Components Of Solar Panels: The Functional Parts Of Solar Panels And How They Work

The Insides About The Components Of Solar Panels:

Renewable energy sources have taken over the global village due to its sustainability potential, owing to the promising future through green technologies.
Solar energy, on the other hand, is the most abundant source of renewable energy. The high demand of solar energy is increasing due to its ability to generate abundant, efficient, and reliable electricity for both domestic and industrial purposes. Solar panels play a pivotal role in keeping the solar system working accordingly.

Also, Read Everything About Solar Energy Here

Solar Panel Parts And Accessories

Solar energy, as the most abundant source of renewable energy, works with other fundamental components in order to produce a good outcome. Solar panels comprise some various components in order to yield their required results.

Component Parts of Solar Panel

The following are the components of solar panels:

• Solar Cells: Solar cells are referred to as “Photovoltaic (PV) cells”. These function as the energy converter when sunlight is being emitted. Then, it converts the energy emitted into electricity.

• Encapsulation: Encapsulation is used in a solar cell in order to act as a cover for solar cells. The purpose is to help in repelling mechanical damages, sand particles, or dust. It is designed using a compound known as ethylene-vinyl acetate material, increasing the durability of this material.

• Back Sheet: This component part of the solar panel acts as an insulator, helping in prevention against moisture. The design of this component part is Tedlar or polyester.

• Frame: This component part is designed using aluminium materials. It mainly helps for installation purposes and also as a base that helps to support other component parts.

• Junction Box: This supports all the necessary electrical connections, including bypass diodes, positive and negative terminals, and the solar panel.

• Glass Cover: This is designed with tempered glass for protecting the solar panels and also acts as light transmission for efficient working of the panel.

• Busbars and Conductive Layers: This assists in transferring the total amount of electricity generated.

Solar Panel Accessories

• Photovoltaic (PV) Cells: It functions as the converter of the emitted power into electricity. It is designed with silicon materials.

• Solar Panels/Modules: Modules are solar panel components where solar cells are fixed. It acts as the entire solar panel assembling the exposed structure of the panel.

• Inverters: Inverters help to convert the Direct Current (DC) power generated to Alternating Current (AC) for both domestic and industrial consumption.

• Mounting Hardware: These materials are used for permanent installation of the solar panels in the required position where they can emit sunlight. Examples of these materials are nut/bolt, clamps, rails, nails, and binding wires.

• Racking Systems: This is the base where solar panels are mounted. It should be a base where enough or direct sunlight is coming and also strong enough to be able to withstand the solar panels to avoid damaging the system.

• Monitoring and Control Systems: This solar accessory helps the user to easily note the charging performance of the storage systems and also manages the battery charging for voltage and charging current detection. It also controls over charging, over voltage, and battery low cut-off.

• Wires and Connectors: This is one of the important accessories used for the electrical connection of the components in place and for battery, inverter, and solar panels connection purposes.

• Batteries/Storage Systems: This is a storage system to store the battery energy charged by the solar panels during the daytime.

Solar Panel Assembly

Solar panel assembling can be achieved through the following;

1. Identify And Understand The Components: Go through the study of the various components that made up the solar panel. Identify them one by one. These are the components of solar panels that promote its efficient working; solar cells, junction box, frame, glass cover, etc. Also, go through the structural design of each of these components of solar panels.

2. Manufacturing PV Cells: Prepare the PV cells and put them in order. This is made of silicon materials for the designing processes.

3. Module Assembly: The next step is to fix the manufactured Photovoltaic cells cells into the modules, link all the materials either in series or parallel connections, and provide the choices of both voltage and current rating of the PV.
Then, cover the cells with an ethylene-vinyl acetate material to prevent them against dust particles and against damage.

4. Frame Attachment: For support, assemble the frame for the panel installation and mounting spaces. These frames are usually made of aluminium materials to be able to withstand all the forces on the solar panels. Fix the modules firmly on the frame together with the junction box.

5. Glass Covering: Then, after the frame assembling, cover the PV cells with tempered glass to help protect them against damage.

6. Quality Assurance and Testing: Testing for the quality of the solar panels is crucial to ensure the proper efficiency of the panel to assure the users of the quality and performance evaluation. Also, the panel should be tested to prove how strong it would be on working in order to avoid early breakdown of the panel.

7. Final Inspection and Packaging: Do proper inspection on the quality of the solar panels to verify if each of the components are firmly assembled, after which the panel is packaged and ready to enter the market.

Silicon Solar Panel

Renewable energy is changing the trading means of energy generation, which has a severe effect on human health. Solar energy, particularly, is accepted due to its abundance in the energy sectors. Therefore, the adoption of silicon solar panels has greater features and advantages, helping to make our environment conducive to living.

How Silicon Solar Panels Work

The working of silicon solar panels is basically from the emissions of sunlight to the generation of electricity. The following are the steps on how silicon solar panels work:

Step 1=> Absorption:
As the photovoltaic cells emit the sunlight, it is then absorbed through semiconductor materials.

Step 2=> Electron Excitation:
Here, the transfer of energy takes place, from the energy being absorbed to electrons through semiconductor, typically a silicon. And then ready to be excited and cause break freely through the atomic bonds.

Step 3=> Generation Of Electricity:
Now, these electrons cause an imbalance of charge, and this causes the flow of electrons, also known as electric current flow.

Step 4=> Collection:
This step involves the distribution of this electric current being generated to the circuit externally through a conductive metal connection.

Types of Silicon Solar Panels

1. Mono-crystalline Silicon Panels: This is the most efficient and popular solar panel. It is dark in design. Mono-crystalline silicon panels are designed from single-crystal semiconductors.

2. Poly-crystalline Silicon Panels: Compared to the monocrystalline solar panels, polycrystalline is less efficient, but it is cheaper than monocrystalline panels. They are designed with more than two semiconductor materials.

Advantages of Silicon Solar Panels

• It is a renewable source of energy: Solar is the most abundant source of renewable energy, thereby being reliable, environmentally friendly, and bringing about a healthy lifestyle.

• Renewable Energy Sources: Solar energy is generated freely from nature, as there are abundant sun lights across the world, and they’re renewable.

• Environmental Benefits: Solar energy produces green energy, which is clean and conducive to our environment.

• Energy Independence: With solar power, one can enjoy a constant power supply from nature without relying on the national grids.

• Job Creation: Solar energy offers employment opportunities to individuals from working as a solar installer to working as a recruit in solar manufacturing industries.

• Technological Innovation: It boosts the creativity in the field, helping to increase production with the latest and trending technologies.

• Emissions Reduction: Solar energy is free from carbon emissions that cause severe damage to human health.

Challenges from Using Solar Energy

• Initial Cost of Installation: Solar energy can be very costly for a beginner who wants to start from scratch. The cost of generating the required amount of energy according to the users’ energy targets might not be high. The increase in the purchasing cost causes the intended user to change their mind.

• Resource Intensity: The manufacturing of silicon solar panels consumes a lot of time and as well as enough resources.

• Intermittent Nature: Solar panels are only active during the daytime, and they are wholly needed sunlight for it to function.

Solar Panel Junction Box

This is the housing where electrical connections are being found. This wire links the various Photovoltaic cells. It is designed with either ABS plastic or polycarbonate materials.

Components of Solar Panel Junction Box

1. Diodes: In the design of solar panels, Diodes are functions to allow current to flow one direction only, this way it can help and maintain keeping the charge during the night without following back.

2. Terminal Blocks: This functions as the medium through which each of the cell wires is connected to the junction box.

3. Bypass Diode: This functions as the alternative option in time of any cell malfunction.

4. Sealing and Insulation: This is an insulation to protect the junction box from being exposed to any harmful objects around the junction box.

Importance of Junction Box

• Reliability
• Safety
• Efficiency
• Performance Optimization.

Conclusion:

Understanding the various components of solar panels is important to help in troubleshooting in times of malfunction without consulting the technician.