DESIGNING SOLAR POWER SUPPLIES FOR TRANSISTORIZED

RADIO RECEIVERS
Jerome Kalman, Chief Engineer, Solar Products
Hoffman Electronics Corporation, Evanston, Illinois

INTRODUCTION 2. The voltage parameter varies loga-

rithmically with illumination levels so that
The development of fully transistorized small voltage changes result with changing
radio receivers has resulted in units hav- illumination level.
ing extremely low input power require- 3. There is a reduction in voltage with
ments. Paralleling the growth and im- increasing temperature (approximately 2
provement of the transistor was the to 2. 5 millivolts per degree Centigrade
development of the Silicon Solar Cell, a increase).
photovoltaic device capable of converting 4. The current output is directly pro-
light energy directly into electrical pow- portional to the area of the cell. Conse-
er. It seems natural then, that a com- quently, various sizes of cells are manu-
patible system would evolve in which factured in order to accomodate different
light energy would be used to supply pow- current requirements.
er to transistorized radios via the me- 5. The short-circuit current varies di-
chanism of the Solar Cell. rectly with illumination level. Use of this
Since dependence upon light energy for parameter as a means of determining light
operating power is too severe a limitation level is possible.
for a commercial radio product, use of a 6. The current output is essentially in-
rechargeable battery is necessary. Recent dependent of temperature.
improvements in the nickel-cadmium type
battery have been made and satisfactory Fig. 1 indicates the "Typical Current-
units are now commercially available. Voltage Characteristics at Various Illu-
Consequently, the rechargeable battery mination Levels for the Silicon Solar
and the silicon solar cell have been com- Cell. " The linearity of short circuit cur-
bined successfully in order to provide a rent with illumination and the logarithmic
"Iself-staining" power supply for the dependency of voltage with illumination is
transistorized radio receiver. indicated. The maximum power points
indicate the points at which maximum
power will be delivered from the cell. The
BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF SOLAR 10, 000 foot-candle curve represents the
CELLS output that would be achieved at full sun-
light conditions. With decreasing illumi-
Before designing Solar Power Supplies, nation levels, the characteristics become
certain basic information about the Solar proportionately lower in level.
Cell is essential. Present cells are
generally made from silicon material. Fig. 2 indicates the "Variation of Maxi-
Processing is similar to that of semi- mum Power With Temperature for a Sili-
conductor diodes and the resultant product con Solar Cell. " Under normal usage
has a high degree of reliability due to the conditions, the temperature range is such
materials utilized in its fabrication. The that the change in power output for a solar
important characteristics are as follows: cell assembly, used with a transistor radio
1. The output voltage is independent of would be approximately 2O%. This con-
cell area. Consequently, large cells can siders operation in a temperature range
be divided into many smaller cells and from room temperature to approximately
wired in series for increased voltage. 700 Centigrade.

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 cell and Fig. 3 shows the "Spectral Re-
sponse Characteristic for a Silicon Solar
Cell. " The peak response is in the near
infrared region at approximately 8500
Angstroms. Light energy from a tungsten
20 I v I ffi
I. + IE lm lamp with a color temperature of approxi-
mately 28000 Kelvin is compatible with the
solar cell characteristic as is the spectral

E
2 low

a
I-
.5
C,,
i '2
Nis
z

X .05
U

WAVELENGTH ( ANGSTROMS)

Fig. 3.
.00o
energy distribution from the sun. Fluor-
escent lighting does not contribute suffi-
.002
cient energy to be fully utilized by the
2 5 1p 20 50
solar cell. Consequently, tungsten in-
I 100 ZO 500 1,000
VOLTAGE (millivolts) candescent lamp sources are recommend-
ed, as well as natural sunlight.
Fig. 1. Since the mechanism of the solar cell
concerns the conversion of photon energy
of a light source into hole-electron pairs
within the solar cell, the response time of
IS0 VARIATION OF MAXIMUM POWER the cell is less than twenty (20) micro-
OUTPUT WITH TEMPERATURE FOR

125 __
i _A SILION SOLAR CELL
---t----- _ seconds and can be considered instantane-
ous when used in conjunction with radios.
Protection against normal environmental
conditions is achieved by use of trans-
parent encapsulations of either plastic or
¢7~~~~~~~~

_0 _
glass materials.
_

EQUIVALENT CIRCUIT OF SOLAR CELL

ASSEMBLY, RECHARGEABLE BATTERY
-7S -50 -25 0 25 50 75 1002o 0.Ii b
AND TRANSISTOR RADIO
CELL TEMPERATURE ( C)

Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 indicates the "Equivalent Circuit
ofa Solar Cell Assembly and Rechargeable
The silicon material primarily deter- Battery Used to Power a Transistor Radio'.'
mines the spectral sensitivity of the solar The b attery, VBB and its internal resist-

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 assembly to be designed so as to deliver
charging current to the battery as well as
load current to the radio. This would
necessitate a fairly large area assembly
and a consequent high price. Therefore,
the design procedure, generally used, is
a design a solar cell assembly which is
is capable of supplying charging current
to the battery when the battery requires
such charge or to contribute some of the
load current in cases of a fully charged
battery.

CHARGING ACTION
Fig. 5 indicates the "Current-Voltage
Fig. 4. Equivalent Circuit of a Silicon Characteristic of a Solar Cell Assembly
Solar Cell Assembly and Rechargeable
Designed for Use With a Transistor Radio."
Battery Used to Power a Transistor The assembly has been designed such that
Radio
sufficient voltage is available in order to
ance, RINT are shown supplying current provide charging current into the battery.
through the radio load impedance, RLOAD. Since the battery essentially places a
The solar cell is represented by an equiva- "Clamp" across the solar cell assembly,
lent diode with the polarity as indicated. the operating point for the solar cells is
When light energy is available, a constant determined by the battery voltage. Note
current generator is shown in parallel that under conditions of full charge, the
with the solar cell equivalent diode. Cur- solar cell assembly, having sufficient
rent flows from the solar cell in the di- illumination, is maintained at a fairly
rection as shown. Since the polarity of high voltage level and a small trickle
the solar cell presents a low impedance charge results. As the charge on the
path across the rechargeable battery, ex- battery decreases, its output voltage is
cessive discharge current can result dur- also reduced, causing the solar cells to
ing periods of non-illumination. Conse- operate about a different load line. At the
.quently, a "protective diode" must be
added in series with the solar cell assem-
bly in order to prevent such discharge
SHORT- CIRCUIT
currents. Note that the contact potential CURRENT
drop across this "protective diode" re- ILC -

duces the output voltage from the solar MAXIMUM POWER

/, NPOINT
assembly to the radio. Therefore, ad-
ditional numbers of cells must be added H, i\ n
to overcome this drop. Use of a germani-
um type diode would result in a drop of
approximately 0. 4 volt and a silicon type
diode would have an inherent potential
drop of approximately 0. 7 volt. It seems
economically and technically feasible to VOLTAGE
incorporate a germanium type diode with
the inherent lower voltage drop. Fig. 5. Current-Voltage Characteristic
Under conditions of sufficient illumi- for a Solar Cell Assembly Designed for
nation, it is possible for the solar cell Use with a Transistor Radio

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battery voltage point, listed as the low
charge condition, a high component of
charging current results at this lower
voltage. As the battery charge increases,
its voltage increases, causing a corres-
ponding decrease in charging current from
from the solar cell assembly. This phe-
nomenon provides somewhat of an auto-
matic regulating action and has proven
fairly successful. Since nickel-cadmium
batteries are capable of being trickle
charged for long period-s of time with no
"gassing" action, the system seems most
compatible.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS,
PRESENT AND FUTURE
Fig. 6 indicates several solar packs Fig. 6. Examples of Solar Packs
that have been utilized in commercial resulted in more economical cells. Cur-
radio receivers. The upper unit consists rently, the cost per watt is approximately
of eight (8) cells, wired in series, and $100. The units shown are approximately
occupying a space of approximately 1" X $7 to $10 each in large quantities. The
3" X 1/4". Under conditions of full illumi- cost of the rechargeable battery, in com-
nation, the unit will deliver 3. 2 volts and parable quantities, is approximately
a minimum current of 25 milliamperes. $1. 25. Therefore, a complete four (4)
The larger pack utilizes a more econom- volt power supply can be made for ap:-
ical cell having a different shape. Twelve proximately $10 to $25. The economics
(12) of these pie-shaped cells, wired in of such a system leaves much to be de-
series, deliver 4. 8 volts and a minimum sired. However, considering the watt-
current of 20 milliarnperes under con- hour capacity of such a supply over a
ditions of full illumination. A type "AA" several year period, the cost becomes
nickel-cadmium battery is also shown. more feasible when compared with costs
This unit has a capacity of 450 milliampere of using dry type batteries.
hours and a nominal voltage of 1. 25 volts. With further improvements in the
Combination of these units can be made in manufacturing techniques of the solar
order to develop power supplies capable cell, it is hoped that the cost per watt in
of sufficient load power for long periods the neighborhood of $25 per watt will be
of time. achieved. Coupled with the improve-
At the inception of Solar Cells, the cost ments in rechargeable batteries, to-
per watt of output power was approximate- gether with inherent price reductions,
ly $1000 per watt. Improvement of pro- the use of solar cells in combination with
duction techniques, decreases in the rechargeable batteries for powering
price of raw materials, and general im- transistor radios seems promising
provement of conversion efficiency, have indeed.

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