Quality Improvement of PV Modules by Electroluminescence and Thermal Imaging
E. Suresh Kumar1, Bijan Sarkar2, Nija K.S3
1E Suresh Kumar, Research Scholar at Jadavpur University Kolkata, India.
2Dr. Bijan Sarkar, Professor Department of Production Engineering at the Jadvapur University, Kolkata, India.
3Nija K.S, Post Graduate Scholar in Communication and Signal Processing Engineering at the Government Engineering College Wayanad, Mananthavady, Kerala, India.
Manuscript received on January 21, 2014. | Revised Manuscript received on February 18, 2014. | Manuscript published on February 28, 2014. | PP: 422-427 | Volume-3, Issue-3, February 2014. | Retrieval Number: C2698023314/2013©BEIESP
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© The Authors. Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Abstract: The ability of a PV module to withstand the effects of periodic hot-spot heating that occurs when cells are operated under reverse biased conditions is one of the quality characteristics that are verified within IEC qualification testing. The extent of hot-spot heating of solar cells is closely related to the properties of the semi-conductor material. Locally concentrated shunt defects are caused by non-uniformity. The extent of defects is correlated with the slope of the reverse IV-characteristic. In this paper the operational behaviour of crystalline cell types were investigated under reverse biased conditions. These conditions occur within the interconnection circuit of modules when cells are mismatched or totally or partially shadowed, possibly leading to thermal overload (hot-spot heating). This study is focused on the electrical as well as the thermal characterisation of solar cells that are operated under the reverse biased conditions. In connection with reverse biased operating conditions this study is focused on the following points: To identify the cell parameters for a comprehensive description of the electrical and thermal operational behaviour. The knowledge of these parameters is important for design of effective bypass diode concepts in modules. This paper is an insight into the applicability of the simplified method to select the worst case hot-spot cell in a module. The selection of this cell is the first step of hot-spot safety testing.
Keywords: About four key words or phrases in alphabetical order, Separated by commas.