US20200144238A1 - Photovoltaic Device - Google Patents

Photovoltaic Device Download PDF

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US20200144238A1
US20200144238A1 US16/492,108 US201816492108A US2020144238A1 US 20200144238 A1 US20200144238 A1 US 20200144238A1 US 201816492108 A US201816492108 A US 201816492108A US 2020144238 A1 US2020144238 A1 US 2020144238A1
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cell
power electronics
electronics unit
separate
input variable
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Maximilian Fleischer
Armin Schnettler
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Siemens Energy Global GmbH and Co KG
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L25/00—Assemblies consisting of a plurality of individual semiconductor or other solid state devices ; Multistep manufacturing processes thereof
    • H01L25/16—Assemblies consisting of a plurality of individual semiconductor or other solid state devices ; Multistep manufacturing processes thereof the devices being of types provided for in two or more different main groups of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N, e.g. forming hybrid circuits
    • H01L25/167—Assemblies consisting of a plurality of individual semiconductor or other solid state devices ; Multistep manufacturing processes thereof the devices being of types provided for in two or more different main groups of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N, e.g. forming hybrid circuits comprising optoelectronic devices, e.g. LED, photodiodes
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L31/02—Details
    • H01L31/02016—Circuit arrangements of general character for the devices
    • H01L31/02019—Circuit arrangements of general character for the devices for devices characterised by at least one potential jump barrier or surface barrier
    • H01L31/02021—Circuit arrangements of general character for the devices for devices characterised by at least one potential jump barrier or surface barrier for solar cells
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L25/00—Assemblies consisting of a plurality of individual semiconductor or other solid state devices ; Multistep manufacturing processes thereof
    • H01L25/03—Assemblies consisting of a plurality of individual semiconductor or other solid state devices ; Multistep manufacturing processes thereof all the devices being of a type provided for in the same subgroup of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N, e.g. assemblies of rectifier diodes
    • H01L25/04—Assemblies consisting of a plurality of individual semiconductor or other solid state devices ; Multistep manufacturing processes thereof all the devices being of a type provided for in the same subgroup of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N, e.g. assemblies of rectifier diodes the devices not having separate containers
    • H01L25/041—Assemblies consisting of a plurality of individual semiconductor or other solid state devices ; Multistep manufacturing processes thereof all the devices being of a type provided for in the same subgroup of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N, e.g. assemblies of rectifier diodes the devices not having separate containers the devices being of a type provided for in group H01L31/00
    • H01L25/043—Stacked arrangements of devices
    • H01L27/302—
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L31/04—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices
    • H01L31/042—PV modules or arrays of single PV cells
    • H01L31/043—Mechanically stacked PV cells
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02S—GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
    • H02S40/00—Components or accessories in combination with PV modules, not provided for in groups H02S10/00 - H02S30/00
    • H02S40/30—Electrical components
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02S—GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
    • H02S50/00—Monitoring or testing of PV systems, e.g. load balancing or fault identification
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02S—GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
    • H02S50/00—Monitoring or testing of PV systems, e.g. load balancing or fault identification
    • H02S50/10—Testing of PV devices, e.g. of PV modules or single PV cells
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10K—ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
    • H10K30/00—Organic devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation
    • H10K30/50—Photovoltaic [PV] devices
    • H10K30/57—Photovoltaic [PV] devices comprising multiple junctions, e.g. tandem PV cells
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10K—ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
    • H10K85/00—Organic materials used in the body or electrodes of devices covered by this subclass
    • H10K85/50—Organic perovskites; Hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites [HOIP], e.g. CH3NH3PbI3
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05F—SYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES
    • G05F1/00—Automatic systems in which deviations of an electric quantity from one or more predetermined values are detected at the output of the system and fed back to a device within the system to restore the detected quantity to its predetermined value or values, i.e. retroactive systems
    • G05F1/66—Regulating electric power
    • G05F1/67—Regulating electric power to the maximum power available from a generator, e.g. from solar cell
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy
    • Y02E10/549—Organic PV cells
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy
    • Y02E10/56—Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers

Definitions

  • the present embodiments relate to a photovoltaic device having two or more separate solar cells.
  • PV photovoltaic
  • the costs of a PV facility are determined for the most part by system costs (e.g., for the overall panel, the wiring, the power electronics and other structural costs).
  • system costs e.g., for the overall panel, the wiring, the power electronics and other structural costs.
  • tandem PV cell groups in which two or even more light-sensitive PV cells or layers are arranged above one another.
  • the various cells in this case differ ideally in terms of spectral sensitivity (e.g., different cells have respective maximum efficiency for different spectral ranges of sunlight). This has the effect that the tandem cell group as a whole offers high efficiency for a broader spectral range.
  • Such a tandem cell group may have, for example, a conventional silicon-based PV cell to which a further PV cell (e.g., perovskite-based) is applied.
  • Perovskite materials have a greater bandgap than silicon-based materials. Due to this, the perovskite-based PV cell has a higher absorption component in the blue or short-wave spectral range and lets through light of a longer wavelength.
  • the silicon-based PV cell absorbs to a greater extent in the longer-wavelength spectral range, such that the light let through by the perovskite cell or layer or at least part thereof is absorbed by the silicon cell.
  • FIG. 1 shows a side view of such a known tandem PV cell group 1 .
  • the upper cell 11 e.g., facing the light source or the sun, not illustrated
  • the lower cell 21 is a PV cell made from a second material having maximum efficiency in a second spectral range S 2 .
  • the spectral ranges S 1 , S 2 and also the materials are different.
  • Such tandem cell groups operate in principle in accordance with the concept that the electric current I generated under light incidence L flows successively through both cells 11 , 21 (e.g., the cells 11 , 21 are electrically connected in series).
  • the problem occurs that in the event that currents of a significantly different value are generated in the two cells 11 , 21 , that cell 11 , 21 in which a low current is generated is flowed through by the large current of the other cell 21 , 11 , which may lead to damage.
  • Both cells 11 , 21 ideally deliver the same current per light-sensitive surface area. Due to the differing nature of the materials used in the various cells 11 , 21 , this is, however, generally not the case. This has the effect that the efficiency of the tandem PV cell group 1 is considerably lower on the whole than theoretically possible or would be expected based on the individual efficiencies.
  • This problem is able in principle to be solved using an approach known as “current matching,” in that the individual cells 11 , 21 are configured to deliver electric currents of the same value.
  • the light-sensitive areas 12 , 22 which generate the current under appropriate illumination, of the two PV cells 11 , 21 may be matched to one another.
  • the areas 12 in the first cell 11 consist of the first material
  • the areas 22 in the second cell 21 consist of the second material. It is assumed in this case that the electric current produced in one area 12 , 22 is proportional to the surface area of the respective area 12 , 22 .
  • the surface areas as well as the numbers of areas 12 , 22 , as indicated in FIG.
  • the two cells 11 , 21 may accordingly be selected so as to be different, such that the two cells 11 , 21 ultimately deliver electric currents of the same value.
  • the variables and numbers to be selected for this purpose for the surface areas in this case depend on the respective materials.
  • FIG. 2 shows a view in the y-direction onto the planes indicated by the dashed lines in FIG. 1 , where the illustration in FIG. 2 is selected as though the cell 1 of FIG. 1 were to be unfolded such that the two layers 11 , 21 now lie next to one another. It is explained that the surface areas of the areas 12 of the first cell 11 are greater than the surface areas of the areas 22 of the second cell 21 . In this case, for the sake of clarity, only a few of the respective areas 12 , 22 are provided with reference signs.
  • the areas 12 , 22 of the respective cell 11 , 21 are connected in series to form a respective area group 13 , 23 .
  • the two area groups 13 , 23 are also connected electrically in a row (e.g., in series).
  • the present embodiments may obviate one or more of the drawbacks or limitations in the related art.
  • an alternative approach for a high-efficiency photovoltaic cell is provided.
  • a PV device has a multi-PV cell group having at least one first PV cell of a first cell type and one second PV cell of a second cell type, where the first cell type and the second cell type differ from one another.
  • Each of the PV cells provides an electric cell voltage U 1 , U 2 under light incidence on the respective PV cell.
  • power electronics having a separate first power electronics unit that is assigned to the first PV cell and a separate second power electronics unit that is assigned to the second PV cell.
  • the electric cell voltage U 1 , U 2 generated in the respective PV cell and a corresponding current yield I 1 , I 2 are able to be fed to the separate power electronics unit assigned to the respective PV cell (e.g., via appropriate electrical connections).
  • the PV device also has a control device for controlling the power electronics.
  • the first power electronics unit and the second power electronics unit are then able to be operated independently of one another via the control device such that each PV subsystem, each of which has one of the PV cells and the power electronics unit assigned to the respective PV cell, operates at a respective optimum operating point.
  • the PV device has at least one first PV subsystem and one second PV subsystem, where the first PV subsystem has the first PV cell and the first power electronics unit, and the second PV subsystem has the second PV cell and the second power electronics unit.
  • the tandem PV cell group has two galvanically isolated PV cells that are not directly electrically connected in series or in any other way. Rather, the electric voltages generated by the PV cells of the cell group under illumination and as a result also the corresponding currents are each fed to a separate power electronics unit. By using individual power electronics units for the various PV cells, a situation is achieved whereby each PV cell is able to be operated at the optimum operating point.
  • the control device is configured, during the operation of the power electronics unit of each PV subsystem, to control the respective power electronics unit such that a product of the current yield I 1 , I 2 and the cell voltage U 1 , U 2 of the PV cell assigned to the respective power electronics unit is at a maximum. It is assumed here and hereinafter that the expression that the product should be “at a maximum” does not necessarily mean or may not necessarily mean at all times the exact point at which the product reaches the absolute maximum. This is also not technically able to be implemented insofar as the values fed to the control device continuously vary in practice within a certain range, such that a theoretically actual maximum value at a time T 1 is already no longer the theoretically maximum value at the next time T 2 .
  • control is performed in each case such that the power electronics units are each constantly adjusted such that the respective current-voltage product changes with respect to the instantaneous theoretically possible maximum. Control is thus performed such that the current-voltage product, considered over a particular time period, does not become smaller. In other words, the product may become greater or may remain constant in the event that the theoretically possible maximum has already been reached.
  • the control device may for this purpose operate such that, during the controlling of the respective power electronics unit, an input resistance of the respective power electronics unit is able to be adjusted such that the product of the current yield I 1 , I 2 and the cell voltage U 1 , U 2 of the PV cell assigned to the respective power electronics unit is at a maximum.
  • the control device is, for example, configured to control the power electronics units independently of one another.
  • the control device may have, for example, a number of controllers corresponding to the number of PV subsystems. These controllers may be configured, for example, as PID controllers.
  • the PV device has a sensor device having a device (e.g., a sensor) for determining temperatures of the PV cells and/or for determining an ambient temperature of the multi-PV cell group.
  • a device e.g., a sensor
  • One or more parameters describing the temperatures and/or the ambient temperature are fed to the control device as an input variable (e.g., a first input variable and/or a second input variable).
  • the sensor device may have a device (e.g., a sensor) for determining a light intensity incident on the PV device (e.g., on the first PV cell).
  • a parameter describing the light intensity is fed to the control device as an input variable (e.g., a third input variable).
  • the sensor device may have a device for determining a spectrum of a light incident on the PV device (e.g., on the first PV cell).
  • a parameter describing the spectrum is fed to the control device as an input variable (e.g., a fourth input variable).
  • the control device is then designed to control the power electronics units based on the first input variable, the second input variable, the third input variable, the fourth input variable, or any combination thereof fed thereto.
  • the control device is, for example, configured in this case to perform the control (e.g., based on lookup tables or in a model-based manner), such that, depending on the input variable or input variables for each power electronics unit, input resistance is determined and set such that the product of the current yield I and the cell voltage U of the PV cell assigned to the respective power electronics unit is at a maximum.
  • the first cell type and the second cell type may be selected such that power conversation efficiency (PCE) maximas lie in different spectral ranges, respectively.
  • PCE power conversation efficiency
  • a cell type is, for example, having a PCE maximum that lies in a spectral range to which the first PV cell is substantially transparent is selected. “Substantially transparent” may be that the first PV cell absorbs this specific spectral range to a much smaller extent in comparison with other spectral ranges.
  • the first PV cell in principle has a specific degree of absorption in each spectral range relevant for this application. It may likewise be assumed that the degree of absorption in some ranges of the light spectrum is comparatively low and thus “substantially transparent.”
  • the first PV cell may be a perovskite-based PV cell
  • the second PV cell may be a silicon-based PV cell
  • control device is designed to control the power electronics unit assigned to the first perovskite-based PV cell such that hysteresis of output variables of the first PV cell is compensated.
  • This compensation is achieved by correspondingly adjusting the operating parameters of the controller (e.g., PID parameters).
  • the control device is also configured to execute the control of the power electronics units such that aging of a respective PV cell and/or soiling of the multi-PV cell group or of the individual PV cells is compensated. In this case, it is again sought to optimize the product of the current yield I and the cell voltage U of the PV cell assigned to the respective power electronics unit, where the input resistances of the power electronics units are also set independently of one another here.
  • the first and the second power electronics unit are operated independently of one another by the control device, such that each PV subsystem, each of which has one of the PV cells and the power electronics unit assigned thereto, operates at a respective optimum operating point.
  • the respective power electronics unit is controlled such that a product of the current yield I 1 , I 2 and the cell voltage U 1 , U 2 of the PV cell assigned to the respective power electronics unit is at a maximum.
  • an input resistance of the respective power electronics unit is adjusted such that the product of the current yield I 1 , I 2 and the cell voltage U 1 , U 2 of the PV cell assigned to the respective power electronics unit is at a maximum.
  • the control device may control the power electronics units independently of one another.
  • the power electronics units are controlled based on the input variable or input variables fed to the control device.
  • control is executed (e.g., based on lookup tables or in a model-based manner), such that, depending on the input variable or input variables for each power electronics unit, input resistance is determined and set with which the product of the current yield I and the cell voltage U of the PV cell assigned to the respective power electronics unit is at a maximum.
  • an aging curve of a cell situation may also be stored in the lookup table.
  • each of the power electronics the voltage and current levels are thus adjusted such that a maximum energy yield of the respective PV cell is achieved (e.g., each PV cell operates with the power electronics assigned thereto at a respective optimum operating point).
  • the adjustment may be performed, for example, by controlling the input resistance of the respective power electronics, where controlling the input resistance has an effect on the current yield I in the case of a cell voltage U, dependent on the illumination, of the PV cell connected to these power electronics.
  • the product of the voltage U generated by the PV cell under illumination and the corresponding current I describes the energy yield of the PV cell.
  • each PV cell of the cell group is able to be operated at a corresponding optimum operating point (e.g., by virtue of the fact that separate power electronics are provided for both PV cells, the separate power electronics are both able to be operated continuously at the respective optimum operating point).
  • PV cells are generally subject to an aging process.
  • this inevitably results in detuning of the matching of the individual cells. This effect no longer plays a role in the approach according to the present embodiments.
  • both PV cells of the cell group may be selected as far as possible freely (e.g., a cell surface area may in each case be used that optimally suits the respective technology).
  • PV cells above one another of the same size may likewise be used. This may be advantageous when using thin-film systems for the individual PV cells, in which layer boundaries and the corresponding stage often constitute technological hurdles for layers deposited thereon.
  • a perovskite-based cell exhibits hysteresis of the output characteristic variables of the cell (e.g., the output characteristics of the cell change depending on the previous operation of the cell). This is able to be compensated, for example, by adjusting the PID parameters of a PID controller integrated in the power electronics of the perovskite-based PV cell.
  • Perovskite-based PV cells in contrast to conventional PV cells, often exhibit an inflow effect, which involves the maximum efficiency of the cell, often referred to as “power conversion efficiency” (PCE), being achieved, under constant illumination, only after a certain delay time after the cell is put into service.
  • PCE power conversion efficiency
  • the PCE of a silicon-based PV cell is achieved virtually immediately after putting into service.
  • both subsystems are able to be operated at the optimum operating point.
  • the energy yield of the perovskite-based cell is reduced in comparison with the yield of the other cells during the effects of the inflow effect, it is nevertheless optimum for the existing conditions due to the option of individual control.
  • the concept is able to be applied not only in the case of the combination of perovskite-based and silicon-based cells, but in principle to any desired combinations with other PV cell types, such as, for example, thin-film solar cells or with III/V semiconductor cells.
  • FIG. 1 shows a tandem PV cell group according to the prior art
  • FIG. 2 shows cross sections of the tandem PV cell group according to the prior art
  • FIG. 3 shows a PV device according to an embodiment
  • FIG. 4 shows a relationship between current yield I and cell voltage U in the case of a typical PV cell
  • FIG. 5 shows a PV device according to a first variant
  • FIG. 6 shows a PV device according to a second variant.
  • FIG. 3 shows one embodiment of a photovoltaic (PV) device 100 having a multi-PV cell group 1 that has a first PV cell 11 of a first cell type (e.g., having one or more first light-sensitive areas 12 made from a first material that provide an electric voltage U 1 under illumination) and a second PV cell 21 of a second cell type (e.g., having one or more second (not illustrated) light-sensitive areas 22 made from a second material that likewise provide an electric voltage U 2 under illumination).
  • the multi-PV cell group 1 having two PV cells 11 , 21 is accordingly a tandem PV cell group.
  • the expression is generally used below that the respective PV cell generates a voltage or the like; this, however, provides that these voltages are generated by the respective light-sensitive areas of the cells.
  • the cell group 1 is arranged during operation such that the first PV cell 11 faces a light source (e.g., the sun).
  • the light L emitted by the light source and incident on the cell group 1 thus impinges first of all on the first PV cell 11 , which, as is known, leads to the first PV cell 11 or light-sensitive areas 12 of the first PV cell 11 made from the first material generating the first electric cell voltage U 1 .
  • the corresponding remaining light impinges on the second PV cell 21 , which likewise, as is known, leads to the second PV cell 21 or light-sensitive areas 22 of the second PV cell 21 made from the second material generating a second electric cell voltage U 2 .
  • Both the first cell type and the second cell type are selected such that the maximum efficiency of the various cells 11 , 21 , which is also referred to as “power conversion efficiency” (PCE), lie in different spectral ranges.
  • PCE power conversion efficiency
  • a cell type having a PCE maximum that lies in a spectral range to which the first PV cell 11 is substantially transparent is selected. “Substantially transparent” may be that the first PV cell 11 absorbs this specific spectral range to a much smaller extent in comparison with other spectral ranges.
  • the first PV cell 11 in principle has a specific degree of absorption in each spectral range relevant for this application; it may likewise be assumed that the degree of absorption in some ranges of the light spectrum is comparatively low, and the cell 11 is thus “substantially transparent” to this spectral range.
  • the first PV cell 11 is a perovskite-based PV cell (e.g., the light-sensitive areas 12 of the first PV cell 11 have a perovskite material).
  • the second PV cell 21 is a silicon-based PV cell.
  • Perovskite materials have a greater bandgap than silicon-based materials. Due to this, the perovskite-based PV cell 11 has a higher absorption component in the blue or short-wave spectral range and lets through light of a longer wavelength.
  • the silicon-based PV cell 21 absorbs to a greater extent in the longer-wavelength spectral range, such that the light let through by the perovskite cell 11 or at least part thereof is able to be absorbed by the silicon cell 21 .
  • the PV device 100 has power electronics 30 having a first power electronics unit 31 and a second power electronics unit 32 (e.g., power electronics units 31 , 32 ), where the power electronics units 31 , 32 operate separately and independently of one another.
  • the first power electronics unit 31 is assigned to the first PV cell 11
  • the second power electronics unit 32 is assigned to the second PV cell 21 .
  • the first PV cell 11 and the first power electronics unit 31 form, for example, a first PV subsystem 10 of the cell group 1 .
  • the second PV cell 21 and the second power electronics unit 32 form, for example, a second PV subsystem 20 of the cell group 1 .
  • the cell voltages U 1 , U 2 generated by the PV cells 11 , 21 under illumination are fed to the respective power electronics unit 31 , 32 via appropriate electrical connections 14 , 24 .
  • Corresponding current yields I 1 , I 2 result depending on a respective input resistance of the power electronics units 31 , 32 .
  • the PV device 1 also has a control device 40 that is configured, during operation of the power electronics unit 31 , 32 of each PV subsystem 10 , 20 , to control the respective power electronics unit 31 , 32 such that a product of the current yield I 1 or I 2 and the cell voltage U 1 or U 2 of the PV cell 11 , 21 assigned to the respective power electronics unit 31 , 32 is at a maximum. This leads to the energy yield of the respective PV subsystem 10 , 20 reaching a maximum. The optimum operating point is reached individually and independently of one another for the PV subsystems 10 , 20 .
  • FIG. 4 shows the relationship between current yield I and cell voltage U under constant illumination for a typical PV cell.
  • the optimum operating point with maximum energy yield or optimum energy generation lies at the point identified by MAX in the graph. At this point, the product of cell voltage U and current yield I reaches a maximum.
  • variable usage conditions e.g., under changing lighting conditions
  • due to the differing nature of the PV cells 11 , 21 of the cell group 1 which typically respond differently to changes in light intensity and temperature, etc., situations inevitably arise in which at least one of the PV cells 11 , 21 is no longer operated at the optimum operating point.
  • This provides, for the entire cell group 1 , that the cell group 1 is not able to be used at the optimum operating point as a whole. It is only possible to operate the cell group 1 at the optimum operating point when the individual PV cells 11 , 21 forming the cell group 1 or the PV subsystems 10 , 20 are each operated on their own at the optimum operating point. To achieve this, use is made of the separate power electronics 31 , 32 , since using the separate power electronics 31 , 32 individually and independently makes it possible to individually optimize the operating parameters for each PV cell 11 , 21 or for each PV subsystem 10 , 20 .
  • the control device 40 is then configured, during the controlling of the respective power electronics unit 31 , 32 , to adjust an input resistance of the respective power electronics unit 31 , 32 and thus the current yield I in the respective PV subsystem 10 , 20 , such that the product of the current yield I 1 or I 2 and the cell voltage U 1 or U 2 is at a maximum for the PV cell 11 , 21 assigned to the respective power electronics unit 31 , 32 .
  • the control device 40 controls the power electronics units 31 , 32 , for example, independently of one another.
  • control device 40 may have, for example, a number of controllers 41 , 42 corresponding to the number of PV subsystems 10 , 20 , where each power electronics unit 31 , 32 or each PV subsystem 10 , 20 is assigned a controller 41 , 42 .
  • controllers 41 , 42 may be configured, for example, as PID controllers.
  • the control device 40 or the individual controllers 41 , 42 operate, for example, such that, for each PV subsystem 10 , 20 , a current yield I 1 or I 2 for the respective PV subsystem 10 , 20 and the cell voltage U 1 or U 2 are measured separately.
  • the first controller 41 may vary the input resistance of the first power electronics unit 31 based on the values of I 1 and U 1 that are fed to the first controller, and in the process, monitor the current yield I 1 and the cell voltage U 1 or the product of these measured values. The input resistance is then set such that, as already mentioned, the product of current yield I 1 and cell voltage U 1 reaches a maximum, accompanied by maximum energy yield of the first PV subsystem 10 .
  • the controller 42 of the second PV subsystem 42 operates in the same way by varying the input resistance of the second power electronics unit 32 , such that the product of current yield I 2 and cell voltage U 2 of the second PV subsystem 20 also reaches a maximum, accompanied by maximum energy yield of the second PV subsystem 20 .
  • the components 31 , 41 or 32 , 42 that are connected to one another thus interact with one another such that the controllers 41 , 42 are provided with current and voltage values I 1 , I 2 , U 1 , U 2 .
  • the controllers 41 , 42 influence the power electronics units 31 , 32 based on these values in that the controllers 41 , 42 control input resistances of the power electronics units 31 , 32 .
  • the control device 40 may be fed data from a sensor device 50 .
  • the sensor device 50 has a device 51 (e.g., a sensor) for determining temperatures of the PV cells 11 , 21 and/or for determining an ambient temperature of the tandem PV cell group 1 .
  • One or possibly more parameters describing the temperatures and/or the ambient temperature are fed to the control device 40 and to the separate controllers 41 , 42 as input variables (e.g., a first input variable and/or a second input variable).
  • the sensor device 50 may have a device 52 (e.g., a sensor) for determining a light intensity incident on the multi-PV cell group 1 and, in particular, on the first PV cell 11 .
  • a parameter describing the light intensity is fed to the control device 40 or the controllers 41 , 42 as an input variable (e.g., a third input variable).
  • the sensor device 50 may also have a device 53 for determining a spectrum of a light incident on the multi-PV cell group 1 and, in particular, on the first PV cell 11 .
  • a parameter describing the spectrum is fed to the control device 40 or the controllers 41 , 42 as an input variable (e.g., a fourth input variable).
  • the control device 40 is then configured, based on the input variable or input variables fed thereto, to control the power electronics units 31 , 32 such that the product of the current yield I and the cell voltage U of the PV cell 11 , 21 assigned to the respective power electronics unit 31 , 32 is at a maximum. This may again be performed by correspondingly adjusting the input resistance of the respective power electronics unit 31 , 32 .
  • the target values to which the input resistances are set in this case may be determined (e.g., in a model-based manner or based on lookup tables), such that, depending on the input variable or input variables (e.g., the first variable, the second variable, the third variable, the fourth variable, or any combination thereof) for each power electronics unit 31 , 32 , input resistance is determined and set from a corresponding lookup table so that the product of the current yield I and the cell voltage U of the PV cell 11 , 21 assigned to the respective power electronics unit 31 , 32 is at a maximum.
  • the input variable or input variables e.g., the first variable, the second variable, the third variable, the fourth variable, or any combination thereof
  • the control device 40 may also be used to observe and possibly take into consideration an aging process of the cells 11 , 21 . If the effectiveness of finding the optimum operating point is monitored in both power electronics units 31 , 32 , a warning about degradation of one of the cells may be output or the aging state may be monitored.
  • soiling of solar cells occurs due to the deposition of dust, often increased even further by aerosols containing salt.
  • soiling occurs due to the buildup of cells (e.g., green cells), and in industrial regions due to the deposition of particles (e.g., soot).
  • cells e.g., green cells
  • particles e.g., soot
  • Depositions of dust and green cells have a clearly discernible color and thus change the spectral composition of the light that reaches the actual PV cells.
  • soot particles that appear dark also have a spectrally dependent light absorption.
  • the respective power electronics unit 31 , 32 for each subsystem 10 , 20 is controlled such that the product of the current yield I and the cell voltage U of the PV cell 11 , 21 assigned to the respective power electronics unit 31 , 32 is at a maximum.
  • the control is based on setting the input resistance of a respective power electronics unit 31 , 32 such that the product reaches a maximum.
  • the approach proposed here is thus suitable for compensating diverse situations or environmental conditions, where the PV subsystems 10 , 20 or the power electronics units 31 , 32 are controlled independently of one another.
  • FIG. 5 shows one embodiment of the PV device 100 in which the wiring complexity between the cell group 1 and the power electronics 40 is reduced.
  • the cells 11 , 21 are set to a common potential or connected to one another such that only three electrical lines are to be routed to the power electronics 40 .
  • the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 has the effect that the overall occurring voltages of the individual cells 11 , 21 and thus the requirements in terms of insulating the wiring are able to be minimized.
  • both cells 11 , 21 are arranged such that voltages U 1 , U 2 of the cells 11 , 21 oppose one another. This is not expedient in the case of conventional tandem PV cell groups, but may advantageously be applied. It is also optionally expedient, as in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 , to place the mutually opposing terminals of the cells 11 , 21 at a common potential.

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DE102017205524A1 (de) 2018-09-13

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