Accelerated stress testing of solar photovoltaic modules. Interim report

Technical Report · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981

OSTI ID:5565326

Trenchard, S E

In 1974, the U.S. Coast Guard began investigating solar photovoltaic arrays as power sources for marine aids to navigation. Initially, 53 systems consisting of a solar array, battery, and a flashing lamp load were placed in a rooftop test facility adjacent to Long Island Sound in Groton, CT. Within two years, the solar arrays of 25 systems had no power output thereby indicating failure. Effects of the marine environment were judged to be responsible for the failures. In order to use solar arrays on operational aids to navigation, much greater reliability was essential. Consequently, development work was initiated on an accelerated stress test system that would rapidly identify solar photovoltaic modules capable of surviving in the marine environment. This interim report traces the history of accelerated stress testing of solar photovoltaic modules carried out at the U.S. Coast Guard RandD Center. It describes the military standard tests to which the prototype modules were exposed to and the results of that exposure. The report traces the evolution of the simultaneous multiple stress test to the present marine environment screening test. The results of exposure to the marine environment screening test of 136 test modules are reported.

• Research Organization: Coast Guard Research and Development Center, Groton, CT (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5565326
• Report Number(s): AD-A-107378/2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140600* -- Solar Energy-- Photovoltaic Power Systems
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
FAILURES
FIELD TESTS
NAVIGATIONAL INSTRUMENTS
PERFORMANCE
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SUPPLIES
POWER SUPPLIES
SOLAR CELL ARRAYS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
TESTING