. g) For 100000samples the I-V curve looks beneficial for understanding but for 1000 samples it is still not
beneficial. So, additional to the circuit a capacitor between voltage divider and current sense resistor is
added for limiting the ripples to get a smooth output. An oscilloscope is used to see the limited ripples. But
still there are ripples in the output voltage. So, as the final circuit a capacitor is added in the input end
across PV and another capacitor is added between voltage divider and MOSFET with a resistor between
source terminal of MOSFET and ground. And a 5volt power supply is connected along with PV as a
compensate for the voltage drop across the current sense and MOSFET stabilising resistors.
Figure 2N – Final circuit to measure I and V Figure 2O – I-V curve for the circuit
h) Temperature and Irradiance Measurement - To measure I-V curve for different temperature and
irradiance. The irradiance sensor is connected to the pin 3 of operational amplifier. The resistors
220Kohm and 1Kohm are connected with Pin 1and 2 of the amplifier. The output from the pin1 of amplifier
is connected to analog pin A4. Finally output from the temperature sensor is connected to the Analog pin
A0. A separate voltage supply is connected to pin 8 for powering amplifier.
Figure 2P – Circuit to measure temperature and irradiance
Figure 2Q – IV curve for different temperature
Capacitor C1
Capacitor C2
Resistor R6
5 volt supply
Voltage Supply – to power amplifier
Operational amplifier
Irradiance Sensor
Temperature Sensor
Voltage and Current Measurement Circuit
9. Discussion
The resulting I-V curve obtained from the final circuit shows very low noise disturbance and the
curve is relatively smooth. From the I-V curve of the final circuit, Short circuit current Isc of the PV is read
as 0.223amps and open circuit voltage of the PV is 16.5 volts. Since no MPP (Maximum Power Point)
Algorithm is used in the circuit precise values of Vmpp and Impp is difficult to read. But approximately the
fill factor and efficiency of the PV can be calculated. Using this curve, the students could understand the
important terms in the solar power to analyse the efficiency of the PV. There is a breakdown voltage in the
curve due to the additional 5volt supply to compensate loss. So, the students can also understand the
concept and causes of breakdown voltage.
From the I-V curves for different temperatures and irradiance. It is noted that as the temperature of the PV
decreases it has little effect on short circuit current but it has a high effect in open circuit voltage. It is
completely reverse for irradiance as the irradiance decreases it has little effect on open circuit voltage but
it has high effect on short circuit current. Using this curve, the students could understand the effects of
temperature and irradiance on PV.
Now the voltage, current,
temperature and irradiance
values are manually copied from
serial monitor of Arduino to Excel
for obtaining the I-V curve of PV.
But it is little bit difficult and
consumes some time so, using
visual basics the excel is
programmed to measure the
current, voltage, irradiance and
temperature values directly from
the Arduino UNO viaserial port 3.
When the button e is pressed a
particular set of values is
obtained. This developed excel
sheet can be send to the students
via e-mail or can be downloaded
from the online website.
Figure 3a – Excel Layout
As the final setup both circuits are designed in a strip board with a potentiometer for manual mode and a
push button for Automatic mode with a toggle switch between them to change the mode. And an enclosure
is used to cover the setup.
Figure 3b – Circuits in strip board Figure 3c – Educational Kit
Manual Mode
Automatic Mode
Toggle Switch
IV Tracer
10. Since there are no undergraduate students in the university in this period. The kit is tested with my
classmate. As a result, he can understand three different aspects such as the way to measure voltage,
current, temperature and irradiance, functions of important electronic components like microcontroller,
resistors, capacitors, MOSFET and operational amplifier. Finally, he can understand the terms of I-V curve
easily comparing to Keithley which he used in his first semester of Solar Power 1 lab.
The Educational Kit comes with PV and IV tracer.
The cost of PV is 15 pounds and the cost of IV
tracer is (Arduino UNO – 21.66 pounds, resistors
5pound, Mosfet – 1.24 pound, 25pence,
operational amplifier – one pound,)30 pounds.
So, all together the cost of educational kit is 45
pounds. Whereas the cost of keithley is 4,700
pounds. With such a low cost kit the students
will able to understand the terms and conditions
to measure the IV curve with same as keithley.
Figure 3d – Complete Setup
Conclusion
In conclusion, from the above analysis, we see that use of Electronic Load method to trace IV curve is very
reliable and convenient method to educate the students about Solar Power, apart from irradiance sensor
the circuit is also cost effective (35pounds) comparing to use of Keithley which is a high cost component.
The students can work intwo different modes by using this kit. In-case if they want to learn the duty cycles
connection with the curve they can use manual mode to graph the IV curve and in-case they want to learn
terms in the IV curve to obtain the efficiency then they can move directly to automatic mode. A little ripple
which was from the circuit is also eliminated by adding capacitors. The next improvement which can be
done to the kit was to add a LCD display directly to the kit for graphing the IV curve instead of using excel
in the laptop. Not only this kit can be used for undergraduate students it can also use by next year MSc
students for their understanding in solar power 1 lab with keithley. In the long term this kit circuits can be
modified with high power components to measure IV curve of large solar field.
Acknowledgement
I am very grateful to my supervisor Dr. Tom Betts, for patiently correcting my mistakes in the project. Who
cared and encouraged me in every steps on my stairway to knowledge heaven. I have found these
manifestations in him as a teacher, adviser, friend and a human being without whom it would never have
seen the light of day!
PV
I-V tracer Laptop
11. Appendices
References
[1] University, Loughborough. PhotoVoltaic Characterisation, Laboratory Notes for Solar 1 Module. 2015.
[2] R. Millar, "The role and purpose of practical work in the teaching and learning of science (first draft),"
2012.
[3] A. Q. Malik and Salmi Jan Bin Haji Damit, "Outdoor testing of single crystal siliconsolar cells," Renewable
Energy, vol. 28, no. 9, pp. 1433–1445, 2003.
[4] M. M. Mahmoud, "Transient analysis of a PV power generator charging a capacitor for measurement of
the characteristics,"Renewable Energy, vol. 31, no. 13, pp. 2198–2206, 2005.
[5] Y. Kuai and S. Yuvarajan, "An electronic load for testing photovoltaic panels," Journal of Power Sources,
vol. 154, no. 1, pp. 308–313, Mar. 2006.
[6] E. Duran, J. M. Enrique, M. A. Bohorquez, M. Sidrach-de-Cardona, J. E. Carretero, and J. M. Andujar, "A
new application of the coupled-inductors SEPIC converter to obtain I-V and P-V curves of photovoltaic
modules," p. 10, Sep. 2010.
[7] E. Duran, M. Piliougine, M. Sidrach-de-Cardona, J. Galan, and J. M. Andujar, "Different methods to obtain
the I–V curve of PV modules: A review," pp. 1–6, May 2016.
[8] [5] T. Gamblin, "Voltage divider circuits: Divider circuits and Kirchhoff’s laws - electronics textbook,".
[Online]. Available: http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/direct-current/chpt-6/voltage-divider-
circuits/. Accessed: Aug. 3, 2016
[9] B. Yarborough, "Components and methods for current measurement," 2012. [Online]. Available:
http://powerelectronics.com/power-electronics-systems/components-and-methods-current-
measurement. Accessed: Aug. 7, 2016.
[10] electronics +radio, "Non-Inverting operational amplifier circuit," 2016. [Online]. Available:
http://www.electronics-radio.com/articles/analogue_circuits/operational-amplifier-op-amp/non-
inverting-amplifier.php. Accessed: Aug. 25, 2016.
Arduino Program
int sensorPin1 = A5;
int sensorPin2 = A3;
int irradiancePin = A4;
int Temperaturepin = A0;
int fadePin = 5;
int ledPin = 13;
int PWM_duty;
float autoduty = 0;
long voltagesensorValue = 0;
long currentsensorValue = 0;
long irradiancesensorValue = 0;
long temperaturesensorValue = 0;
float Voltage;
float Current;
float Irradiance;
float Temperature;
float resistor1 = 1000;
float resistor2 = 4700;
float currentsenseresistor = 10;
float PWM_duty_display;