Energy Harvesting

Solar, Wind, and Ocean Energy Conversion Systems

Alireza Khaligh, Omer C. Onar

• Publisher: CRC Press
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9780367840150
• eBook ISBN: 9781351834025
• Topic: Physical Sciences
• Subtopic: Energy

Also called energy scavenging, energy harvesting captures, stores, and uses "clean" energy sources by employing interfaces, storage devices, and other units. Unlike conventional electric power generation systems, renewable energy harvesting does not use fossil fuels and the generation units can be decentralized, thereby significantly reducing transmission and distribution losses. But advanced technical methods must be developed to increase the efficiency of devices in harvesting energy from environmentally friendly, "green" resources and converting them into electrical energy.

Recognizing this need, Energy Harvesting: Solar, Wind, and Ocean Energy Conversion Systems describes various energy harvesting technologies, different topologies, and many types of power electronic interfaces for stand-alone utilization or grid connection of energy harvesting applications. Along with providing all the necessary concepts and theoretical background, the authors develop simulation models throughout the text to build a practical understanding of system analysis and modeling.

With a focus on solar energy, the first chapter discusses the I?V characteristics of photovoltaic (PV) systems, PV models and equivalent circuits, sun tracking systems, maximum power point tracking systems, shading effects, and power electronic interfaces for grid-connected and stand-alone PV systems. It also presents sizing criteria for applications and modern solar energy applications, including residential, vehicular, naval, and space applications. The next chapter reviews different types of wind turbines and electrical machines as well as various power electronic interfaces. After explaining the energy generation technologies, optimal operation principles, and possible utilization techniques of ocean tidal energy harvesting, the book explores near- and offshore approaches for harvesting the kinetic and potential energy of ocean waves. It also describes the required absorber, turbine, and generator types, along with the power electronic interfaces for grid connection and commercialized ocean wave energy conversion applications. The final chapter deals with closed, open, and hybrid-cycle ocean thermal energy conversion systems.

1

Solar Energy Harvesting

1.1 Introduction

Solar energy is one of the most important renewable energy sources that has been gaining increased attention in recent years. Solar energy is plentiful; it has the greatest availability compared to other energy sources. The amount of energy supplied to the earth in one day by the sun is sufficient to power the total energy needs of the earth for one year [1]. Solar energy is clean and free of emissions, since it does not produce pollutants or by-products harmful to nature. The conversion of solar energy into electrical energy has many application fields. Residential, vehicular, space and aircraft, and naval applications are the main fields of solar energy.

Sunlight has been used as an energy source by ancient civilizations to ignite fires and burn enemy warships using “burning mirrors.” Till the eighteenth century, solar power was used for heating and lighting purposes. During the 1800s, Europeans started to build solar-heated greenhouses and conservatories. In the late 1800s, French scientists powered a steam engine using the heat from a solar collector. This solar-powered steam engine was used for a printing press in Paris in 1882 [2]. A highly efficient solar-powered hot air engine was developed by John Ericsson, a Swedish-American inventor. These solar-driven engines were used for ships [3]. The first solar boiler was invented by Dr. Charles Greely, who is considered the father of modern solar energy [4]. The first working solar cells were invented in 1883 by Charles Fritts [5]. Selenium was used to build these prototypes, achieving efficiencies of about 1%. Silicon solar cells were developed in 1954 by researchers Calvin Fuller, Daryl Chapin, and Gerald Pearson. This accomplishment was achieved by following the fundamental work of Russel Ohl in the 1940s [6]. This breakthrough marked a fundamental change in the generation of power. The efficiency of solar cells increased from 6% up to 10% after the subsequent development of solar cells during the 1950s [7]; however, due to the high costs of solar cells ($300 per watt) commercial applications were limited to novelty items [6].

1.1.1 Structures of Photovoltaic Cells/Modules/Arrays

A photovoltaic (PV) cell converts sunlight into electricity, which is the physical process known as photoelectric effect. Light, which shines on a PV cell, may be reflected, absorbed, or passed through; however, only absorbed light generates electricity. The energy of absorbed light is transferred to electrons in the atoms of the PV cell. With their newfound energy, these electrons escape from their normal positions in the atoms of semiconductor PV material and become part of the electrical flow, or current, in an electrical circuit. A special electrical property of the PV cell, called “built-in electric field,” provides the force or voltage required to drive the current through an external “load” such as a light bulb [8]. To induce the built-in electric field within a PV cell, two layers of different semiconductor materials are placed in contact with each other. One layer is an “n-type” semiconductor with an abundance of electrons, which have a negative electrical charge. The other layer is a “p-type” semiconductor with an abundance of “holes,” which have a positive electrical charge.

Although both materials are electrically neutral, n-type silicon has excess electrons and p-type silicon has excess holes. Sandwiching these together creates a p/n junction at their interface, thereby creating an electric field. Figure 1.1 shows the p–n junction of a PV cell.

When n-type and p-type silicon come into contact, excess electrons move from the n-type side to the p-type side. The result is the buildup of positive charge along the n-type side of the interface and of negative charge along the p-type side.

The two semiconductors behave like a battery, creating an electric field at the surface where they meet, called the p/n junction. This is a result of the flow of electrons and holes. The electrical field forces the electrons to move from the semiconductor toward the negative surface to carry current. At the same time, the holes move in the opposite...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Preface
• Authors
• 1. Solar Energy Harvesting
• 2. Wind Energy Harvesting
• 3. Tidal Energy Harvesting
• 4. Ocean Wave Energy Harvesting
• 5. Ocean Thermal Energy Harvesting
• Index