Determination of the diode parameters of a-Si and CdTe solar modules using variation of the intensity of illumination: An application

An attempt has been made for the determination of diode parameters viz. shunt resistance Rsh, series resistance Rs, diode ideality factor n and reverse saturation current density J0 of three solar modules: a-Si 47-37, a-Si 51-13 and CdTe 14407. In this regard, two approaches namely (A) and (B) reported by Khan et al. (2010) have been used to determine all the four diode parameters Rsh, Rs, n and J0. The data of slopes of J–V curve at open circuit conditions (moc) and open circuit voltage (Voc) at different illumination intensities obtained by Del Cueto (1998) for two a-Si and one CdTe solar modules have been used to determine the above diode parameters. The determined values of diode parameters have been used to generate the theoretical J–V curves. The theoretical fill factor (FF) and Voc have been calculated from the theoretical J–V curves and are plotted along with the experimental FF and Voc values. The theoretical values of FF and Voc obtained by the approach (B) of method of Khan et al. (2010) are in good agreement with the experimental values.

► An analytical method that determines all the four diode parameters of solar cells.
► It uses a number of J–V curves in a short range of illumination intensity.
► This method provides only one set of diode parameters in a short range.
► The diode parameters explained well all the experimental J–V curves in the used intensity range.