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    IPhO 2013 Experiment 2 Solution

    Uploaded by

    mpecth
    This document describes experiments conducted to characterize solar cells and understand how their performance is affected by factors like distance from the light source and presence of optical materials. Key results include: 1) Solar cell current decreases with greater distance from the light source and follows an inverse square relationship. 2) A solar cell's I-V characteristic curve was measured and used to determine the open circuit voltage and short circuit current. 3) Coupling two solar cells yielded the highest power output when one cell was shielded and the other was not.

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    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    IPhO 2013 Experiment 2 Solution

    Uploaded by

    mpecth
    101 views12 pages
    This document describes experiments conducted to characterize solar cells and understand how their performance is affected by factors like distance from the light source and presence of optical materials. Key results include: 1) Solar cell current decreases with greater distance from the light source and follows an inverse square relationship. 2) A solar cell's I-V characteristic curve was measured and used to determine the open circuit voltage and short circuit current. 3) Coupling two solar cells yielded the highest power output when one cell was shielded and the other was not.

    Original Description:

    Solution to question 2 of the IPhO 2013 experiment questions

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    © Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)

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    This document describes experiments conducted to characterize solar cells and understand how their performance is affected by factors like distance from the light source and presence of optical materials. Key results include: 1) Solar cell current decreases with greater distance from the light source and follows an inverse square relationship. 2) A solar cell's I-V characteristic curve was measured and used to determine the open circuit voltage and short circuit current. 3) Coupling two solar cells yielded the highest power output when one cell was shielded and the other was not.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    101 views12 pages

    IPhO 2013 Experiment 2 Solution

    Uploaded by

    mpecth
    This document describes experiments conducted to characterize solar cells and understand how their performance is affected by factors like distance from the light source and presence of optical materials. Key results include: 1) Solar cell current decreases with greater distance from the light source and follows an inverse square relationship. 2) A solar cell's I-V characteristic curve was measured and used to determine the open circuit voltage and short circuit current. 3) Coupling two solar cells yielded the highest power output when one cell was shielded and the other was not.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 12

    Solar cells (solution) E2

    Page 1 of 12

    2.1 The dependence of the solar cell current on the distance to the light source
    ()


    2.1a Measure I as a function of r, and set up a table of your measurements. 1.0
    2.1b Determine the values of I
    a
    and a by the use of a suitable graphical method. 1.0

    slot # r I 1/I r^2

    mm mA 1/mA mm^2
    3 9.0 5.440 0.184 81
    4 14.5 5.290 0.189 210
    5 20.0 5.010 0.200 400
    6 25.5 4.540 0.220 650
    7 31.0 3.840 0.260 961
    8 36.5 3.230 0.310 1332
    9 42.0 2.730 0.366 1764
    10 47.5 2.305 0.434 2256
    11 53.0 1.985 0.504 2809
    12 58.5 1.730 0.578 3422
    13 64.0 1.485 0.673 4096
    14 69.5 1.305 0.766 4830
    15 75.0 1.140 0.877 5625
    16 80.5 1.045 0.957 6480
    17 86.0 0.930 1.075 7396
    18 91.5 0.840 1.190 8372
    19 97.0 0.755 1.325 9409
    20 102.5 0.690 1.449 10506


    (






    Solar cells (solution) E2

    Page 2 of 12

    2.2 Characteristic of the solar cell

    2.2a Make a table of corresponding measurements of U and I. 0.6
    2.2b Graph voltage as a function of current 0.8

    I U
    mA V
    0.496 0.532
    1.451 0.531
    5.05 0.526
    8.88 0.52
    14.05 0.509
    31.1 0.395
    25.3 0.471
    21.6 0.488
    30.6 0.41
    31.9 0.364
    32.6 0.299
    32.6 0.313
    33.1 0.239
    33.4 0.085
    33.3 0.138
    33.4 0.096
    33.4 0.058
    33.5 0.046
    33.5 0.045
    1.05 0.529
    27.8 0.454
    15.9 0.503
    22.3 0.483
    26.8 0.458
    29.2 0.435





    Solar cells (solution) E2

    Page 3 of 12

    2.3 Theoretical characteristic for the solar cell
    2.3a Use the graph from question 2.2b to determine

    . 0.4
    2.3b
    Estimate the range of values of U for which the mentioned approximation is good.
    Determine graphically the values of

    and for your solar cell.


    1.2

    for

    ((

    ) )

    )
    for where (

    ) ()

    (

    ()








    Solar cells (solution) E2

    Page 4 of 12

    2.4 Maximum power for a solar cell
    2.4a
    The maximum power that the solar cell can deliver to the external circuit is denoted

    . Determine

    for your solar cell through a few, suitable measurements. (You


    may use some of your previous measurements from question 2.2)
    0.5
    2.4b
    Estimate the optimal load resistance

    , i.e. the total external resistance when the


    solar cell delivers its maximum power to

    . State your result with uncertainty and


    illustrate your method with suitable calculations.
    0.5




    ( ) ( )
    I U P
    mA V mW
    26.8 0.458 12.2744 1
    27.8 0.454 12.6212 2
    29.2 0.435 12.7020 3
    30.6 0.410 12.5460 4
    31.1 0.395 12.2845 5
    max
    opt 2 2
    opt
    12.71mW
    (15.3 0.3)
    (28.8mA)
    P
    R
    I
    = = = O



    Solar cells (solution) E2

    Page 5 of 12

    2.5 Comparing the solar cells
    2.5a
    Measure, for the given illumination:
    - The maximum potential difference

    that can be measured over solar cell A.


    - The maximum current

    that can be measured through solar cell A.


    Do the same for solar cell B.
    0.5
    2.5b
    Draw electrical diagrams for your circuits showing the wiring of the solar cells and the
    meters.
    0.3



    2.5a. U
    A
    =0.512 V I
    A
    =16.465 mA U
    B
    =0.480 V I
    B
    = 16.325 mA
    2.5b.





    Solar cells (solution) E2

    Page 6 of 12

    2.6 Couplings of the solar cells
    2.6
    Determine which of the four arrangements of the two solar cells yields the highest
    possible power in the external circuit when one of the solar cells is shielded with the
    shielding plate (J in Fig. 2.1).

    Draw the corresponding electrical diagram.
    1.0
    Two approaches:
    Approach 1: use a constant setting of the variable resistor to simulate a constant external load.
    Approach 2: use the hint given in the question and measure values of maximal U and maximal I
    independently (no variable resistor involved).
    In the following only measurements for approach 1 are presented.
    a.
    Unshielded (adjusting R for reasonable P)
    13.10 mA; 0.794 V; 10.4 mW

    A shielded: 0.37 mA; 0.022 V
    B shielded: 0.83 mA; 0.049 V
    b.

    R like in a.

    A shielded: 1.47 mA; 0.088 V
    B shielded: -2.82 mA; -0.170 V
    c.
    R like in a.

    A shielded: 6.89 mA; 0.415 V
    B shielded: 6.905 mA; 0.4165 V



    Solar cells (solution) E2

    Page 7 of 12

    d.
    R like in a.


    A shielded: 7.14 mA; 0.436 V
    B shielded: -7.76 mA; -0.474 V
    Conclusion: Best power: Set-up d with B shielded. (Solar cell A slightly better than B).




    (2.7 on next page)



    Solar cells (solution) E2

    Page 8 of 12

    2.7 The effect of the optical vessel (large cuvette) on the solar cell current
    2.7a
    Measure the current I, now as a function of the height, h, of water in the vessel, see Fig.
    2.8. Make a table of the measurements and draw a graph.
    1.0
    2.7b Explain with only sketches and symbols why the graph looks the way it does. 1.0
    2.7c
    For this set-up do the following:
    - Measure the distance

    between the light source and the solar cell, and the current

    .
    - Place the empty vessel immediately in front of the circular aperture and measure the
    current

    .
    - Fill up the vessel with water, almost to the top, and measure the current

    .
    0.6
    2.7d
    Use your measurements from 2.7c to find a value for the refractive index

    for water.
    Illustrate your method with suitable sketches and equations. You may include additional
    measurements.
    1.6

    2.7a
    h I
    mm mA
    2 2.54
    22 2.55
    28 2.56
    34 2.57
    38 2.42
    42 2.21
    45 2.13
    46 2.08
    48 2.15
    49 2.54
    50 2.97
    52 3.36
    53 3.61
    57 3.96
    59 3.99
    63 3.89
    67 3.6
    69 3.49
    72 3.47





    aperture
    A
    B
    C
    D


    Solar cells (solution) E2

    Page 9 of 12

    2.7b Exempledrawings for position A, B, C and D on previous graph:




































    mA
    A







    mA
    B


    Solar cells (solution) E2

    Page 10 of 12



















    mA
    D







    mA
    C


    Solar cells (solution) E2

    Page 11 of 12

    2.7c NOTE: The exemplar measurements are from a different lamp than in 2.1. For a
    solution to 2.7d using the distance graph it is necessary to refer to the graph below.









    Solar cells (solution) E2

    Page 12 of 12

    2.7d


    1 1
    1 2
    2 2
    tan sin
    ( ) tan tan
    tan sin
    b
    h b r b n
    b r
    u u
    u u
    u u
    = A = = ~ =
    A
    , da
    2 1
    1 u u < << .


    ( )


    NOTE: Better results may be obtained. The uncertainty is rather large in this method because of the
    subtraction of two large numbers for
    A different method is to determine the shift by actually moving the set-up and perhaps making an
    interpolation in directly measured data.

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