Impedance Spectroscopy for Diagnosis of Photovoltaic Modules Under Outdoor Conditions

Guejia-Burbano, Rudy Alexis; Petrone, G.; Piliougine, Michel

doi:10.1109/jphotov.2022.3195003

Cited by 8 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 42 publications

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“…Because microcracks can be propagated through their penetration into the deeper bulk layer of PV cells by the thermomechanical stress experienced in laboratory tests and on-site (including transportation, installation, and/or operation stages) [ 10 , 72 ], the evolution of carrier recombination, as a favorable signature of microcracks, is a crucial indicator/predictor to proactively maintain PV modules, even when the microcracks cannot be detected in their EL images. Because the data acquisition in AC impedance spectroscopy has been performed on PV modules [ 34 , 73 – 75 ], the measurement accomplished using a DC bias voltage can be conducted effortlessly. Therefore, the diagnosis of failures with cell cracks at both the PV module and string levels, which is based on our conclusions, could be practically implemented for the assessment of the condition of a PV plant, the estimation of needed repairs, and asset transfer, although further verification in actual PV modules and strings is necessary.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Solar cell cracks within a photovoltaic module: Characterization by AC impedance spectroscopy

Tanahashi

Hsu²

2022

PLoS ONE

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Various cell crack modes (with or without electrically inactive cell areas) can be induced in crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) cells within a PV module through natural thermomechanical stressors such as strong winds, heavy snow, and large hailstones. Although degradation in the performance of PV modules by cell cracks has been reported occasionally, the mode-dependent evolutions in the electrical signatures of cracks have not yet been elucidated. In this study, we propose that the reduction of the time constant in the AC impedance spectra, which is caused by the elevation of minority-carrier recombination in the p–n junction of a PV cell, is a ubiquitous signature of cracked PV cells encapsulated in a commercially available PV module. Several other characteristics derived from the illuminated current-voltage (I–V) and dark I–V data significantly evolved only in PV cells with inactive cell areas. We also propose that the evaluation by carrier recombination is a crucial diagnostic technique for detecting all crack modes, including microcracks, in wafer-based PV modules.

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