The Solar Cell Parameters as a Function of Its Temperature in Relation to Its Diurnal Efficiency

Abstract

The variation of the temperature of the solar cell subjected to the incident global solar radiation along the local daytime in relation to its efficiency is studied. The heat balance equation is solved. The solution revealed that the cell temperature is a function of the maximum value of the daily incident global solar radiation q max , the convection heat transfer coefficient (h), the optical, physical and the geometrical parameters of the cell. The temperature dependence of the short circuit current I sc , the dark saturation current I o , the open circuit voltage V oc , and the energy band gap E g characterizing a Silicon solar cell is considered in evaluating the cell efficiency. Computations of the efficiency concerning operating conditions and astronomical locations (Egypt) as illustrative examples are given.