THE INFLUENCE OF TROPICAL CLIMATE IN THE OPERATION OF A GRID

CONNECTED PHOTOVOLTAIC THIN-FILM AMORPHOUS SILICON SYSTEM

Mateus Manuel Neto1,2, Luu Thi Lan Anh2, Nguyen Duc Hieu2,
Pham Phi Hung2 , Nguyen Ngoc Trung2 , and Vo Thach Son2
1
Laboratory of Photovoltaic House Luanda, University Agostinho Neto, Luanda, Angola
2
Institute of Enginerring Physics, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, No. 1, Dai Co Viet Road, Hanoi, Vietnam
E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: This study analyses the influence of African tropical climate in the performance of a small scale, grid connected, thin-
film, amorphous silicon photovoltaic system located in Luanda, Angola. Relating to the local natural phenomenon, the amount of
solar irradiance, the system was exposed, showed the greatest effect on performance. The effect of ambient temperature,
meteorological data and humidity were considered and they displayed slight effects on the output of the system, and it was observed
that a significant loss in power occurred through the inverter.

Key word: Solar irradiance, Photovoltaic system, Amorphous silicon, Thin-film.

EXPERIMENTS RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Solar radiation

51.0
14

50.5

Open circuit voltage (V)

12

Pmax (W)
10
50.0

Kipp & Zonen’s Pyranometer Model CMP6, 8

49.5

ISSO 9060 / WMO First Class Standard 6

4 49.0
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 300 400 500 600 700 800 900

Weather 2
Solar radiation (W/m )
2
Solar radiation (W/m )

PV System Maximum power output versus The open circuit voltage with
Station solar radiation varying solar radiation
Power
Station • One of the main factors affecting the
Inverter 0.30 performance of PV systems, including thin-
film, is the amount of radiation to which cells
0.25
are exposed
Measuring
Short circuit current (A)

Online PC • The data points fit a linear relationship

System 0.20
seems to be the only solar irradiation variable
0.15 which significantly determines the output of
the system
0.10
•This data was plotted under constant ambient
Data Logger 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 temperature and relative humidity
2
Solar radiation (W/m ) •This plots indicate the fluctuating amount of
The short circuit current with radiation reaching the system due to passing
varying solar radiation clouds on generally clear days, and sudden
Diagram of test bed PV system patches of clear sky on a cloudy day.

Temperature Humidity Inverter

60 0.30
52 80
Short circuit current (mA)

14
55
C) (

Open circuit voltage (V)

70 Pmax
Average panel temperature

Relative humidity (%)

o

51 12 Pac
50 0.25 60
10
45 50
50
Power (W)

8
40
40 0.20

30 6
49
35
20 4
30 0.15
24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 48 10
30 40 50 60 70 80
2
o o 20 25 30 35 40 45
Ambient temperature ( C) Ambient temperature ( C) Relative humidity (%) o
Ambient temperature ( C)
Average panel temperature versus Short circuit current versus Short circuit current with
0
21-Aug--27-Aug-- 7-Sep --11-Sep--18-Sep--
ambient temperature Relative humidity versus
ambient temperature varying humidity Comparison of power converted by inverter (Pac)
Date
ambient temperature
55 14
0.30 and power produced by PV system (Pmax)
Open Circuit Voltage (V)

13
Short circuit current (A)

12 •It was observed that both the open circuit voltage and short circuit current
Pmax (W)

0.25
50 11 slightly increases as the temperature increases up to 34oC, and then decreases
10 as the temperature increases
0.20
9 •Temperature rise was caused by larger solar radiation to PV panels, this
45
30 32 34 36 38 40 42
8
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 0.15
increased short circuit current and open circuit voltage.
Ambient temperature ( C)
o
Wind speed (m/s) 30 40 50 60 70
Relative humidity (%)
80
• When the efficiency of the system was considered with the inverter, it
Open circuit voltage versus Maximum power output dropped by almost 12%, from 4.9% to 4.2%. this was twice the amount of
Open circuit voltage with
ambient temperature versus wind speed reduction in efficiency caused by a combination of factors that include, wind
varying humidity
speed, increasing ambient temperature, humidity, real power conversion
efficiency of the inverter, and a general degradation of the system.

• The unexpected factor such as dust accumulation will probably have a significant impact on the performance of the system by reducing the
amount of sunlight that the PV panels are exposed to.
• Solar irradiance and the Staebler-Wronski effect [8] had a larger influence on operation than changes in ambient temperature. humidity
and wind also seemed to have an effect, but variations in humidity had a closely linked and relationship with temperature that makes it
difficult to judge the true impact of humidity on performance.
• A considerable reduction in the performance of the overall setup occurred as the power produced was fed into the grid through the
inverter.