Quantifying Solar Cell Cracks in Photovoltaic Modules by Electroluminescence Imaging

Sergiu Spataru; Peter Hacke; Dezso Sera; Stephen Glick; Tamas Kerekes; Remus Teodorescu

doi:10.1109/PVSC.2015.7356124

Quantifying Solar Cell Cracks in Photovoltaic Modules by Electroluminescence Imaging

Sergiu Spataru, Peter Hacke, Dezso Sera, Stephen Glick, Tamas Kerekes, Remus Teodorescu

Materials Science

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review

32 Scopus Citations

Abstract

This article proposes a method for quantifying the percentage of partially and totally disconnected solar cell cracks by analyzing electroluminescence images of the photovoltaic module taken under high- and low-current forward bias. The method is based on the analysis of the module's electroluminescence intensity distribution, applied at module and cell level. These concepts are demonstrated on a crystalline silicon photovoltaic module that was subjected to several rounds of mechanical loading and humidity-freeze cycling, causing increasing levels of solar cell cracks. The proposed method can be used as a diagnostic tool to rate cell damage or quality of modules after transportation. Moreover, the method can be automated and used in quality control for module manufacturers, installers, or as a diagnostic tool by plant operators and diagnostic service providers.

Original language	American English
Number of pages	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2015.7356124 https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2015.7356124
State	Published - 14 Dec 2015
Event	42nd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2015 - New Orleans, United States Duration: 14 Jun 2015 → 19 Jun 2015

Conference

Conference	42nd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2015
Country/Territory	United States
City	New Orleans
Period	14/06/15 → 19/06/15

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 IEEE.

NREL Publication Number

NREL/CP-5J00-63704

Keywords

cell cracks
crystalline silicon
diagnosis
electroluminescence
photovoltaic module

UN SDGs

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

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title = "Quantifying Solar Cell Cracks in Photovoltaic Modules by Electroluminescence Imaging",

abstract = "This article proposes a method for quantifying the percentage of partially and totally disconnected solar cell cracks by analyzing electroluminescence images of the photovoltaic module taken under high- and low-current forward bias. The method is based on the analysis of the module's electroluminescence intensity distribution, applied at module and cell level. These concepts are demonstrated on a crystalline silicon photovoltaic module that was subjected to several rounds of mechanical loading and humidity-freeze cycling, causing increasing levels of solar cell cracks. The proposed method can be used as a diagnostic tool to rate cell damage or quality of modules after transportation. Moreover, the method can be automated and used in quality control for module manufacturers, installers, or as a diagnostic tool by plant operators and diagnostic service providers.",

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Spataru, S, Hacke, P, Sera, D, Glick, S, Kerekes, T & Teodorescu, R 2015, 'Quantifying Solar Cell Cracks in Photovoltaic Modules by Electroluminescence Imaging', Paper presented at 42nd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2015, New Orleans, United States, 14/06/15 - 19/06/15. https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2015.7356124, https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2015.7356124

TY - CONF

T1 - Quantifying Solar Cell Cracks in Photovoltaic Modules by Electroluminescence Imaging

AU - Spataru, Sergiu

AU - Hacke, Peter

AU - Sera, Dezso

AU - Glick, Stephen

AU - Kerekes, Tamas

AU - Teodorescu, Remus

PY - 2015/12/14

Y1 - 2015/12/14

N2 - This article proposes a method for quantifying the percentage of partially and totally disconnected solar cell cracks by analyzing electroluminescence images of the photovoltaic module taken under high- and low-current forward bias. The method is based on the analysis of the module's electroluminescence intensity distribution, applied at module and cell level. These concepts are demonstrated on a crystalline silicon photovoltaic module that was subjected to several rounds of mechanical loading and humidity-freeze cycling, causing increasing levels of solar cell cracks. The proposed method can be used as a diagnostic tool to rate cell damage or quality of modules after transportation. Moreover, the method can be automated and used in quality control for module manufacturers, installers, or as a diagnostic tool by plant operators and diagnostic service providers.

AB - This article proposes a method for quantifying the percentage of partially and totally disconnected solar cell cracks by analyzing electroluminescence images of the photovoltaic module taken under high- and low-current forward bias. The method is based on the analysis of the module's electroluminescence intensity distribution, applied at module and cell level. These concepts are demonstrated on a crystalline silicon photovoltaic module that was subjected to several rounds of mechanical loading and humidity-freeze cycling, causing increasing levels of solar cell cracks. The proposed method can be used as a diagnostic tool to rate cell damage or quality of modules after transportation. Moreover, the method can be automated and used in quality control for module manufacturers, installers, or as a diagnostic tool by plant operators and diagnostic service providers.

KW - cell cracks

KW - crystalline silicon

KW - diagnosis

KW - electroluminescence

KW - photovoltaic module

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U2 - 10.1109/PVSC.2015.7356124

DO - 10.1109/PVSC.2015.7356124

M3 - Paper

AN - SCOPUS:84961572769

T2 - 42nd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2015

Y2 - 14 June 2015 through 19 June 2015

ER -

Quantifying Solar Cell Cracks in Photovoltaic Modules by Electroluminescence Imaging

Abstract

Conference

Bibliographical note

NREL Publication Number

Keywords

UN SDGs

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