Failure Analysis Tools

Regardless of whether a module has degraded from field exposure or accelerated stress testing, it is important to understand what has actually changed within the module that led to lost peak power. This chapter explores some of the methods used to better understand what has gone wrong within the mod...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inPhotovoltaic Module Reliability p. 1
Main Author Wohlgemuth, John H
Format Book Chapter
LanguageEnglish
Published United Kingdom John Wiley & Sons 2020
John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Subjects
adhesion
Alternative & Renewable Energy Sources & Technologies
dark I‐V Curves
Electrical & Power Engineering
Electrical Devices & Equipment
electroluminescence
failure analysis tools
infrared inspection
irradiance
light I‐V Curves
PV performance analysis
Sustainable Energy & Development
visual inspection
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Summary:Regardless of whether a module has degraded from field exposure or accelerated stress testing, it is important to understand what has actually changed within the module that led to lost peak power. This chapter explores some of the methods used to better understand what has gone wrong within the module. Methods reviewed include, analysis of the I‐V parameters, measurement of performance at different irradiances, visual inspection, infrared inspection, electroluminescence and evaluation of adhesion. By analyzing the data from the light I–V curve we can often get a better idea of what has degraded. Another way to see the impacts of series and shunt resistance is to plot the dark I–V curve of the module. Some of the failure modes that occur in modules have no (or minimal) impact on how the modules appear. For visual inspection to be a useful tool, it should be guided by experience.
ISBN:1119458994
9781119458999
DOI:10.1002/9781119459019.ch5