In the following formulations, you will find a simple explanation of how a photovoltaic system works and its main components. In this article, photovoltaics are compared to rainwater for a more intuitive understanding of the fundamentals. Here we will continue to use the same analogy to explain a complete photovoltaic system.
A photovoltaic system works similarly to a rainwater harvesting system. The amount of water collected changes with the weather: some days it rains heavily, others it doesn't, so some days a lot of water can be collected, while others it is very little.
Similarly, the amount of electricity generated by a photovoltaic system can vary depending on the weather conditions. The clearer the weather, the more electricity the PV system will produce. In cloudy weather, less electricity is generated.
Not only do rainwater harvesting systems and photovoltaic systems work similarly, they also have similar components, and each component of a stormwater system performs a similar function to one component in a photovoltaic system.
Properties——— rainwater systems ——— photovoltaic systems
The collection method ——— rooftop ——— photovoltaic modules.
Control mode——— valves ——— electrical components.
The storage method ——— the tank ——— the battery.
Transmission methods ——— pipes ——— wires.
Application Scenario——— Shower....- Lights, cell phones.
In a stormwater system, the part that performs a similar job is the roof of the house. If electricity is analogized to water, then solar panels collect sunlight like a roof collects rainwater.
The roof collects water that falls from the sky, so it can be stored for future use. Solar panels collect sunlight from the sky so it can be stored for future use as electricity.
The larger the roof area, the more water will be collected when it rains. The larger the surface of the solar panel, the more electricity will be collected when the sun shines.
If it rains heavily, a large amount of water will be collected in a short period of time, and if it rains lightly, only a small amount of water will be collected in the same amount of time. If the sun is bright, a lot of electricity will be generated for a short time, while if it is cloudy, only a small amount of energy will be collected in the same time.
If it doesn't rain, the water won't be collected. At night, no solar energy is collected.
Batteries store energy and provide power when needed.
Water is needed when it's not raining, and electricity is needed when it's not sunny. Both rainwater harvesting systems and solar PV systems must have a storage system. The batteries in a solar PV system have a similar function to the water storage tank in a water system.
The water storage tank can be used for a period of time after the rain has stopped. The battery can be used for a period of time after the sun goes down.
If it rains a lot and no one uses a lot of water, the water storage tank will be filled with water. If the sun is shining and there is not a lot of electricity, the battery will be fully charged.
If water is consumed when there is little rain, the water level in the storage tank gradually drops and is quickly exhausted. If people use electricity when there is little sunlight, the charge in the battery will gradually drop and soon the battery will run out of power.
Some devices, such as charge controllers and switches, control the current in a photovoltaic system. And in order not to hit the power grid, there is another oneAnti-backflow device, it controls the amount of electricity generated within a certain range, usually monitoring the power of the transformer it passes by, and finally adjusts its own power generation.
There are valves on the inlet and outlet pipes of the water storage tank to control the water used. Faucets and showers also use valves, so we can regulate the flow of water. Photovoltaic systems have equipment such as charge controllers, switches, inverters, etc. Through these"valves", we can control how much energy enters and exits the battery and enters the electrical equipment.
The wire is responsible for transporting the charge.
Both water and electricity need to be moved from one place to another.
To transport water from one place to another, pipes are used. In order to transport electricity from one place to another, wires are used.
Large pipes allow water to flow more easily than small pipes, so large pipes are needed when large amounts of water need to be moved quickly. Large wires allow current to flow more easily than small wires, so large wires are used when large amounts of electricity need to be moved quickly.
If the pipes are not properly connected, leaks can occur, preventing all the water from reaching the equipment. If the wires are not properly connected, the current will not reach all the places needed by the device.
In conclusion, rainwater harvesting is very similar to photovoltaic power generation, but a similar comparison is made for everyone to understand better.
Of course, we "photovoltaics" hate rain, we like the sun :)