Title :
Photovoltaic system testing techniques and results
Author_Institution :
New Mexico Solar Energy Inst., Las Cruces, NM, USA
fDate :
9/1/1988 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
Over the past three years, the New Mexico Solar Energy Institute (NMSEI) has tested and collected data on eight intermediate-size flat-plate photovoltaic systems. These data are now included in a valuable database for determining component reliability and system degradation trends. The specific test techniques used by NMSEI and the reliability of photovoltaic modules revealed by this testing are described and discussed. These methods are: I-V curve plotting, operating voltage and current measurements, and shading tests. These use of I-V curve data are important in determining array peak power rating and quickly locating large system faults. Operating voltage and current measurements are used in determining the location of module level faults. Bypass diode current measurements in conjunction with intentional module shading are used for isolating module faults in intermediate-size systems and systems with inaccessible module wiring. Of the 64000 modules tested, 362 modules (0.6%) were not contributing power
Keywords :
photovoltaic power systems; solar cell arrays; testing; I-V curve plotting; NMSEI; New Mexico Solar Energy Institute; array peak power rating; bypass diode current measurements; current measurements; fault location; intermediate-size flat-plate photovoltaic systems; operating voltage measurement; shading tests; Current measurement; Databases; Degradation; Diodes; Photovoltaic systems; Power system reliability; Solar energy; Solar power generation; System testing; Voltage;
Journal_Title :
Energy Conversion, IEEE Transactions on