Solar panel manufacturing technology. Solar panels (batteries) for the home What ingredients are needed to produce solar panels

Humanity is striving to switch to alternative sources of electrical supply that will help maintain cleanliness environment and reduce energy generation costs. Production is a modern industrial method. includes solar receivers, batteries, control devices, inverters and other devices designed for specific functions.

The solar battery is the main element from which the accumulation of rays begins. IN modern world For the consumer, when choosing a panel, there are many pitfalls, since the industry offers a large number of products united under one name.

Silicon solar cells

These products are popular among modern consumers. Their production is based on silicon. Its reserves in the depths are widespread, and production is relatively inexpensive. Silicon cells compare favorably with their level of performance compared to other solar batteries.

Types of elements

The following types of silicon are produced:

• monocrystalline;
• polycrystalline;
• amorphous.

The above forms of devices differ in how the silicon atoms are arranged in the crystal. The main difference between the elements is the different indicator of light energy conversion, which for the first two types is approximately at the same level and exceeds the values ​​for devices made of amorphous silicon.

Today's industry offers several models of solar light catchers. The difference between them is what equipment is used for the production of solar panels. Manufacturing technology and the type of starting material play a role.

Monocrystalline type

These elements consist of silicone cells bonded together. According to the method of the scientist Czochralski, absolutely pure silicon is produced, from which single crystals are made. The next process is cutting the frozen and hardened semi-finished product into plates with a thickness of 250 to 300 microns. Thin layers are saturated with a metal mesh of electrodes. Despite the high cost of production, such elements are used quite widely due to the high conversion rate (17-22%).

Manufacturing of polycrystalline elements

Polycrystalline solar cells consist of the fact that the molten silicon mass is gradually cooled. Production does not require expensive equipment, therefore, the cost of obtaining silicon is reduced. Polycrystalline solar storage devices have a lower efficiency factor (11-18%), in contrast to monocrystalline ones. This is explained by the fact that during the cooling process, the silicon mass is saturated with tiny granular bubbles, which leads to additional refraction of the rays.

Amorphous silicon elements

The products are classified as a special type, since their belonging to the silicon type comes from the name of the material used, and the production of solar cells is carried out using film device technology. During the manufacturing process, the crystal gives way to silicon hydrogen or silane, thin layer which covers the substrate. The batteries have the most low value efficiency, only up to 6%. Elements, despite significant drawback, have a number of undeniable advantages that give them the right to stand alongside the above-mentioned types:

• the absorption value of optics is two dozen times higher than that of monocrystalline and polycrystalline storage devices;
• It has minimum thickness layer, only 1 micron;
• cloudy weather does not affect the work of converting light, unlike other types;
• Due to its high flexural strength, it can be used in difficult places without problems.

The three types of solar converters described above are complemented by hybrid products made from materials with dual properties. Such characteristics are achieved if trace elements or nanoparticles are included in amorphous silicon. The resulting material is similar to polycrystalline silicon, but differs favorably from it by new technical indicators.

Raw materials for the production of film-type solar cells from CdTe

The choice of material is dictated by the need to reduce manufacturing costs and increase technical performance. The most commonly used light-absorbing material is cadmium telluride. In the 70s of the last century, CdTe was considered the main contender for space use; in modern industry it has found wide application in solar energy.

This material is classified as a cumulative poison, so debate continues on the issue of its harmfulness. Research by scientists has established the fact that the level harmful substance entering the atmosphere is acceptable and does not harm the environment. The efficiency level is only 11%, but the cost of converted electricity from such elements is 20-30% lower than from silicon-type devices.

Ray accumulators made of selenium, copper and indium

The semiconductors in the device are copper, selenium and indium; sometimes it is possible to replace the latter with gallium. This is explained by the high demand for indium for the production of monitors flat type. Therefore, this substitution option was chosen, since the materials have similar properties. But for the efficiency indicator, replacement plays a significant role; producing a solar battery without gallium increases the efficiency of the device by 14%.

Polymer-based solar collectors

These elements are classified as young technologies, as they have recently appeared on the market. Organic semiconductors absorb light to convert it into electrical energy. Fullerenes of the carbon group, polyphenylene, copper phthalocyanine, etc. are used for production. As a result, thin (100 nm) and flexible films are obtained, which in operation give an efficiency coefficient of 5-7%. The value is small, but the production of flexible solar panels has several positive aspects:

• large amounts of money are not spent on manufacturing;
• the ability to install flexible batteries in bends where elasticity is of primary importance;
• comparative ease and accessibility of installation;
• flexible batteries do not provide harmful effects on the environment.

Chemical etching during production

The most expensive solar cell is a multicrystalline or monocrystalline silicon wafer. For maximum efficiency, pseudo-square shapes are cut; the same shape allows the plates to be tightly packed in the future module. After the cutting process, microscopic layers of damaged surface remain on the surface, which are removed using etching and texturing to improve the reception of incident rays.

The surface processed in this way is a chaotically located micropyramid, reflecting from the edge of which the light hits the side surfaces of other protrusions. The procedure of loosening the texture reduces the reflectivity of the material by approximately 25%. During the etching process, a series of acid and alkaline treatments are used, but it is unacceptable to greatly reduce the layer thickness, since the plate cannot withstand the following treatments.

Semiconductors in solar cells

Solar cell manufacturing technology assumes that the basic concept of solid-state electronics is the p-n junction. If you combine n-type electronic conductivity and p-type hole conductivity in one plate, then a p-n junction appears at the point of contact. Main physical property With this definition, it becomes possible to serve as a barrier and allow electricity to pass in one direction. It is this effect that allows you to establish full-fledged work solar cells.

As a result of phosphorus diffusion, an n-type layer is formed at the ends of the plate, which is located at the surface of the element at a depth of only 0.5 microns. The production of a solar battery involves shallow penetration of carriers of opposite signs, which arise under the influence of light. Their path to the zone of influence of the pn junction must be short, otherwise they can cancel each other when they meet, without generating any amount of electricity.

Use of plasma-chemical etching

The design of the solar battery includes a front surface with an installed grid for collecting current and a back side that is a continuous contact. During the diffusion phenomenon, an electrical short circuit occurs between two planes and is transmitted to the end.

To remove the short circuit, equipment for solar panels is used, which allows this to be done using plasma-chemical, chemical etching or mechanically, laser. The method of plasma-chemical exposure is often used. Etching is performed simultaneously on a stack of silicon wafers stacked together. The outcome of the process depends on the duration of treatment, the composition of the product, the size of the squares of material, the direction of the ion flow jets and other factors.

Application of anti-reflective coating

By applying a texture to the surface of the element, reflection is reduced to 11%. This means that a tenth of the rays are simply reflected from the surface and do not take part in the formation of electricity. In order to reduce such losses, a coating with deep penetration light pulses without reflecting them back. Scientists, taking into account the laws of optics, determine the composition and thickness of the layer, so the production and installation of solar panels with such a coating reduces reflection to 2%.

Contact metallization on the front side

The surface of the element is designed to absorb the greatest amount of radiation; it is this requirement that determines the dimensional and technical characteristics of the applied metal mesh. When choosing a face design, engineers are addressing two opposing issues. A reduction in optical losses occurs with thinner lines and their location at a greater distance from one another. The production of a solar battery with an increased grid size leads to the fact that some of the charges do not have time to reach contact and are lost.

Therefore, scientists have standardized the value of the distance and line thickness for each metal. Strips that are too thin open up space on the surface of the element to absorb rays, but do not conduct much current. Modern methods of applying metallization consist of screen printing. As a material, silver-containing paste is most justified. Due to its use, the efficiency of the element increases by 15-17%.

Metallization on the back of the device

Metal is applied to the back of the device according to two schemes, each of which performs its own work. Aluminum is sprayed in a continuous thin layer over the entire surface, except for individual holes, and the holes are filled with silver-containing paste, which plays a contact role. The solid aluminum layer serves as a kind of mirror device on the back side for free charges that can get lost in broken crystalline lattice bonds. With this coating, solar panels operate 2% more powerfully. Consumer reviews say that such elements are more durable and are not so dependent on cloudy weather.

Making solar panels with your own hands

Not everyone can order and install solar power sources at home, since their cost today is quite high. Therefore, many craftsmen and craftsmen are mastering the production of solar panels at home.

Purchase sets of photocells for self-assembly can be found on the Internet on various sites. Their cost depends on the number of plates used and power. For example, low-power kits, from 63 to 76 W with 36 plates, cost 2350-2560 rubles. respectively. Here they also purchase working items rejected from production lines for some reason.

When choosing the type of photoelectric converter, take into account the fact that polycrystalline elements are more resistant to cloudy weather and work more efficiently than monocrystalline ones, but have a shorter service life. Monocrystalline ones have higher efficiency in sunny weather, and they will last much longer.

To organize the production of solar panels at home, you need to calculate total load all devices that will be powered by the future converter, and determine the power of the device. This determines the number of photocells, while taking into account the angle of inclination of the panel. Some craftsmen provide for the possibility of changing the position of the accumulation plane depending on the height of the solstice, and in winter - on the thickness of the fallen snow.

Various materials are used to make the body. Most often, aluminum or stainless steel corners are installed, plywood, chipboard, etc. are used. The transparent part is made of organic or ordinary glass. There are photocells on sale with already soldered conductors; it is preferable to buy these, as the assembly task is simplified. The plates do not stack one on top of the other - the bottom ones can develop microcracks. Solder and flux are pre-applied. It is more convenient to solder the elements by placing them directly on the working side. At the end, the outer plates are welded to the busbars (wider conductors), after which the “minus” and “plus” are output.

After the work is done, the panel is tested and sealed. Foreign craftsmen use compounds for this, but for our craftsmen they are quite expensive. Homemade converters are sealed with silicone, and the back side is coated with acrylic-based varnish.

In conclusion, it should be said that the reviews from the masters who have done this are always positive. Once having spent money on the manufacture and installation of a converter, the family very quickly pays for it and begins to save money using free energy.

Obtaining electricity from alternative power sources is a very expensive endeavor. For example, using solar energy when purchasing ready-made equipment will require you to spend a significant amount of money. But nowadays it is possible to assemble solar panels with your own hands for a summer house or private home from ready-made solar cells or other available materials. And before you start purchasing necessary components and designing a structure, it is necessary to understand what a solar battery is and its operating principle.

Solar battery: what is it and how does it work?

People who are faced with this task for the first time immediately have questions: “How to assemble a solar battery?” or “How to make a solar panel?” But having studied the device and the principle of its operation, problems with the implementation of this project disappear by themselves. After all, the design and principle of operation are simple and should not cause difficulties when creating a power source at home.

Solar battery (SB) - these are photovoltaic converters of energy emitted by the sun into electrical energy, which are connected in the form of an array of elements and enclosed in a protective structure. Converters - semiconductor elements made of silicon for generation direct current . They are produced in three types:

• Monocrystalline;
• Polycrystalline;
• Amorphous (thin film).

The operating principle of the device is based on photoelectric effect. Sunlight falling on photocells knocks out free electrons from the last orbits of each atom on the silicon wafer. Moving large quantity Free electrons between the electrodes of the battery produce a direct current. Next, it is converted into alternating current to electrify the home.

Selection of photocells

Before starting design work to create a panel at home, you need to choose one of three types of solar energy converters. To select suitable elements you need to know their technical characteristics:

• Monocrystalline. The efficiency of these plates is 12–14%. However, they are sensitive to the amount of incoming light. Light clouds significantly reduce the amount of electricity generated. Service life up to 30 years.
• Polycrystalline. These elements are capable of delivering an efficiency of 7–9%. But they are not affected by the quality of illumination and are capable of delivering the same amount of current in cloudy and even cloudy weather. Operational period - 20 years.
• Amorphous. Manufactured from flexible silicon. They produce an efficiency of about 10%. The amount of electricity produced is not reduced by the quality of the weather. But expensive and complex production makes them difficult to obtain.

To manufacture the SB on your own, you can purchase type B converters (second grade). These include elements with minor defects; even if some components are replaced, the cost of the batteries will be 2-3 times less than the market price, thanks to this you will save your money.

To provide a private home with electricity from an alternative energy source, the first two types of plates are best suited.

Site selection and design

It is better to place batteries according to the principle: the higher the better. Great place there will be a roof of the house; there will be no shadow from trees or other buildings on it. If the design of the floors does not allow it to support the weight of the installation, then the location should be chosen in the area of ​​the dacha that receives the most radiation from the sun.

The assembled panels must be positioned at such an angle that Sun rays fell as perpendicularly as possible onto the silicon elements. Ideal option It will be possible to adjust the entire installation in the direction behind the sun.

Making your own battery

You will not be able to provide your house or cottage with 220 V electricity from a solar battery, because... The size of such a battery will be enormous. One plate generates electricity with a voltage of 0.5 V. The best option is considered to be a power bank with a rated voltage of 18 V. Based on this, it is calculated required amount photocells for the device.

Frame assembly

First of all, a homemade solar battery needs protective frame (housing). It can be made from aluminum corners 30x30 mm or from wooden blocks at home. When using a metal profile, one of the shelves is chamfered with a file at an angle of 45 degrees, and the second shelf is cut at the same angle. The frame parts, cut to the required size with machined ends, are twisted using squares made of the same material. Protective glass is glued to the finished frame using silicone.

Soldering plates

When soldering elements at home, you need to know that to increase voltage needs to be connected sequentially, and for increasing current strength - parallel. The flint plates are laid out on the glass, leaving a gap of 5 mm between them on each side. This gap is necessary to dampen possible thermal expansion of the elements when heated. The converters have two tracks: on one side " plus", with another - " minus" All parts are connected in series into a single circuit. Then the conductors from the last components of the chain are brought out to a common bus.

To avoid self-discharge of the device at night or in cloudy weather, experts recommend installing a 31DQ03 Schottky diode or an analogue on the contact from the “middle” point.

After completing the soldering work, use a multimeter to check the output voltage, which should be 18–19 V to fully supply a private home with electricity.

Panel assembly

Soldered converters are placed into the finished housing, then Silicone is applied to the center of each flint element, and is covered with a fiberboard backing on top to fix them. After which the structure is closed with a lid, and all joints are sealed with sealant or silicone. The finished panel is mounted on a holder or frame.

Solar batteries from scrap materials

In addition to assembling SBs from purchased photocells, they can be assembled from scrap materials that any radio amateur has: transistors, diodes and foil.

Transistor battery

For these purposes, the most suitable parts are KT type transistors or P. Inside them is a rather large silicon semiconductor cell, necessary for the production of electricity. Having selected the required number of radio components, you need to cut off the metal cover from them. To do this, you need to clamp it in a cleaver and use a hacksaw to carefully cut off the upper part. Inside you can see a plate that will serve as a photocell.

Transistor for battery with sawn-off cap

All these parts have three contacts: base, emitter and collector. When assembling the SB, you need to choose a collector junction due to the greatest potential difference.

Assembly is carried out on a flat plane from any dielectric material. Transistors need to be soldered into separate serial circuits, and these chains, in turn connect in parallel.

The calculation of the finished current source can be made from the characteristics of radio components. One transistor produces a voltage of 0.35 V and a current with a short circuit of 0.25 μA.

Diode battery

Solar battery made of diodes D223B can actually become a source of electric current. These diodes have the highest voltage and are made in a glass case coated with paint. The output voltage of the finished product can be determined from the calculation that one diode in the sun generates 350 mV.

1. Place the required number of radio components in a container and fill it with acetone or another solvent and leave for several hours.
2. Then you need to take the plate the right size from not metal material and make markings for soldering the power supply components.
3. Once soaked, the paint can be easily scraped off.
4. Armed with a multimeter, in the sun or under a light bulb we determine the positive contact and bend it. Diodes are soldered vertically, because In this position, the crystal best generates electricity from the sun's energy. Therefore, at the output we get the maximum voltage that the solar battery will generate.

In addition to the two methods described above, the power source can be assembled from foil. A homemade solar battery, made according to the step-by-step instructions described below, will be able to provide electricity, although of very low power:

1. For homemade you will need copper foil area 45 sq. cm. The cut piece is treated in a soap solution to remove fat from the surface. It is also advisable to wash your hands so as not to leave grease stains.
2. Emery is necessary remove protective oxide film and any other type of corrosion from the cutting plane.
3. A sheet of foil is placed on the burner of an electric stove with a power of at least 1.1 kW and heated until red-orange spots form. With further heating, the resulting oxides are converted to copper oxide. This is evidenced by the black color of the surface of the piece.
4. After the formation of the oxide, heating must be continued within 30 minutes so that an oxide film of sufficient thickness is formed.
5. The roasting stops and the sheet cools down along with the stove. With slow cooling, the copper and oxide cool with at different speeds, which makes the latter easy to peel off.
6. Under running water oxide residues are removed. In this case, you should not bend the sheet and mechanically tear off small pieces so as not to damage the thin layer of oxide.
7. A second sheet is cut to the size of the first.
8. Place two pieces of foil in a 2-5 liter plastic bottle with the neck cut off. Secure them with alligator clips. They must be positioned so that they didn't connect.
9. A negative terminal is connected to the processed piece, and a positive terminal is connected to the second piece.
10. A saline solution is poured into the jar. His the level should be 2.5 cm below the top edge of the electrodes. To prepare the mixture 2–4 tablespoons salt(depending on the volume of the bottle) dissolve in a small amount of water.

All solar panels are not suitable for providing a cottage or private home with electricity due to their low power. But they can serve as a power source for radios or charging small electrical appliances.

Video on the topic

The energy generated by one module is not enough to meet the energy needs. Photoelectric converters are connected to each other by one series circuit.

Parts that make up a solar battery:

1. Solar modules,combined into frames. From units to several dozen photovoltaic elements are combined in one frame. To provide electricity to an entire house, you will need several panels with elements.
2. . Serves to accumulate the received energy, which can then be used in the dark.
3. Controller. It monitors the discharge and charging of the battery.
4. . Converts direct current received from solar modules into alternating current.

Solar module (or photovoltaic cell) based on p-n principle transition, and its structure is very similar to a transistor. If you cut off the cap of a transistor and direct the sun's rays onto the surface, then a tiny electric current can be determined with a device connected to it. The solar module works on the same principle, only the transition surface of the solar cell is much larger.

Like many types of transistors, solar cells are made from crystalline silicon.

Based on manufacturing technology and materials, three types of modules are distinguished:

1. Monocrystalline. Manufactured in the form of cylindrical silicon ingots. The advantages of the elements are high performance, compactness and longest service life.
2. Thin film. Layers of a photoelectric converter are sputtered onto a thin substrate. The efficiency of thin-film modules is relatively low (7-13%).
3. Polycrystalline. Molten silicon is poured into a square mold, then the cooled material is cut into square wafers. Externally they differ from monocrystalline modules in that the edges of the corners of polycrystalline plates are not cut off.

Battery. Lead-acid batteries are most commonly used in solar panels. A standard battery has a voltage of 12 volts; to obtain higher voltage, battery packs are assembled. This way you can assemble a unit with a voltage of 24 and 48 volts.

Solar charge controller. The charge controller operates on the principle of a voltage regulator in a car. Basically, 12 volts produce a voltage of 15 to 20 volts, and without a controller they can be damaged by overload. When the battery is 100% charged, the controller turns off the modules and protects the battery from boiling.

Inverter. Solar modules produce direct current, and for use household appliances and equipment requires alternating current and voltage of 220 volts. Inverters are designed to convert direct current into alternating current.

Selection of components for manufacturing

To reduce the cost of a solar station, you need to try to assemble it yourself. To do this, you will need to purchase the necessary components; some elements can be made yourself.

You can assemble it yourself:

• frames with photoelectric converters;
• charging controller;
• voltage inverter;

The biggest costs will be associated with the purchase of the solar cells themselves. Parts can be ordered from China or on eBay, this option will be cheaper.

It is prudent to purchase functional converters with damage and defects - they are simply rejected by the manufacturer, but are quite serviceable. Items cannot be purchased different sizes and power - the maximum current of the solar battery will be limited by the current of the smallest element.

To make a frame with solar cells you will need:

• aluminum profile;
• solar cells (usually 36 pieces for one frame);
• solder and flux;
• drill;
• made fastenings;
• silicone sealant;
• copper busbar;
• a sheet of transparent material (plexiglass, polycarbonate, plexiglass);
• sheet of plywood or textolite (plexiglass);
• Schottky diodes;

Assembling the inverter yourself makes sense only if the power consumption is low. Charge controller in simple design It’s not that expensive, so there’s not much point in wasting time on making the device.

DIY manufacturing technology

To assemble solar panels you will need:

1. Design a frame (case).
2. Solder all solar cells in a parallel circuit.
3. Attach solar cells to the frame.
4. Make the housing hermetically sealed - direct exposure of photovoltaic cells to atmospheric precipitation is unacceptable.
5. Place the battery in the area of ​​greatest sunlight.

To meet the energy needs of a private home, one solar panel (frame) will not be enough. Based on practice, from one square meter The solar panel can produce 120 watts of power. For normal energy supply to a residential building, you will need about 20 square meters. m. area of ​​solar cells.

Most often, the batteries are placed on the roof of the house on the sunny side.

Housing assembly

The body can be assembled from plywood sheets and slats, or from aluminum corners and sheets and plexiglass (textolite). You need to decide how many elements will be placed in the frame. It should be taken into account that a gap of 3-5 mm is required between the elements, and the size of the frame is calculated taking into account these distances. The distance is necessary so that during thermal expansion the plates do not touch each other.

Assembling a structure from aluminum profile and plexiglass:

• a rectangular frame is made from an aluminum corner;
• Holes for fastening are drilled in the corners of the aluminum body;
• on inner part silicone sealant is applied around the entire perimeter of the housing profile;
• a sheet of plexiglass (textolite) is installed in the frame and pressed tightly against the frame;
• Mounting corners are placed in the corners of the case using screws, which securely fix the sheet of transparent material in the case;
• the sealant is allowed to dry thoroughly;

That's it, the body is ready. Before placing solar cells in the housing, you must thoroughly wipe the surface from dirt and dust.

Connection of photocells

When handling photoelectronic elements, you should remember that they are very fragile and require careful handling. Before connecting the plates in a serial chain, they are first carefully but gently wiped - the plates must be perfectly clean.

If the photocells were purchased with soldered conductors, this simplifies the process of connecting the modules. But before assembly, in this case, it is necessary to check the quality of the finished soldering, and if there are any irregularities, eliminate them.

Photovoltaic plates have contacts on both sides - these are contacts of different polarities. If the conductors (buses) have not yet been soldered, you must first solder them to the contacts of the plates, and then connect the photovoltaic elements to each other.

To solder busbars to photovoltaic modules, you need:

1. Measure the required length of the tire and cut into pieces required quantity stripes.
2. Wipe the contacts of the plates with alcohol.
3. Apply a thin layer of flux to the contact along the entire length of the contact on one side.
4. Place the busbar exactly along the length of the contact and slowly move the heated soldering iron over the entire soldering surface.
5. Turn the plate over and repeat all soldering operations on the other side.

Do not press the soldering iron too hard against the plate; the element may burst. It is also necessary to check the quality of soldering - any irregularities front side There should be no photocells. If the bumps and roughness remain, you need to carefully go over the contact seam with a soldering iron again. You must use a low-power soldering iron.

What needs to be done to correctly and accurately connect photovoltaic cells:

1. If you have no experience in assembling elements, it is recommended to use a marking surface on which to place the elements (plywood sheet).
2. Position the solar panels strictly according to the markings. When marking, do not forget to leave a distance between elements of 5 mm.
3. When soldering the contacts of the plates, be sure to monitor the polarity. The photocells must be correctly assembled in a series circuit, otherwise the battery will not work properly.

Mechanical installation of panels:

1. Make markings for the plates in the body.
2. Place the solar cells in the housing, placing them on plexiglass. Secure it in the frame with silicone glue at the marked places. Do not apply a lot of glue, just a tiny drop in the center of the plate. Press carefully so as not to damage the plates. It is better to move the plates into the housing together; it will be inconvenient for one person.
3. Connect all the wires along the edges of the plates to common busbars.

Before sealing the panel, you need to test the quality of the soldering. The structure is carefully brought closer to sunlight and the voltage on the common buses is measured. It should be within expected values.

Alternatively, sealing can be done as follows:

1. Apply droplets silicone sealant between the plates and along the edges of the body, carefully press the edges of the photocells against the plexiglass with your fingers. It is necessary that the elements fit as tightly as possible to the transparent base.
2. Place a small weight on all edges of the elements, for example, heads from a car tool kit.
3. Allow the sealant to dry thoroughly, the plates will be securely fixed during this time.
4. Then carefully coat all the joints between the plates and the edges of the frame. That is, you need to lubricate everything in the body except the plates themselves. It is permissible for sealant to get on the edges of the back side of the plates.

Final assembly of the solar battery

1. Install a connector on the side of the housing, Connect the connector to Schottky.
2. Cover the outside of the plate with a protective screen made of transparent material. In this case, plexiglass. The structure must be sealed and prevent moisture from penetrating into it.
3. It is advisable to treat the front side (plexiglass), for example, varnish (varnish PLASTIK-71).

What is a Schottky diode used for? If the light falls on only part of the solar battery, and the other part is darkened, the cells may fail.

Diodes help avoid structural failure in such cases. In this case, power is lost by 25%, but you can’t do without diodes - they shunt the current, the current bypasses the photocells. To keep the voltage drop to a minimum, it is necessary to use low-resistance semiconductors, such as Schottky diodes.

Advantages and disadvantages of a solar battery

Solar panels have both advantages and disadvantages. If there were only one advantage from the use of photoelectric converters, the whole world would have switched to this type of electricity generation long ago.

Advantages:

1. Autonomy of the power supply, there is no dependence on voltage interruptions in the centralized power grid.
2. No subscription fee for the use of electricity.

Flaws:

1. High cost equipment and elements.
2. Dependence on sunlight.
3. Possibility of element damage solar battery due to adverse weather conditions (hail, storm, hurricane).

In what cases is it advisable to use a photovoltaic cell installation:

1. If the object (house or cottage) is located at a great distance from the power line. It could be a country cottage in the countryside.
2. When the property is located in a southern sunny area.
3. When combined various types energy. For example, heating a private house using stove heating and solar energy. The cost of a low-power solar station will not be so high, and can be economically justified in this case.

Installation

The battery must be installed in a location with maximum sunlight exposure. The panels can be mounted on the roof of the house, on a rigid or rotating bracket.

The front of the solar panel should face south or southwest at an angle of 40 to 60 degrees. During installation, external factors must be taken into account. The panels should not be blocked by trees or other objects, and dirt should not get on them.

1. It is better to buy photocells with minor defects. They are also functional, just not as beautiful appearance. New elements are very expensive; assembling a solar battery will not be economically justified. If there is no particular rush, it is better to order the plates on eBay, it will cost even less. You need to be careful with shipping from China - there is a high probability of receiving defective parts.
2. Photocells need to be purchased with a small margin, there is a high probability of their breaking during installation, especially if there is no experience in assembling such structures.
3. If the elements are not yet used, you should hide them in a safe place to avoid breakage of fragile parts. Do not stack the plates in large piles - they may burst.
4. During the first assembly, you should make a template, on which the locations of the plates will be marked before assembly. This makes it easier to measure the distances between elements before soldering.
5. Soldering must be done with a low-power soldering iron., and under no circumstances apply force when soldering.
6. It is more convenient to use aluminum corners for assembling the case, wooden structure less reliable. It is better to use plexiglass or other similar material as a sheet on the back side of the elements; it is more reliable than painted plywood and looks aesthetically pleasing.
7. Photovoltaic panels should be located in places where sunlight will be maximum throughout the daylight hours.

House power supply diagram

The sequential power supply circuit for a private solar-powered home is as follows:

1. Multi-panel solar battery, which are located on the slope of the roof of the house, or on a bracket. Depending on energy consumption, there can be up to 20 panels or more. The battery produces a direct current of 12 volts.
2. Charge controller. The device protects batteries from premature discharge and also limits the voltage in the DC circuit. Thus, the controller protects the batteries from overload.
3. Voltage inverter. Converts direct current to alternating current, thereby allowing household appliances to consume electricity.
4. Batteries. For private houses and cottages, several batteries are installed, connecting them in series. Serve to store energy. Battery energy is used at night when the solar battery cells do not produce current.
5. Electricity meter.

Quite often in private homes, the power supply system is supplemented with a backup generator.

In general, assembling a solar battery with your own hands is not that difficult. All you need is certain tools, patience and accuracy.

For decades now, humanity has been searching for alternative energy sources that can at least partially replace existing ones. And the most promising of all today seem to be two: wind and solar energy.

True, neither one nor the other can provide continuous production. This is due to the variability of the wind rose and daily-weather-seasonal fluctuations in the intensity of the solar flux.

Today's energy industry offers three main methods of obtaining electrical energy, but all of them are harmful to the environment in one way or another:

• Fuel electric power industry- the most environmentally polluting, accompanied by significant emissions into the atmosphere carbon dioxide, soot and wasteful heat, causing the ozone layer to shrink. The extraction of fuel resources for it also causes significant harm to the environment.
• Hydropower is associated with very significant landscape changes, flooding of useful lands, and causes damage to fisheries resources.
• Nuclear power- the most environmentally friendly of the three, but requires very significant costs to maintain safety. Any accident may be associated with causing irreparable, long-term harm to nature. In addition, it requires special measures for the disposal of used fuel waste.

Strictly speaking, get electricity from solar radiation is possible in several ways, but most of them use its intermediate transformation into mechanical, rotating the generator shaft, and only then into electrical.

Such power plants exist, they use Stirling external combustion engines, they have good efficiency, but they also have a significant drawback: in order to collect as much solar radiation energy as possible, it is necessary to manufacture huge parabolic mirrors with systems for tracking the position of the sun.

It must be said that there are solutions to improve the situation, but they are all quite expensive.

There are methods that make it possible to directly convert light energy into electric current. And although the phenomenon of the photoelectric effect in the semiconductor selenium was discovered already in 1876, it was only in 1953, with the invention of the silicon photocell, that the real possibility of creating solar cells for generating electricity arose.

At this time, a theory was already emerging that made it possible to explain the properties of semiconductors and create practical technology for them. industrial production. To date, this has resulted in a real semiconductor revolution.

The operation of a solar battery is based on the phenomenon of semiconductor photoelectric effect p-n junction, which is essentially a regular silicon diode. When illuminated, a photovoltage of 0.5~0.55 V appears at its terminals.

Using electric generators and batteries, it is necessary to take into account the differences that exist between . By connecting a three-phase electric motor to the appropriate network, you can triple its output power.

Following certain recommendations, with minimal costs in terms of resources and time, it is possible to manufacture the power part of a high-frequency pulse converter for household needs. You can study the structural and circuit diagrams of such power supplies.

Structurally, each element of a solar battery is made in the form of a silicon wafer with an area of ​​several cm2, on which many such photodiodes connected into a single circuit are formed. Each such plate is a separate module that produces a certain voltage and current when exposed to sunlight.

By connecting such modules into a battery and combining their parallel-serial connection, you can obtain a wide range of output power values.

The main disadvantages of solar panels:

• Great unevenness and irregularity of energy output depending on the weather and seasonal height of the sun.
• Limits the power of the entire battery if at least one part of it is shaded.
• Dependence on the direction of the sun at different times of the day. For maximum effective use The battery must be ensured that it is always aimed at the sun.
• In connection with the above, the need for energy storage. The greatest energy consumption occurs at a time when its production is minimal.
• Large area required for a structure of sufficient power.
• The fragility of the battery design, the need to constantly clean its surface from dirt, snow, etc.
• Solar modules operate most efficiently at 25°C. During operation, they are heated by the sun to much more high temperature, greatly reducing their effectiveness. To maintain efficiency at optimal level, it is necessary to ensure cooling of the battery.

It should be noted that developments of solar cells using latest materials and technology. This allows you to gradually eliminate the disadvantages inherent in solar panels or reduce their impact. Yes, efficiency newest elements using organic and polymer modules, has already reached 35% and there are expectations of reaching 90%, and this makes it possible to obtain much greater power with the same battery dimensions, or, while maintaining energy efficiency, to significantly reduce the dimensions of the battery.