Detection and Localization of Disconnections in PV Strings Using Spread-Spectrum Time-Domain Reflectometry

Christopher Deline; Mashad Saleh; Samuel Kingston; Naveen Tumkur Jayakumar; Evan Benoit; Joel Harley; Cynthia Furse; Michael Scarpulla

doi:10.1109/JPHOTOV.2019.2953392

Detection and Localization of Disconnections in PV Strings Using Spread-Spectrum Time-Domain Reflectometry

Christopher Deline, Mashad Saleh, Samuel Kingston, Naveen Tumkur Jayakumar, Evan Benoit, Joel Harley, Cynthia Furse, Michael Scarpulla

Materials Science

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

23 Scopus Citations

Abstract

This article describes the novel use of spread-spectrum time-domain reflectometry (SSTDR) for detecting and locating disconnection faults in photovoltaic (PV) power plants. We measure strings of cells and full-sized modules to understand how disconnections affect the reflectometry signature. PV modules correspond to reactive loads and disconnections in a PV string and cause distinguishable and measurable changes in SSTDR responses. Disconnection faults are manually introduced and correctly identified and localized applying the proposed technique. The SSTDR technique can detect and locate disconnects through at least eight 36-cell modules. Using the new technique described in this article, we can both detect and locate the disconnections within a 1-ft resolution, on average.

Original language	American English
Article number	8918119
Pages (from-to)	236-242
Number of pages	7
Journal	IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics
Volume	10
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2019.2953392 https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2019.2953392
State	Published - Jan 2020

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2011-2012 IEEE.

NREL Publication Number

NREL/JA-5K00-75087

Keywords

Disconnection
fault location
photovoltaic (PV) cell
PV minimodule
PV module
PV string
reflectometry
solar cell
spread-spectrum time-domain reflectometry (SSTDR)

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Deline, C., Saleh, M., Kingston, S., Tumkur Jayakumar, N., Benoit, E., Harley, J., Furse, C., & Scarpulla, M. (2020). Detection and Localization of Disconnections in PV Strings Using Spread-Spectrum Time-Domain Reflectometry. IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics, 10(1), 236-242. Article 8918119. https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2019.2953392, https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2019.2953392

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title = "Detection and Localization of Disconnections in PV Strings Using Spread-Spectrum Time-Domain Reflectometry",

abstract = "This article describes the novel use of spread-spectrum time-domain reflectometry (SSTDR) for detecting and locating disconnection faults in photovoltaic (PV) power plants. We measure strings of cells and full-sized modules to understand how disconnections affect the reflectometry signature. PV modules correspond to reactive loads and disconnections in a PV string and cause distinguishable and measurable changes in SSTDR responses. Disconnection faults are manually introduced and correctly identified and localized applying the proposed technique. The SSTDR technique can detect and locate disconnects through at least eight 36-cell modules. Using the new technique described in this article, we can both detect and locate the disconnections within a 1-ft resolution, on average.",

keywords = "Disconnection, fault location, photovoltaic (PV) cell, PV minimodule, PV module, PV string, reflectometry, solar cell, spread-spectrum time-domain reflectometry (SSTDR)",

author = "Christopher Deline and Mashad Saleh and Samuel Kingston and {Tumkur Jayakumar}, Naveen and Evan Benoit and Joel Harley and Cynthia Furse and Michael Scarpulla",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2011-2012 IEEE.",

year = "2020",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1109/JPHOTOV.2019.2953392",

language = "American English",

volume = "10",

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Deline, C, Saleh, M, Kingston, S, Tumkur Jayakumar, N, Benoit, E, Harley, J, Furse, C & Scarpulla, M 2020, 'Detection and Localization of Disconnections in PV Strings Using Spread-Spectrum Time-Domain Reflectometry', IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics, vol. 10, no. 1, 8918119, pp. 236-242. https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2019.2953392, https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2019.2953392

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AU - Deline, Christopher

AU - Saleh, Mashad

AU - Kingston, Samuel

AU - Tumkur Jayakumar, Naveen

AU - Benoit, Evan

AU - Harley, Joel

AU - Furse, Cynthia

AU - Scarpulla, Michael

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KW - Disconnection

KW - fault location

KW - photovoltaic (PV) cell

KW - PV minimodule

KW - PV module

KW - PV string

KW - reflectometry

KW - solar cell

KW - spread-spectrum time-domain reflectometry (SSTDR)

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JO - IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics

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Detection and Localization of Disconnections in PV Strings Using Spread-Spectrum Time-Domain Reflectometry

Abstract

Bibliographical note

NREL Publication Number

Keywords

UN SDGs

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