Design and Construction of Wireless Instrumentation System for Measuring Solar Module Performance Parameters

Abstract

This paper presents the development of a wireless instrumentation system for accurate characterization and evaluation of solar modules performance parameters under variable atmospheric conditions. A wireless transmitter that operate at 5V (315MHz) was designed and constructed to transmit electrical parameters of three different solar panels measured via current, temperature and voltage sensors to a constructed Omni-directional receiver that is made up of  inbuilt storage system. The measured electrical parameters from individual panels were evaluated in terms of their responses to variable atmospheric conditions and compared with that of manufacturer’s ratings. The results based on the plotted curves show that as individual panel temperature increases the output voltage also increases. Increase in output voltage result into increase in output current measured across the load resistor which also results into corresponding increase in output power of individual panel. The measured electrical parameters are within the manufacturer’s ratings range, except maximum output currents and maximum powers which show little differences from that of manufacturer’s ratings due to choice of load resistors used in the design which impede the free flow of current to some extent.

Keywords: Design, Construction, wireless instrumentation, solar modules

DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/9-10-09

Publication date:May 31^st 2019