Photovoltaic Laboratory

Faculty of Electrical Engeneering and Information Technology

Department/Institute: Institute of Power and Applied Electrical Engineering
Contact person: Assoc. Prof. Ing. Vladimír Šály, PhD., Ing. Milan Perný, PhD.
Contact: +421 2 6029 1746
e-mail: vladimir.saly@stuba.sk, milan.perny@stuba.sk

Description:

Photovoltaic laboratory was established under the projects "National Centre for Research and Application of renewable energy sources (26240120016)" and "Finalization of the national center for research and application of renewable energy sources (26240120028)".

Laboratory is focused on:

DC Measurement and analysis of the parameters of PV cells and modules (fill factor, efficiency, series resistance, shunt resistance and diode factor) at dark, standard and concentrated illumination.

AC Measurement and analysis of the parameters of PV cells and modules (series resistance, shunt resistance, dynamic resistance, solar cell capacitance - impedance, minority carrier lifetime and diode factor) at dark, standard and concentrated illumination

Transport properties in PV structures

Study of the degradation processes in PV cells and modules

Small testing PV system

Long term pyranometric measurements of solar irradiation in the selected area

Laboratory equipment consists of:

SourceMeter Keithley 2440 (measurements current-voltage characteristics in the dark and under illumination),

RLC meter-HF LCR Meter1J6520PD1 Wayne Kerr (measurement of impedance spectra, dielectric behaviour of dielectric, semiconductor and PV structures, ageing tests),

Oriel Class A Solar simulator (measurement of electric parameters of solar cells under standard illumination),

Pyranometer Kipp & Zoner CMP 6 (real-time monitoring of actual solar irradiation).

ModuLab MTS (Materials Testing System) made by the Solartron Analytical. The instrument to measure of impedance spectra, dielectric behaviour of dielectric, semiconductor and PV structures, ageing tests works in the frequency range from 1 µHz to 1 MHz.

Most relevant publications:

[1] Janíček, F., Perný, M., Šály, V., Váry, M., Breza, J., Chochol, P., The role of smart grid in integrating the renewable energies in Slovakia, Energy & Environment 2018, Vol. 29(2) 300–312, DOI: 10.1177/0958305X17748156

[2] Huran, J., Mikolášek, M., Perný, M., Šály, V., Kleinová, A., Sasinková, V., Kobzev, A. P., Arbet, J., HWCVD of B-doped silicon carbide thin films for SHJ solar cell technology. In Integrated Ferroelectrics. Vol. 184, (2017), s. 23-31. ISSN 1058-4587

[3] Perný, M., Šály, V., Janíček, F., Mikolášek, M., Váry, M., Huran, J., Electric measurements of PV heterojunction structures a-SiC/c-Si. In Journal of Electrical Engineering. Vol. 69, No. 1 (2018), s. 52-57. ISSN 1335-3632

[4] Perny, Mi., Mikolasek, M., Saly, V., et al., Behaviour of amorphous silicon carbide in Au/a-SiC/Si heterostructures prepared by PECVD technology using two different RF modes, (2013) APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE Volume: 269 Pages: 143-147

[5] Perný, M., Mikolášek, M., Šály, V., Huran, J., Országh, J., Current transport mechanisms of amorphous n-doped silicon carbide/crystalline silicon heterostructure: Impact of nitrogen dopation, (2012) Proceedings of the International Spring Seminar on Electronics
Technology, art. no. 6273102, pp. 25-30.

[6] Perný, M., Kusko, M., Šály, V., Packa, J., PV Concentrator cells complex impedance under the bias in the dark, (2010) Conference Record of the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, art. no. 5614438, pp. 1461-1464.

[7] Saly, V., Packa, J., Vary, M., et al., Photovoltaic Energy Source, 6th International Scientific Symposium on Electrical Power Engineering (ELEKTROENERGETIKA 2011) Location: Stara Lesna, SLOVAKIA Date: SEP 21-23, 2011
In: PROCEEDINGS OF THE 6TH INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC SYMPOSIUM ON ELECTRICAL
POWER ENGINEERING - ELEKTROENERGETIKA 2011 Pages: 139-141

Currently implemented projects:

APVV-15-0326 Smart cities and smart energy backbone

VEGA 1/0651/16 Research of progressive materials and structures for photo-electrochemical applications

Slovak R&D bilateral collaboration – project SK-AT-0008-12 „A comparison between mechanical and electrical degradation of photovoltaic devices after forced ageing“ .

APVV-0443-12 – Research and development of silicon carbide thin films technologies for applications in solar cells and thin film devices

Photos:

Measuring workplace consisting of a solar simulator ORIEL AAA, measuring bridges Wayne Kerr and Solartron and Keithley source meter