Electrical performance study of a large area multicrystalline silicon solar cell using a current shunt and a micropotentiometer

In this paper, a new technique using a Current Shunt and a Micropotentiometer has been used to study the electrical performance of a large area multicrystalline silicon solar cell at outdoor conditions. The electrical performance is mainly described by measuring both cell short circuit current and open circuit voltage. The measurements of this cell by using multimeters suffer from some problems because the cell has high current intensity with low output voltage. So, the solar cell short circuit current values are obtained by measuring the voltage developed across a known resistance Current Shunt. Samples of the obtained current values are accurately calibrated by using a Micropotentiometer (μpot) thermal element (TE) to validate this new measuring technique. Moreover, the solar cell open circuit voltage has been measured. Besides, the cell output power has been calculated and can be correlated with the measured incident radiation

Simulation model of a new solar laser system of Fresnel lens according to real observed solar radiation data in

A new simulation model of a new solar pumped laser system was tested to be run in Helwan in Egypt (latitude φ = 29°52′N, longitude λ = 31°21′E and elevation = 141 m) as an example of an industrial polluted area. The system is based on concentrating the solar radiation using a Fresnel lens on a laser head fixed on a mount tracking the sun during the day and powered by a DC battery. Two cases of this model are tested; the first one is the model consisting of a Fresnel lens and a two-dimensional Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC), while the other is the model consisting of a Fresnel lens and a three-dimensional Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC). The model is fed by real actual solar radiation data taken in Helwan Solar Radiation Station at NRIAG in the various seasons in order to know the laser power got from such a system in those conditions. For the system of Fresnel lens and 2D-CPC, an average laser output power of 1.27 W in Winter, 2 W in Spring, 5 W in Summer and 4.68 W in Autumn respectively can be obtained. Accordingly, the annual average output power for this system is 3.24 W. For the system of Fresnel lens and 3D-CPC, an average laser output power of 3.28 W in Winter, 3.55 W in Spring, 7.56 W in Summer and 7.13 W in Autumn respectively can be obtained. Accordingly, the annual average output power for this system is 5.38 W

Practical Investigation for Road Lighting using Renewable Energy Sources

Abstract - Hybrid renewable energy systems are recently used to counteract the limitations of solar and wind as solo renewable energy sources due to adverse weather conditions. This study explains a design of a fully independent -off grid- hybrid solar and wind road lighting system according to geography and weather conditions recorded from the National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics. The computerized model is designed step by step by the aid of Simulink-Matlab and the simulation was successfully run to show the performance of each module

Statistical Study of Confined Filament/Prominence Eruptions during Solar Cycle 23

International audienceFilament/prominence eruptions can have a significant impact on Earth's upper atmosphere and space environment, and are the primary drivers of what is now called space weather. To distinguish the different types of filament eruptions we statistically examine them during the 23rd Solar cycle. In this study we use 159 filament eruptions using the List of interplanetary (IP) Shocks Observed during Solar Cycle 23 (May 1996-January 2008) and their Source Information Environmental Satellites (GOES) X-ray plots (see Gopalswamy et al. [ 15 ]). It is found that 69% of the filament eruptions are confined eruptions, while 31% are ejective eruptions. Confined eruptions are 110 and 34 events (21%). They are due to active filaments and 76 events (48%) are due to disappearing filaments. The occurrences of active and disappearing filaments during the increasing phase of solar cycle 23 is found to be 80% while in the decreasing phase they are 13%. We have found that the dominant X-ray flare energy of confined eruptions is that of C class. The most common filaments field extent is located between 5 and 15 degrees. The most common flare duration is between 16 and 40 minutes

SWUSV: a Space Weather Microsatellite Program to Investigate CMEs Precursors and the Influence of Solar UV Variability on Climate

The Sun is the primary source of energy responsible for governing both the weather and climate of Earth. Changes in the amount and type of energy Earth receives alter its weather and climate. The variability of the solar flux during the solar cycle occurs mainly in the ultraviolet and especially at wavelengths below 250 nm where it may exceed 3% and even 20 to 40% in the far UV (FUV). This spectrum does not reach the surface: it is completely absorbed by stratospheric ozone and oxygen, playing an important role in the stratosphere where it modifies the fields of temperature, pressure and wind and therefore the conditions of propagation of atmospheric waves that couple the lower and upper layers of the atmosphere. A Space Weather and Ultraviolet Solar Variability microsatellite (SWUSV), is proposed to monitor UV and FUV (Lyman-Alpha 121.6 nm, 200{220 nm Herzberg continuum) in imaging and irradiance (radiometers). This for early precursor Flares and CMEs detection in Lyman-Alpha for Space Weather awareness, and to have information on the physical causes of the changes of irradiance observed, to identify the causes of these changes and measure their parameters according to solar magnetism: what only an imaging instrument of the whole disc, with a fair spatial resolution and a good rate of observation, can do. The nature of the variations of Lyman-Alpha will help to directly interpret the variations of ozone, on short and long terms. An overview and the objectives of the SWUSV program is presented as well as the FUV imaging telescope (an evolution of SODISM/PICARD), and instrumentation for solar spectral irradiance (radiometers' ensemble: evolution of the LYRA/PROBA-2 experiment), thermal plasma measurements and magnetometer (evolution of PROBA-2 instruments), and Earth radiative budget (SERB) to complete stratospheric information. The program is Franco-Egyptian, presently in definition phase, but extension to Belgium, Switzerland and other partners is expected soon

The Space Weather & Ultraviolet Solar Variability Microsatellite Mission (SWUSV)

International audienceWe present a summary of the scientific objectives, payload and mission profile of the Space Weather & Ultraviolet Solar Variability Microsatellite Mission (SWUSV) proposed to CNES and ESA (small mission)

The Space Weather and Ultraviolet Solar Variability (SWUSV) Microsatellite Mission

International audienceWe present the ambitions of the SWUSV (Space Weather and Ultraviolet Solar Variability) Microsatellite Mission that encompasses three major scientific objectives: (1) Space Weather including the prediction and detection of major eruptions and coronal mass ejections (Lyman-Alpha and Herzberg continuum imaging); (2) solar forcing on the climate through radiation and their interactions with the local stratosphere (UV spectral irradiance from 180 to 400 nm by bands of 20 nm, plus Lyman-Alpha and the CN bandhead); (3) simultaneous radiative budget of the Earth, UV to IR, with an accuracy better than 1% in differential. The paper briefly outlines the mission and describes the five proposed instruments of the model payload: SUAVE (Solar Ultraviolet Advanced Variability Experiment), an optimized telescope for FUV (Lyman-Alpha) and MUV (200-220 nm Herzberg continuum) imaging (sources of variability); UPR (Ultraviolet Passband Radiometers), with 64 UV filter radiometers; a vector magnetometer; thermal plasma measurements and Langmuir probes; and a total and spectral solar irradiance and Earth radiative budget ensemble (SERB, Solar irradiance & Earth Radiative Budget). SWUSV is proposed as a small mission to CNES and to ESA for a possible flight as early as 2017-2018