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Bevavior of silicon thin-film multi-bandgap solar cells under Dutch illumination conditions
Dalarna University, School of Technology and Business Studies, Energy and Environmental Technology.
2007 (English)Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master (Two Years))Student thesis
Abstract [en]

The aim of this research was to observe how operating temperature affected output, and how spectral variation affected current matching for unique triple cells produced at Utrecht University (UU). It was important to use data and boundary conditions that would simulate Dutch weather conditions. The effect of cell operating temperature was studied by warming up the cells in discrete steps over a range of temperatures and monitoring the trend in open circuit voltage and efficiency. The current matching of the three subcells was studied for two triple cells. One was well matched (currents were within 11% of each other) under standard test conditions (STC) while the other was poorly matched (currents varied by up to 45%) under STC. This was the baseline for comparison. Modelled spectral data based on measured irradiation data was available. Data for four days of the year – one clear and one cloudy day in June, and one clear and one cloudy day in December – was used for the research. Using the measured data and the spectral response of the cells, the current matching during each hour of daylight of each day was found. The temperature tests revealed that the triple cells had a temperature coefficient of efficiency of -0.27 %/ºC. While temperature performance of silicon triple cells is a relatively new area of study, these results did agree with established results for tandem cells using amorphous and microcrystalline layers. The spectral variation study showed that a slight change in the daily spectrum caused very dramatic changes in current matching. The best matching was on the clear June day, when the measured spectrum was close to the reference AM1.5 spectrum. The subcell currents in the well matched cell were within 14% of each other, while the poorly matched cell's currents were within 50% of each other. The worst matching was on the cloudy December day. The top cell had an output 38% higher than the current limiting cell in the well matched cell. In the poorly matched cell, its output was 75% higher than the current limiting middle cell. Overall, it was evident that deviations from the AM1.5 spectrum led to poorer current matching. This is a major issue that must be studied further in future cell designs.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Borlänge, 2007. , p. 50
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:du-2910OAI: oai:dalea.du.se:2910DiVA, id: diva2:518288
Uppsok
Technology
Supervisors
Available from: 2007-08-15 Created: 2007-08-15 Last updated: 2012-04-24Bibliographically approved

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CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

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Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • chicago-author-date
  • chicago-note-bibliography
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
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  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
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  • asciidoc
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