Development of photovoltaic array and module safety requirements. Flat-plate solar array project, engineering sciences area. Final report

Technical Report · Tue Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6742767· OSTI ID:6742767

Levins, A.

A study has been conducted to identify and develop module safety requirements for photovoltaic module and panel designs and configurations likely to be used in residential, intermediate, and large-scale applications. The National Electrical Code and Building Codes were reviewed with respect to present provisions which may be considered to affect the design of photovoltaic modules. Limited testing, primarily in the roof fire resistance field was conducted. The generation of engineering safety requirements included a safety workshop which encompassed a broad cross-section of the photovoltaic community. Comments from the workshop resulted in additional studies and further investigations which led to the development of a UL Proposed Standard for Safety - Flat-Plate Photovoltaic Modules and Panels. Additional work covered the initial investigation of conceptual approaches and temporary deployment, for concept verification purposes, of a differential dc ground-fault detection circuit suitable as a part of a photovoltaic array safety system.

• Research Organization: Underwriters Lab., Inc., Melville, NY (USA). Research Dept.
• DOE Contract Number: NAS-7-100-955392
• OSTI ID: 6742767
• Report Number(s): DOE/JPL/955392-1; ON: DE82020735
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
BUILDING CODES
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRIC GROUNDS
ELECTRICAL FAULTS
EQUIPMENT
FIRE RESISTANCE
MEETINGS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
ROOFS
SAFETY STANDARDS
SOLAR CELL ARRAYS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
STANDARDS
TESTING