Shows a PV panel used on a satellite in order to produce electrical power. The P

Question

Shows a PV panel used on a satellite in order to produce electrical power. The PV panel must be protected from debris and therefore a thick cover is required. The purpose of this problem is to evaluate the influence of absorption in the cover on the performance of the device. The cover is L = 2 cm thick with conductivity k = 2 W/m-K. The top surface of the cover is exposed to solar irradiation at a rate G^1 = 850 W/m^2. The cover is not completely transparent to the solar irradiation; the absorption coefficient of the cover material is a = 50 m^1 Therefore, the solar irradiation as a function of position decays exponentially according to: G"_1 = G"_ exp(- ax) The absorption of solar irradiation causes a volumetric generation within the cover that varies with position according to:g" = G"_ a exp(- ax) The solar irradiation at the surface of the panel (x = L) is converted to electricity with an efficiency that depends on the temperature of the PV panel: eta = eta_max beta (T - T_max) where T is the temperature of the PV panel (which is identical to the temperature of the cover at x = L), eta_max = 0.15, beta = 0.0015 K^-1 and T_max = 20^degree C. The cover is completely transparent to radiation emitted at high wavelengths. Therefore, the surface of the PV panel radiates directly to space (assume the emissivity of this surface is unity). The effective temperature of space is T_speace = 4 K. The surface of the cover that is exposed to space (at x = 0) is adiabatic. Develop an analytical model for the temperature distribution within the cover. Plot the temperature as a function of x. Determine the rate of electrical power produced per area of the PV panel. Plot the rate of electrical power produced per area of the PV panel as a function of the cover thickness.

Explanation / Answer

spacecraft operatng in the inner solar system usually rely on the use of photo voltaic solar panels to derive electricity from sunlight. in the outer solar system, where the sunlight is too weak to produce sufficient power, radi isotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) are used as a power source.

Solar panles on space craft supply powwerfor two main uses :

power to run the sensors , active heating, ccooling and telemetry.

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