Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Sensitivity of solar-cell performance to atmospheric variables: I single cell. Technical report No. II-7

Conference ·
OSTI ID:7108762

Measurements of the short-circuit current of a typical silicon solar cell under direct solar radiation were made for a range of turbidity, water vapor content, and air mass to determine the relation of the solar cell calibration value (current-to-intensity ratio) to those atmospheric variables. A modification of a previously developed regression equation was used to describe the relation between calibration value, turbidity, water vapor content, and air mass. Based on the value of the constants obtained by a least-squares fit of the data to the equation, it is found that turbidity lowers the value, while increase in water vapor increases the calibration value. Cell calibration values exhibited a change of about 6 percent over the range of atmospheric conditions experienced.

Research Organization:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Cleveland, OH (USA). Lewis Research Center
OSTI ID:
7108762
Report Number(s):
ERDA/NASA/1022-76/6; CONF-761129-7
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English