ELK498E, Deniz Yildirim, Photovoltaic Systems

Syllabus

Course Objectives

Increasing energy demand, depletable fossil fuels with their adverse effect on the environment and the governmental regulations of clean energy sources lead to an increase usage of photovoltaic systems around the world. With the advantages such as having free and inexhaustible energy source, no mechanical moving parts, no noise, no pollution, very long lifetime and declining prices of PV modules, the market of photovoltaic systems has been steadily growing about 30% a year, reaching to 744MW in 2003. Only a tiny part of the total solar radiation reaching the surface of earth each year is sufficient to supply global electricity demand. The aim of this course is to provide necessary knowledge about the modeling, design and analysis of various PV systems and show that PV is an economically viable, environmentally sustainable alternative to the world's energy supplies.

Course Description

Introduction to photovoltaic (PV) systems. Solar energy potential and solar radiation, PV effect, conversion of solar energy into electrical energy, solar cells and basic structure, electrical characteristics of the solar cell, solar cell arrays, PV modules, PV generators, interfacing PV modules to loads, energy storage alternatives for PV systems, power conditioning and maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms, inverter control topologies for stand-alone and grid-connected operation, stand-alone PV systems, grid-connected (utility interactive) PV systems.

Course Outcomes

Awareness of students to the feasibility of PV systems as an alternative to the fossil fuels will be gained. The knowledge of the modeling, analysis, design and application of various photovoltaic systems will be acquired by the students. Team work experience will be developed in group projects involving complete design and construction of a stand-alone PV system.

Textbook

R. Messenger, J. Ventre, Photovoltaic Systems Engineering, 2nd ed., CRC Press, 2004.

Other reference books that can be helpful for this course:

A. Goetzberger, V. U. Hoffmann, Photovoltaic Solar Energy Generation, Springer-Verlag, 2005.
L. Castaner, S. Silvestre, Modeling Photovoltaic Systems Using PSpice, John Wiley & Sons, 2002.
R. J. Komp, Practical photovoltaics: electricity from solar cells, 3rd ed., Aatec Publications, 2001.
M. R. Patel, Wind and Solar Power Systems, CRC Press, 1999.
R. H. Bube, Photovoltaic Materials, Imperial College Press, 1998.
T. Markvart, Solar Electricity, John Wiley & Sons, 1994.

Pre-requisite(s)

There is a pre-requisite class for this course -->> ELK331E minimum grade DD.
Your success in this course heavily depends on the knowledge of power electronic circuits class.

Computer Requirement

Use of circuit simulation programs such as PSPICE, PSIM, ORCAD, Electronic Workbench, etc. may be required for assignments.

Division of Course Credit (%)

Mathematics and Basic Science ....: 10
Engineering Science ...................: 30
Engineering Design .....................: 60
Social Sciences .........................: None

Grading Policy

Term Project= 15% Two Midterm Exams = 45% (22.5%+22.5%) Final = 40%

A minimum of 70% attendance to the lectures (10 out of 14 lectures) are required to enter the Final Exam. Students who do not satisfy this requirement will be given a grade of VF and will not be allowed to take the Final Exam.

Exam and Term Project Policy

In your Term Project assignments, you are expected to work in a team (not necessarily) where the number of the team members cannot exceed THREE (3) students. You are free to select your fellow group members. Select your group members appropriately, as this may adversely affect overall time that you spent in finishing the Term Project. Do not allow bystanders in your group. All group members must have all the required knowledge about the Term Project. This will definitely be questioned during the submittal process of your Term Project.

Term Project assignment include design, simulation, construction and testing of a solar powered remote-controlled model car. You can use Electrical Machines Laboratory for building and testing of your circuits. At the end of the semester, there will be a solar-powered model-car race where you will be competing with other students and we will all have a good time. Should you have any questions, consult with Teaching Assistant (TA) of the course.

You will be submitting a group report for Term Project assignment (one report per group). Your Term Project report must obey the technical report format. Failure to comply will result in ZERO grade penalty.

Submittal process of Term Project assignment will be carried out during the Due Date. Groups will be showing their cars (in the basketball field) to the TA who may ask certain questions to any group member about the Project. All group members must be present in this submittal process. Failure to appear will result in a zero grade. Term Project reports must be handed in to the TA during this process.

You are also required to submit all assignments electronically in addition to paper submissions. Submittal process will take place through ITU Ninova system using your ITU username and password. There is a strict time deadline for uploading assignment solutions since system will not accept any assignments once the deadline has expired. Note that ALL GROUP MEMBERS (i.e., all students) must upload Term project report. Failure to do so will result in ZERO grade.

Your assignments must be uploaded as a single file in Microsoft Word, Postscript (PS), or Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF). No other formats will be accepted.

A grade of 0 out of 100 in assignments and/or exams implies that you were not present in the exam or in project submission.

A grade of 0.1 out of 100 in assignments implies that you copy someone else's assignment or someone else has copied your assignment.

Midterm and final exams will be CLOSED notes/CLOSED books. No documents will be allowed in the examinations.

DISHONESTY BEHAVIOR OF ANY KIND IN EXAMS AND/OR MINIPROJECT ASSIGNMENTS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED AT ALL. DIRECT COPYING OF SOMEONE ELSE'S WORK (OR LETTING SOMEONE TO DUPLICATE YOUR WORK) AND PRESENTING IT AS YOUR OWN WORK IS CONSIDERED AS ACADEMIC DISHONESTY. FAILURE TO COMPLY WILL RESULT IN A DISCIPLINARY ACTION.

		Weekly Lecture Subjects
		The following timetable is approximate and is given for informational purposes only. The subjects and the dates may change depending on the subject's coverage .
		Week Subject
		Introduction to photovoltaic (PV) systems. Historical development of PV systems. Overview of PV usage in the world, Solar energy potential for PV, irradiance, solar radiation and spectrum of sun, geometric and atmospheric effects on sunlight, Photovoltaic effect, conversion of solar energy into electrical energy, behavior of solar cells, Solar cells, basic structure and characteristics: Single-crystalline, multi-crystalline, thin film silicon solar cells, emerging new technologies, Electrical characteristics of the solar cell, equivalent circuit, modeling of solar cells including the effects of temperature, irradiation and series/shunt resistances on the open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current, Solar cell arrays, PV modules, PV generators, shadow effects and bypass diodes, hot spot problem in a PV module and safe operating area. Terrestrial PV module modeling, Interfacing PV modules to loads, direct connection of loads to PV modules, connection of PV modules to a battery and load together, Energy storage alternatives for PV systems. Storage batteries, lead-acid, nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal-hydride and lithium type batteries. Small storage systems employing ultracapacitors, charging and discharging properties and modeling of batteries, Power conditioning and maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms based on buck- and boost-converter topologies, Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms, Inverter control topologies for stand-alone and grid-connected operation. Analysis of inverter at fundamental frequency and at switching frequency. Feasible operating region of inverter at different power factor values for grid-connected systems, Stand-alone PV systems. Consumer applications, residential systems, PV water pumping, PV powered lighting, rural electrification, etc., Grid-connected (utility interactive) PV systems. Active power filtering with real power injection, Modeling and simulation of stand-alone and grid-connected PV systems.