Examination of a Standardized Test for Evaluating the Degree of Cure of EVA Encapsulation (Presentation)

Conference · Fri Nov 01 04:00:00 EDT 2013

OSTI ID:1114074

Miller, D.; Wohlgemuth, J.; Gu, X.; Haldeman, S.; Hidalgo, M.; Malguth, E.; Reid, C.; Shioda, T.; Schulze, S.; Wang, Z.

The curing of cross-linkable encapsulation is a critical consideration for photovoltaic (PV) modules manufactured using a lamination process. Concerns related to ethylene-co-vinyl acetate (EVA) include the quality (e.g., expiration and uniformity) of the films or completion (duration) of the cross-linking of the EVA within a laminator. Because these issues are important to both EVA and module manufacturers, an international standard has recently been proposed by the Encapsulation Task-Group within the Working Group 2 (WG2) of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Technical Committee 82 (TC82) for the quantification of the degree of cure for EVA encapsulation. The present draft of the standard calls for the use of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) as the rapid, enabling secondary (test) method. Both the residual enthalpy- and melt/freeze-DSC methods are identified. The DSC methods are calibrated against the gel content test, the primary (reference) method. Aspects of other established methods, including indentation and rotor cure metering, were considered by the group. Key details of the test procedure will be described.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office
• DOE Contract Number: AC36-08GO28308
• OSTI ID: 1114074
• Report Number(s): NREL/PR-5200-60810
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
MANUFACTURING
POLYMER
QUALITY ASSURANCE
QUALITY CONTROL
VERIFICATION