Undergraduate Research

The Efficiency of Solar Cells In SE Texas

Road map

My journey towards conducting research started when my older brother (middle) and I (right) received, under the mentoring of Dr. Cristian Bahrim (left), the Office of Undergraduate Research Grant 2017-2018. With this grant, we were funded to conduct research over a topic Dr. Bahrim and David choose. As a freshman, I was given the opportunity to shadow my older brother's research so that I may learn and experience from this grant. So that I may continue this research on my own in the future.

With the equipment finally arriving in early Spring 2018, we were finally able to start scenarios to test the effective efficiency of this 1 Watt Solar Cell

PASCO 1 Watt Solar Cell ■

PASCO Rotational Motor Drive ■

PASCO Wireless Current Sensor ■

PASCO Wireless Voltage Sensor ■

PASCO PASSPORT 6-in-1 Weather Sensor ■

PASCO USB Bluetooth Adaptor

PASCO Air link ■

Variable Transformer (VARIAC) ■

Decade Resistance Box ■

Digital Multifunction Volt Meter ■ (black)

Source Lamp ■

In our first experiments we tested how the angle of the solar cell in respect to the source lamp would impact the rate of power production. In this image we were testing if the temperature of the solar cell could impact its efficiency.

In this image we enclosed the solar cell in a box where the tube entering from the side would release a steady amount of fog. This test gave us idea how adverse weather conditions can lead to a major drop in efficiency.

We took our equipment outside and tested how cloudly weather can lead to major efficiency drops. By doing, we are highlighting a common adverse weather that a solar farm will have to face if a solar power plants is to be located in South East Texas

Conclusion

-A lab-controlled ambient temperature increase from 30°C to 40°C (86°F to 104°F) leads to a 4.5% drop in generated voltage.

-Cirrostratus clouds do not significantly impact the solar cell’s voltage but when stratocumulus clouds block the sun, the solar cell can experience a drop in voltage of about 82% from its peak value.

-Within 25° of the solar cell’s vertical axis, the voltage saturates at a maximum value and reaches stability. Coupling this axis with the sun’s 8.43° change in angle every 34 minutes with respect to the solar cell, we only need to reorient the solar cell every 3 hours and 20 minutes.

This project provides the solar energy research community with ideas about a more efficient solar cell in a coastal areas and how to mitigate the effect of weather conditions.

Determining the optimal solar cell orientation and the effects of weather conditions is needed towards finding better or viable options for generating electric power.

Future Plans

I plan on continuing in this research by applying to the Office of Undergraduate Research Grant 2018-2019, I will look into finding methods in combating the efficiency drops caused by adverse weather conditions by adopting a sun-tracking methodology.