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Title: Method and apparatus for I-V data acquisition from solar cells

Abstract

A method and apparatus for logging current-voltage (I-V) characteristic d of a solar cell module (10) in two modes using a portable instrument. One mode controls the load current through a circuit (36) in 256 equal intervals while voltage is measured from open circuit to at least halfway into the knee of the curve and the other mode controls the load voltage through a circuit (34) in 256 equal intervals from the lowest voltage measurement possible (short circuit) to at least halfway into the knee of the curve, under control of a microcomputer (12). All measurements are packed by discarding each measurement that is within 0.5% of the value predicted from two previous measurements, except every ninth (9th) measurement which is retained. The remaining data is further packed into a memory block of a detachable storage medium (14) by recording the data points in sequence following a header containing data common to all points, with each point having the value of the controlled parameter recorded as the number of increments from the previous point recorded followed by the measured value. The detachable storage medium is preferably a solid state device for reliability, and is transferable to a playback terminal whichmore » unpacks the data for analysis and display.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Covina, CA
Issue Date:
OSTI Identifier:
865510
Patent Number(s):
4528503
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01R - MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES
H - ELECTRICITY H02 - GENERATION H02S - GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRA-RED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
DOE Contract Number:  
NAS7100
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
method; apparatus; i-v; data; acquisition; solar; cells; logging; current-voltage; characteristic; cell; module; 10; modes; portable; instrument; mode; controls; load; current; circuit; 36; 256; equal; intervals; voltage; measured; halfway; knee; curve; 34; lowest; measurement; control; microcomputer; 12; measurements; packed; discarding; value; predicted; previous; ninth; 9th; retained; remaining; memory; block; detachable; storage; medium; 14; recording; sequence; following; header; containing; common; controlled; parameter; recorded; increments; followed; preferably; solid; device; reliability; transferable; playback; terminal; unpacks; analysis; display; portable instrument; voltage measurement; data acquisition; solar cell; solar cells; storage medium; load current; cell module; equal intervals; measured value; memory block; containing data; /324/136/

Citation Formats

Cole, Steven W. Method and apparatus for I-V data acquisition from solar cells. United States: N. p., 1985. Web.
Cole, Steven W. Method and apparatus for I-V data acquisition from solar cells. United States.
Cole, Steven W. Tue . "Method and apparatus for I-V data acquisition from solar cells". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/865510.
@article{osti_865510,
title = {Method and apparatus for I-V data acquisition from solar cells},
author = {Cole, Steven W},
abstractNote = {A method and apparatus for logging current-voltage (I-V) characteristic d of a solar cell module (10) in two modes using a portable instrument. One mode controls the load current through a circuit (36) in 256 equal intervals while voltage is measured from open circuit to at least halfway into the knee of the curve and the other mode controls the load voltage through a circuit (34) in 256 equal intervals from the lowest voltage measurement possible (short circuit) to at least halfway into the knee of the curve, under control of a microcomputer (12). All measurements are packed by discarding each measurement that is within 0.5% of the value predicted from two previous measurements, except every ninth (9th) measurement which is retained. The remaining data is further packed into a memory block of a detachable storage medium (14) by recording the data points in sequence following a header containing data common to all points, with each point having the value of the controlled parameter recorded as the number of increments from the previous point recorded followed by the measured value. The detachable storage medium is preferably a solid state device for reliability, and is transferable to a playback terminal which unpacks the data for analysis and display.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1985},
month = {1}
}