Sun Power

Class VI

Solar Oven Project

• Find two cardboard boxes, one that fits inside the other, with 2-3" on all sides (and the bottom).
• Inner box should have an area of 120 to 180 square inches (for example, 12" x 12"), and be 9"-12" deep.
• Other comments about solar ovens:
  • Double strength glass for single panes, tempered for double pane 
  • Tempura paint can be used
  • cooking in jars
  • Homemade glue: 1/2 cup flour, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 cup water.
  • Reflectors from cardboard as well. Need lots of extra cardboard for insulation, reflectors
  • Need cloth strips for hinges, pieces of string.

Solar Electricity - Photovoltaics II

• Review:
  • cells/modules/arrays
  • Basic types of solar cells: mono/poly crystalline, amorphous (thin film), efficiencies.
  • Semiconductor candidates: Germanium, silicon, indium phosphide, gallium aresenide, cadmium telluride, aluminum antimonide, cadmium selenide, gallium phosphide.
  • How Solar Cells Work - n-p junctions/separation of charge carriers.
• voltage vs. sunlight characteristic
• Books on semiconductor aspects
• Cell design/testing: Sandia/NREL/Australian Institute
• Voltage/current/power characteristics
• Temperature derating
• Pay Back Times
• PV Industry
• AC/DC Electricity
• Balance of System: charge controllers, inverters, batteries
  • Costs, lifetimes, failures, etc.
• Dangers: Multiple Energy Sources, etc
• NEC - article 690, Sandia - John Wiles
• Appliance loads and sine wave requirements
  • Fridges, microwaves
• Concentrator Systems
• Alternative types of storage
• General Resources