Study of Solar PV Panel Under Partial Vacuum Conditions: A Step Towards Performance Improvement

ABSTRACT

In this novel experiment, the performance of solar PV cell is tested under different pressure (partial vacuum condition), which is a step towards its performance improvement. The small-scale hardware is designed and developed for this setup, which contains mainly the transparent air-tight container, pressure gauge, temperature sensor, irradiation sensor, and compressor unit. In this experiment, under different vacuum condition the performance of the solar PV panel is exhibited by I-V characteristic, temperature v/s vacuum curve, voltage v/s temperature curve; current, voltage and power waveforms using digital storage oscilloscope. From this experiment, it has been observed that the partial vacuum condition affects solar panel positively. One of the key findings is that as the vacuum level is increased, eventually power generated by the solar panel is increased. In the case of -2.3039 (inHg) of pressure, the temperature decreased from 48.172–37.149°C without humidity and dust particle. In this case, the power is increased from 2.713 W to 2.876 W which is a total 6% increment in power.

KEYWORDS:

• Environmental conditions
• PV performance
• Solar PV panel
• Vacuum condition

Additional information

Funding

The research work presented is carried out with the support of Centre of Excellence in Renewable Energy, IIT(ISM), Dhanbad, funded by MHRD, Government of India, Established under the scheme of centers of excellence for training and research in frontier areas of science and technology (FAST).

Notes on contributors

Ankur Kumar Gupta

Ankur Kumar Gupta is a research scholar in IIT (ISM) Dhanbad. He has obtained MTech (Power Electronics) in 2012. He is having more than 4 years of experience as an R&D engineer in the field of power electronics (AC-DC and DC-DC Converter). His research area includes power electronics, converters, and renewable energy-based electrical power generation. Currently, he is working as assistant professor, Research and Development Department, IIMT University Meerut, UP.

Yogesh K. Chauhan

Yogesh K Chauhan has obtained MTech (Power Electronics and Drives) (from IITD, New Delhi) and PhD on induction generator from Thapar University, Patiala, Punjab in 1998 and 2010, respectively. He had worked in Thapar University and GB University, Gr. Noida as assistant professor. Presently, he is working as associate professor, KNIT Sultanpur. He is having more than 18 years of teaching/research experience. His research interests include power electronics converters and drives, induction generators, renewable energy-based electrical power generation. He is a profession member of IEEE and IE(I). Email: [email protected]

Tanmoy Maity

Tanmoy Maity received graduation and master's degree in electrical engineering from Calcutta University and PhD from Bengal Engineering & Science University, Shibpur. He has six years industrial and more than 18 years of academic experience. He is currently working as associate professor in Indian Institute of Technology (ISM), Dhanbad, Jharkhand, India. Email: [email protected]

Ria Nanda

Ria Nanda is an assistant professor in applied science at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University affiliated college, Delhi. She is doctorate in chemistry and post graduate from the University of Delhi in organic chemistry. Her areas of research are waste water treatment and renewable energy resources. She has published 11 research papers in conferences and four papers in international & national journals. She is the reviewer board member of three international journals. Email: [email protected]