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Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 37 (1995) 123-132

A new model for I-V characteristic of solar cell generators and its applications
Mehmet Akbaba, Mohammed A.A. Alattawi
Department of Electrical Engineering, The University of Bahrain, PO. Box 33547, Isa Town, Bahrain

Received 3 February 1994; revised 20 July 1994

Abstract A new model is presented for accurate simulation of the external (Z-V) characteristic of solar cells generators and the model is applied to direct analytical evaluation of the maximum power points, without involving time consuming numerical techniques. The model is compared with the traditional (Z-V) characteristic, which is chosen from the published

literature, and very satisfactory match is obtained between the two. The new model lends itself for easy analytical manipulations. To this end it is applied to resistive load and closed form solution is obtained for the performance which is not readily obtainable from the traditional (Z-V) characteristic.

1. Introduction

Because of the drastic increases in oil prices and the decrease in oil reserves, many studies have been conducted for utilization of solar energy. Solar energy can be utilized in two ways, i.e., either to use it directly for heating or cooling of air and water without using an intermediate electric circuitry, or to convert it into electrical energy by using solar cells. Conversion of solar radiation to electrical energy is the most convenient way of utilizing solar radiation. Therefore, many studies have been devoted for analysis of cell generator driven DC motors and passive loads (R or R-L loads) [l-51. Also many other references are listed in Refs. [l] and [41. In the analysis of the performance of solar cell generator driven loads, one of the key element is the mathematical model of the 1-V characteristic of solar cells or solar cell generators. In all published literature [l-5] a single mathematical model is used for the Z-V characteristic of solar cells or solar cell generators, which is a traditional p-n junction I-V or V-1 characteristic model that has been used since long time in electronics using Eqs. (1) and (2) which are
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M. Akbaba, M.A.A. Alattawi /Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 37 (1995) 123-132

given in the following section. As can be seen from these equations the traditional mathematical model of solar cells or solar cell generators has a complicated structure, which does not lend itself for easy manipulation of the system performance and direct calculation of the currents, voltages, maximum power and resistance corresponding to the maximum power point. It involves time consuming iterative calculations of the performance or approximate equations are derived for a particular solar cell generator, i.e., for maximum power point calculation, as in Ref. [4]. Therefore, it might be valuable if a new and more simple, yet accurate model can be provided for the Z-V characteristic. Keeping this fact in mind, a new but more simple mathematical model is presented in this paper for Z-I/ characteristic of solar cell generators. Its accuracy, flexibility and simplicity is demonstrated by comparing this new model with the traditional model for a cell generator whose parameters are obtained from Ref. [l] and applying it for direct computation of maximum power points and calculation of the performance of the resistive loads.

2. Proposed new model The traditional (Z-V) characteristic of a solar cell, when neglecting the internal shunt resistance, is given by the following equation [l-5]:
Z=Z,, -Z,[exp(A(V+ZR,))

- I],

(1)

where I,,,, is the light generated current (photocurrent), Z,is the reverse saturation current, A = q/(AKT), q is the electronic charge, A is a dimensionless factor, K is the Boltzmann constant, T is the temperature in K, and R, is the series resistance of the cell. In literature, in many cases, instead of the Z-F characteristic given by Eq. (11, the V-Z characteristic which is given below is used [l-4]:
I/=

-IRS+ i.ln[

zph-z~ zo].

(2)

Eq. (2) is valid for a single cell as well as for cell generators, only the numerical values of the parameters R,,A, I,, and Z, are different. In this paper a particular solar cell generator, which its parameters are obtained from Ref. [l], is taken as the base for comparison between the traditional model and the new model proposed in this paper. The generator consists of 18 strings in a parallel connection. Each string is made up of 9 panels in series and each panel there are 36 series connected cells. The parameters of each single cell are: Z, = 0.00045 A, A = 13.68 V- , R, = 0.050and Zph= 0.756 A. With these values of the parameters of a single cell, the parameters of the generator described above are calculated according to the procedure described in Ref. [l] and for 100% insolation and they are obtained as: Z, = 0.0081 A, A = 0.042 V- , R, = 0.90 and Zp,,= 13.615 A. Substituting these values in Eq. (2) the open-circuit voltage of the generator is obtained as V,, = 176 V.

M. Akbaba, M.A.A. Alattawi /Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 37 (1995) 123-132 Current. (A) 18 14
12 10 8 6 4 2 0 0

125

20406cl80

loo Voltage.(v)

120

140

160

Fig. 1. Comparison and (ii) traditional

between new and traditional model (Eq. 2).

models:

6) new model

proposed

in this paper

(Eq. 3).

Both of the traditional models given in Eqs. (1) and (2) do not easily lend themselves for analytical manipulations. For example, evaluation of the maximum power point requires lengthy iterative process. Also it is not possible to obtain closed form solution for the performance when operating on load. To avoid these difficulties we propose the following new model for the 1-L characteristic of the solar cells or solar cell generators: I= YX - v A+Bv2-CV (31 voltage Vo, to the (4)

where the coefficient A is the ratio of the open-circuit short-circuit current I,, of the cell, i.e.: A = I&/z,,.

The remaining two coefficients, B and C, of the new model equation are obtained from two selected points on the Z-V characteristic. From the computational experiments we have concluded that the best match is obtained between the new model and the traditional model, if these two points are chosen closer to the junctions of the nearly linear and curved portions of the characteristic from the both sides, i.e., closer to the ends of almost linear portions starting from short-circuit point and starting from open-circuit point, as shown in Fig. 1 as points a and b . These points correspond to almost 94% and 68% of the short-circuit current on the characteristic. If we denote the currents and voltages of such chosen two points a and b as 1,, V, and I,, V, respectively, and substituting them into Eq. (3) and solving the resulting two equations we obtain: B= (K, -Q/&, C = (K,K -&I/,)/K,, (51 (61

126

M. Akbaba, M.A.A. Alattawi/Solar

Energy Materials and Solar Cells 37 (1995) 123-132

where K, = v, Z,( v,, - Vb -AZ,),

K, = VbZ,,(Voc - v, -AZ,), K, = VaV,,ZaZ,( V, - v,). (7) (8)

(9)

From Eq. (1) the short-circuit current of the cell is: Z,c=Zph-Zo[exp(nZ,,R,) - 11. (10)

Equivalent circuit of a solar cell is given in Fig. Al in the Appendix. From this figure it is seen that a cell is represented by a current source, Zph, an internal diode parallel with the current source and a series resistance, R,. Since R, is very small compared with the forward resistance of the internal diode, I,, may be considered to be very close to Zph, and therefore we used I,, = Zph. To verify this assumption further, we have calculated Z,, from Eq. (10) by using the Newton-Raphson iterative method with a very high accuracy convergence criteria. We find the short-circuit current for a single cell as 0.7558 A and for the generator as 13.608 A, which are well close to Zpph. Therefore, we conclude that the effect of R, is very small. To verify the accuracy of the new model given in Eq. (31, a comparison is made between the new model and the traditional model given in Eq. (2). A series of Z-V characteristics are computed from Eqs. (2) and (3) of the proposed new model respectively and they are compared in Fig. 1 for different levels of insolation. Examination of this figure shows that the proposed model simulates the external Z-V characteristics of the solar cell generators accurately. The errors over the entire range of characteristic are found to be less than 2%. For 100% insolation the coefficients B and C are found to be: B = 1.122Ed4, C = 8.06Em2.

3. Direct computation

of maximum

power points

The power of the cell generator

P= V.I.

at any point is:

(11)

Substituting Eq. (3) into Eq. (11) we obtain:

(12)
The maximum power points will be obtained directly by maximizing P through Eq. (12), i.e.: dP -=
dV 0. (13)

M. Akbaba, M.A.A. Akattawi /Solar Energy MateriaLF and Solar Cells 37 (1995) 123-132

127

Eq. (13) will yield the maximum power point voltage V,, maximum power point current I,,. From Eq. (13) we obtain: K&x -

and, hence, the

Q&Lax + Qz = 0, - je:-)T

(14) (15)

and from Eq. (14) we obtain the maximum power point voltage V,,, as:

v,,=O.5(Q,
where
Q,=

C-BV,

2A

and
Q2=

C-BV,

Avkc

The other root of the Eq. (15) is a false root as it gives a voltage greater than the open-circuit voltage of the generator, which is not possible. Substituting V,, into Eq. (3) the maximum power point current becomes:
I

Kc - Ynax
m=A+BV;m+CVmw.

(16)
(17)

Therefore,
P,,=v

maximum power at a certain insolation level can be obtained as

ZInax max

To verify the validity of the proposed model, the maximum power for different insolation levels will be calculated from the traditional V-Z characteristic by using the Newton-Raphson iterative method [6], and it will be compared with the maximum power obtained from the Eq. (17). Using the traditional Z-V characteristic given in Eq. (2) we obtain:
P= -R,Z2+

iln(

zph-Z~+zo),

(18)

Equating the derivative of the Eq. (18) to zero will yield: F,(Z) = g 1 Z,, -I+ z, = xln ZO 1 ( ,h -Z+Z,)
I *

(19)

As can be seen from Eq. (19) when the traditional V-Z is used, it is rather difficult to obtain the maximum power point current and voltage, due to very complicated form of Eq. (19). An analytical solution is impossible, and only numerical solution, using a digital computer, is possible. To obtain the maximum power point current and voltage from Eq. (19) we have used the Newton-Raphson method [6], as follows:

(20)

128

M. Akbaba, M.A.A. AIattawi/Solar

Energy Materials and Solar Cells 37 (1995) 123-132

. ~-20

~.~ __~~~~_~ ~_~?~~

40 60 80 100 Voltage.Ol)

.120

,, :\ I,>( 1 ~ ~& IlY ~~_~~

is 140 160

Fig. 2. (a) Resistive load Newton-Raphson method,

line at maximum (c) new method.

power

point

(R = 11.20);

Maximum

power

curves:

(b)

where

dF,( 1) ___=_ dl

1 W!A -Z+IJ 2+

I Zph- I + z,

-2R,, 1

(21)

and n is the number of iterations. Iterations are continued until the desired accuracy is achieved, i.e., until <I, - 1, _ r) I E , where E is an arbitrarily chosen small number, which was chosen as 10-s in this paper. The initial value of the current, for Newton-Raphson iteration is chosen as I,, for each insolation level. The maximum power point trajectory obtained by this means is compared with the maximum power point trajectory obtained from the new model, i.e., from Eq. (17) are compared on Fig. 2. Examination of this figure shows that the Eq. (17) simulates the maximum power point very accurately. The superiority of the new model over traditional model is its simplicity as it allows closed form solution for I InaX,v,ax and ~llW.* This characteristics of the new model could be very useful for researchers and engineers dealing with the solar cells, as it avoids lengthy time consuming iterative computations. The new model also provides a very simple mean for calculating the load corresponding to the maximum output from the solar cell generator. This is simply calculated as
R max=Vmax I max . (22)

Since V,, and I,,,,, are known from Eqs. (15) and (16) the resistive load R,, corresponding to the maximum output, i.e. to maximum power is easily calculated from Eq. (22). For the solar cell generator taken as example in this paper R,,, is

M. Akbaba, M.A.A. Alattawi /Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 37 (1995) 123-132
LOAD VOLTAQE

129

0 20

30

40

50

60

70 LEVEL %

So

So

J 100

INSOlATlON

Fig. 3. Variation of load voltage with insolation level for a given load resistance: (a) new model. R, = 140, (b) Newton-Raphson solution of the traditional model, R, = 14fl, (c) new model, R, = 7R. and (d) Newton-Raphson solution of the traditional model, R, = 70.

obtained to be 11.20. The load line corresponding in Fig. 2. 4. Application to resistive loads

to maximum power is included

When a resistive load is powered from a solar cell generator, equation will be: A+BV2-CV From Eq. (23) we have: l?V3 - CV2 + (A + R,)VRLVo, = 0, V=IR,=

the governing

RL(G -

v>

(23)

(24) where R, is the load resistor. Since Eq. (24) cannot be solved directly we have applied Taylor series expansion to Eq. (24). The terms higher then second power of the voltage has been ignored and a correction factor, CX, has been introduced to compensate for the truncation error in Taylor series. With correction factor (Ywhich is introduced as multiplication with the coefficient of the Vz term, three terms Taylor series resulted in the following quadratic equation: aCV2-(A+R,)V+RLVw=O from which the operating point voltage corresponding level and load resistor is obtained as: A+R,v,= (A+R,)2-4aCRLVm 2aC (26) (25) to a particular insolation

130

M. Akbaba, M.A.A. Alattawi/Solar

Energy Material and Solar Cells 37 (1995) 123-132

The other root of the quadratic Eq. (25) is not applicable as it gives a voltage greater than V,,. The corresponding load current value is directly obtained by substituting the value of the load voltage V, which is obtained from Eq. (26) into the Eq. (3). Through the computational experiments that we have performed for many different values of load resistance, the following expression is obtained for the correction factor (Y: (Y= 0.919 - O.O102R, + 1.8 x 10-4Rt. (27)

From Eq. (27) it is clear that the value of the correction factor is a function of load resistor R,. To verify the validity of the Eq. (26) the exact values of the load voltage have been computed from the traditional model and it was compared with the load voltage obtained directly from Eq. (26). When traditional model of Eq. (2) is used, for a resistive load we have:

IL+_gzL+
F,(Z,)= L ( l+F ,:i

&ln(

iph-~~+io), lLln( ISh-;;+lo) =O,

I,-=

Here again the Eq. (29) cannot be solved analytically. Therefore, we have applied the Newton-Raphson method [6] to solve Eq. (29) for the load current I, corresponding to the load resistance R, as follows:

ZL,n =ZLn-,,

FdIL)

(30)
I I+

i dFdZL)/dZL

LOAD CURRENT

20

30

40

50

60

70

90

90

INSOLATION LEVEL %

Fig. 4. Variation of the load current with insolation level for a given load resistance: (a) new model, R, = 70, (b) Newton-Raphson solution of the traditional model, R, = 711, Cc) new model, R, = 140, and Cd) Newton-Raphson solution of the traditional model, R, = 140.

M. Akbaba, M.A.A. Alattawi /Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 37 (1995) 123-132

131

Having obtained
VL=RL.ZL.

I, from Eq. (30), the load voltage is obtained as:

(31)

The load voltages calculated from new model, Eq. (261, and traditional model, Eq. (31), are compared in Fig. 3. Also the load currents obtained from new model by using Eqs. (3) and (26) and one which is obtained from traditional model by using Eqs. (2) and (30), are compared in Fig. 4. From this figure it is evident that the new model has good accuracy. Besides its accuracy the new model has the advantage of avoiding time consuming iterative solutions, as it lends itself to closed form solution. Load voltages and currents presented in Figs. 3 and 4 are computed for two different load resistance values, R, = 70 and R, = 14R, respectively. 5. Conclusion A new mathematical model is presented for the Z-V characteristic of solar cell generators which is also applicable to a single solar cell. To verify the accuracy of the new model the Z-V characteristic of a particular solar cell generator, whose parameters are given in Ref. [l], obtained from proposed model and it is compared with the traditional Z-V characteristic which is used exclusively by all researchers working on solar cells. It was found that the proposed model represents the Z-V characteristic with an error of less than 2% over the entire range. It has been shown that the proposed model, relative to traditional model, is much simpler and flexible as it allows closed form solution for certain performance items without involving time consuming iterative calculations. It has been shown that current, voltage, power and the load resistance corresponding to maximum power point, which is always a point of interest, are obtained directly by analytical means of calculations. We believe that this adds a very useful information to the solar cell literature. Finally the current and voltage corresponding to different load values and insolation level are calculated and results are compared with the counterparts obtained from the traditional model by using Newton-Raphson numerical method. It was found that the proposed model gives reasonably accurate results, besides lending itself for fast and easy closed form solution. Appendix 1

Fig. Al. Simplified

equivalent

circuit of a solar cell.

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M. Akbaba, M.A.A. AIattawi/Solar

Energy Materials and Solar Cells 37 (1995) 123-132

References
[l] J. Appelbaum, Starting and steady-state characteristic of DC motors powered by solar cell generators, IEEE Trans. on Energy Conversion EC-l(l) (1986) 17-25. [2] J. Appelbaum, The operation of loads powered by separate sources or by a common source of solar cells, IEEE Trans. on Energy Conversion EC-4(3) (1989) 351-357. [3] J. Appelbaum, Resistive loads powered by separate or by common electrical sources, Solar Cells 29 (1990) 345-359. [4] Mohammed Mostafa Said, Matching of DC motor to photovoltaic generators for maximum daily gross mechanical energy , IEEE Trans. on Energy Conversion EC-3(3) (1988) 465-472. [S] Th. Zacharias, J. Milias-Argitis and V. Makios, First order circuits driven by a photovoltaic generator, Solar Cells 31 (1991) 57-75. [6] L.A. Pipes and L.R. Harvill, Applied Mathematics for Engineers and Physicists (MC. Graw-Hill, NY, 1971).