Project #4: Renewable Energy System P.I.: Vesselin Shanov G.A.: Feng Wang Teacher - Deon Edwards Teacher - Stephanie Baldwin.

Project #4: Renewable Energy SystemP.I.: Vesselin ShanovG.A.: Feng WangTeacher - Deon EdwardsTeacher - Stephanie Baldwin

Fossil Fuels• 85% of American energy• Growing Demand• Finite supply • Negative Environmental Effects

Solar EnergyDoes not polluteUnending supplyDoes not emit greenhouse gasTwo-types

Silicon Solar CellNanocrystalline TiO2

Silicon Solar Cell

Nanocrystalline TiO2

Silicon Solar Cells

•Wide spread•Expensive to produce

Dye-Sensitized TiO2 Solar Cell

• Based on photosynthesis

• Newer, less proven• Inexpensive to produce

TiO2 Coating with Spinach Dye

Electrolyte(Iodine)

Carbon Layer(use for catalyst)

Counter Electrode Glass plate

Electrode Glass plate

e

How Dye Sensitized Solar Cells work

DyesSyntheticExpensiveNot widely available

OrganicCheaperMore widely available

RaspberryBlackberriesGreen Leaves

Dye Solar Cell ProcedureStep 1: Prepare

conductive plates with tape and apply the TiO2 film

Step 2: Bake plates

Procedure-continuedStep 3: Dye the plates Step 4: Assemble Cell

Testing and DataTesting completed using a solar simulator and automated multimeter

Data CollectedCurrent Voltage

CalculationsCurrent Density

CD = Current x Area

Power DensityPD = Current Density x

Voltage

-1500 -1000 -500 0 500 1000 1500

-20.0

-15.0

-10.0

-5.0

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

Current Density vs VoltageSynthetic Spinach Black Berry

Voltage in Millivolts

Curr

ent

in M

illi

am

ps

Results

Results

-400 -300 -200 -100 0 100 200 300

-2.5

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

Current Density vs VoltageSynthetic Spinach Black Berry

Voltage in Millivolts

Curr

ent

in M

illi

am

ps

ResultsDye Type Short

Circuit Current

Open Circuit Voltage

Synthetic .55 mA/cm2 215 mVBlackberry .27 mA/cm2 45 mVSpinach .30 mA/cm2 305 mV

Dye Type Short Circuit Current

Open Circuit Voltage

Synthetic .55 mA/cm2 215 mVBlackberry .27 mA/cm2 45 mVSpinach .30 mA/cm2 305 mV

Our conclusion

Questions?

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSSincere thanks to . . . National Science Foundation. Anant R. Kukreti, Associate Dean for

Engineering Education Research and Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, for leading the project.

Dr. Vesslin Shanov Feng Wang Andrea Burrows, for her logistical

support.