Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 4.23
Series Connection of Photovoltaic Solar Cells
(left: Electrical Symbols, Currents and Voltages; right: Top View of a
Part of a Module with Crystalline Cells)
The current
I
i
through all cells
i
of a series connection of
n
cells is identical,
according to Kirchhof's law (see Figure 4.23). The cell voltages
V
i
are added to
obtain the overall module voltage
V
:
(4.54)
(4.55)
Given that all cells are identical and experience the same irradiance and
temperature, the total voltage is given as:
(4.56)
The characteristics of a single cell provide easily the I-V characteristic for any
series connection as shown in Figure 4.24.
Figure 4.24
Construction of Module Characteristics with 36 Cells (Irradiance
E
= 400 W/m
2
,
T
= 300 K)
