Equivalent Circuit

and
Shading

MEE 1038 – Solar Photovoltaic System Design

Reference book: Renewable and Efficient Electric Power Systems by

Gilbert M.Masters, 2004 – Chapter 7,8,9
P-N JUNCTION
 The p–n Junction Diode
• A p–n junction diode allows current to flow easily from
the p-side to the n-side, but not in reverse
• The voltage–current characteristic curve for the p–n
junction diode is described by the following Shockley
diode equation:

➢ Id is the diode current in the direction of the arrow (A)

➢ Vd is the voltage across the diode terminals from the p-side to the n-side
(V)
➢ I0 is the reverse saturation current (A)
➢ q is the electron charge (1.602 × 10−19C)
➢ k is Boltzmann’s constant (1.381 × 10−23 J/K)
➢ T is the junction temperature (K)
• Id is the diode current in the direction of the arrow (A)
• Vd is the voltage across the diode terminals from the p-side to
the n-side (V)
• I0 is the reverse saturation current (A)
• q is the electron charge (1.602 × 10−19 C)
• k is Boltzmann’s constant (1.381 × 10−23 J/K)
• T is the junction temperature (K)
• If we were to apply a voltage Vd across the diode
terminals, forward current would flow easily through the
diode from the p-side to the n-side; but if we try to send
current in the reverse direction, only a very small (≈10−12
A/cm2) reverse saturation current (I0) will flow
• This reverse saturation current is the result of thermally
generated carriers with the holes being swept into the p-
side and the electrons into the n-side
• In the forward direction, the voltage drop across the
diode is only a few tenths of a volt
• Consider a p–n junction diode at 25°C
with a reverse saturation current of 10−9 A. Find
the voltage drop (Vd) across the diode when it is
carrying
➢no current (open-circuit voltage)
➢1 A
➢10 A
• Since Id = 0, so Vd = 0
• Vd at 1 A = 0.532 V

• Vd at 10 A = 0.592 V
• For a change of 10A, the Vd changes by 0.06V
• The diode voltage drop when it is conducting
current is nominally about 0.6V and is similar to
the PV case.
• Hence PV Cell is characterized by the Shockley
diode equation
 Equivalent Circulit

• Equivalent circuit for a photovoltaic cell

consists of a current source driven by sunlight
in parallel with a real diode
• Two important parameters for photovoltaic cells are the
Short-circuit current ISC and
Open-circuit voltage VOC
• When the leads of the equivalent circuit for the PV cell are
shorted together, no current flows in the (real) diode since
Vd = 0, so all of the current from the ideal source flows
through the shorted leads
• Since that short-circuit current must equal ISC, the
magnitude of the ideal current source itself must be equal
to ISC
Voltage and Current equation for the
equivalent circuit
I = ISC − Id
But
Hence
(2nd term: diode eqn. with a –ve sign)
• So, the plot of above will be
reverse of the diode
characteristics curve
 IV Curve for a PV Cell

• Dark = No sunlight falls on cell

• Light = when exposed to solar radiation
• ISC is proportional to solar radiation
• When the leads of cell are open, I = 0
• So,

• At T=25°C,

• At T=25°C,
• Consider a 100 cm2 photovoltaic cell with reverse
saturation current I0 = 10−12 A/cm2. In full sun, it
produces a short-circuit current of 40 mA/cm2 at
25°C. Find the open-circuit voltage at full sun and
again for 50% sunlight. Plot the results.
At full sun,

ISC α solar radiation. So at half sun,

More Accurate Equivalent Circuit
• When shaded, Iload = 0 (not correct
in real world)
• PV equivalent circuit that includes
some parallel leakage resistance Rp
• The ideal current source ISC in this
case delivers current to the diode,
the parallel resistance, and the
load
• Modifying the idealized PV equivalent circuit
by adding parallel resistance causes the
current at any given voltage to drop by V/RP
• For a cell to have losses of less than 1%
current due to its parallel resistance,

• For a large cell, ISC might be around 7 A and

VOC might be about 0.6 V, so its parallel
resistance should be greater than about 9Ω

Shunt or Parallel resistance is typically due to manufacturing defects in the solar cell
Equivalent circuit with Series resistance

Series Resistance:
• contact resistance associated with the bond
between the cell and its wire leads, and
• resistance of semiconductor itself
• For a cell to have less than 1% current losses
due to the series resistance,

• For a large cell with ISC = 7 A and VOC = 0.6 V,

Rs would be less than 0.0009 Ω
 Effect of Series Resistance

• voltage at any given current shifts to the left by

V = IR
More Accurate Equivalent Circuit

• RP due to leakage parallel leakage resistance

• RS due to contact resistance associated with the bond between
the cell and its wire leads, and some might be due to the
resistance of the semiconductor itself
• No explicit solution for either voltage V or current I
• By applying Kirchhoff’s Current Law
to the node above the diode

• Rearranging, and substituting the Shockley diode

equation, we get,

• With an initial assumed value of Vd , current I can be found and can

be iterated (spreadsheet solution is also possible)
Combined effect of Rp and Rs on IV curve

• Series and parallel resistances in the PV equivalent circuit

decrease both voltage and current delivered
• To improve cell performance, high RP and low RS are needed
 Series and Shunt losses

• Both contribute to reduced fill factor

As shunt or parallel
resistance decreases, the
result is that the voltage-
controlled portion of the I-
V curve begins to sag
toward the origin,
producing a significant
decrease in the terminal
current I and a slight
reduction in VOC

Effect of shunt resistance on the current–voltage characteristics of a solar cell

As the series resistance
increases, the result is that
the I-V curve begins to sag
toward the origin,
producing a significant
decrease in the terminal
voltage V and a slight
reduction in ISC, the short-
circuit current.

Effect of series resistance on the current-voltage characteristics of a solar cell

 From Cells to Module
• Voltage across an individual cell then can be
found from
• For a module with n cells,

• Series
connected
cells carry
same current
& at any given
current,
voltages add-
up
Problem
 Vd = 0.5 V

Isc

Pmax
Effect of Shading
Bypass Diode to prevent Hotspot Effect

• In the sun the bypass diode is cut off and all the
normal current goes through the solar cell
• In shade the bypass diode conducts current
around the shaded cell, allowing just the diode
drop of about 0.6 V to occur
• Voltage drop with one cell shaded =

• Voltage of bottom (n-1) cells will be =

• Since Rp >> Rs,

Drop in Module voltage due to Shading

• Problem on Power loss due to shading

• Drop across the shaded cell =

• Power dissipated by shaded cell =

 Shading

With just one cell shaded out of 36 in the module, the power delivered to the battery is
decreased by about two-thirds. A 12V battery getting charged at 13V gets reduced current due
to different levels of shading.
PV module with a bypass diode