EXPERIMENT - 2

AIM:
The experiment has following objectives:
1. To connect the PV modules in series and parallel combinations.
2. To measure the currentvoltage (IV) characteristics of the series and parallel
combinations of PV modules.
3. To measure and/or estimate various parameters including Short Circuit Current (I
SC
),
Open Circuit Voltage (V
OC
), Fill Factor (FF), Maximum power (P
m
), Series
Resistance (R
S
), Shunt Resistance (R
sh
) and efficiency () of series and parallel
combinations of solar PV modules.

Apparatus:

Sr. No. Unit Description/Rating Quantity
1 SPV Module As perovided 3-4
2 DC Voltmeter Range: 0100 Volts DC 1
3 DC Ammeter Range: 05 Amps DC 1
4 Rheostat For varying load to PV
module, 0 to 200 , 2.5 A
1
5 Multimeter Digital multimeter, able
to measure DC current
(up to 10 A) and voltage
(up to 200 V)
1
6 Solar cell in place of Pyranometer
for radiation measurements
4 x 4 cm
2
crystalline Si
solar

cell calibrated
against Pyranometer /
data can be taken from
weather station
1
7 Connecting wires (multistranded)


Theory:

PV modules are needs to be connected together in series or in parallel in order to achieve
higher power output. These combinations of PV modules is called PV array. In this
experiment the main objective is to connect PV modules in series and parallel combinations
with an objective to increase the current and voltage of PV module array. When there is need
to increase the voltage of a PV array, many PV modules are connected in series. And when
there is need to increase the current of PV array the PV modules are connected in parallel. By
increasing both higher current and higher voltage in PV array, overall we obtain higher power
outputs.

Series combinations of PV modules

The series connection of PV modules is similar to series connection of solar cells in a PV
module. The
voltage of PV modules gets added. Note that in making series connection of PV modules; it is
not only the PV module voltage that increases but also the total P power generated also
increases. Series combination of PV modules is achieved by connecting opposite polarity
terminals of modules together as shown below. The negative terminal of one module is
connected with the positive terminal of the other module. When two modules with open
circuit voltage of Voc1 and Voc2 are connected in series, the voltage of series combination is
addition of two voltages, which is Voc1+Voc2 (as shown in Figure 1)

Figure 1: Series connection of two PV modules

The example of addition of voltage in series connected PV modules is shown in Table below.

Open circuit voltage of module 1 V
oc1

Open circuit voltage of module 2 V
oc2

Open circuit voltage of modules
connected in series
V
oc
= V
oc1
+ V
oc2




Parallel combinations of PV modules


In parallel combination of PV modules, the voltage of the combination remain same as that of
individual module voltage (provided all modules have identical voltage) whereas the current
of the parallel combination is sum of currents of all PV modules. Suppose the short circuit
current of two PV modules is Isc1 and Isc2, then the total current of parallel connection will
be = Isc1+Isc2.

The parallel configuration is achieved by connecting same polarity terminals together. In this
way, the positive terminal of one module is connected to positive terminal of the other
module and similarly negative terminal of one module is connected to negative terminal of
other module. The parallel combination of PV modules is shown in Figure 2.


Figure 2: Parallel connection of two PV modules

The example of addition of currents in parallel connected PV modules is shown in Table
below.
Short circuit current of module 1 I
sc1

Short circuit current of module 2 I
sc1

Short circuit current of modules connected in
parallel
I
sc
= I
sc1

+
I
sc2

Connection Diagram:

Figure 4: Connection diagram to find out current versus voltage characteristics of a two
modules in parallel

Procedure for Measurements:

1. In order to find out various currentvoltage points of PV module, resistances (R) of
different values must be connected with PV module.

2. For these variable resistance requirements a rheostat is used.
3. The slope of the IV curve of resistances decreases with increase in value of
resistance.
4. The intersection of the two curves provides the operating point (current point and
voltage point). These operating points can be measured using ammeter and voltmeter
and can be plotted.
5. Before doing the connections, the open circuit voltage (VOC) is to be measured by
connecting voltmeter across PV Modules terminals (without connecting any load or
rheostat). Same way, the Short circuit current (ISC) is to be measured by connecting
ammeter in series to the PV module (without connect any other load).
6. Note down the values of VOC and ISC.
7. Now, in order to find out current versus voltage characteristic of a Solar PV module,
the connections are to be made as per the given connection diagram (see Figure 4).
8. After connecting load (rheostat) to the PV module, set the rheostat to get low
resistance value.
9. In this position measure the current and voltage and note down in the copy.
10. Now slightly increase the resistance of rheostat by moving the knob. This new
position of the knob of rheostat will give new value of current and voltage, note the
reading.
11. Increase the resistance again and note the reading, continue this till you reach to the
highest value of resistance in the rheostat. The tabulated IV points can be plotted in
the XY curve taking voltage on the Xaxis and current on the Yaxis.
12. In this way one can plot the IV Characteristics curve of a solar PV module.



Observation Table:


Sr. No. I (A) V (V) P (W)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

Based on the measurements, write your observations in the following table.
Number of PV modules in Series :
Number of PV modules in Parallel :
Number of series connected modules in Parallel :
Number of parallel connected PV modules in series :
Typical Current Voltage (I V) graph:




Power Voltage (P V) graph:




Conclusion:

By performing this practical, we learn to connect PV modules in series and parallel
combinations and also measure that in series connection we get twice V
oc
and in parallel
connection we get twice I
sc
and plot the current-voltage (I-V) and power-voltage (P-V)
characteristics of a solar cell.
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
1.6
10 0 10 20 30 40 50
IV WITH 1
MODULE
5
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
10 0 10 20 30 40 50
PV WITH 1
MODULE