Difference between revisions of "PV system"

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[[Portal:Solar|►Back to Solar Portal]]
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= Overview =
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In the following page, you will find a simple explanation about how a [[Photovoltaic (PV)|PV system]] works and its main components. In&nbsp; [[Electricity Basics|this article]] electricity is compared with water to have a pictorial understanding of the basics fundamental. Here we will go further with the same analogy to explain a complete PV system.
  
= Overview =
 
<p style="text-align: justify;">In the following page you will find a simple explanation about how a PV system works and its main components. In<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Abel; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap; text-align: justify;"></span>[[Electricity Basics|this article]]<font face="Abel"><span style="font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">&nbsp;we compared electricity with water to have a pictorial understanding of the basics of electricity. Here we will go further with the same analogy to explain a complete PV system.</span></font></p>
 
 
= Introduction<br/> =
 
= Introduction<br/> =
  
 
<span id="docs-internal-guid-df48007a-b79c-1d4a-dbee-f283c4e3dada"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Abel; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-color: rgb(147, 196, 125); font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ANALOGY</span></span>
 
<span id="docs-internal-guid-df48007a-b79c-1d4a-dbee-f283c4e3dada"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Abel; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-color: rgb(147, 196, 125); font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ANALOGY</span></span>
<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; line-height: 1.38; font-size: 13.6px; text-align: justify;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-df48007a-b79c-1d4a-dbee-f283c4e3dada"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A solar PV system works similarly to a rainwater collection system.</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Abel; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">The amount of water collected changes with the weather: there are days with a lot of rain and days with none, therefore some days a lot of water can be collected and others not.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; line-height: 1.38; font-size: 13.6px; text-align: justify;"><br/></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-55ebdef0-b79c-8e82-bebf-85bcb8b28574"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-55ebdef0-b79c-8e82-bebf-85bcb8b28574"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the same way, the amount of electricity generated by a PV system changes according to the weather. The sunnier it is, the more electricity is produced by a PV system. When it is cloudy, little electricity is made. A PV module converts Solar Energy into Electricity. This means that less solar energy produces less electricity and vice versa.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-55ebdef0-b79c-8e82-bebf-85bcb8b28574"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Installation of a solar PV system is expensive and difficult, but it is simple to use: just place it in the sun, and it will generate electricity.</span></span></p>
 
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Abel; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap; text-align: justify;">Not only do rainwater collection systems and solar PV systems act much the same, they have similar parts and each part of the rainwater system does a similar job to a part in the PV system.</span><br/>
 
  
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'''''A solar PV system works similarly to a rainwater collection system. The amount of water collected changes with the weather: there are days with a lot of rain and days with none, therefore some days a lot of water can be collected and others not.'''''<br/>
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In the same way, the amount of electricity generated by a PV system changes according to the weather. The sunnier it is, the more electricity is produced by a PV system. When it is cloudy, little electricity is generated.
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Not only do rainwater collection systems and solar PV systems act much the same, they have similar parts and each part of the rainwater system does a similar job to a part in the PV system.
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</div></div>
 
 
= Collector =
 
= Collector =
<div><span id="docs-internal-guid-df48007a-b79c-1d4a-dbee-f283c4e3dada"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br/></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-915260e4-b79d-1a07-1ec1-71118371a76e"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The PV panel collects sunlight and converts it into electricity.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sometimes it is mounted on a roof, but it can be placed anywhere there is sun.</span></span><br/></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;"><br/></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-04bb47d1-b79d-4fc2-c66e-254a8a9f93a0"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;">''<span id="docs-internal-guid-04bb47d1-b79d-4fc2-c66e-254a8a9f93a0"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a rainwater system the part that does a similar job is the house roof. If you think of electricity as being like water, then the solar panel collects sunlight like the roof collects rainwater.</span></span>''</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;">''<span id="docs-internal-guid-04bb47d1-b79d-4fc2-c66e-254a8a9f93a0"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The roof collects water that falls from the sky, so it can be stored for later use. The solar panel collects sunlight that comes from the sky, so it can be stored for later use as electricity.</span></span>''</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;">''<span id="docs-internal-guid-04bb47d1-b79d-4fc2-c66e-254a8a9f93a0"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The bigger the roof, the more water collected when it rains. The bigger the solar panel, the more electricity collected during the day.</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Abel; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">If it rains hard, a lot of water is collected in a short time and if it rains lightly, only a little is collected in the same time. If the sun shines brightly, a lot of electricity is collected in a short time and if it is cloudy, only a little is collected in the same time. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Abel; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">If it does not rain, no water is collected. At night, no solar energy is collected.</span>''</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;"><br/></p>
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<u>The PV panel collects sunlight and converts it into electricity.</u><br/>
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Sometimes it is mounted on a roof, but it can be placed anywhere there is sun.
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'''''In a rainwater system, the part that does a similar job is the house roof. If you think of electricity as being like water, the solar panel collects sunlight like the roof collects rainwater.'''''
 +
 
 +
'''''The roof collects water that falls from the sky, so it can be stored for later use. The solar panel collects sunlight that comes from the sky, so it can be stored for later use as electricity.'''''
 +
 
 +
'''''The larger the surface of the roof, the more water is collected when it rains. The larger the surface of the solar panel, the more electricity will be collected when the sun shines.<br/>'''''
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'''''If it rains hard, a lot of water is collected in a short time and if it rains lightly, only a small amount is collected in the same time. If the sun shines brightly, a lot of electricity is generated in a short time while if it is cloudy, only a small amount of energy is collected in the same time.<br/>'''''
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'''''If it does not rain, no water will be collected. At night, no solar energy is collected.'''''
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= Storage =
 
= Storage =
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;"><br/></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2c4b5a2b-b79d-f548-344a-d3f705cf7410"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-fb6e6222-b79e-6534-2ac9-e2033a5b71cb"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The battery stores energy and promotes electricity when is needed.</span></span><br/></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;"><br/></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;">''<span id="docs-internal-guid-2c4b5a2b-b79d-f548-344a-d3f705cf7410"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Water is needed when it is not raining, and electricity is needed when the sun is not shining. Both a rainwater collection system and a solar PV system must have storage. The battery in a PV system does a job like the storage tank of a water system.</span></span>''</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;">''<span id="docs-internal-guid-2c4b5a2b-b79d-f548-344a-d3f705cf7410"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The storage tank allows the use of water for some time after it stops raining. The battery allows the use of electricity for some time after the sun goes down.</span></span>''</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;">''<span id="docs-internal-guid-2c4b5a2b-b79d-f548-344a-d3f705cf7410"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If it rains a lot and no one uses much water, the storage tank fills up to capacity. If the sun shines a lot and there is little use of electricity, then the battery becomes full of electricity.</span></span>''</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;">''<span id="docs-internal-guid-2c4b5a2b-b79d-f548-344a-d3f705cf7410"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If people use water when there is little rain, the water level in the tank gradually falls and the tank soon empties. If people use electricity when there is little sun, the amount of electricity in the battery gradually falls and soon the battery has no more electricity.</span></span>''</p><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-2c4b5a2b-b79d-f548-344a-d3f705cf7410"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br/></div>
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The battery stores energy and promotes electricity when is needed.<br/>
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'''''Water is needed when it is not raining, and electricity is needed when the sun is not shining. Both a rainwater collection system and a solar PV system must have a storage system. The battery in a PV system has a similar function to the storage tank of a water system.'''''
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'''''The storage tank allows the use of water for some time after it stops raining. The battery allows the use of electricity for some time after the sun goes down.'''''
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'''''If it rains a lot and no one uses much water, the storage tank fills up to capacity. If the sun shines a lot and there is little use of electricity, then the battery becomes full of electricity.'''''
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 +
'''''If water is consumed when there is little rain, the water level in the tank gradually falls and the tank soon empties. If people use electricity when there is little sun, the amount of electricity in the battery gradually falls and soon the battery has no more electricity.'''''
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= Flow control =
 
= Flow control =
<div><span id="docs-internal-guid-43b329cc-b798-da43-1286-5c9255b245fd"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-c1c409a3-b79f-2fc9-84d5-65bd53c65119"></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-c1c409a3-b79f-2fc9-84d5-65bd53c65119"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some devices such as charge controller and switches control the electricity flow in a PV system.</span></span></p><div dir="ltr" style="margin-left:0pt;"><p dir="ltr" style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; line-height: 1.38; padding: 5px; font-size: 13.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: justify;"><br/></p><p dir="ltr" style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; line-height: 1.38; padding: 5px; font-size: 13.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: justify;">''<span id="docs-internal-guid-c1c409a3-b79f-2fc9-84d5-65bd53c65119"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Water storage tanks have valves on their inlet and outlet pipes to control the use of water. The taps and showers also use valves, so we can regulate our flow.</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Abel; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">PV systems have a charge controller, switches, inverters, etc. In this way this “valves” control how much energy, will come in and out of the battery and into the appliances or to make sure that we get the most power out of the system.</span>''</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; line-height: 1.38; padding: 5px; font-size: 13.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: justify;"<br/>&lt;/p&gt;
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= Transport<span id="docs-internal-guid-813abab2-b7a1-cd67-826c-257946808006"></span> =
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<u>Some devices such as charge controller and switches control the electricity flow in a PV system.</u>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-a8fa0b17-b7a2-798d-a798-f65f626f641c"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wires are responsible for making the transport of electric charges.</span></span><br/></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;"><br/></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-813abab2-b7a1-cd67-826c-257946808006"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Both water and electricity must be moved from place to place.</span></span><br/></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;"><span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">o move water from one place to another, pipes are used. To move electricity from one place to another, wires are used.</span></span></p><br/><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-813abab2-b7a1-cd67-826c-257946808006"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Large pipes let water flow more easily than small pipes, so large pipes are needed when large amounts of water are to be moved quickly. Large wires let electricity flow more easily than small wires and are used when large amounts of electricity are to be moved quickly.</span></span><br/></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;"><br/></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;"><span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Abel; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">If pipes are not joined together correctly, they leak and all the water does not reach the appliance. If wires are not joined together correctly, all the electricity does not reach the appliance where it is needed.</span></p><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-813abab2-b7a1-cd67-826c-257946808006"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br/></div>
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<br/>
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'''''Water storage tanks have valves on their inlet and outlet pipes to control the use of water. The taps and showers also use valves, so we can regulate the flow.PV systems have a charge controller, switches, inverters, etc. In this way, this “valves” control how much energy, will come in and out of the battery and into the appliances.'''''
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= Transport =
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<u>Wires are responsible for making the transport of electric charges.</u>
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'''Both water and electricity must be moved from place to place.'''
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<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;"><br/></p>
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'''To move water from one place to another, pipes are used.To move electricity from one place to another, wires are used.'''
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'''Large pipes let water flow more easily than small pipes, so large pipes are needed when large amounts of water are to be moved quickly. Large wires let electricity flow more easily than small wires and are used when large amounts of electricity are to be moved quickly.<br/>'''
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'''If pipes are not joined together correctly, they leak and all the water does not reach the appliance. If wires are not joined together correctly, all the electricity does not reach the appliance where it is needed'''.
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= Appliances =
 
= Appliances =
<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; line-height: 1.38; padding: 5px; font-size: 13.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: justify;"<span id="docs-internal-guid-42aa8682-b79f-f924-f37b-82504925010b"></span>&lt;/p&gt;<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;"<span id="docs-internal-guid-57b85913-b7a0-c50e-4778-577bea84baf9"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Appliances are devices that use electricity to perform a specific task, typically a domestic one.</span></span><br/>&lt;/p&gt;<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;"><br/></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;">''<span id="docs-internal-guid-42aa8682-b79f-f924-f37b-82504925010b"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Various appliances can use water from the rainwater system or electricity from the PV system.</span></span>''</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;">''<span id="docs-internal-guid-42aa8682-b79f-f924-f37b-82504925010b"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In rainwater collection systems, there is often only one appliance attached to the system: a tap. Some water systems may include other appliances such as flush toilets and showers. Appliances that use a lot of water, such as flush toilets, only work well if connected to a water system that is designed for them. If a flush toilet is attached to a water system designed for a simple water tap, it will probably not work well, and the storage tank may run dry quickly</span></span>''</p><br/><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: justify;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-42aa8682-b79f-f924-f37b-82504925010b"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In PV systems, lights are the most common appliances. But it is possible to connect other appliances such as radios, televisions, videos, pumps and even refrigerators if the PV system is designed for them. But if a refrigerator, pump or video is connected to a solar PV system designed only for lights, it will not work well, and the battery will discharge quickly.</span></span></p><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-42aa8682-b79f-f924-f37b-82504925010b"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Abel; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br/></div></div></div>
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<u>Appliances are devices that use electricity to perform a specific task, typically a domestic one.</u>
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<br/>
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'''''Various appliances can use water from the rainwater system or electricity from the PV system.'''''
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'''''In rainwater collection systems, there is often only one appliance attached to the system: a tap. Some water systems may include other appliances such as flush toilets and showers. Appliances that use a lot of water, such as flush toilets, only work well if connected to a water system that is designed for them. If a flush toilet is attached to a water system designed for a simple water tap, it will probably not work well, and the storage tank may run dry quickly'''''
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'''In PV systems, lights are the most common appliances. However, it is also possible to connect other appliances such as radios, televisions, videos, pumps and even refrigerators if the PV system is designed for them.'''
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= Further Information =
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*Want to learn more? [[HelioLearn Online Training Platform|Helio Learn Online Platform]]<br/>
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*[[Portal:Solar|Solar portal on energypedia]]
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[[Category:Solar]]
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[[Category:Photovoltaic_(PV)]]

Latest revision as of 09:34, 1 August 2018

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Overview

In the following page, you will find a simple explanation about how a PV system works and its main components. In  this article electricity is compared with water to have a pictorial understanding of the basics fundamental. Here we will go further with the same analogy to explain a complete PV system.

Introduction

ANALOGY

A solar PV system works similarly to a rainwater collection system. The amount of water collected changes with the weather: there are days with a lot of rain and days with none, therefore some days a lot of water can be collected and others not.

In the same way, the amount of electricity generated by a PV system changes according to the weather. The sunnier it is, the more electricity is produced by a PV system. When it is cloudy, little electricity is generated.

Not only do rainwater collection systems and solar PV systems act much the same, they have similar parts and each part of the rainwater system does a similar job to a part in the PV system.


Role Rainwater System PV system
Source Rain Sunlight
Collection Roof PV module
Control Valves Electronics
Storage Tank Battery
Transport Pipes Wires
Appliances Shower, Sink, Toilets Light, fans, mobile phones


Collector

The PV panel collects sunlight and converts it into electricity.

Sometimes it is mounted on a roof, but it can be placed anywhere there is sun.

In a rainwater system, the part that does a similar job is the house roof. If you think of electricity as being like water, the solar panel collects sunlight like the roof collects rainwater.

The roof collects water that falls from the sky, so it can be stored for later use. The solar panel collects sunlight that comes from the sky, so it can be stored for later use as electricity.

The larger the surface of the roof, the more water is collected when it rains. The larger the surface of the solar panel, the more electricity will be collected when the sun shines.

If it rains hard, a lot of water is collected in a short time and if it rains lightly, only a small amount is collected in the same time. If the sun shines brightly, a lot of electricity is generated in a short time while if it is cloudy, only a small amount of energy is collected in the same time.

If it does not rain, no water will be collected. At night, no solar energy is collected.


Storage

The battery stores energy and promotes electricity when is needed.

Water is needed when it is not raining, and electricity is needed when the sun is not shining. Both a rainwater collection system and a solar PV system must have a storage system. The battery in a PV system has a similar function to the storage tank of a water system.

The storage tank allows the use of water for some time after it stops raining. The battery allows the use of electricity for some time after the sun goes down.

If it rains a lot and no one uses much water, the storage tank fills up to capacity. If the sun shines a lot and there is little use of electricity, then the battery becomes full of electricity.

If water is consumed when there is little rain, the water level in the tank gradually falls and the tank soon empties. If people use electricity when there is little sun, the amount of electricity in the battery gradually falls and soon the battery has no more electricity.


Flow control

Some devices such as charge controller and switches control the electricity flow in a PV system.


Water storage tanks have valves on their inlet and outlet pipes to control the use of water. The taps and showers also use valves, so we can regulate the flow.PV systems have a charge controller, switches, inverters, etc. In this way, this “valves” control how much energy, will come in and out of the battery and into the appliances.


Transport

Wires are responsible for making the transport of electric charges.


Both water and electricity must be moved from place to place.


To move water from one place to another, pipes are used.To move electricity from one place to another, wires are used.

Large pipes let water flow more easily than small pipes, so large pipes are needed when large amounts of water are to be moved quickly. Large wires let electricity flow more easily than small wires and are used when large amounts of electricity are to be moved quickly.

If pipes are not joined together correctly, they leak and all the water does not reach the appliance. If wires are not joined together correctly, all the electricity does not reach the appliance where it is needed.


Appliances

Appliances are devices that use electricity to perform a specific task, typically a domestic one.


Various appliances can use water from the rainwater system or electricity from the PV system.

In rainwater collection systems, there is often only one appliance attached to the system: a tap. Some water systems may include other appliances such as flush toilets and showers. Appliances that use a lot of water, such as flush toilets, only work well if connected to a water system that is designed for them. If a flush toilet is attached to a water system designed for a simple water tap, it will probably not work well, and the storage tank may run dry quickly


In PV systems, lights are the most common appliances. However, it is also possible to connect other appliances such as radios, televisions, videos, pumps and even refrigerators if the PV system is designed for them.

Further Information