Interim qualification tests and procedures for terrestrial photovoltaic thin-film flat-plate modules

Technical Report · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1990

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6838933· OSTI ID:6838933

DeBlasio, R; Mrig, L; Waddington, D

This document provides recommended procedures and specifications for qualification tests that are structured to evaluate terrestrial thin-film flat-plate photovoltaic nonconcentrating modules intended for power generation applications. The qualification tests provided in this document are designed to evaluate flat-plate thin-film photovoltaic (PV) module design performance and susceptibility to known failure mechanisms. Emphasis is placed on testing and evaluating module performance characteristics and design features that will affect possible degradation of module performance and physical properties resulting from solar exposure, environmental weathering, mechanical loading, corrosion, and module shadowing. Because of limited thin-film module field operation experience and the evolutionary nature of new thin-film module material technologies and designs, these tests should not be considered definitive or complete, nor do they provide a basis to predict 30-year field life. Current understanding of failure and degradation mechanisms and the relationship between accelerated tests and field reliability is not sufficient to allow accurate estimation of life-expectancy, nor are the cycling tests given in this document considered to be equivalent to a full 30-year field exposure. However, the test and evaluation procedures given in this document provide a common approach for conducting qualification tests. Acceptable results from these tests should provide reasonable assurance that the modules that pass these tests will perform reliably in the field but for an unspecified period of time. 8 refs., 6 figs.

• Research Organization: Solar Energy Research Inst. (SERI), Golden, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/CE
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-83CH10093
• OSTI ID: 6838933
• Report Number(s): SERI/TR-213-3624; ON: DE90000354
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SUPPLIES
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
FAILURE MODE ANALYSIS
HEAT TRANSFER
JUNCTION DIODES
MEASURING METHODS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RELIABILITY
SERVICE LIFE
SPECIFICATIONS
STRESS ANALYSIS
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
THERMAL CYCLING
THIN FILMS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ENERGY TRANSFER
EQUIPMENT
FILMS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
POWER SUPPLIES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SYSTEM FAILURE ANALYSIS
SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
TESTING
THIN-FILM
PHOTOVOLTAICS
PV MODULES
TEST PROCEDURES
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion
140600 - Solar Energy- Photovoltaic Power Systems