Solar Cell Test Bench Project

Overview

This project aims to develop a test bench for analyzing the voltage and current behavior of a solar cell under varying surrounding temperatures. The project is a collaborative effort between Konstantin Sang and Siddhart Patel. Konstantin is responsible for the mechanical design and literature, while Siddhart handles the electronics and programming aspects.

Project Goal

1. Monitoring surrounding temperature with two DHT22 sensors.
2. Controlling a heating element through a relay setup.
3. Implementing a P algorithm for maintaining a desired temperature range, using real-time temperature feedback.

More mini goals will be added in the future as the project progresses.

Current Work Steps

Step 1: Temperature Monitoring

• Utilize two DHT22 temperature sensors to capture the ambient temperature.
• Calculate the RMS and average temperature values from both sensors to ensure a precise and stable reading.

Status: DONE

Video Demonstration:

Library Used:

• DHT Sensor Library by Adafruit

Step 2: Temperature Control

• Integrate a heating element, controlled by a relay, to adjust the surrounding temperature.
• Program the microcontroller to turn the heating element on or off as needed to reach target temperatures.

Status: DONE

Video Demonstration:

Step 3: Implementing a Control Algorithm

• Continuously monitor the RMS temperature and adjust the heating element's operation to minimize deviations from the target value.
• Achieve a stable environment by dynamically controlling the heating element based on real-time feedback from the sensors.

Status: DONE

Video Demonstration:

Step 4: Sensor Testing and Integration

• Test the ACS712 Current Sensor with both Arduino and Raspberry Pi Pico.
• Test the Voltage Sensor with both Arduino and Raspberry Pi Pico.
• Combine the individual codes to create a unified script for measuring both current and voltage simultaneously.

Status: DONE

Video Demonstration:

PDF Demonstration:

• Current Sensor Analysis: ACS712
  

• Voltage Sensor Analysis
  

More steps will be added in the future

Prerequisites

• Arduino or compatible microcontroller
• DHT22 temperature sensors (2x)
• Relay and MOSFET for heating element control
• Heating element

Installation

1. Clone this repository to your local machine.

   git clone https://github.com/your-username/solar-cell-test-bench.git
   

Author

Siddharth A. Patel
GitHub: siddharthpatelde

Credits

• Circuit Design and Electronics Programming: All coding, electronics, and circuit design are done by Siddharth A. Patel.
• Project Introduction and Mechanical/Literature Work: Konstantin Sang introduced the project and is responsible for the mechanical design and literature.