PV Gap

Susan Said:

just wondering about solar power?

We Answered:

There is passive solar and active solar. Passive solar uses the heat from solar radiation to heat water or some other transferable fluid to do work, either by moving heat or manipulating fluid and vapor pressure to do work. Active solar uses solar photons reacting with the dielectrics in the photo-voltaic cells to produce electrons. This is ordinary electricity, which must either be used immediately or stored somehow.

Since solar power is not available at night, either photo-voltaic power must be confined to daytime use or batteries must be employed for nighttime use. But each transfer of energy (sun to cells, cells to batteries) includes some inefficiency, some work that reduces the potential of the energy, often in the form of heat. Passive solar is more efficient that way, but it is limited to extremely local uses, and often involves a lot of hardware and maintenance. Photo-voltaics can transfer electrical power into an electrical grid for redistribution, but it is limited by the efficiency of the materials, the amount of space it can take up, and the ability to respond to an optimum sun angle. The manufacture of solar cells also creates pollution.

One of the best uses of passive solar energy is a solar furnace, which requires a large field of programmable mirrors but can produce tremendous heat energy which can power a lot of things. A very good use of active solar is the powering of an individual home, to the point that it can be independent of the electrical grid or even supplement it. But no technology is perfect, and each has costs.

Laurie Said:

How does a photovoltaic module work?

We Answered:

its a solar panel. Converts sun energy into a battery

Cindy Said:

How does a MOSFET Photovoltaic relay work?

We Answered:

i think , it is a kind of ssr (solid state relay) which makes switching electronically.
ssr has two side, you trigger the ssr with a small triggering current and at the input of the relay there is a photoelectric diode that provides electrical isolation.
when it is energized, mosfet at the output side of the relay turns on and becomes transmissive so you can control very high currents.