06-09-2013, 04:06 PM
Solar Cell Emulator and Solar Cell Characteristics Measurements In Dark and Illuminated Conditions
[attachment=57694]
Abstract
This paper describes a novel data acquisition system designed and implemented with facilities for
measuring and monitoring the characteristics of a PV solar cell, module and/or system. The functioning of the
equipment is based on the so-called virtual instrumentation. This is a non-conventional concept, however it does
not have the many limitations in other systems. Additionally, the whole equipment can be implemented at
significantly lower cost than the commercial one. The dark characteristics test facility, based on LabVIEW
software to design an easy handling Graphical User Interface (GUI) and use a single chip microcontroller with a
serial interface. The system is used to acquire the measured data from the cell under test and transfer it to a
supervisory computer for monitoring and other signal processing. The preliminary test we have made indicates that
the equipment we propose here is highly reliable, which allows measuring and monitoring variety of solar cell
characteristics with a good accuracy
Introduction
In the photovoltaic field, manufacturers provide
ratings for PV modules for conditions referred to as
standard test conditions (STC). However, these
conditions rarely occur outdoors, so the usefulness and
applicability of the indoors‟ characterization in
standard test conditions of PV modules are a
controversial issue.
Survey of Previous Work
Daniel KOSTER et. al, have reported in [11]
that, as commonly known the most significant
method to describe the performance characteristic
of PV modules is the measurement of I-V curves
under real operating conditions. Although there is
no need to reinvent the wheel since all recognized
PV test-facilities and a number of manufacturers
of PV modules are using their specific equipment.
Yan-Fang Li, et. al, have reported in [12] that,
Basic Stamp 2 (BS2) is a popular microcontroller used
both in hobby and industrial projects. Similar to other
microcontrollers, BS2 programming environment
lacks graphical user interface (GUI) capability. In
there paper, they present an approach to endow the
BS2 microcontroller with GUI capabilities by
interfacing it with Matlab and by exploiting Matlab‟s
abundant GUI tools. The proposed Matlab-based GUI
environment for BS2 relies on the use of serial
communication between the BS2 and a personal
computer.
Solar Cell I-V Test LabVIEW Program
Unlike [11], [12], LabVIEW based GUI program
(vi) is developed to configure the computer as
supervisory monitoring system and interfaced with
microcontroller by ordering it to start solar cell
testing, and to collect the measured data. The PC
LabVIEW receives the data from the microcontroller,
save it in a file, then viewing the measured points in a
table, processing the received data and controlling the
result graphs. The graph preview area shows the
collected data points after a sweep. The voltage,
current and power data are recorded in a table
specified by the user. The program allows the user to
configure and modify the method of data processing.
Solar Cell Emulator (SCE)
Emulator Importance
Distributed generation poses new problems to the
control of the electric utility, and needs new solutions
and technologies to face a massive penetration of PV-
generators without renouncing to power quality [18].
Photovoltaic inverters are required to know their
efficiencies for PV power inversion and
transformation, the quality of the energy injected in
the utility under different climatic conditions, and
specially the performance of the different anti-
islanding methods in solar inverters under large
penetration of PV. Therefore, becomes vital to have
appropriate test equipments for manufacturers and
laboratories dedicated to PV inverter‟s R&D.
Therefore manufacturers and researchers in the
photovoltaic field need to have appropriate test
equipments for PV system.
[attachment=57694]
Abstract
This paper describes a novel data acquisition system designed and implemented with facilities for
measuring and monitoring the characteristics of a PV solar cell, module and/or system. The functioning of the
equipment is based on the so-called virtual instrumentation. This is a non-conventional concept, however it does
not have the many limitations in other systems. Additionally, the whole equipment can be implemented at
significantly lower cost than the commercial one. The dark characteristics test facility, based on LabVIEW
software to design an easy handling Graphical User Interface (GUI) and use a single chip microcontroller with a
serial interface. The system is used to acquire the measured data from the cell under test and transfer it to a
supervisory computer for monitoring and other signal processing. The preliminary test we have made indicates that
the equipment we propose here is highly reliable, which allows measuring and monitoring variety of solar cell
characteristics with a good accuracy
Introduction
In the photovoltaic field, manufacturers provide
ratings for PV modules for conditions referred to as
standard test conditions (STC). However, these
conditions rarely occur outdoors, so the usefulness and
applicability of the indoors‟ characterization in
standard test conditions of PV modules are a
controversial issue.
Survey of Previous Work
Daniel KOSTER et. al, have reported in [11]
that, as commonly known the most significant
method to describe the performance characteristic
of PV modules is the measurement of I-V curves
under real operating conditions. Although there is
no need to reinvent the wheel since all recognized
PV test-facilities and a number of manufacturers
of PV modules are using their specific equipment.
Yan-Fang Li, et. al, have reported in [12] that,
Basic Stamp 2 (BS2) is a popular microcontroller used
both in hobby and industrial projects. Similar to other
microcontrollers, BS2 programming environment
lacks graphical user interface (GUI) capability. In
there paper, they present an approach to endow the
BS2 microcontroller with GUI capabilities by
interfacing it with Matlab and by exploiting Matlab‟s
abundant GUI tools. The proposed Matlab-based GUI
environment for BS2 relies on the use of serial
communication between the BS2 and a personal
computer.
Solar Cell I-V Test LabVIEW Program
Unlike [11], [12], LabVIEW based GUI program
(vi) is developed to configure the computer as
supervisory monitoring system and interfaced with
microcontroller by ordering it to start solar cell
testing, and to collect the measured data. The PC
LabVIEW receives the data from the microcontroller,
save it in a file, then viewing the measured points in a
table, processing the received data and controlling the
result graphs. The graph preview area shows the
collected data points after a sweep. The voltage,
current and power data are recorded in a table
specified by the user. The program allows the user to
configure and modify the method of data processing.
Solar Cell Emulator (SCE)
Emulator Importance
Distributed generation poses new problems to the
control of the electric utility, and needs new solutions
and technologies to face a massive penetration of PV-
generators without renouncing to power quality [18].
Photovoltaic inverters are required to know their
efficiencies for PV power inversion and
transformation, the quality of the energy injected in
the utility under different climatic conditions, and
specially the performance of the different anti-
islanding methods in solar inverters under large
penetration of PV. Therefore, becomes vital to have
appropriate test equipments for manufacturers and
laboratories dedicated to PV inverter‟s R&D.
Therefore manufacturers and researchers in the
photovoltaic field need to have appropriate test
equipments for PV system.