Materials, Processes and Testing Laboratory. Technical progress report: July, August, September, October 1979

Technical Report · Sat Mar 15 04:00:00 EST 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5250359· OSTI ID:5250359

Forman, S. E.; Themelis, M. P.

The US Department of Energy has set a 20-year lifetime goal for terrestrial photovoltaic modules. In its capacity as a Photovoltaic Field Test and Application Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory has established various experimental test sites, ranging in size from 0.1 to 25 kW of peak power, throughout the United States. These sites contain modules from several manufacturers and serve as test beds for photovoltaic system components. This report, the sixth in a series of similar reports, summarizes the activities of the Materials, Processes and Testing Laboratory of the Solar Photovoltaic Field Tests and Applications Project during the four-month period, 1 July 1979 through 31 October 1979. During this period, field inspections of test sites at Bryan, Ohio, and Mead, Nebraska, were conducted and are reviewed. An inordinate module failure rate at the University of Texas at Arlington is reviewed and analyzed. Failures and degradation of Mead, Nebraska, modules are analyzed, and the development of testing equipment for PV systems is discussed.

• Research Organization: Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Lexington (USA). Lincoln Lab.
• Sponsoring Organization: US Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76ET20279
• OSTI ID: 5250359
• Report Number(s): COO--4094-83
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140600* -- Solar Energy-- Photovoltaic Power Systems
CLEANING
CRACKS
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
FAILURE MODE ANALYSIS
FAILURES
FIELD TESTS
GREAT LAKES REGION
INSPECTION
MIDWEST REGION
NEBRASKA
NORTH AMERICA
OHIO
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SUPPLIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POWER RANGE 1-10 KW
POWER RANGE 10-100 KW
POWER RANGE 100-1000 W
POWER SUPPLIES
SOLAR CELL ARRAYS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOUTHWEST REGION
SYSTEM FAILURE ANALYSIS
SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
TESTING
TEXAS
USA
WASHING