Download SINGLE CRYSTAL SILICON PV CELLS

SINGLE CRYSTAL SILICON PV
CELLS
www.solarcell.net
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PARTS OF A SOLAR CELL
Electrically conductive grid on top surface to carry electrons
1-2 layers of anti-reflective coating to increase absorption
The collector: a thin layer of silicon
An electrode in contact with base layer to complete the circuit.
SILICON
 Silicon is the most popular PV material
 Most cells are made from left over computer chip
manufacturing
 Silicon must be refined to almost 100% purity
 The uniform molecular structure of silicon makes
it efficient for electron transport
 Silicon wafers are cut from ingots
CZOCHRALSKI PROCESS
 This is the process of
creating an ingot.
 A small single silicon
rod (seed) is placed in
an inert gas at high
temps.
 When the seed is
rotated up and out
silicon adheres to it to
form an ingot.
CELLS -> MODULES
 Wafers 5 inches square and .012 inches thick are sliced
from the ingot.
 They are then processed into cells and soldered together
to achieve the desired voltage.
 Cells arrayed in series are called modules.
TWO TYPES OF CELLS
 There are two types of single crystal silicon cells:
n-type or p-type
TECHNOLOGY
 PV cells exhibit voltage or current when
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exposed to light.
The light liberates electrons which move
through the cell creating current.
The larger area there is the more current.
Single crystal silicon cells are the most
efficient at 15-24% sunlight-to-electricity
conversion rate.
They are also the most expensive to
produce at $6.50/ watt.
MANUFACTURERS
 Sharp Electronics
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Corporation
Sanyo
bp Solar
Shell
Sunwise
Uni-Solar
AstroPower
PRICE COMPARISONS
 Shell:
80 watt panel
47.2”x20.8”x1.3”
$328.00
• Sunwise:
85 watt panel
56.89”x22.83”
$351.00
 AstroPower:
75 watts
47.2”x20.7”x1.4”
$325.00
BIBLIOGRAPHY
“Photovoltaic Materials-Silicon”.
www.azom.com/details.asp?ArticleID=1169
SOLARTROPE Supply Corporation. 2002. www.solartrope.com.
Resource Center Technologies. G/rated.
www.green-rated.org/resctr_tech.asp?id=1
www.physics.pomona.edu/COURSES/phys17/papers/PV.pdf
www.mrsolar.com
www.oksolar.com