Spatial and orientational distribution of cracks in crystalline photovoltaic modules generated by mechanical load tests

Kajari‐Schröder, Sarah; Kunze, I.; Eitner, Ulrich; Köntges, Marc

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2011.06.032

Cited by 122 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Diagonal cracks and multiple directions cracks always show a significant reduction in the PV output power [5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The commonly used tool is the normal standard deviation limits (± 1 SD or ± 3 SD) technique [13]. However, Kajari-Schröder et al [5] used a statistical local distribution analysis in identifying the type of cracks in a PV modules. To the best of our knowledge none of the reviewed articles have used a real-time long-term statistical analysis approach for PV cracked modules under real-time operational process.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The impact of cracks on the performance of photovoltaic modules

Dhimish

Holmes

Dales

et al. 2017

2017 IEEE Manchester PowerTech

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Abstract-This paper presents a statistical approach for identifying the significant impact of cracks on the output power performance of photovoltaic (PV) modules. Since there are a few statistical analysis of data for investigating the impact of cracks in PV modules in real-time long-term data measurements. Therefore, this paper will demonstrate a statistical approach which uses two statistical techniques: T-test and F-test. Electroluminescence (EL) method is used to scan possible cracks in the examined PV modules. Moreover, virtual instrumentation (VI) LabVIEW software is used to predict the theoretical output power performance of the examined PV modules based on the analysis of I-V and P-V curves. The statistical analysis approach has been validated using 45 polycrystalline PV modules at the University of Huddersfield, UK.

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“…Diagonal cracks and multiple directions cracks always show a significant reduction in the PV output power [5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of cracks on the performance of photovoltaic modules

Dhimish

Holmes

Dales

et al. 2017

2017 IEEE Manchester PowerTech

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“…This indicates that the normal hydrostatic stresses in the XX direction are not much different in Samples A vs. B. While non-disclosure agreement with our collaborators who provided samples prevents us from publishing the actual fracture images of the silicon solar cells in the present study, this finding is indeed in good agreement with much of the observations in the literature where many cracks [1][2][3][4][5]35,36], in similar monocrystalline silicon samples such as the ones used in the present study, initiated from the edge of the solder joint, would propagate at least initially along the X-axis (or in the case of samples with ribbons/busbars, equivalently perpendicular to the ribbon longitudinal direction), before later on taking on the weakest paths of the silicon cell crystallographically (usually along the < 111 > directions of the silicon crystal. This crack propagation thus forms the much known dendritic (or "fern" form involving many crack lines at usually +/-45°indicating the < 111 > crystallographic directions in the silicon cells).…”

Section: Va Handara Et Al Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 162mentioning

confidence: 90%

“…These external/environmental conditions increase the built-in stress, in addition to the inherent residual stresses developed during the manufacturing processes such as lamination and soldering. Consequently, extreme climatic conditions lead to the increase of fracture propensity within the solar cells reducing PV module's reliability and efficiency significantly [3][4][5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Probing stress and fracture mechanism in encapsulated thin silicon solar cells by synchrotron X-ray microdiffraction

Handara

Radchenko

Tippabhotla

et al. 2017

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

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A B S T R A C TThin ( < 150 µm) silicon solar cell technology is attractive due to the significant cost reduction associated with it. Consequently, fracture mechanisms in the thin silicon solar cells during soldering and lamination need to be fully understood quantitatively in order to enable photovoltaics (PV) systems implementation in both manufacturing and field operations. Synchrotron X-ray Microdiffraction (µSXRD) has proven to be a very effective means to quantitatively probe the mechanical stress which is the driving force of the fracture mechanisms (initiation, propagation, and propensity) in the thin silicon solar cells, especially when they are already encapsulated. In this article, we present the first ever stress examination in encapsulated thin silicon solar cells and show how nominally the same silicon solar cells encapsulated by different polymer encapsulants could have very different residual stresses after the lamination process. It is then not difficult to see how the earlier observation, as reported by Sander et al. (2013) [1], of very different fracture rates within the same silicon solar cells encapsulated by different Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) materials could come about. The complete second degree tensor components of the residual stress of the silicon solar cells after lamination process are also reported in this paper signifying the full and unique capabilities of the Synchrotron X-Ray Microdiffraction technique not only for measuring residual stress but also for measuring other potential mechanical damage within thin silicon solar cells.

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“…This is because of mechanical stress [19] caused by wind or snow load and thermo-mechanical stress [20] on the solar modules due to temperature variations caused by passing clouds and variations in weather.…”

Section: Cell Cracksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of a GIS Tool for a High Precision PV Degradation Monitoring and Supervision: Feasibility Analysis in Large and Small PV Plants

Simón-Martín¹,

Diez-Suárez²,

Prado³

et al. 2017

Preprint

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Abstract:It is well known that working PV plants show several maintenance needs due to wiring and modules degradation, mismatches, dust and PV cells defects and faults. There are a wide range of studies that show the theoretical and some laboratory tests of how these circumstances may affect the PV production. Thus, it results mandatory to evaluate the whole PV plant performance and, then, it's payback time, profitability and environmental impact or carbon footprint. However, very few studies include a systematic procedure to quantify and supervise the real degradation effects and faults impacts on the field. In this paper, the authors first conduct a brief review of the most frequent PV faults and degradation that can be found on real conditions operative PV Plants. Then, they propose and develop an innovative Geographic Information System application to locate and supervise them. The designed tool has been applied to either a large PV plant of 108 kWp and a small PV plant of just 9 kWp installed on a home rooftop. For the large PV plant, 24 strings of PV modules have been modelized and introduced into the GIS application and every module in the power plant has been studied including voltage, current, power, series and parallel resistance, fill factor, normalized PV curve to STC, thermography and visual analysis. For the small PV installation 3 strings of PV panels have been studied identically. It must be noticed that PV modules in this case include power optimizers. The precision of the study allows the researchers to locate and supervise up to a third part of every PV cell in the system, which are adequately georreferenciated. The developed tool allows both the researchers and the investors to increase control on the PV plant performance and conducts to a better planification of maintenance actuations and to evaluate several PV modules replacement strategies in a preventive maintenance programme. Found PV faults include hot spots, snail tracks, EVA discoloration, PV cells fractures, busbars discoloration, bubbles and Si discoloration.

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Spatial and orientational distribution of cracks in crystalline photovoltaic modules generated by mechanical load tests

Cited by 122 publications

References 2 publications

The impact of cracks on the performance of photovoltaic modules

The impact of cracks on the performance of photovoltaic modules

Probing stress and fracture mechanism in encapsulated thin silicon solar cells by synchrotron X-ray microdiffraction

Development of a GIS Tool for a High Precision PV Degradation Monitoring and Supervision: Feasibility Analysis in Large and Small PV Plants

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