Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
**BEC-Engineering GmbH
An der Leiten 39, 85662 Ottersberg, Germany
Tel.: +49 (0)8121-884567-0, Fax: +49 (0)8121-884567-88
Web: http://www.bec-engineering.de/ Email: info@bec-engineering.de
ABSTRACT: Detecting hot spots in photovoltaic (PV) generators using infrared (IR) imaging has become a valuable
tool in the last years. Identifying faulty or defect PV-modules in large PV-generators with IR thermography is a cost
and time saving method to evaluate PV plants under operating conditions. In the course of this evaluation 16 different
PV-plants with crystalline modules, of different operating time, were investigated. Additionally, about 260 modules
have been dismantled and analyzed regarding electroluminescence, IR thermography applying an external current and
power measurements. All defects like short-circuited cells, faulty soldering, bypassed substrings and cell fractures
could be visualized. It was demonstrated that the detected defects show an observable impact on the resulting module
temperature, the IV curve and the power output. One major part of this study was to evaluate the correlation between
temperature increase and power reduction. Furthermore, at selected PV plants the importance and reliability of IR
overview scans has been proved, by verifying that all modules or cells with increased temperature show significantly
reduced power output. Then, aging effects of single pre-damagedmodules could be documented by using IR
imaging and a first correlation between the age of PV-plants and the number of defects can be presented.
Keywords: IR-imaging, operating conditions, failure mechanisms.
3894
26th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition
3895
26th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition
3896
26th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition
7 CONCLUSION 9 REFERENCES
In the course of the investigations of the PV plants [1] W. Herrmann, W. Wiesner, W. Vaassen. Hot spot
during operation conditions, all severely affected investigations on PV modules-new concepts for a test
modules with significant reduced power output could be standard and consequences for module design with
identified and located clearly. It can be said that modules respect to bypass diodes. in Photovoltaic Specialists
showing one or more exceptionally heated cells in an IR Conference, 1997., Conference
image are always damaged. Even PV modules with no [2] E. Molenbroek, D.W. Waddington, and K.A. Emery.
existing power reduction at the present moment but very Hot spot susceptibility and testing of PV modules. in
small defect areas can be located by using IR cameras. Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 1991.,
By evaluating the collected data, the PV modules with Conference Record of the Twenty Second IEEE.
the lowest output power are detected with high certainty. 1991.
Also the influence of different defects or damages of [3] R. Auer, U. Jahn, C. Buerhop, C. Vodermayer, G.
a PV module on its actual performance was considered. Wotruba, M. Zehner, M. Niess, Infrared Analysis of
Therefore different kinds of defects or damages were PV modules for improving quality in: 22nd PVSEC,
examined, as the origin of exceptionally high Milano, Italy, 2007, pp. 2519-2522.
temperatures in various modules can be manifold. [4] J. Wohlgemuth and W. Herrmann. Hot spot tests for
Commonly, bypassed substrings as well as broken and crystalline silicon modules, in Photovoltaic
fractured cells, open solder joints, and short-circuited Specialists Conference, 2005. Conference Record of
cells are identified as irregular heat sources. A correlation the Thirty-first IEEE. 2005.
between the quantity of defect cells and their type of [5] C. Vodermayer, et al. Erste Ergebnisse zur
defect on the output power of PV modules has been statistischen Verteilung von Fehlern in PV-Modulen
shown. mit mehreren Betriebsjahren. in 25. Symposium
In a third step it was verified that the IR imaging "Photovoltaische Solarenergie". 2010. Kloster Banz,
technique is able to detect all damaged and reduced-yield Bad Staffelstein.
PV modules and that this technique can classify the [6] U. Jahn, C. Buerhop, U. Hoyer, B. Lerche, S.
maximum occurring temperatures of the module areas. Wittmann, Infrarotmessungen an Photovoltaik-
Depending on the failure mechanism the measured Modulen, ep Photovoltaik aktuell, (2008) 32-38.
temperature increase compared to adjacent, regular cells [7] C. Buerhop, U. Jahn, U. Hoyer, B. Lerche, S.
ranges from 1 C up to 45 C. The IV characteristics of Wittmann, Abschlubericht der Machbarkeitsstudie
these malfunctioning modules show a significant impact zur berprfung der Qualitt von Photovoltaik-
on electrical data. Modulen Mittels Infrarot-Aufnahmen, in, 2007.
Further, aging effects of single modules can be [8] C. Vodermayer, M. Mayer, M. Mayer, T. Mller, M.
visualized and recorded by using IR imaging. This Niess, G. Wotruba, G. Becker, M. Zehner, J.
method allows the detection of defects or damages at an Schumacher, First Results Correlation between
early stage, so that yield decreases or even system IR-Images and Electrical Behavior and Energy Yield
failures can be avoided. of PV Modules, in: 23rd PVSEC, Valencia, Spain,
For a more detailed analysis it is recommended to 2008, pp. 3134-3137.
examine more PV plants with different parameters, to [9] M. Kntges, I. Kunze, S. Kajari-Schrder, X.
quantify the relationship between temperature increase Breitenmoser, B. Bjrneklett, The risk of power loss
and power loss of PV-modules in a more reliable way. in crystalline silicon based photovoltaic modules due
to micro-cracks, Solar Energy Materials and Solar
Cells, 95 (2011) 1131-1137.
8 ACKNOWLEGEMENT
3897