This master’s thesis deals with the problem of thin film solar cells, their parameters and measuring. The introductory chapter describes the properties of individual thin-film technology, summarizes their advantages against the crystalline silicon cell. Another chapter is exclusively focused on thin-film cells based on amorphous silicon. There is described the manufacturing processes of amorphous cells and modifications performed during the manufacturing. One part of master’s thesis is dedicated to the description of basic electrical quantities and PV cell degradation mechanisms that negatively affect these electrical properties. It is explained in detail the most important degradation phenomenon called Steabler - Wronski effect. The master’s thesis describes standards regarding testing amorphous cells as well as method, how to achieve their performance stability. The practical part is focused on the testing of several single-layer amorphous cells that were exposed to degradation and regeneration effects. One part of the thesis is studying of a new method of testing of amorphous cell, where is necessary to determine whether it is the degradation or regeneration process. Measured values obtained from several types of measurements were compared, evaluated and displayed in the graphs. The recommendation for future testing of amorphous article is stated in the final chapter.

In recent years, the demand for Li-ion-type batteries has been increasing significantly in various fields of applications including portable electronics, electric vehicles, and also in renewable energy support. These applications ask for a highly efficient charging strategy in order to maintain a long life cycle of the batteries. Recently, a new charging technique referred as sinusoidal ripple current-constant voltage charging (SRC-CV) technique has been proposed and is in certain publications claimed to realize an improved charging per-formance on Li-ion batteries than conventional constant-current constant-voltage charg-ing (CC-CV) techniques. In this thesis, the charging performance of the SRC-CV charging method applied to a prismatic Li-ion cell for an automotive traction application is inves-tigated. An existing experimental setup is upgraded to realize charging of the Li-ion cells using the SRC-CV charging method. Electrochemical impedance spectrums of three Li-ion cells have been obtained using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). These spectrums were used to determine the charging ripple-current frequency where the mag-nitudes of the ac impedance of the cell are minimized. Key parameters like charging time, discharging time, and energy efficiency are calculated in order to compare the charg-ing performance of the CC-CV and SRC-CV charging techniques. The results reported from the experimental results obtained in this thesis indicate that there is no significant improvement with the SRC-CV charging method (implemented using a constant ripple-current frequency) compared to the CC-CV method in terms of charging time and energy efficiency. / På senare tid har behovet av batterier av Li-jontyp ökat kraftigt inom ett flertal applikationsområden inkluderande portabel elektronik, elfordon och miljövänlig elenergiproduktion. I dessa applikationsområden behövs en högeffektiv laddstrategi för att möjliggöra ett stort antal cyklingar av batterierna. Nyligen har en new laddmetod, benämnd sinusoidal ripple current-constant voltage-laddning (SRC-CV-laddning) föreslagits och har i vissa publikationer demonsterat en förbättring av laddprestanda hos Li-jonbatterier jämfört med konventionell constant-current constant-voltage-laddning (CC-CV-laddning). I detta examensarbete undersöks laddprestandan hos SRC-CV och CC-CV-laddning när de appliceras på prismatiska Li-jonceller avsedda för traktionsdrift. En existerande experimentuppsättning har uppgraderats för att realisera laddcykling med SRC-CV-laddning. Med hjälp av elektrokemisk impedansspektroskopi på tre Li-jonceller har den frekvens vid vilken magnituden på cellernas impedans är minimerad identifierats. Nyckelparametrar såsom laddtid, urladdningstid och energieffektivitet har uppmätts för både SRC-CV- och CC-CV-laddning. De experimentella resultaten visar ingen signifikant förbättring mellan SRC-CV-laddning (implementerat med en konstant rippelströmfrekvens) och konventionell CC-CV-laddning.

The rate of degradation of a lithium-ion battery depends on its use i.e. how it is charged and discharged. Physics-based models are used to represent the processes inside a cell as well as the degradation mechanisms. This thesis aimed to compare how the battery lifetime is affected when charging with different charging protocols using different battery models and degradation mechanisms. The investigated models are the Single Particle Model (SPM), the Single Particle Model with electrolyte (SPMe), and the Doyle-Fuller Newman model (DFN). The degradation mechanisms are solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), and lithium plating (LP). The used charging protocols are constant-current constant voltage(CCCV), positive pulsed current (PPC), and constant current (CC). Pulsed charging was included to investigate if the battery lifetime can be improved as in an experiment by Huang where pulsed charging increased the battery lifetime by 60%. To perform the simulations using the physics-based models, PyBaMM (PythonBattery Mathematical Modeling) was used. The simulations were performed for a lithium cobalt oxide (LCO) cell. Two types of SEI were implemented, solvent-diffusion limited and reaction limited. For the LP only irreversible LP was used.1200 cycles were simulated. Comparing the PPC and CC protocols, there were no significant changes between the degradation mechanisms for the different protocols. The results were the same for all the models, except for the results of the internal resistance. The conclusion is that for the PPC and CC protocols, the cell degrades the same although the PPC protocol used twice the C-rate. The PPC charging did not increase the battery lifetime. For the CCCV and CC protocols, there were some bigger differences between the protocols, but between the different models, there weren’t any significant differences. The CCCV degrades the cell faster for all degradation mechanisms and all models. Simulating one degradation submodel at a time resulted in a very small capacity fade for some submodels. Therefore, for future work, it is suggested to use several degradation submodels at the same time but also to try other degradation mechanisms or try PPC protocols with different frequencies and duty cycles. / Hur snabbt litiumjonbatterier degraderas beror på hur de används, laddas och laddas ur. Fysikbaserde modeller används för att representera processerna inuti cellen och även degraderingsmekanismerna. Denna studie har genomförts för att undersöka hur batteriets livslängd påverkas av olika laddningsprotokoll genom att använda olika batterimodeller och degraderingsmekanismer. Modellerna som användes är Singel-partikelmodellen (SPM), Singel-partikelmodellen med elektrolyt (SPMe) och Doyle-Fuller Newman-modellen (DFN). Degraderingsmekanismerna är fast elektrolytinterfas (SEI) och litiumplätering (LP). Laddningsprotokollen som användes är konstant ström konstant spänning (CCCV), positiv pulserande ström (PPC) och konstant ström konstant (CC). Protokollet för pulsad laddning inkluderades för att undersöka om batteriets livslängd kan förbättras som i ett experiment av Huang, där pulsad laddning ökade batteriets livslängdmed 60%. För att utföra simuleringar med fysikbaserade modeller användes PyBaMM(Pyhton Battery Mathematical Modeling). Simuleringarna utfördes för en lithiumkobaltoxid-cell (LCO). Två typer av SEI implementerades, lösningsmedelsdiffusion-begränsad och reaktions-begränsad SEI. För LP användes endast irreversibel LP.1200 cykler simulerades. Jämförande PPC- och CC-protokollen fanns det inga signifikanta förändringar mellan degraderingsmekanismerna för de olika protokollen. Resultaten vardesamma för alla modellerna, förutom resultaten av den interna resistansen. Slutsatsen är att för både PPC- och CC-protokollen så degraderades cellen på samma sätt, trots att PPC-protokollet använde dubbelt så hög C-faktor. PPC-protokollet ökade inte batteriets livslängd. För CCCV- och CC-protokollen fanns det några större skillnader mellan protokollen, men mellan de olika modellerna fanns det inga signifikanta skillnader. CCCV-protokollet försämrade cellen snabbare för alla degraderingsmekanismer och alla modeller. Att simulera en degraderingsmodell i taget resulterade i mycket små kapacitetsförluster. Därmed föreslås det att i framtida arbete använda flera degraderingsmodeller samtidigt men även testa andra degraderingsmekanismer eller PPC-protokoll med olika frekvenser och arbetscykler

The aim ofthe study was to provideinformation and experience gained with fine wire thermocouples (TCs)or resistance wire thermometers (RWTs) temperature signals to estimate the timeresolved heat transfercoefficient. Constant current method was assumed in the study and medium used in this study was air. Here the heat balance equation has been described, different Nucorrelations and further discusses potential hurdles and difficulties one may encounter while calculating heat transfer coefficient. As asolution, the use of an appropriate heatbalance equation and lowpass filter was suggested as this provides a more accurate fitting. The investigation was carried out for Reynolds number (Re) 103 to 107 and Prandlt number (Pr) 0.734. The impact of the Re and Pr on the Nusselts number (Nu) around a cylinder was represented and all the results were compared with GT-POWER engine simulation software. / Syftet med studien var att tillhandahålla information och erfarenhet från fina trådtermoelement (TC) eller motståndstrådstermometrar (RWT) temperatursignaler för att uppskatta den tidsupplösta värmeöverföringskoefficienten. Metoden med konstant flöde antogs i studien och mediet som användes i denna studie var luft. Här har värmebalansekvationen beskrivits, olika Nu-korrelationer och diskuterat ytterligare potentiella hinder och svårigheter man kan stöta på vid beräkning av värmeöverföringskoefficienten. Som en lösning föreslogs användning av en lämplig värmebalansekvation och lågpassfilter eftersom detta ger en mer exaktpassform. Undersökningen genomfördes för Reynoldsnummer (Re) 103 till 107 och Prandlt nummer (Pr) 0,734. Effekten av Re och Pr på Nusselts-numret (Nu) runt en cylinder representerades och alla resultat jämfördes med GT-POWER-motorns simuleringsprogram.

This diploma thesis is focused on development and initial run of a measurement system whose aim is to measure photovoltaic panel efficiency. Experimental photovoltaic panel is installed outside the laboratory. Measurement system consists of the solar radiation measurement module (pyranometer), photovoltaic panel load module (panel power measurement) and panel climate measurement module. Data from measurement module is being captured via control computer for subsequent analysis of panel efficiency and climatic impacts on it.

Master’s thesis deals with design of laboratory supply with precise voltage and current measuring. At the beginning it presents properties, advantages and disadvantages of linear and switching supplies, based on these facts it chooses a linear type of regulator. The design continues with detailed description of power and control analog and digital circuits. The thesis includes description of taking control over the supply from the front panel or through computer. The last part is devoted to measurement results and to presentation of some static and dynamic parameters of the designed supply.