Solar cell - A novel process control transducer

Abstract

This paper deals with a novel instrumentation scheme for measurement of process control parameters using an optoelectronic solar cell device. The I-V reverse bias characteristic of the device has been used to measure output differential voltage when it is exposed to sun radiation. The uniform constant intensity of light is exposed on the cell and the moving object is placed in between them. Due to masking of light intensity caused by a moving object gives the variation in output as differential voltage which is calibrated in terms of displacement or its derivative parameter. It can also be used for measuring process parameters like pressure, level and temperature etc in an industrial process control environment. The experimental results validated with computed value of the displacement of moving object as a primary parameter shows a good conformity. © 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.